Thank you Mr. Chairman:
I am Lycar (of the Christian component in Iraq) representing the Organization of Life Industry
for Coexistence.
I am here to talk as one of the young people who were forcibly displaced. I left Iraq after my
city was destroyed and its traces were destroyed and its identity and culture erased. And I
became part of this erasure and I hope to return not because I belong to the Christian
component but as an Iraqi who believes in coexistence with the other?
I would like to say that the real crisis of the minorities will emerge after the elimination of
"Daesh" in Iraq for several reasons, including lack of confidence among minority members in
Nineveh and a shortening of the role of the government in rebuilding it. The Christian component
in Iraq has been subjected to several violations before the entry of "Daesh" members and after
entering the cities in the Nineveh Plain and one of these violations is an attempt to obliterate the
culture and the Christian heritage.
Allow me to put some of the harassment about the blurring of culture and heritage, which
existed before the emergence of Dahesh, which caused the disintegration of society, In Mosul
University, when a student belonging to a minority (Christian, Yezidi or …) wanted to submit
research about his culture or heritage, he was prevented from presenting it Because it belongs to
these minorities, not only that, but the students of these components are exposed to
discrimination in universities even on the level of examination results.
After the emergence "Daesh" The Christian cities are devastated by the Islamic state, in addition
to the burning of manuscripts, the destruction of monuments and churches, such as the
monastery of Mar Bahnam and the Grand Tahra Church. This indicates that they want to erase
the Christian identity in the region that would wipe out a millennia-old civilization in the region
I emphasize that the Iraqi Constitution grants rights to minorities through Articles 12, 14, 16, 39,
40 and 122 of the Constitution, but these articles are still without any actual implementation.
Following this we recommend that:
1- To amend the materials taught in schools and to include the culture and heritage of minorities
in it to be informed by all the people to increase knowledge and diversity and not to cancel the
other.
2- Take all measures to preserve the remaining cultural heritage and also to use experts to
re-establish destroyed monuments as they were In order to be an initiative to rebuild confidence
and not to marginalize cultural minorities this must be done by the United Nations and the
government