Religious Minorities Under Siege in Iraq (VIDEO)

According to a recent report by a bipartisan religious freedom watchdog group, Iraq is one of the most dangerous places on earth for religious minorities.

Accusing Iraq's government of tolerating severe abuses of religious freedom, the panel asked that Iraq be designated a "country of particular concern," a status that would "encourage a robust policy response."

The report comes on the heels of more bad news from the northern city of Mosul, which hosts a sizeable Christian population.

On Monday, seven people from a single family were murdered by gunmen who stormed into their home. They were targeted for being members of the minority Yazidi sect.

In October, an estimated 13,000 Christians fled Mosul and its surrounding areas. Countrywide, the Christian population in Iraq has nearly halved since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Facing forced conversions, kidnapping for ransom, and murder, religious minorities represent a starkly disproportionate amount of those who've left their homes to find safety elsewhere.

As a result of this war, one of the world's oldest religions, the Sabean Mandaens, is in danger of becoming extinct.

The Sabean-Mandaens live in small groups spread across the country, lack the protection provided by a tribal structure, and advocate strict pacifism. As a result, they've fallen easy prey to violent extremist Muslim groups who view them as infidels.

Before the 2003 U.S. invasion, approximately 30,000 Mandaeans lived in Iraq. Today their numbers may be as few as 3,500.

Layla is a Sabean Mandaen who fled Iraq in 2005 after a militia group wearing Iraqi police uniforms kidnapped her husband, and following his refusal to convert to Islam, tortured and killed him in front of their 13 year-old son.

Hear Layla's story here.

View more stories like these by visiting Iraqi Refugee Stories.

Comments

[motoGpifupleez]

Minorities are always on the pointed end of the stick. They make good fodder for all that ails a society. Christians are under duress in Iraq but are more than making up for it by their oppression of Gays in America. Victim in one small corner of the world, bully everywhere else.

[BadgerinNJ]

The Christians in Iraq and their brand of Christianity has nothing to do with the fanatical born-again, right wing Western Christians. All Christians are not the same. All Christian churches are not the same.

[research]

If only there were a "strong man" to control the factions???

[MagisterLudi]

There will be. Hopefully he would learn the lesson not to mess with the West and oil access.

[research]

What, or the USA will mess up the entire world economy?

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

BRING YOUR HOLYWATER :)

[GZLives]

Submit, convert or die ....
Islamism is NOT Islam

[chaos4700]

I'm somewhat impressed. I wasn't under the impression you were capable of making that distinction, given your previous posts in other threads.

[GZLives]

Then you read into my posts.
I've never believed any differently.
Although many don't understand the difference or think they are the same I believe its very important to always make the distinction.
Islam is NOT Islamism.
Muslims are the first to be victimized by Islamists.

[iblisexpat]

Close to a million Iraqis have been killed by U.S. and you are worrying about the Christians in Iraq?

[daffey]

Uh, yeah. Sorry you seem to only care about certain people who die. Didn't know the US alone has killed a million Iragis by the way. Perhaps you could cite some sources on that one.

[lisa12345]

So we should not be concerned?

This is yet another comment posted in this community that is making me increasingly wary of many people who claim to be progressive. Upon coming to this site, I did not expect to see some of the views I am being exposed to. See, a true progressive--no wait, forget that. How about this: a *truly kind person* cares very much for every person who is killed. Iraqis being killed by US--yes, this is terrible. But it is just as terrible for a member of a minority group in Iraq being killed by Islamic militants.

You do not sound concerned, or saddened, at all. You dismiss them. But progressives care very much when any minority group is subjected to violence. It is reasonable that this site would cover all actions in Iraq that involve human-rights violations.

[chaos4700]

Very well stated. I hope you're not too put off that you don't continue posting, this community needs more people like you. Just keep in mind this is an open forum -- not everyone you're going to interact with is going to be a progressive, or even anywhere on the left end of the political spectrum. Don't be afraid to speak your mind, but at times you might find yourself under attack by, well... trolls and flamers. Don't lose heart.

[daffey]

I feel your pain. I've often described myself as a 'liberal in search of liberalism.' I once proudly called myself liberal in the 1980s after growing up believing that liberalism was the kinder, tolerant, open, and respectful way of walking through this old life (though I admit I probably seem somewhat conservative to many nowadays - that was liberal compared to life twenty years ago). But it isn't just here, so don't be put off by this post. It's what happens. Remember the oft quoted proverb: how a minority, achieving majority, seizing authority, hates a minority. For some, the term 'liberal' or 'progressive' no longer applies. They are not about being open, or tolerant, or kind, or respectful. They have adopted the latest in an ages old line of 'eternal philosophical world views that are absolutely true and only the Real (TM) people who agree need apply, all other can take a leap.' But that doesn't mean the old liberal emphasis on respecting those with whom we disagree, being kind to all people, being tolerant of other world views, and always being open [to the possibility that we are wrong] have gone out of style. They haven't. Maybe they just need to find a new label.

[minimalist syntax]

Thank you for your words Lisa.

[DeniseD]

Why shouldn't we be concerned? It is not much different than "ethnic cleansing".