unity at last Many
unity at last Many groups back Nineveh plan By Weam Namou The push to establish the Nineveh Plains as a governorate for Iraq’s Christians and other minorities continues to move forward and is being aided by a new unity among Christian organizations. On September 15, another meeting about the topic of Nineveh took place at Bellagio Banquet Hall in Warren. Four politicians who arrived from Iraq several days prior spoke on the progress of establishing the Nineveh Plains as a governorate, rather than an autonomous region. What does this mean exactly? “This means taking three districts, actually three and a half, and turning them into a new state, independent from certain laws that apply to other areas and yet entitled to the country’s resources [which are] allocated based on the number of people that reside there,” said Michael Youash, executive director of the Iraq Sustainable Democracy Project. “This proposal has a chance for success but it must first demonstrate that it is a good project for all of Iraq, not just for a particular group of people.” What is the difference between this attempt and other attempts that have not yet succeeded? “After the attack on Our Lady of the Salvation Church in October 2010, various political organizations from different backgrounds held a meeting and decided to put our differences aside and come together as one political voice,” said Abed Francis of the group Iraqi Human Rights. “There is really no difference between us to begin with,” said Manhiel Razoky, district director of the Assyrian Democratic Movement. “It’s the Church that sees these differences, and only in recent times. Three hundred years ago we were together.” Whoever initiated these differences, it was Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, who in November 2010 called for establishing a governorate for Christians in the Nineveh Plain. But the Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council of America (CASCA) and the Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council emphasize that they want an administrative and geographical area for all minorities and not a religious or sectarian area solely for Christians. “Ninety-five percent of Nineveh’s present inhabitants are Yezidis, Christians and Shabaks,” said Emmanuel Koshaba, secretary of the Assyrian Patriotic Party. “We’re not trying to relocate these people. We actually want the area for the people who are already there.” Once among the largest settlements worldwide, Nineveh’s greatness was short-lived when around 627 BC, Assyria was attacked by the Babylonians and Medes. Following the defeat in 612 BC, the site remained largely unoccupied for centuries with only a scattering of Assyrians. “Since the formation of Iraq this area has been largely neglected,” said Francis. “And today, statistics show that only 5 percent of the funds allocated for Nineveh are being used.” “The province is poor, even though it is a historical area,” said Koshaba. “There are no streets; services are below zero. With a population of more than 300,000, there is no hospital for [birth] delivery. One must go to either Mosul or Arbil for that and in a few cases women have died on the way.” Given the president’s approval, what’s holding up the process of handing over Nineveh to the minorities who want to revitalize it? “The Parliament has to vote for this to happen,” said Joseph Kassab, director of the Chaldean Federation of America. “There are more than 300 factions and the majority of powerful officials are for this process. The problem is the president of the Parliament, Osama Al Najafi. He is opposing it.” Since Osama Al Najafi’s brother, Atheel al- Nujaifi, is the governor of Ninawa Province, it’s speculated that Osama’s opposition deals with pure self-interest. “The opposition doesn’t want minorities to be independent,” claimed Koshaba. “They want to control the people and have them do what they want.” One way this agenda is being done is by attempting to build, for example, 3,000 housing units with non-locals of Nineveh registering for the dwellings. “This is changing demographics,” said Youel Isho of the Assyrian Universal Alliance. “It’s a fraudulent process that helps those in power force their presence.” “Once the minorities have control of this province, they will have control of their destiny,” said Kassab. “They will be self-ruled, self-administered. The opposition is afraid of that.” One person won’t be able to stop this project from advancing, Koshaba said. “We are not asking for more than what the constitution allows us,” he said, “but it seems that for Al Najaifi, it’s hallal [lawful] to pursue a province for the Sunnis of Iraq, not for us to do the same. There should be equality in this matter.” But Youash sees a bigger picture to this problem. “There is much sensitivity over the area of Nineveh because Kurdistan wants to take it over as, according to Article 35 of their constitution, it belongs to them,” he said. “So the Nationalist Iraqis, the Sunnis, will put their guards up when it comes to anything that would empower and serve the KRG. They will look at the situation as losing land. Therefore, it’s crucial that our policy framing is done properly.” In the meantime, the Council’s goal is to continue to meet with various officials in both the Iraqi and U.S. government and others in the international community to help them comprehend the urgent need for minorities to be granted an area that would protect them. The Iraqi delegation clearly states that the development of this governorate does not mean an absolute separation from Iraq. On the contrary, they say they want to give people more determination to stay in the land of their fathers and grandfathers, and to reduce “the bleeding of serious immigration” for all components that coexist in the region. “This is about having the area become a thriving area in the new Iraq,” said Koshaba, “to the point where even people who fled Iraq could return to it.” 34 CHALDEAN NEWS NOVEMBER 2011
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