Emigration Depletes the Christian Presence in Iraq: Security, Economy, and Government Representation at the Core of the Issues

Ihab, 37, a Christian displaced person in Dohuk, didn’t need much time to realize the reality awaiting him when he returned to his hometown of Tel esqof in the Nineveh Plain in the summer of 2017, after it was liberated from ISIS. His house, which he had completed building just two years before his displacement in 2014, had been reduced to rubble. His town was surrounded by destruction, lacking infrastructure, job opportunities, and a capable administration to restore life to the area.

While the country was mired in political conflicts, security challenges, corruption, and poor governance, Ihab found himself with only one option: to leave with his wife and two children for Lebanon and seek to apply for refugee status in Australia through the UN.

The young man, who had been working in freelance jobs before his emigration, says: “After ISIS took control of Tel Esqof in the summer of 2014, we were forced to flee to Dohuk in the Kurdistan region. We eagerly awaited for three years to return to our town and our home, but the situation was devastating…”

He pauses for a moment before continuing: “The battles for liberation had destroyed our house. Before that, when we fled, the fighters from ISIS had stolen everything we owned. So, we decided to emigrate to another country and start a new life. We had nothing left in Iraq.”

Ihab’s journey to emigrate with his family was not easy, especially amid difficult living conditions and a lack of job opportunities. It took three years, during which they witnessed nothing but anxiety about the future, fear of returning with nothing, and constant sorrow and pain due to the challenges of exile and the toll it took on the family.

He continues: “In 2020, we were granted asylum. It was the best thing that happened to us, and we traveled to Australia to start a new life… a dignified life that ensures a better future for our children.”

Ihab is one of tens of thousands of Christians who were forced to leave their homes in the Nineveh Governorate, especially the Christian-majority towns of the Nineveh Plain, in June 2014 after the Islamic State (ISIS) took control of the area. They fled to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq or emigrated abroad if they found a way to do so.

The group that quickly seized most of the Nineveh Plain areas northeast of Mosul had imposed three choices on the Christians: either convert to Islam, pay the jizyah tax, or leave everything behind. The vast majority chose the last option.

As the migration continued, fears grew that the Christian presence in Iraq could come to an end. In response, local churches and humanitarian organizations began efforts to convince those who remained not to emigrate, encouraging them in various ways to stay and rebuild their communities. This investigation will explore this issue further.

Even prior to ISIS’s capture of Nineveh in June 2014, the migration of Christians from Iraq had been ongoing at significant rates, driven by systemic societal discrimination and religiously motivated terrorist attacks. According to estimates from Christian researchers, only around 1,000 Christian families remained in Mosul, and approximately 15,000 families resided across the broader Nineveh Plain just before the group’s invasion.

Archbishop Yusuf Shimon reflects on the precipitous decline in the Christian population, noting that, prior to the rise of extremist organizations, Christians accounted for roughly 5% of Iraq’s total population. Today, however, their numbers have dwindled to a mere 1%. He argues that the survival of the Christian community now hinges on unity and resilience.

In an effort to understand the underlying reasons for the continued migration of Christians, despite improvements in security and the initiation of reconstruction efforts in their regions, the investigative team conducted a survey. This survey, which engaged 128 Christians from the Nineveh Plain via the internet, as well as through paper copies distributed in churches and local communities over a six-week period, aimed to explore the multifaceted motivations driving emigration.

The survey comprised ten questions addressing a range of issues related to migration and the challenges facing those who have already left or are contemplating leaving. Key areas of inquiry included security conditions, economic opportunities, access to education, and the availability of social services, all of which contribute to the difficult decisions that many Christians in Iraq continue to face.

Do Christians Truly Want to Migrate?

The survey began with a question about the participants’ desire to emigrate from Iraq, and the results showed a significant inclination toward migration. Among the respondents, 62 individuals (48% of participants) expressed a clear intention to leave the country. This is a notable percentage, especially considering that there are no exceptional conditions currently driving this desire, suggesting that it is not merely a reaction to immediate circumstances.

The data also reveals that 32% of those surveyed have considered emigration since 2014, while 20% began contemplating it in the years following, up to the current year, 2024. This indicates that the desire to migrate has been a long-standing issue for many members of the Christian community, not just a recent phenomenon.

The reasons and motivations for migration are varied, with a significant factor being the lack of security, particularly after a tragic fire broke out in a banquet hall in the town of Qaraqosh on September 26, 2023, which claimed the lives of dozens of Christians. Although the security authorities confirmed that the fire was accidental and not the result of a terrorist act, the incident had a profound impact on the local community.

Neda, a 34-year-old primary school teacher from Qaraqosh, was among those who paid a heavy price for being in that hall that day. She lost her 8-year-old daughter when the flames surrounded them from all directions.

This tragedy left deep scars on Neda, leading her to decide to leave Iraq with her husband and two children. They traveled to Jordan, where they applied for refugee status with the United Nations, with the goal of eventually relocating to Australia, where her sister has been living in Melbourne for the past four years.

Reasons for Christian Migration

The reasons behind the migration of Christians, as well as the desire of many of those who remain to emigrate, are diverse. This was explored in the survey through two key questions: What makes you consider migration? and What would make you reconsider your decision?

Many of the individuals contacted by the investigative team provided similar responses, indicating that political conditions form a critical system that influences administrative stability, service development, security, and economic progress. Improvement in these areas, they believe, would guarantee a better overall situation.

One respondent, “A. J.” (29 years old) from Qaraqosh, shared that he has been hearing about political conditions since his childhood and continues to do so today. He believes that everything in Iraq is closely tied to this issue, and whenever the political situation improves and stabilizes, the overall situation for Iraqis, including security and economic conditions, would also improve.

The former Iraqi parliament member, Joseph Slewa, comments on the political situation for Christians specifically, stating: “There is no true representation of Chaldean, Syriac, and Assyrian Christians in Iraq or the region, despite the presence of a quota for them. However, this quota does not genuinely represent Christians; rather, it represents the political parties in power within both the Baghdad and Kurdistan governments.”

He continues: “There is no protection for the quota, which was meant to be a form of positive discrimination. We proposed mechanisms to address this issue, but they have not been accepted to this day.”

The survey included two additional questions aimed at understanding whether the current situation is affecting the existence of religious minorities, including Christians, as well as the government’s efforts to protect them.

The responses revealed that 65 participants in the survey believe the government is not making sufficient efforts to protect Christian cultural and religious heritage, including historical and archaeological sites. They also pointed to attempts to expand the master plan of Mosul at the expense of Christian and Shabak towns in the Nineveh Plain.

Christian political leaders have expressed deep concern about the potential for demographic changes that could be to their detriment in some areas of Nineveh. They fear such changes could lead to their marginalization due to their dwindling numbers in the region, and eventually result in the erasure of their cultural identity.

Any expansion of Mosul’s boundaries at the expense of minority areas, such as those of Christians and other small communities, is seen as exacerbating their security fears, particularly amid ongoing sectarian tensions. The expansion could potentially facilitate the entry of armed or extremist groups into these vulnerable areas, heightening the risk to their safety.

Louis Markus Ayoub, a founding member of the Iraqi Minorities Alliance, emphasizes that the fears of Christians who were displaced or emigrated from Mosul are greater than those of Christians in the Nineveh Plain. “They witnessed the extremism and enslavement under ISIS, as well as the looting of their wealth,” he says. “All of this has led to a profound loss of trust in the authorities.”

The second reason Louis Markus Ayoub cites is the “lack of laws that protect the Christian community and grant its members the rights of first-class citizens, similar to other citizens in the country.” He explains that minorities in Iraq are treated as second-class citizens, subjected to discrimination, and are denied rights in employment and special positions in the Nineveh governorate.

He provides an example: “The administrative structure of Nineveh consists of a governor, two deputies, and several advisers and assistants, but we do not find any representation from the Christian community in this structure.”

Regarding reconstruction efforts, Ayoub believes that the government’s role has been minimal. The efforts to rebuild homes and businesses destroyed by ISIS or during the liberation battles have largely been carried out by organizations, institutions, and charitable associations. He continues: “Therefore, many Christians believe that the government’s support for the Christian community is weak and limited to slogans.”

The Church’s Position on Migration

The survey posed a specific question regarding the role of the Church in migration, and the results revealed a variety of opinions and stances.

A significant portion of respondents—52 individuals, or 40.6%—believe that the Church does not encourage migration for several reasons, such as preserving religious and cultural identity. Nineveh, in particular, is seen as a historic homeland for Christians, housing significant religious and archaeological sites that have stood for centuries.

Christian churches, in general, view it as their duty to encourage Christians to remain in their land and to oppose emigration. They believe that migration poses a threat to the Christian presence in Iraq. The Church also strives to provide whatever services and assistance it can to ensure the survival of the Christian community in the region.

Th.M. (66 years old), who asked to be referred to by these initials and is a project manager for a humanitarian organization in the town of Hamdaniya, stated that the Church does not encourage migration but rather “tries as hard as it can to provide services and assistance to maintain the presence of Christians in this area.”

Other Christians close to religious figures in the Church, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, shared their views on the Church’s position. One individual, a man in his sixties who works as an employee, stated that the Church encourages Christians to stay “to maintain demographic balance.” Emigration, he explained, would mean leaving their lands, which could then be claimed by other communities. As a result, the Church opposes “the buying and selling of Christian lands in Nineveh.”

Through its influential position, the Church plays a role in preventing large-scale emigration and raises awareness of its dangers. On the other hand, it also leverages its relationships and influence to increase international support, such as humanitarian aid, in a way that encourages Christians to remain in Iraq.

However, there is another aspect related to the Church’s own interest in halting the migration of Christians from the Nineveh Plain and other areas where they live. Keeping Christians in the region ensures the continued strength of the Church’s religious presence. Emigration, on the other hand, would reduce the number of people attending church for religious activities and celebrations, thus diminishing the need for priests and bishops. This would negatively affect the management of church affairs, leading to a reduction in its religious and social influence.

Returning to the survey results on this matter, 45 individuals responded that they do not know the Church’s stance on migration. This indicates a need for the Church to enhance awareness about its position and actions to support local communities. There were also those who confirmed they were aware of the Church’s position but refrained from answering, showing some reluctance or caution in discussing this sensitive issue, especially as some believe that by rejecting migration, the Church is opposing the choice of many Christians.

Meanwhile, nine individuals who answered the question stated that the Church encourages migration. This small group may reflect individual experiences.

Regarding the official stance of the Church, it is clear in its rejection of migration. Patriarch Mar Louis Sako has warned against what he described as a “wave of Christian migration” due to the escalation of crises and the intensification of conflicts, which he views as chaotic and deeply concerning.

In an article published by the Patriarchate Media Department on its official website (Mar Addai), Patriarch Mar Louis Sako stated that there are currently 1,200 Christian families displaced in Turkey, 1,000 in Jordan, and 2,500 in Lebanon. He clarified: “Migration is not luxury; sometimes it is necessary to save lives in the face of a menacing threat and imminent danger. I am referring here to the phenomenon of mass migration.”

The Patriarch further explained that in the past, migration occurred within a single country, but today it has become a global phenomenon. “It causes a person to leave their homeland, uprooting themselves, and moving to a foreign country that they don’t know and to which they don’t belong. The migrant gives up their nationality, their loved ones (sometimes even their elderly parents), and their memories, becoming impoverished and weakened by the loss. They must start over, reshaping their life, adjusting to a new reality that is different from what they knew. This is compounded by the emotional strain of being away from family, the harsh feeling of alienation, the prolonged waiting in neighboring countries, the lack of job opportunities, and the high costs to secure the minimum essentials of living.”

Where to Migrate, and Is There a Possibility of Return?

For about half of Iraq’s Christian population, migration is the preferred option. The survey posed the question of where they would prefer to migrate, and the majority of respondents indicated that Australia is their top choice. They consider it the best option for several reasons. One participant explained: “The great stability and security provided by a country that guarantees human rights, freedoms, and the rule of law, as well as the opportunity for quick integration since the society is inherently made up of immigrants. Additionally, Australia’s strong economy and job opportunities are a primary factor in considering it as a destination.”

Another reason cited was the presence of a large Iraqi Christian diaspora in Australia, which would provide a sense of community and reduce feelings of alienation.

However, some participants in the survey expressed that they did not have a strong preference regarding the country of migration, as long as the situation there is better than in Iraq. For them, the key factor is escaping the challenging circumstances in their home country, and they are open to resettling anywhere that offers more stability and opportunities.

Regarding the question posed to participants about whether they would consider returning after migration, the results were as follows: 67 individuals (52.3%) responded that they did not know.

In response to a question about potential ways to stop Christian migration abroad, a religious figure (A.S.) from Hamdaniya stated that “security stability is the most important factor to prevent migration.” He believes this can be achieved through a strong and stable state governed by law.

In addition to this, he views the reconstruction of infrastructure, the provision of services, strengthening the economy, and securing job opportunities for youth—such as offering loans and grants to help them start small businesses—as essential measures that would all contribute to the continued presence of Christians in Iraq.

After a brief pause, the religious leader added: “In my personal opinion, migration means the loss of identity because we would be leaving the land of our ancestors. They went through the same circumstances we are facing now, but they overcame them because of their love for their land.”

those who provided testimonies requested that their real names be kept anonymous, for personal reasons.