ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - While praising the religious diversity in the Kurdistan Region, a prominent German political activist stated that it is unlikely that much of the 1.5 million Christians and Yazidis who have left Iraq in the past two decades will return after having sought refuge abroad.
David Muller, who spoke to Rudaw on April 23, acknowledged the progress made in the Kurdistan Region over the past decade, highlighting “significant development in stability and governmental efforts.” He noted that people in the region are “living in peace and stability, receiving public services, and enjoying awareness and recognition.”
Muller, known for his advocacy of religious freedom in Iraq, also commended the ability of individuals in the Kurdistan Region to openly practice their faith “in coexistence and peace.”
The Kurdistan Region is home to a wide variety of ethnic and religious communities, many of which have coexisted in harmony despite the challenges and turmoil in the broader region.
While predominantly Muslim, the Kurdistan Region prides itself on its commitment to religious freedom, hosting communities such as Christians, Jews, Yazidis, Sabean-Mandaeans, Zoroastrians, Kaka’is, and Baha’is.
Turning to the topic of Iraq's Christian community, Muller noted that many members of the minority group find it “easier to live” in “wealthy Western countries.”
The Christian population in Iraq has significantly decreased over the past two decades, with fewer than 300,000 remaining, down from nearly 1.5 million before 2003, according to data obtained by Rudaw English from Erbil’s Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda in February.
Following the 2003 US-led invasion, sectarian violence forced many Christians to flee, and the rise of ISIS in 2014 further devastated minority communities.
On the Yazidi refugee situation, Muller observed that more Yazidis are returning to their hometowns in Iraq, where they feel better understood and more integrated into the culture.
In June 2014, ISIS seized large areas of northern and western Iraq. In August of that year, the group launched a brutal assault on the Yazidi community in northern Iraq’s Shingal (Sinjar) district.
The ISIS attack on Shingal resulted in the abduction of approximately 9,900 Yazidis, including 6,417 women and children, many of whom were subjected to sexual slavery and forced labor.
The United Nations has recognized the systematic targeting of the Yazidis as genocide. Up to 200,000 Yazidis were displaced from Shingal, with many now living in camps across the Kurdistan Region, especially in Dohuk province.
As of now, 2,590 Yazidis remain missing, according to the Office of Rescuing Abducted Yazidis, which is affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Presidency.