The Assyrian Democratic Organization
Baghdad – AINA — The auxiliary bishop of the Chaldean Church of Babylon in Iraq, His eminence Shlemon Warduni, expressed support on Friday for the establishment of an administrative area for the minorities living in the Nineveh Plain.
Speaking to the reporter of the webzine ankawa.com, the high ranking church leader made it clear his church has changed its stand on the administrative unit issue. “The proposal of having our areas in the north protected and ruled locally by our sons and having the area connected to the national government, this is what the majority of our people have agreed on,” said the Bishop.
Asked whether the Chaldean Church is now supporting the call of the Assyrian Church of the East for an administrative area attached to the national government, the bishop said “We agree with the proposal of the Patriarch of the Church of the East and support the plan of having an area connected to the national government.” The Iraqi constitution allows for the establishment of local rule for minorities in areas where they have considerable numbers.
The Assyrian Democratic Movement, the political party supported by an overwhelming majority of Assyrians from all church denominations during the last national elections, announced during a 2003 conference in Baghdad it endorses the idea of making the minority dense Nineveh Plain area into an administrative unit according to the Iraqi constitution. Since then, an increasing number of Assyrian representatives from the political and religious sphere have supported the plan.
The new standpoint of the Chaldean church is considered a serious defeat for the Kurdish leadership in northern Iraq which has spent much effort attempting annexation of the Nineveh Plain into the Kurdish region.
The recent wave of violence on Assyrians in Mosul (AINA 10-16-2008), which some have attributed to the Kurds (AINA 10-17-2008, 10-22-2008), are believed to have played a role in convincing the church of the need of an administrative area attached to the national government in Baghdad.
In his interview with ankawa.com bishop Warduni emphasized the administrative unit should not be seen as forcing Christians to move to one area, maintaining that Christians live in all parts of Iraq and will continue to do so.
