Stolen lives, stolen Homes: the plight of Iraqi Christians

Shafaq News/ The Christian community in Iraq, particularly in the northern city of Kirkuk, has lived for centuries in peaceful coexistence within the country's diverse population. Known for their kindness and serene nature, these communities have been an integral part of Iraq's rich history, with their roots tracing back to ancient civilizations like the Assyrians and Chaldeans.

Mass Displacement And Immigration

The 2003 US-led invasion marked a turning point for Iraq's Christians. Waves of targeted attacks, including bombings of churches and monasteries, kidnappings, and assassinations of clergy members perpetrated by extremist groups, sent shockwaves through the community. Many Christians found themselves caught in the crossfire of sectarian violence that engulfed the country between 2006 and 2008.

As security deteriorated across Iraq, emigration became a desperate measure for many Christians seeking to escape the escalating violence. The Islamic State (ISIS) group, which emerged in 2014, dealt another devastating blow to the Christian community, forcing thousands to flee their homes in Nineveh Plain and other areas under the extremist group's control. The mass displacement and persecution inflicted by ISIS have raised serious concerns about the long-term survival of Iraq's Christian minority.

Baghdad Is My Home

Faiza Johnson, a 65-year-old Christian woman who has called Baghdad home for over six decades, said she never imagined leaving her hometown despite the numerous challenges she has faced. Her snow-white hair, she says, is a testament to the sweet and bitter memories she has accumulated over the years, particularly during the US occupation and the sectarian violence that followed.

When ISIS swept through Iraq in 2014, forcing thousands of Christian families to flee their homes, Johnson remained steadfast in her Baghdad neighborhood of al-Karrada. However, the trauma of those years eventually led her and her siblings to leave the country temporarily. Upon their return, they discovered that their family home had been sold, and they were forced to evacuate.

"My love for Baghdad is indescribable," Johnson said. "I never thought about leaving Baghdad, but my family, a son and a daughter, decided to immigrate to America in 2014. They live there now, but I am staying with my sister at our house in al-Karrada. We traveled outside of Iraq for two years, and when we returned, we found that a different family was living in our home. They told us they had bought the house from a real estate agent. After years of legal battles, we regained ownership of the property and eventually sold it before settling in Kirkuk."

Less than a thousand in Kirkuk

The Chaldean Catholic Church in Kirkuk and al-Sulaymaniyah has played a crucial role in supporting the Christian community in the region, according to Archbishop Yusuf Toma. Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, Toma said the church provided aid and assistance to both displaced Christians and other minority groups.

Following the ISIS attacks, nearly 350 Christian families from Nineveh sought refuge in Kirkuk, along with Yazidi, Sabean, and Muslim families. "The church provided care for these displaced families," Toma said, adding, "We also supported 700 students from these families and helped them complete their higher studies. They have now become leaders in their hometowns and villages in the Nineveh Plains."

Similarly, the church in al-Sulaymaniyah welcomed around 500 Christian families. While many have returned to the Nineveh Plains now, approximately 70 families remain displaced after the destruction of their homes on the left bank. Additionally, 60 Christian families displaced to al-Sulaymaniyah from the right bank of Nineveh have also been unable to return.

"The Christian presence in Kirkuk is an integral part of the governorate's diverse population," Toma emphasized. "Our community of around a thousand families lives harmoniously with other communities. However, the exodus of Christians began in earnest after 2003, with hundreds of families migrating to European countries, America, Australia, and elsewhere due to violence and deteriorating security conditions. The targeting of our community by terrorist groups has significantly impacted our numbers."

The Role Of Church

"The church has implemented three projects: the first was equipping the cancer center with modern devices worth 170 million dinars, and the second was building an autism center in the children's hospital at a cost of 300 million dinars," Toma said.

A third project, a thalassemia center for genetic blood disorders, is nearing completion and will soon be handed over to the Kirkuk Health Department.

These initiatives, Toma asserted, are designed to serve all residents of Kirkuk, regardless of their religious or ethnic affiliation. By addressing pressing healthcare needs, such as cancer, autism, and thalassemia, the church is making a tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals and families, he said.

Usurping Christian houses

Emad Matti, the media official of the Chaldean Church in Kirkuk, told Shafaq News that "in Kirkuk alone, 89 properties have been seized by individuals, influential people, and parties. One party is still occupying a Christian's house and refuses to leave."

"The church has managed to recover 63 properties, which are houses and lands abandoned by their owners after they left and traveled outside Iraq. We are working to recover the remaining properties that have been seized in Kirkuk and return the rights to their Christian owners."

He assured that "the Chaldean Church is working to prevent any continued violations of the properties of displaced Iraqis in Kirkuk and other provinces, as there are those who are working with influential parties to sell the properties of Christians, and this has happened on many occasions."

Wael Korkis, a 72-year-old Christian who fled to Europe, told Shafaq News that his family home in Baghdad's al-Karrada district was sold illegally while they were abroad. "Our signatures were forged," he said. "We tried to reclaim it through the courts, but powerful people had forged the documents."

"Many houses that have been seized in the same way: by transferring the ownership from the original owner to a second name who ultimately sells it. They are a network of forgers who buy and sell the properties of Christians in Baghdad and other governorates. On the other hand, trying to recover any property belonging to Christians is a very complicated and cumbersome procedure. However, a law prohibits selling and buying properties owned by Christians in Iraq."

Real estate agents, like Salem Shukri, admit the industry has been tainted by corruption. "Many people working in real estate who are involved in selling the properties of Christians, in collaboration with corrupt government servants," he said. "However, for some time now, both buying and selling properties owned by Christians throughout Iraq has been almost completely halted."