A resolution to protect religious minorities including Christians and
Yazidis in Iraq following the expected defeat of ISIS has been passed
in the European Parliament.
The European People's Party Group, the largest political group in the
European Parliament, tabled this week a joint motion for a resolution
in Iraq once the offensive to retake Mosul from Islamic State is
completed.
The resolution passed on Thursday morning by an overwhelming
majority, with 488 votes in favour, 11 against, and around 100
abstentions. Charlie Weimers of the Swedish Christian Democrats told
Christian Today it was "now or never" for religious minorities in Iraq.
The motion highlighted ISIS' "draconian regime in Mosul", the
jihadist group's last stronghold in Iraq. It noted that those who have
managed to escape the city "report that people are starving and
desperate to be liberated" and "strongly condemned" mass executions
perpetrated by militants.
The motion also said the Nineveh Plain, Tal Afar and Sinjar regions have
been "the ancestral homeland of Christians
(Chaldeans/Syriacs/Assyrians), Yazidis, Sunni and Shia Arabs, Kurds,
Shabak, Turkmen, Kaka'i, Sabaean-Mandeans, and others where they lived
for centuries in a spirit of general pluralism, stability and communal
cooperation despite periods of external violence and persecution, until
the beginning of this century".
Before the Iraq invasion of 2003 there were more than 1.5 million
Christians living in Iraq. There are now believed to be only around
200,000.
"The extinction of these minorities in the region will have a further destabilising effect," the resolution said.
The European Parliament in February recognised the atrocities
committed by ISIS against religious minorities including Christians,
Yazidis and Turkmen as genocide. Member states must ensure "the
necessary security conditions should be ensured for all those who have
been forced to leave their homeland or have been forcibly displaced, to
make effective their right to return to their homelands as soon as
possible", the motion continued.
Article 125 of the Iraqi constitution gives religious minorities the
right to have their own province, and this was guaranteed by the Council
of Ministers in January 2014. The motion urged member states to "give
their practical and diplomatic support to a sustainable and inclusive
post-conflict structure for the region, with particular reference to the
possibility of an autonomous province including the Nineveh Plain,
Sinjar and Tal Afar, to be politically presented by the indigenous
peoples of the region".
Groups acting on behalf of religious minorities in Iraq have long
called for a self-governed province to be created in the Nineveh Plain
post-ISIS.
"The coming liberation of Mosul is... the defining moment when it
comes to the future of Iraq's indigenous peoples," said Lars Adaktusson,
who initiated the resolution.
"Now that Islamic State is on its way to being driven out of Mosul,
it is indispensable that the EU, together with other countries, shows
solidarity with minorities and, within the framework of Iraq's federal
structure, formulates an action plan on the future of Christians,
Yazidis and Turkmen.
"That means the creation of maximum regional autonomy in Northern
Iraq for Christians – Chaldeans, Syriacs, Assyrians – Yazidis and
Turkmen indigenous populations, and providing the necessary training
support and security guarantees, including support for local security
forces, in order for such an administration to be politically, socially
and economically viable."
Though the motion is non-binding, there is precedent for the European
Parliament to take action following the passing of such resolutions and
the European Commission is obliged to respond at a later stage.
When the resolution branding ISIS' actions a genocide was passed
earlier this year, an amendment to the motion called for the appointment
of an EU special representative for the freedom of religion and belief.
Although this, too, was non-binding, the Commissioner appointed someone
to the position in May.
After today's vote, Adaktusson told Christian today he was "very happy" with the support showed in Parliament.
"The important issues the resolution is dealing with have been
highlighted," he said. "We need on the European side to take
responsibility and do what we can in order to stabilise the situation
[in Iraq] and make it possible for refugees and IDPs to return to their
homelands."
Though the resolution is non-binding, it will "mean a lot" to religious minorities in the Middle East, Adaktusson added.
"The Christian groups, Assyrians, Syriacs and Chaldeans, as well as
Yazidis and Turkmen have been fighting for autonomy within the framework
of the Iraqi Constitution for a long time. Nineveh was upgraded to a
province just prior to the invasion of Islamic State in 2014, so this
has been an issue for a long time for these groups," he said.
The passing of the resolution shows both political and moral support for persecuted minorities, he said.
"I also think it's necessary to underline that if we want to preserve
the Christian heritage, if we want to keep the Christian tradition
within this region, it's essential that these groups will be able to
return, and that's not possible without international support."