The Advantages of a Governate Region Versus Safe Heaven

There is nothing wrong with simply requesting for the creation of a governate (not a safe haven) provided that the inhibitants of this area in the Nineveh Plains wish for this to come into fruition. There are stronger arguments to make for a governate than a safe haven and the consequenses for the creation of a governate outweigh (in my opinion) a safe haven. Keep in mind that this region is ethnically mixed and religiously diverse (depending on how the borders are drawn). But in any event, the vast majority of the population is Yezidi and Chaldo-Assyrian (if you exclude the southern and western regions of Telkaif District.)

In the Nineveh Plains, you have two districts (Telkaif and Al-Humdiniya) with a total population of 270,000 where we make up 24%, Yezidis make up 22%, Turkoman make up 26% and the Arabs & Shabbak make up 20% with the remainder being Muslim Kurds 3-5%. There is another district called Shaykhan, also within the Nineveh Governate bordering the two above districts with a population of entirely Yezidis with a few of our people. So, we should form a coalition with the Yezidis (and the Turkoman if you want the southern and western regions of Telkaif). You ask for the creation of a governate (administrative rights and not a geographic location of military barracks protecting Christians) Chaldo-Assyrians are Iraqis and possess a language, culture, and history that is an integral part Iraq. Use arguments that show we are part of the mosiac of Iraq (not seperatists or isolated victims of this latent societal hostility) Chaldo-Assyrians should use perhaps these arguments for a governate:

1) The history of the region
2) The history of the linguistic traditions in this region
3)The uniqueness of the culture and language
4) The discrimination of previous governments against our linguistic                   and cultural expression
5)The Anfal campaign and Arabization programs.
6)The contemprary threat of extinction of our language and culture
7) Thus, the need for the creation of a governate
Positive consequences (economic, cultural, etc.) with the creation of the governate.

9) UN rights to indigeous people which supports the creation of the governate.
10) The Governate poses no threat to the territorial integrity of Iraq as it will be in par with other governates in Iraq. It does not jeapordize the national integrity of Iraq.
11) As this region is non Arab speaking, it would be more efficient that the administrative services be in the language of the inhabitants. Thus it makes more sense that their be a governate created that would be more efficient than Arabs of Mosul controlling the area. These people would be more adept at handling the needs of their respective citizens than Arabs of Mosul.

Obviously Chaldo-Assyrians should formulate counter arguments that some in Iraq would raise as objections to the creation of the Governate. Their arguments would be most likely
4 factors.
1) The area is too small
2) The population is to small
3) We do not want to divide Iraq based on sectarian divisions
4) Other parts of Iraq may seek to do the same, creating a domino effect.

Chaldo-Assyrian responses should be.

1) In terms of size. The land mass is approximately 50 miles north to south and 30-40 miles East to West. This is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island which is its own state in the USA, a much larger country with a much larger population. Secondly, it is roughly the same size and possibely larger than the Governate of Babil (Hillah).

2) Population - The population is smaller than the other governates but that is the result of past discrimination policies. The total number of people should also take into account those who fled these areas. Secondly, when the province of Dohuk was created decades ago, it only had a popultion of 270,000.

3) Sectarian Divide. This will be the biggest argument. To begin, Chaldo-Assyrians could shoot this argument down by stating that:

A)we are not dividing Iraq based on ethnicity. The area is ethnically diverse.

B) We are not dividing Iraq based on ethnicity as this new Governate would be ethnically diverse.

C) This Governate is more diverse than other governates much like Kirkuk and Baghdad. Secondly, it is not a genuine argument for Arabs and Kurds to say that Iraq should not be divided by ethnicity or religion. The Kurds are demanding a region on ethnicity. The Arabs are forming political parties based on religion.

Finally, there are governates that are almost entirely Shia in the south, entirely Sunni in the Middle, and entirely Kurdish in the north. So, this is not a genuine argument to make against the other minorities of Chaldo-Assyrians, Yezidies, and Turkoman.

4)Domino Effect. First, the TAL permits other regions to join other governates, so it should allow regions to form on their own. Secondly, this region is more unique than other regions. Lastly, Iraq has been split between Shia, Sunnis, and Kurds. What about the Turkoman, Yezidie, and Chaldo-Assyrians? At least this region would provide them a place in the political structure as opposed to mandated quoatos.

Sorry for the long posting. But arguing for a governate is (in my opinion) a far stronger argument than a safe haven. But this Governate could come into being which would allow Chaldo-Assyrians and Yezidies to locally administer this governate.

While it is true that Christians have been targeted uniquely for their religion, there
have also been targets against Shias for their religion. During Ashoura, a mosque in Karbala was blown up killing more people than all the church bombings. But, we should be looking at the end game, not a limited time period of a safe haven (one day this will have no need) Actually, by creating one, you are creating an institution or a fact on the ground for Islamists to use as leverage against our community by continuing to attack Christians who leave this "safe zone." We want to break this barrier, and push for a tolerant society where Christians should be able to live anywhere with no stigma.

Some people argue that this safe zone is no different from the safe zones created after the Gulf War and Kurds in Bagdad were not attacked for this. Howeverm the creation of safe zones for Kurds in the north and for Shiites in the south after the Gulf War is not analagous with the creation of a safe zone for Christians in 2004-2005. The prior was done to deny Iraq the right to fly aircrafts over these areas. The Iraqi army did not enter the north because of Kurdish militia. Secondly, this was a political matter dealing with the protection of ethnic groups from the central governement. In our situation, a safe zone would be created to protect Christians from Islamists in Iraqi society. Thus, this is an unhealthy recipe of creating societal detachment for our people. You would be sending a message
to all of Iraqi society and to the Islamists that Chrisitans are weak, vulnerable, different, prone to be attacked, and etc. Instead, we should be reinfocing the idea that we are strong, equal, Iraqi, nationalistic, and that Christianity is as Iraqi as Islam.

To your second question, what would be the difference for our people living in these areas under the present Mosul Governate as opposed to having a new governate created. To begin, our concentration would be much much larger in this new governate. Thus, the provincial council would be made up of more of our people. This would translate into many things. This council would be able to pay more attention to the special needs of this region as opposed to Mosul which spends most of its energy on the city of Mosul and the large geographic region it entails. Secondly, the legal system of Iraq affords each governate with certain jurisdiction over the application of justice. Our people would be in better shape by administering the justice in our area. Third, each governate is provided a budget from the central government, thus, our areas would be assisted better by receiving funds directly from the central government rather than as a second layer under Mosul. Fourth, the official language of the governate could be adopted where schooling and street signs could be in Syriac. We should push for our language to be taught in schools all over Iraq, but what about commerce and street signs? At least there would be a geographic region where our language is institutionalized administratively. (Street signs, court proceedings, provincial governemental services...etc) as opposed to administrative services being done in Mosul in Arabic. Fifth, it provides a pschological actualization on the part of all Iraqis that Chaldo-Assyrians and Yezidies are part of Iraqi society, part of the political system, geographically situated, and a piece of Iraq. Six, the creation of a governate will better ensure that our language and culture will be preserved as this area would become a center for our linguistic and cultural expression.