The rise of religious extremism has pushed religious communities to migrate from Iraq, especially Christians, according to Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq.
The patriarch called on the Iraqi government to extend security and protection of religious freedoms and ethnic diversity as well as to promote reconciliation and social cohesion between all components.
In his speech recently at a conference held by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in coordination with the United Nations Mission “UNAMI ” and the Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights, and sponsored by Iraqi Parliament Speaker on the International Day for Tolerance, under the title of “Rights of Minorities in Iraq, Reality and Ambition”, Patriarch Sako said the reality of the situation in Iraq is still concerning.
He added that it is regrettable that the security situation has deteriorated over the past months and bombings and assassinations are carried out on an almost daily basis. Effective forces on the ground have surfaced to employ this reality to promote divisions on a sectarian basis, and it seems that regional and international powers are pushing to keep the situation miserable in the region. This constitutes a source of real concern for national peace and security and all citizens in general, he said.