05/04/2019 Iraq (International Christian Concern) – The Deputy Governor of Saladin Province is encouraging Iraqi Prime Minister Mahdi’s government to personally see the situation of the provinces liberated from ISIS rather than depending on field reports.
Saladin Province borders the Nineveh Plains, home to most of Iraq’s Christians, and also suffered occupation from the Islamic State. Both areas remain destroyed and badly damaged. However, while reconstruction is progressing in Nineveh Plains, this is not the case in Saladin. Some residents are related to Saddam Hussein. Others have relatives who joined ISIS. The security situation in Saladin, while improved, is still vulnerable to ISIS activities.
A lack of fair distribution of aid and reconstruction creates a sense of marginalization that only deepens Iraq’s already fractured social structure. Transitional justice issues, such as what to do with families who have a member who joined ISIS, remain unresolved. If Iraq’s Christians are to face another wave of persecution in the future, there is fear that these issues will be the underlying cause. For this reason, problems affecting neighboring provinces of the Nineveh Plains are of the utmost importance.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
