Chaldean Patriarchate accuses Iraqi Government of violating Christian rights

ERBIL, Iraq — In a stern statement, the Chaldean Patriarchate in Iraq accused the federal government of ongoing violations against Christians, asserting that justice for this community remains neglected. The Patriarchate highlighted several measures that it deems as breaches of the law.

Chaldean Patriarch Mor Louis Raphael Sako, in his article titled “Iraqi Christians towards Migration,” expressed the sorrow, pain, fear, and vulnerability felt by Christians, recounting past incidents of kidnapping and murder following the fall of the regime and subsequent displacement by the Islamic State (ISIS).

Sako stated that there is a lack of sincerity from Baghdad in addressing the concerns of Christians. He criticized the government for offering little more than lip service without concrete actions, stressing the absence of political stability, security, economic prosperity, and sovereignty that all Iraqis aspire to achieve.

The Patriarchate’s statement cited specific instances of what it considers legal violations, including the appointment of Rami Joseph Aghajan as the head of the Bureau of Endowments for Christian, Yezidi, and Sabian Mandaean Religions. The Patriarchate claimed that Aghajan secured this position through the support of the Babylon Movement, asserting that such a crucial role should be nominated by the Churches, which were reportedly unfamiliar with the appointed individual.