On Friday, December 2, 2011, Kurdish Islamic extremists attacked at least 15 Assyrian-owned shops and properties, which were instigated by Friday afternoon prayers calling for Jihad against liquor stores and massage parlours in Zakho in the Dohuk Governorate of Iraq. The riots soon developed to looting and burning down of Assyrian owned properties; beginning in Zakho and quickly expanded to Semele, Dohuk, and surrounding Assyrian villages leaving 25 wounded. The attackers targeted a number of tourist facilities, especially those owned by Assyrians also known as Chaldean or Syriac. This incident is only one of many targeted attacks against the Christian minority in Iraq. Since 2003, the indigenous Assyrian population has been dwindling from over 1 million to only 600,000; these people are on the edge of extinction.   Iraq has been home to one of the oldest civilizations, the descendants of which are Assyrians. They also constitute one of the oldest Christian communities in the Middle East. The indigenous Assyrians are ethnically being cleansed as a result of their ongoing systematic and targeted persecution in Iraq. Although, the Iraqi government has condemned these attacks, we do not think it is enough because they have not taken the proper measures to protect the defenceless Assyrian citizens.

The Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Union (ACSSU) of Canada, condemn these attacks on the indigenous people of Iraq who comprise both an ethnic and religious minority in Iraqi society today. The suspects of these attacks, should they go unpunished will succeed in creating further divisions along sectarian, ethnic, and cultural lines in Iraqi society and prevent the consolidation of democracy in Iraq.  These attacks and in turn, the current situation of minorities in Iraq is an outrage to the Assyrian Diaspora in Canada as they represent a hindrance to the progress Iraq has made in its efforts to build an inclusive, democratic, and prosperous society. Accordingly, the Iraqi government must provide adequate protection for all its citizens, especially its vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities and bring these criminals to justice. We call on the Canadian government to stress our concerns to the Iraqi diplomatic mission in Canada and to exert pressure on the Iraqi government to respond to our demands to address this violence against its indigenous Christian minority. 

The Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Union (ACSSU) of Canada, including its branches at:

• ACSSU at McMaster University


• ACSSU at York University


• ACSSU at Ryerson University


• ACSSU at University of Toronto

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