UN Forum on Minority Issues Second session Geneva 12 November 2009 by:Yonadam Kanna Iraqi Parliament Member Obstac les to Effec tive Politic al Partic ipation Fac ed by by Minorities In order to discover the obstacles facing minorities to effective political participation ,we need to understand the historic background of the communities with divers combination,who mostly are hostages of their historic culture , values ,religeous or sectarian principles ,which make the majorities feel that they are the owners of the land and home , that is why they must controle the power and wealth ,and other minorities are un respected guests , then it is normal to expect discrimination , ignoring ,intimidation and, excluding policies toward the minorities ,leading to ethnic cleansing . To achieve such discrimination policies , the majority or those in power , legitmize all steps through legislations under the execuse of public interests. In my country Iraq , the political process is progressing slowly, although outsiders are very against, scared from Freedom and Democracy values , National elections will take place at the end of Jan. 2010, but that dosn't mean there is no discrimination & monopolizing polities ,more than 300,000 people from our Assyrian Chaldean community fled seeking immigration in last 6 years among more than 4 million lraqi immigrants or displaced persons. Unfortunately, such discrimination policies are still on,although most of the political parties claim and call for democratic regimes , but the democracy in their dictionary means the way for peaceful power transition , not democratic society with all its values and meanings. Thats why the minorities are execluded, ignored and persecuted under the umbrella of DEMOCRA CY and Freedom. Many times the lands of minorities confiscated by government insitutions under the excecuse of public interests,but given to the powerful party members for personal interests , and their free will not respected even when electing some village Elderman. No chance or any oportunities for minorities to be public staff , high posts or employed in security institutions such as A rmy and local Police. In addition to the terrorism actions by extrimists covered by religeous principles, which all Iraq suffer from but the minorities targeting was much more than others, A ll this leads to No jobs ,No trust & respect for the minorities at last leads for ethnic cleansing, same as what is happening today for our people in the homeland . The regimes are taking advantage of sovergnity principle, which is used as protection preventing international community or UN organizations from interfering to stop any violations to Human .right practiced against minorities on Ethnic , Cultural, Religeous or Sectarian bases, althOugh those governments had already signed the UN human rights declaration and Chart of 1948 as well MA IN OBSTA CLES THA T DEPRIVE MINORITIES FROM EFFECTIVE POLITICA L PA RTICIA PTION A RE : - The racist and religeous extrimist Culture of the majority - Corrupted goverments , seeking power and wealth,unfair with the minorities Lack of clear national legislation to grant the full rights of minorities.