UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
UNHCR's ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR ASSESSING THE ...
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violence and have been subject to regular attacks since 2003. 223 The Brookings Institution/<br />
University of Bern Project on Internal Displacement cited an Iraqi observer saying that the<br />
broader problem of sectarian violence in Iraq was not only an issue between the country’s<br />
Shi’a and Sunni communities, “but rather an organized effort to target all “other”<br />
communities”. 224 Largely without protection on the basis of tribe, militia or political<br />
party, 225 and often perceived as relatively wealthy, non-Muslim minorities are particularly<br />
vulnerable to attacks for perceived threat to the Islamic nature of the state, imputed<br />
affiliation with international actors, break-down of law and order, and general criminality.<br />
There is undoubtedly a strong subjective fear among religious communities in Iraq that<br />
their very existence is at stake. 226<br />
Members of non-Muslim religious minorities have become regular victims of<br />
discrimination, harassment and serious human rights violations, with incidents ranging<br />
from intimidation and threats to the destruction of property, kidnapping, 227 rape, forced<br />
conversion and murder. Along with the deterioration of the situation for Iraqi women in<br />
general due to the strict embracing of Islamic values and traditions as well as the high rate<br />
of criminality, women belonging to religious minority groups are often forced to comply<br />
with strict Islamic dress codes. 228 Their freedom of movement is also restricted due to the<br />
threat of kidnapping and rape. 229<br />
223 UNAMI HRO reported that “(W)hile the initial violence randomly targeted the Arab Sunni community,<br />
allegedly for their unproven association with the destruction of Al Askari Shrine, members of all communities<br />
were negatively affected by the unleashed violence and tit-for-tat attacks”; see UNAMI HRO, February 2006<br />
Human Rights Report, p. 2, see above footnote 165. See also: USCIRF, Iraq: USCIRF Letter to Under<br />
Secretary of State Dobriansky Urges Refugee Protections for Iraqi Religious Minorities, 9 November 2006,<br />
http://www.uscirf.gov/mediaroom/press/2006/november/20061109IraqRefugees.html.<br />
224 Al-Khalidi and Tanner, p. 24-25, see above footnote 161.<br />
225 Christians currently have the following representation in the central government: Wijdan Mikha’il, a town<br />
planner and member of the secular Iraqi National List, is the Minister of Human Rights; Yonadem Kanna of<br />
the Assyrian Democratic Movement is a member of the Council of Representatives.<br />
226 UNAMI HRO indicated that “Sabean-Mandeans continue to be targeted by extremists and their<br />
continuous presence in the country is endangered”; see UNAMI HRO, October 2006 Human Rights Report,<br />
p. 3, see above footnote 66. In an earlier report it said: “Members of Iraqi ethnic, religious or linguistic<br />
minorities feel that their identity and even physical existence is threatened”; see UNAMI HRO, August 2006<br />
Human Rights Report, p. 2 and 13, see above footnote 26.<br />
227 According to UNAMI HRO, “(K)idnappings by criminal gangs have revealed a sectarian dimension”;<br />
see UNAMI HRO, August 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 2 and 8, see above footnote 26.<br />
228 Strict Islamic dress codes includes the requirement that women wear an abaya, a traditional full-length<br />
cloak and a headscarf; see: IRIN, Iraq: Christians live in fear of death squads, 19 October 2006,<br />
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61897. According to the USDOS, Basrah’s Education Director<br />
introduced a rule requiring all females in the schools to cover their hair. The same report states that female<br />
university students in Mosul, even non-Muslims, were required to wear the hijab; see: USDOS, International<br />
Religious Freedom Report 2006 – Iraq, see above footnote 28. UNAMI HRO reported that “(I)ndividuals<br />
continue to face harassment and intimidation by extremist elements if they are not inclined to conform to<br />
traditional dressing. Women, national and religious minorities as well as homosexual were particularly<br />
targeted”; see UNAMI HRO, June 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 8-10, see above footnote 27. See also<br />
“Persons Accused of “Un-Islamic” Behaviour”.<br />
229 UNAMI HRO, August 2006 Human Rights Report, p. 10, see above footnote 26.<br />
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