Minority communities look abroad for asylum

Maria Canderi, a 34-year-old teacher, is one of hundreds of Iraqi Christians who – fearing their rights are not protected under the national constitution – has decided to leave Iraq to escape ongoing sectarian violence. “Most of my family has sought asylum in the Netherlands, because we found ourselves discriminated against and because we don't have our rights guaranteed under the new constitution,” Canderi said. “The sectarian violence has led to the death of dozens of Christians and Assyrians, among others – I don’t want to be another victim.” Christians – mostly Assyrians, Chaldeans, Armenians and Catholics – as well as Yazidis, Sabeans and Jews, who together represent only 12 percent of the country's population, have all suffered from the lack of security. Additionally, many who have worked with the central government or with US-led occupation forces have been targeted by insurgents. “They’ve been threatened or subjected to robbery or kidnapping for ransom,” said Joost Hiltermann, Middle East director for the International Crisis Group (ICG). “They’ve tried to either leave the country or move to the Kurdish region, which has been relatively safe.” Hiltermann added that such groups are targeted mainly because of their perceived collaboration with occupation forces or for their money. Fleeing to safety The Ministry of Displacement and Migration said local minority groups usually choose Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon or Jordan as refuge. Recent statistics from UN refugee agency UNHCR indicate that, out of the roughly 700,000 Iraqis to take refuge in Syria between October 2003 and March 2005, 36 percent were Christians of various denominations. Others have applied for asylum in western countries through European embassies. Based on ICG figures, such groups have better chances of being granted asylum in the US or in European countries. “Those who already have relatives abroad will find it relatively easier to gain asylum,” said Hiltermann. “For example, Christians already have an active Diaspora, so their applications are accepted more readily.” No protection Despite occasional discrimination, disparate minority groups are generally integrated into society. “Minority groups aren’t marginalised; they’re relatively well-integrated,” said Hiltermann. “The problem today is that many of them fear the new constitution will not protect them. They feel that – unlike the Arabs and Kurds, or even the Turkomans – they don’t have a strong external protector.” Sundus Barmi, 29, an Assyrian living in Baghdad, echoed this sentiment. “The sectarian violence has affected minority groups more than others, because we don’t have anyone in the government to fight for our rights,” he said. “We’ve been pushed aside in a society that we helped build.” While several local NGOs launched a joint campaign last year aimed at helping minority groups reclaim their rights, results have been mixed at best. “We’ve been trying to diminish the sectarian tension that has caused the death of hundreds of innocent civilians by showing that differences in beliefs are not something to fight over,” said Carlo Mastury, a spokesman for the Christian Brothers Association. “Unfortunately, however, these efforts have not borne fruit.” “The more we try to remain within society, and emphasise that we’re all brothers, the more Christians are targeted and killed on the streets of Baghdad,” Mastury added. AS/AR/AM