United Nations Radio

The head of the UN mission in Iraq has strongly condemned the targeting of Christians and other minority groups in Iraq. Staffan de Mistura says recent violent attacks targeting Christian communities, particularly in and around the northern city of Mosul, are aimed at fueling tensions. In this interview with UN Radio's Reem Abaza, Mr. de Mistura notes the attacks are happening at a critical time due to heightened political tensions regarding the unresolved issue of minority representation in Iraq's provincial elections.

STAFFAN:We are very concerned what's happening in Mosul because so far 14 Christians which belong to a minority of people who are 250,000 in the whole region and about 50,000 in the city of Mosul, have been killed one by one. Among them a 15 year old boy, a doctor, an engineer, two builders, two businessman, all people who had no idea--.and a pharmacist--who had no idea that was going to happen. And this is quite tragic, and we are protesting seriously because that has produced also a movement of population, almost 1,000 families--993 families--which means almost 5,000 people have moved to neighbouring villages. These people were already in difficulty elsewhere and moved to Mosul some time ago.

REEM:And do you think the targeting of Christians and other minorities in the area could lead to another kind of religious tension?

STAFFAN:Well, more than religious tension: we're talking about human rights here, we're talking about democracy. We are talking about the right for these people to participate in elections which is so far is not confirmed by Article 50 which has been abolished in the electoral law and we are pushing for that to return, and for them to have a say in the area where they are living. So more than religious, it looks like basically human rights towards a minority which happens to be Christian but it affects also others like the Yazidis, the Shabak.

REEM:What are you doing exactly, the UN Mission, to help these people?

STAFFAN:First of all, we are the carriers of the principles of human rights inside Iraq. We produced a report; we can raise our attention and concern which we are doing. Secondly, we are also making sure that the UN agencies are producing assistance to the families who have been moving out by giving them up to 400 special kits for them to settle down temporarily. But above all, we are insisting publicly and privately with everyone--I'm just going to a high-level meeting on this--that the Iraqi authorities protect those minorities. That's the strength of Iraq: made of so many different entities, they all are important, some of them are very ancient and they are part of the future of Iraq.

REEM:You are going to participate in high level meeting right now. What is about?

STAFFAN:About the need for the protection of the Christians, in this case in Mosul, and about the need of increasing the police and the security in Mosul, especially vis-à-vis the Christians. And also the possibility of the Christians and other minorities to be allowed to be part of the future provincial elections which is not yet confirmed and we need to feel that this is confirmed.

REEM:You talked before about Article 50 in the new law. Have you received any kind of response from the Iraqi authorities or from the Parliament about this article?

STAFFAN:Well; the Iraqi authorities are all one by one stating publicly that they are keen to seeing the minorities included in a provision of the electoral law. The secret is that one should agree, and they should agree on a criteria, and the UN can help on that: how many seats, which minority and town. We are working on that at this very moment.

Presenter: Staffan de Mistura heads the UN Mission in Iraq.

(duration: 3'53")