Bethnahrin Patriotic Union refutes claim by Iraqi MP Waad Qaddo on Nineveh Plains demographics

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — Samer Shamoun, an official of the Baghdede Local Committee of the Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (Huyodo Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA), has criticized recent statements by Iraqi MP Waad Qaddo regarding the presence of the Shabak community in Nineveh Plains, calling them inaccurate and misleading.

The controversy began after Qaddo asserted that the Shabak have been long-term residents of areas such as Baghdede (Qaraqosh / Hamdaniyah) and Bartella, claiming they should have unrestricted rights to own land in these regions. Shamoun strongly refuted these statements, arguing that they distort historical facts and create confusion. He accused certain Shabak politicians of attempting to encroach on predominantly Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian villages and towns in the Nineveh Plains as part of efforts to alter the region’s demographic composition.

Shamoun reaffirmed the commitment of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people to preserving their heritage and resisting any attempts to impose demographic changes. He emphasized that such divisive actions do not reflect the views of the Shabak community as a whole but rather stem from specific political agendas aimed at creating discord among the region’s diverse populations.

He concluded by calling for unity and mutual respect between communities, asserting that both groups oppose such practices and remain committed to fostering genuine coexistence based on shared principles.