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Minority groups in Iraq face tough times

BAGHDAD, 20 Apr 2005 (IRIN) - Iraqi NGOs, representing minority ethnic groups in the country, held a two-day conference in the capital Baghdad this week to ensure that their rights are enshrined in the new constitution being drafted by the transitional government.

"Through this conference, we have tried to highlight the fact that Iraqi minorities have the right to be involved in the preparation and writing of the new constitution to ensure our rights are the same as other groups such as the Muslims and Christians," director of the Iraqi Commission for Civil Society Enterprises (CCSE), Basel al-Azawi, told IRIN in Baghdad.

The event, organised by the CCSE, came to an end on Tuesday. It resulted in the formation of a committee which will liaise with the new government to ensure that minority rights are genuinely protected under the new constitution.

"Promises of participating in the new government were given from the bigger parties like the Shi'ite Iraqi Alliance, but nothing has been done so far and we are afraid that we will lose our rights when they write the constitution," a member of the Mandaean Democracy Congregation (MDC), working to protect the rights of the Mandaean community, Sameea Dawood Salman, told IRIN.

Iraq consists of a number of ethnic and religious groups. According to the US State Department, 97 percent of a population of 22 million people are Muslim.

Shi'ite Muslims, predominantly Arab, although some come from Turkomen, Kurdish and other ethnic origins, constitute 60 percent of the population. Sunni Muslims make up 37 percent and the remainder are Christians, comprised of Assyrians, Chaldeans, Roman Catholics and Armenians.

There are also a small number of Jews, Mandaeans, who follow the teachings of John the Baptist and Yazidis, who follow a mixture of religions. It is these smaller groups, particularly the latter two and the Assyrians, which are voicing their concerns.

The Yazidis live near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, with smaller communities in Syria, Turkey, Iran, Georgia and Armenia, and are estimated to number 500,000. The Mandaeans are smaller in number at some 100,000 and live mainly in southern Iraq, according to members of both groups.

Under the former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, who ruthlessly promoted his Sunni brethren, a campaign of persecution against religious leaders and followers of the majority Shi'ites was carried out, as well as no acknowledgement of Assyrian,
Chaldean and Yazidi groups, according to human rights observers.

In addition, the minority groups were not allowed to participate in elections with their own independent parties. Following the fall of Saddam's regime in 2003 and the 30 January election, minority religious groups want to make sure that there will be no more discrimination against them.

"The people from minorities who have been neglected after the [30 January] elections are some of the oldest residents in Iraq," Santa Mikhail, a member of the Assyrian Women's Union (AWU), told IRIN.

"We want to have a clear vision through the media and through the people who believe in our rights as Iraqi citizens and [we want] civil society foundations that care about minority rights," al-Azawi added.

Some 12 local NGOs, and many university professors and researchers participated in the event. "We are part of Iraqi society, we had original roots and civilisations on this land, but we are afraid that the winners in the parliament will forget or ignore us," director of the Iraqi centre for interlocutions and religion NGO, Khezhal al-Khalidy, told IRIN.

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Who are the Christians of Iraq?  

Ancient church hosts Diyarbakr festival performances in Turkey  June 8, 05

Minority groups in Iraq face tough times  June, 3, 05 

New Assyrian archeological site in northeastern Syria  June 2, 05 

Iraqi Christian Campaigns Struggle  May 31, 05 

Assyrians the Indigenous People of Iraq  May 31, 05

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US Investigating Fate of Assyrian Man Missing in Iraq  May 25, 05 

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President bush Meets with the Assyrian Representative in Georgia May 13, 05 

International Congress of Assyriology and Near Eastern Archaeology May 13, 05

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The Assyrian Church of the East Patriarch Visits Iran  May 5, 05

Assyrian Candidate John Kanno Runs for Congress  May 3, 05

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Assyrian Appointed As Minister of Science and Technology April 28, 05

Syria releases 16 Assyrians from Prison April 28, 05

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Seyfo commemoration and demonstration in Brussels April 25, 05

Assyrians in Brussels Mark 90th Anniversary of Turkish Genocide  April 25, 05 

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The 90th Commemoration of a Denied and Occulted Genocide!  April 22, 05

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ARMENIAN CONVERTS IN TURKEY BRAVELY AVOW THEIR NATIONALITY April 19, 05

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Turkey Encouraging Displaced Christian Assyrians to Return  April 16, 05

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Assyrian Candidate Runs for Congress April 6, 05

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Picures of the Assyrian New Year celebration in Germany April 4, 05

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Baghdad priests pray for pope, remember appeals for peace April, 1, 05

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Ansar al-Sunna claims killing of Christian Iraqi general March 18, 05 

Bishop Gabriel Kassab Visits London March 17, 05 

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The Tragic Situation of the Assyrians of Barwari Bala March 4, 05 

The persecution of the Christians in Iraq March 2, 2005

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Assyrian Christians Here Say Iraq Vote Unfair Feb. 14, 05 

Iraqi Militant Group Claims Kidnapping of a Christian Feb. 13, 05

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To Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles President of the European Parliament Feb 14, 05

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Iraqi Christians Flourished Long Before Muslims Jan. 30, 05

Assyrians Prevented from Voting in Northern Iraq Jan 30, 05

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Assyrians of Modesto Travel to Los Angeles to Vote   Jan, 30, 05

Arizona Assyrian Iraqis travel to California to vote Jan. 30, 05

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Assyrian Christians Protest Iraqi Election with Crucifixion/Fast in New York! Jan. 29, 05

Misinformation about Assyrians From a Finnish Immigration Official  Jan, 28, 05

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Ex-archbishop in fight to save ancient Christians Jan. 24, 05

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Iraq Overseas Voter Registration Extended   Jan. 22, 05

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Iraq Overseas Voter Registration Extended   Jan. 22, 05

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Critics: Limited number of Iraqi po lling places in United State disenfranchises Christians Jan. 19, 05

CSI Founder Welcomes Release of Kidnapped Archbishop in Iraq Jan. 19, 05

Local Iraqis make long journey  Jan. 18, 05

Seyfo: The Unmentioned Genocide of the Assyrians during world war one Jan. 18, 05

I prayed and was ready for the worse, says the Bishop of Mosul Jan. 18. 05

Many Iraqis travel far to register to vote Jan. 30  Ja n 18, 05

Relief after kidnapped Iraqi archbishop is released Jan, 18, 05

Kurdish Attacks on Assyrians in Iraq Intensify As Election Nears  Jan. 17. 05

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Armed Kurdish Groups Terrorize Assyrian Town in Iraq Jan. 15, 05

Muslims Identify Christians as Western Enemies Jan. 14, 05

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Iraq expatriates want vote Jan. 14, 05

Iraqi Christian campaigns struggle Jan. 14, 05

"Assyrian dreams of going back for vacation, taking his kids to Nineveh"  Jan.23, 05

Iraqis here to have say in nation's Jan. 30 elections Jan. 13, 05

Local Iraqis in Chicago to Vote with Hope Jan. 12, 05 

Petition to Protest Iraq Out-of-Country Voting Program's Discrimination of ChaldoAssyrians Jan. 11. 05

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Assyrian National Gathering (Assembly) Jan. 11, 05

Terrorism Strikes All Iraqis, Says Patriarch Jan. 11, 05

Pastor tells of his visit to Baghdad Jan 10, 05 

A Look At Iran's Christian Minority Jan. 1- 05

Assyriska rises to Sweden's promised land  Jan. 6, 05

Good News from Midyat Turkey Jan. 8, 05 

Christians flee genocide as fear sweeps Iraq  Jan. 8, 05

Will the indigenous Christians of Iraq surviv e? Jan. 6, 05

Members of ancient Turkish Christian community try to get back to normal  Jan, 6, 05

Paticipating in Iraq's Elections Jan. 2005 

Chaldean population in Sterling Heights to take part in shaping new Iraq  Jan. 4, 05

Minority Christian groups want more parliamentary clout  Jan. 4, 05

Egypt frees Christians detained over December unrest  Jan 4, 05

Bleeding of the Week  Jan. 3, 05 

World's Assyrians savour Swedish soccer saga Jan. 2, 05  

Christians provide their own security for Christmas  Dec. 25, 04

Wearing one seen as way to avoid violence Dec. 25, 04

New Hope of Syrian Minorities: Ripple Effect of Iraqi Politics Dec. 29, 04 

Iraqi Christians in Jordan Cite Bombs, Intimidation Dec. 25, 04

Iraq's Christmas Spirit: Fear Dec. 25, 04 

Christmas in Iraq  Dec. 25, 04   

Iraqi Refugees will not Be Home For Christmas Dec. 24, 04

Is Iraq Another Yugoslavia? Dec. 23, 04

Kurds: Bombers are militant splinter group Dec.23, 04 

USCIRF Letter to President Bush about the Non-Moslems in Iraq Dec. 21, 04

Christian orphans stuck in limbo in Iraq  Dec. 21, 04

Christian Plight in Iraq Dec. 21, 04

Chaldo-Assyrian Community of Iraq Dec. 21, 04

Despite Fear of Attacks Baghdad Christians celebrate birth of Christ Dec. 21 ,04 

Churches attacked in Mosul. Christians Kidnapped and Injured  Dec. 20 ,04

Christmas services canceled by fearful Iraqi Christians Dec. 20, 04

Turkey, the EU and the Assyrians  Dec. 20, 04

Voting ProceduresFor the Out Country Iraqi's  Dec. 16, 04

Iraqi Christians to Take Role in Elections DC. 15, 04 

Updated: Oppression and Murder of the Assyrians in Iraq Dec. 10, 04

Iraq's besieged Christians weigh taking up arms, fleeing into exile  Dec. 12, 04

Pope expresses concern about recent terror attacks against Iraqi Christians Dec. 8, 04

Iraq Churches Bombed; 1,000th American Killed  Dec. 7, 04

1,500 members to protect Christians in northern Iraq Dec. 4, 04

Christianity Under Fire In Egypt  Dec. 6, 04

Interview with younadam Kanna of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM)  Dec. 5, 04

Kurd's Tactics to Divide Assyrians into Insignificance Dec. 3, 04

The Advantages of a Governate Region Versus Safe Heaven  Dec. 1. 04

AINA: Appeal for a ChaldoAssyrian Safe Haven in Northern Iraq  Nov. 30, 04

Iraq's Christian Minority Under Threat Nov. 29, 04

More and more Christians Fear Life in Iraq Nov. 29, 04

Appeal for a ChaldoAssyrian Safe Haven in Iraq  Nov. 24, 04

Interview with Archbischop of Kerkuk - Louis Sakko Nov. 24, 04

US support seen as 'disaster' for Christian minority in Iraq Nov. 23, 04

Iraqi Christians seek U.S. support  Nov. 23, 04

A Conference for the Defense of Human rights for Minorities in Iraq  Nov. 18, 04

U.S. Must Protect Iraq's Christians  Nov. 16, 04

The Coming Elections in Iraq and the Expatritots  Nov. 15,04

The Ethnic Cleansing of christians In Iraq Continues  Nov. 13, 04

Northern Iraq's Mosul Tense After U.S. Air Strikes Nov. 12, 04

Bombs explode at Baghdad Orthodox churches Nov . 8, 04

Militants bomb Orthodox church in Baghdad  Nove. 8, 04

Is Mosul Next after Falluja?  Nov. 7, 04

Companions in suffering: An Interview with Thea Halo Nov. 6, 02

Iraqi Christians Face Escalating violence: Urgent Appeal For Help  Nov. 4, 04

Update of Opression and Murder of the Assyrians in Iraq Nov. 4, 04

Two Assyrians Killed in Syria  NOv. 3, 04

Assyrian Family Attacked in Baghdad, Two Killed  NOv. 2, 04

Restoring Sanity to Iraq  Oct. 25, 04

Apeal for an Administration region for the Christians of Iraq  Oct. 24, 04

Kurd's Confiscation of Assyrian Villages  Oct. 25, 04

Christians of Iraq under Siege Oct. 25, o4

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