IRAQ: Shlomo Organization for Documentation withdraws from Justice and Compensation Coalition saying they were not taking seriously

DASHTO D-NINEVEH ܕܰܫܬܐ ܕܢܺܝܢܘܶܐ (NINEVEH PLAINS), Iraq – The Shlomo Organization for Documentation (SOD) announced its withdrawal from the Justice and Compensation Coalition (JCC), a coalition of 25 organizations. One of the goals of the SOD’s participation in the JCC was to ensure the consideration of the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian victims of the Islamic State (ISIS), which occupied Mosul, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains in 2014.

The Shlomo Organization for Documentation submitted a letter that included the organization’s observations on a draft law to restore consideration to the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian victims of ISIS to the JCC. However, these important observations were not taken into consideration by the JCC coordinating committee. In protest, SOD withdrew from the Justice and Compensation Coalition, announcing the decision in a public statement.

********** PRESS STATEMENT **********

Despite our suggestions and observations on the draft compensation law for survivors of sexual violence during the occupation of the Islamic Caliphate State (ISIS) and after several meetings with the JCC coordination committee in discussing our message, it was revealed that our observations had not been taken seriously. For this reason, we decided to withdraw on 9 April 2020.

On this occasion, we would like to express our observations to the public opinion about the work mechanism of the organizations that adopted the draft law.

Our observations summarized as follows:

1. 1. We have been heard, but without taking our observations seriously.
   2. The Shlomo Organization for Documentation (SOD) was not elected as a member of the JCC coordination committee, although the SOD is the only Christian organization in the JCC which aims to defend the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian-Armenian victims.
   3. The JCC insisted that only Yazidis have been subjected to genocide without taking into account the genocide of our Christian people.
   4. Unconvincing and unclear answers of the JCC coordination committee when asked about the legal mechanisms in considering international crimes.
   5. The JCC ‘s insistence on continuing to marginalize our Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people.

Based on what was mentioned, in addition to the irresponsible dealings of some of the JCC members with issues of our Christian people, we inform the public that we have withdrawn from the Justice and Compensation Coalition (JCC).

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