13/03/2024

Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian parties in Iraq announce election boycott in Kurdistan Region of Iraq elimination of quota seats

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — Amidst the fallout from the Iraqi Federal Court’s decision to nullify quota seats for ethnic components in the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian parties have declared a boycott of the upcoming elections, citing disenfranchisement and a disregard for their community’s rights.

Deputy Co-Chair of the Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (Huyodo Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA) Joseph Sliwa conveyed a message on behalf of six Athra Alliance parties, emphasizing their resolute decision to boycott the impending elections.

The Athra Alliance is a joint political bloc formed by five Chaldea–Syriac–Assyrian political parties — Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (Huyodo Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA), the Assyrian Patriotic Party, Abnaa al-Nahrain, the Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa), and the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian Popular Council.

Speaking to Suroyo TV, Sliwa articulated the collective sentiment that participation in a parliament devoid of allocated seats for the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people held no legitimacy. He underscored the futility of contesting elections where the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community’s voice is systematically sidelined, asserting that any representation garnered through alternative means does not authentically reflect the aspirations of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian populace.

Sliwa condemned the entrenched hostility displayed by authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) towards the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community’s legitimate rights, particularly in light of hard-won achievements secured by their political parties within the region. The decision to boycott the elections symbolizes a principled stand against systemic marginalization and a steadfast refusal to acquiesce to institutional injustices.

Jinan Jabbar Boya, President of the Chaldean National Council, issued a joint statement alongside parties affiliated with the Hammurabi Coalition, the National Unity Alliance, and the Chaldean Political Body. Their unequivocal declaration of election boycott echoed sentiments of collective discontent and categorical rejection of the Federal Court’s decision. Boya stressed that boycotting the elections represented a firm rebuke to the historical misstep perpetrated by the Federal Court and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). He clarified that the boycott was not a call for disengagement but rather a powerful assertion of our community’s unwavering commitment to justice and equality.