AL JAZEERA VIDEO: Iraqi VP Put On Interpol "Alert"

Situation For Iraq’s Religious Groups Improves, But Still Face Many Difficulties

On May 1, 2012, the United Nations representative to Iraq, Martin Kobler called for the protection of Iraq’s Yazidi community. This came after Kobler met with the spiritual leader of the group within Iraq, Baba Sheikh, in Ninewa province. When the insurgency was going strong, and the country was wrought with civil war, many outside observers were afraid that the Yazidis, and Iraq’s other minorities, such as Christians and Sabean Mandeans would disappear due to a steady stream of attacks by militants. Since the sectarian war ended in 2008, there is far less religious based violence, but Iraq’s minorities are still at risk. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted this in its annual report. In March 2012, the Commission’s yearly study noted that there are still attacks upon Iraq’s minorities, and sectarian tensions, but that the situation is improving.

The report started with Christians who still face violence. In 2003, there were 800,000-1.4 million Christians in Iraq of various sects. Those included Chaldean Catholics, Assyrian Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East followers, Syriac Catholics and Orthodox, Armenian Catholics and Orthodox, Protestants, and Evangelicals. Today, there are an estimated 500,000 left. It’s believed that 50% of the communist has fled the country. Christians use to be regularly targeted by militants, who considered them co-religionists of the Americans, and therefore fair game. Today, those attacks have greatly declined, but they have not ended. In January 2011, three liquor stores and a Christian social club were vandalized and robbed in Baghdad. This involved either local police, or people wearing police uniforms. In April, during Easter, a bomb exploded outside the Sacred Heart Church in Baghdad, wounding four. In August there was a car bombing of the Holy Family Syriac Catholic Church in Kirkuk wounding 15, and a bomb near the St. Ephraim Syriac Orthodox Church in Kirkuk that resulted in no casualties. On both occasions, other bombs were discovered and disarmed by the security forces at other churches in those cities. In December 2011, a mob of Kurds attacked and burned Christian owned business in the town of Zakho and others in Dohuk province after Friday prayers. Still, this was a marked decline from previous years, and far less costly. In October 2010 for instance, Al Qaeda in Iraq attacked the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Syriac Catholic Church in Baghdad in the worst attack since the 2003 invasion. More than 50 people were killed in the assault, and 60 wounded. It led to a wave of Christians fleeing the capital for northern Iraq.  What’s more is that according to a captured Al Qaeda member, these attacks are not planned so much out of hatred of Christianity by Muslim extremists, but rather to garner international media coverage, because the militants believe that attacking churches will gain the attention of the West. This is a common theme amongst the experience of Iraq’s minorities, that they often find themselves being used as pawns by much more powerful forces.

Sabean Mandeans are another prominent religious minority in Iraq. They are followers of John The Baptist, and one of the smallest groups in the country. In 2003, there were approximately 50,000-60,000 Mandeans in Iraq. By 2011 they were down to 3,500-5,000. Because they can only be born into the faith, and they are pacifists, some worried that they faced extinction during the heyday of fighting. In 2003 for instance, 175 Mandeans were killed, hundreds kidnapped, threatened, attacked, raped, displaced, or forced to convert to Islam. In comparison, in 2011, the Mandean Human Rights Group only recorded two Mandeans killed in two separate incidents, and two kidnapped for the year. Like the Christians, Mandeans have also benefited from the end of full-scale conflict within the country. What once looked like a disappearing group now has a chance to revive itself.

The earlier violence in the country led to a mass migration of Christians and Mandeans moving to Ninewa, the three Kurdish provinces, or leaving the country altogether. A recent report by the International Organization for Migration found that for many Christians this movement is not permanent. Many have left the north for their original homes, because they could not find work, aid or register their children for school. At the same time, there were many who were applying for visas to leave the country altogether. There have also been reports of the Kurdistan Regional Government manipulating and abusing minorities. The Commission noted that the Kurds are attempting to use the religious groups in their attempt to annex the disputed territories. They have interfered in their voting, taken their land, based services upon support for the Kurdish parties, forced them to identify themselves as either Arabs or Kurds, and blocked the creation of minority police forces. Arab officials have been no better in their treatment, and both sides have failed to prevent attacks. At the same time, there has been a push by some to form an autonomous region for Christians in the Ninewa Plains. Neither Baghdad nor the Kurdistan Regional Government has listened to them however. As long as there is violence or even the threat of it, minorities will continue this migration back and forth, and continue to be placed in the middle of the struggle for the disputed areas.

2011 also saw sectarian attacks by insurgents, and tensions between the Shiite and Sunni communities. In January of that year, Shiite pilgrims were targeted in Karbala during the Arbayeen celebration. Two days of bombings that month led to around 75 deaths and 200 wounded. In July, three bombs struck Karbala that left 100 casualties. In September, militants hijacked a bus in Anbar killing 22 Shiite pilgrims. During Ashura in December, there were 28 deaths and 78 wounded. Finally, in three days in January 2012, there were a slew of attacks again, against pilgrims heading for the holy city of Karbala resulting in 134 killed, and 283 wounded. Militants also targeted their Sunni brethren. On June 3, 2011, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Tikrit during Friday prayers. Another suicide bomber then blew himself up at the hospital where the wounded were taken. In total, 21 people were left dead, and 70 injured. On August 15, gunmen from Al Qaeda in Iraq assaulted a mosque in Anbar during Ramadan, murdering seven members of the Sons of Iraq. On August 28, a suicide bomber attacked the Um al-Qura mosque, the largest in Baghdad during Ramadan, killing 28. In an October 2011 poll, 75% of Sunnis questioned felt like the government did not treat them equally, and 60% said that they were treated unfairly in society overall. Tensions have also increased, because of the political dispute between the Iraqi National Movement and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law list. That showed that both insurgents and politicians were both guilty of using the sectarian card to achieve their goals. Militants hope to restart the sectarian war by attacking Shiites and Sunnis, hoping that the two sides will turn on each other. At the same time, Iraqi parties have used sectarianism in their battles with each other.

Amongst all the negative news, the Commission had some positives to report. Minorities have quotas set for them in elections, so that they are assured of representation. In the 2010 parliamentary vote, eight seats were set aside for minorities, five for Christians, and one each for Mandeans, Shabaks, and Yazidis. Six other Yazidi candidates won as part of the Kurdish Coalition as well, creating a total of 14 minority lawmakers in the 325 seat legislature. A minority caucus was also formed for the first time, and is pushing for greater representation and education about their communities. While very small, the quotas do assure that there are some minority lawmakers in each session of parliament. They appear to becoming more organized and active as well, which will hopefully improve their situation overall in Iraq.

Despite the improved security situation in Iraq, the country has been placed on the Commission’s Watch List since 2007, and on its “country of particularly concern” list since 2008. That’s because there are still attacks upon groups based upon their religion, and sectarianism is alive and well if for nothing else, but pure political gain. At the same time, things are improving in Iraq. The number of attacks upon all religious groups is far down from what they were in the past. That gives hope that Iraq’s minorities can recover from the devastation that they felt in the years immediately after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. For groups like the Sabeans this could provide the breathing space they need to rebuild and reproduce, so that they will not completely disappear from Iraq. The institutional discrimination and manipulation that minorities face at the hands of Arabs and Kurds however in northern Iraq will not end. That means even with things getting better in the country, there will still be many difficulties facing its minorities.

SOURCES

Aswat al-Iraq, “UNAMI representative calls to protect minorities’ rights,” 5/1/12

Al Dulaimy, Mohammed and Bengali, Shashank, “With U.S. forces set to go soon, Iraqi police step up,” McClatchy Newspapers, 1/21/11

International Organization for Migration, “Displacement Of Christians To The North Of Iraq,” 1/31/12

Salaheddin, Sinan, “Al-Qaida in Iraq threatens attacks on Christians,” Associated Press, 11/3/10

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, “Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom,” March 2012

- “Iraq Report – 2008,” December 2008

VIDEO: Kurdistan International Auto Show 2012

Child Victims Of Violence In Iraq Hold Demonstrations In Baghdad

For the past few months, children who have had family members killed in Iraq have held demonstrations in Baghdad’s Firdos Square. Some demanded the passage of a law called Orphan Care, which would set up government aid programs for these young victims of violence in Iraq. They have also called on charities and non-governmental organizations to provide assistance as well.

Women and children who have lost family members due to violence head towards Baghdad's Firdos Square past security on Feb. 11, 2012 (Getty Images)

Children holding up a sign, which says, "Together we will make a better life for orphans" in Firdos Square, Feb. 11, 2012 (Getty Images)

Scenes from another demonstration held on Apr. 7, 2012 in Firdos Square demanding government and charitable aid to families that have lost loved ones (Getty Images)

Children at Firdos Square pose with a cartoon character during demonstration on Apr. 7 (Getty Images)

Sabean Mandeans Conduct Ceremony In Iraq’s Tigris River

Below are photographs of a Sabean Mandean family doing a ritual bathing in the Tigris River, Baghdad, April 22, 2012. Sabeans are followers of John The Baptist. 90% of the community has either fled the country or been killed. In 2008, there were an estimated 3,500-5,000 left in Iraq. They were particularly vulnerable to the country’s violence, because they are pacifists, and can only be born into the faith. At one point, human rights groups were afraid that Sabeans could go extinct within the country. With the security situation greatly improved, there is new hope for the religious group to rebuild.

(AP)

(AP)

SOURCES

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, “Iraq Report – 2008,” December 2008

FRANCE 24 VIDEO: Iraq - Refugees: Iraqi Christian Refugees Continue To Arrive In Turkey, Nov. 2011

Iraq Remains A Hybrid Democracy In Report On World Governments

For the last four years, the Economist Intelligence Unit has released an annual report on the state of democracy around the world. The latest one, “Democracy Index 2011” covered 165 countries and two territories up to December 2011. Countries were ranked based upon five categories, and then divided up into four groups: full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, and authoritarian ones. Iraq was placed towards the bottom of the hybrid regimes group.

The Economic Intelligence Unit examined the majority of the countries in the world at the end of 2011 to determine what the state of democracy was. The group looked at each country and territory based upon five criteria: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, governance, political participation, and political culture. Each was given a score of 0 to 10 with 0 being bad, and 10 being good, and those points were then averaged out for the country’s ranking. Those scores determined whether the nation was labeled a full democracy, a flawed democracy, a hybrid regime, or an authoritarian one. In total, it found 25 full democracies, 53 flawed democracies, 37 hybrid regimes, and 52 authoritarian regimes. Overall, there were reversals in democracy in many countries last year. Many nations were cracking down on their citizens, and limiting freedoms such as that of the media.

Iraq was ranked a hybrid regime in the study. It was 112 out of 167. Only Burundi, 113, Haiti, 114, and Egypt, 115, were below it, making Iraq towards the bottom of the hybrid group. Its score was 4.03. It received a 4.33 in electoral process and pluralism, 0.43 in governance, 7.22 in political participation, 3.75 in political culture, and 4.41 in civil liberties. Specific breakdowns of each country were not given, but educated guesses can be made for each score. Iraq probably got its highest mark, 7.22 in participation, because voter turnout has been relative high. Its worst score was in governance. That’s because Baghdad is notorious for being corrupt and inefficient. The World Bank for example, marked Iraq 166 out of 183 countries in ease of doing business last year, because of all the steps and regulations that a company must go through to operate in the country. Likewise, Transparency International placed Iraq as tied for 8^th most corrupt country in the world in 2011, which was actually a slight improvement from the year before, but nothing to brag about. The country likely got its mediocre scores in elections and civil liberties, because of all the problems involved with both. Iraq’s 2010 parliamentary election was marked by the banning of candidates for alleged Baathist ties, charges of fraud, a re-count in Baghdad, complaints about the re-count itself, and deep political bickering by all the winning lists that dragged out forming a new government until December. Iraq is also known for abuses and torture by its security forces, and being a dangerous place for the media. It also repressed its own Arab Spring demonstrations in 2011 using force.

Compared to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa however, Iraq was towards the top, because the region has so many authoritarian governments. Of the fourteen nations in the region, Israel was first with a rank of 36, and a score of 7.53, good enough to make it a flawed democracy. Next were five hybrid regimes, starting with Tunisia at 92 with a score of 5.53, Lebanon at 94 with a score of 5.31, Palestine at 99 with a 4.97, then Iraq at 112, and then finishing off that group was Egypt at 115 and a score of 3.95. Finally, were the majority of countries, which were regarded as authoritarian. That started with Jordan at 118, and a score of 3.89, Morocco, which was tied for 119 and a score of 3.83, Kuwait at 122, and a score of 3.74, Libya at 125, and a score of 3.55, Algeria placed 130, and a score of 3.44, Oman at 138, and a score of 3.16, Bahrain at 144, and a score of 2.92, the United Arab Emirates at 149 with a 2.58, Yemen at 150 with 2.57, Iran at 159, and 1.98, and finally Saudi Arabia at the very bottom, ranked 161 and 1.77. There was little change in the Middle East and North Africa from 2010 to 2011. There were no full democracies either year, with Israel remaining the only flawed democracy. The only differences was that Tunisia moved from an authoritarian to a hybrid regime. Iraq stayed at 112 both years, with its score only slightly improving from 4.00 in 2010 to 4.03 in 2011. Overall, the Middle East and North Africa was the least democratic part of the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit with 11 out of 14 countries being authoritarian. This was despite the Arab Spring, which has brought mixed results so far. While Tunisia saw the most dramatic transformation, the future of Egypt and Libya are still up in the air. Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, and Iraq on the other hand, cracked down on protesters. The large oil wealth in the region, has contributed to this state of affairs, because it creates wealthy governments, and large security forces, which are not dependent upon the populace for taxes, and thus making them unaccountable.

Nations In The Middle East And North Africa

Israel #36, 7.53

Tunisia #92, 5.53

Lebanon #94, 5.31

Palestine #99, 4.97

Iraq #112, 4.03

Egypt#115, 3.95

Jordan #118, 3.89

Morocco tied #119, 3.83

Kuwait #122, 3.74

Libya #125, 3.55

Algeria #130, 3.44

Oman #138, 3.16

Bahrain #144, 2.92

United Arab Emirates #149, 2.58

Yemen #150, 2.57

Iran #159, 1.98

Saudi Arabia #161, 1.77

Iraq finds itself in a difficult position vis-à-vis its form of government. While there have been several elections within the country since 2005, Iraqi politicians are hardly responsive to their constituents. The country’s large oil reserves places it more in league with its more repressive Arab and Iranian brethren, because the government does not need the people for anything but their votes. The huge revenue petroleum brings in allows the ministries and other government offices, which are run like personal fiefs to create huge patronage systems to maintain followers. The lack of accountability is further proven by the fact that despite Iraq ranking as one of the ten most corrupt governments for the past several years, not a single top official has ever been successfully prosecuted in any case. Altogether that means that Iraq will likely remain a hybrid regimes with little impetus to reform or improve as long as it make so much money from its natural resources.

SOURCES

AK News, “No fraud in more than 2000 Baghdad polling stations,” 5/6/10

Economist Intelligence Unit, “Democracy index 2011,” January 2012

Knights, Michael, “Springtime for Iran,” Foreign Policy, 5/6/10

Myers, Steven Lee, “Iraq Recount Mired in a New Dispute,” New York Times, 5/3/10

Rao, Prashant, “Iraq’s media freedom deteriorating: NGO,” Agence France Presse, 5/2/12

Roads To Iraq, “The beginning of the election results deadlock,” 3/11/10

Transparency International, “Corruption Perceptions Index 2011,” December 2011

World Bank and International Finance Corporation, “Doing Business 2011 Making a Difference for Entrepreneurs,” World Bank, 11/4/10