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Northern Iraq: Kurdish government imposes jizya on Assyrian Christians

Jul 2, 2018 8:32 am By Robert Spencer

“One Assyrian politician interviewed by the API was told by a KRG official that this was a form of jizya tax, justified because Ankawa is a Christian town.”

Jizya is a tax that the subjugated “People of the Book” must pay to the Muslims for the privilege of being allowed to practice their religions, albeit within a superstructure of institutionalized discrimination and harassment: “Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, even if they are of the People of the Book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (Qur’an 9:29).

“Kurdish Government Imposes Discriminatory Regulation on Assyrians in North Iraq,” Assyrian Policy Institute, June 27, 2018:

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has imposed a discriminatory new regulation requiring all business owners from the Assyrian-majority city of Ankawa, located in the Erbil Province, to renew their business licenses with the Director of the Erbil Center District for a fee. This new regulation applies exclusively to Ankawa, despite the fact that a total of ten districts are under the Erbil Center District’s jurisdiction.

Previously, business owners from Ankawa were able to renew their licenses free of charge at the mayor’s office in Ankawa. The new order was issued on January 23, 2018, yet those interviewed by API representatives claim that locals only became aware of its existence earlier today.

“People didn’t know about it until someone went to the mayor’s office to renew his license, and then he was told to go to the Erbil Center District,” a resident of Ankawa said to the API.

“The application process is now much longer and unnecessary,” a local business owner explained. “Usually, attorneys handle these renewals. I spoke to my attorney this morning and he said he’s already heard that the officials at the Erbil Center District expect bribes in exchange for processing.”

Ankawa, also known as Ainkawa, is a predominantly Assyrian-populated suburb of Erbil. Its population is now estimated to be approximately 60,000. Roughly 80% of the town’s population is Christian; the majority of its Christian residents are adherents to the Chaldean Catholic Church. Located just outside Erbil, the town is considered to be the last Christian Assyrian stronghold in the Kurdistan Region.

The new order targeting Assyrian shop owners is the latest form of discrimination targeting Assyrians in Ankawa.

Ankawa’s capital gains tax on property sales are the highest in the Kurdistan Region. KRG officials justify the tax difference by pointing to Ankawa’s growing tourism, as many foreigners elect to stay in Ankawa when visiting the region. An unlawful tax amount is collected from Ankawa residents when they sell their property. According to residents and representatives, this tax rate for Ankawa is ten percent of the sale, whereas in all other parts of the KRI, the tax is only six percent.

Complaints have been filed with KRG officials about the excess taxes. One Assyrian politician interviewed by the API was told by a KRG official that this was a form of jizya tax, justified because Ankawa is a Christian town.

Business owners in Ankawa also expressed fears and frustrations regarding various discriminatory practices, including denial of permits based on political affiliation, required display of KRG/KDP memorabilia, and harassment from the KDP political police, the Asayish….

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Filed Under: Assyrians, dhimmitude, Featured, Iraq, Muslim persecution of Christians Tagged With: Kurdistan Regional Government


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Comments

  1. No Muzzies Here says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 8:45 am

    Discrimination and persecution practiced against people because of their religion. The “human rights” groups have never said a word about this, meaning that they are complicit.

    • christianblood says

      Jul 2, 2018 at 9:22 am

      Will the main ally of the Kurds like US and Israel pressure the Kurdish authorities to lift this jizya tax on the Assyrian Christians in Iraq? Recent history tells us they will not!

      • Frank Anderson says

        Jul 2, 2018 at 9:38 am

        I suggest that the adoption (clinging) to “moderates” is a plain and simple exercise of the :delusion of reprieve” to avoid facing the truth about islam. The only difference between “moderate” and “radical” is whether he smiles or remains expressionless as he plots your death. Our leaders are “denying” our way to mass executions. “If Islam is so great why were 4,000,000 Egyptians murdered bringing it to Egypt?” Mark Gabriel, The Unfinished Battle (paraphrased).

        • Frank Anderson says

          Jul 2, 2018 at 10:05 am

          Exact quote, Page 52:
          “What did my country Egypt do to Muhammed that he came and ruined my country? Egypt never attacked Muslims, but the Islamic army came and killed more than four million Egyptians during the first century of Islam.”

      • gravenimage says

        Jul 2, 2018 at 8:15 pm

        I hope the US and Israel *do* take the Kurds to task. They certainly should. I have written President Trump about this sickening story.

        Christianblood is fine with the persecution of Christians when done by those Putin is cozying up to, though. He has described ministering to Christians in Iran as “spying for the United States”.

  2. mike9a says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 8:46 am

    Rebuttal to a guy telling me he know good mos, as that usually go by our left, not thinking population, just when one hoped there are good guys among mos (KRG), they all, more or less, go by their hate manual. Just ask any mo, if sharia becomes law of the land, would he kill you as kufar/unbeliever=in their god? Most of those good mos will without hesitation answer, positiv!

  3. Frank Anderson says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 8:48 am

    “Moderate” muslims? “Silence is consent?” Take a look at the “tacit admission rule”. Islam is Islam.

    • Stacy Girl says

      Jul 2, 2018 at 10:03 am

      Indeed it is.

  4. jewdog says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 9:36 am

    The Kurds are the best of a bad lot. They are more pro-Western than other Muslims and are a useful headache for Erdogan. Please pass the Excedrin.

  5. john spielman says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 9:37 am

    so much for muslims changing their attitudes towards those who saved them from slaughter by ISIS

  6. boakai ngombu says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 9:46 am

    jizya: a sign on the road to abasement or death. true it is to noble islam [subjugation – COMPLETE – to the allah god (unknowable; the best of all deceivers) and its exemplar, Muhammad (lately contrived; full of lusts; lacking compassion)]

    and so the slaves (muslims) to the allah god do what it loves … it loves to hate Kafirs and seeks to destroy the soul of every being.

    feel the loathing

  7. Gene says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 11:13 am

    It’s probably too late given the decimation of the Christian and Yazidi peoples, but a separate country with control of significant oil fields should be created for them. By force if necessary.

    • dunroamin says

      Jul 2, 2018 at 2:42 pm

      Clear out the Turks and give them North Cyprus.

      • jusswonderin' says

        Jul 3, 2018 at 8:54 am

        Yes, Dunroamin, why has the mighty but useless UN said nothing of late about the Turkish occupation of half of Cyprus??

        • Necrophage says

          Jul 3, 2018 at 3:45 pm

          Of late? They’ve been there for decades.

  8. Raja says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 11:37 am

    This proves again that Islam and state are INSEPARABLE.. There are always diehards (Muslims) in power who would do anything to propel Islam-the godless fascist ideology.

    Islam is anti-Christ, anti-Christian and anti-liberty.

  9. Karen says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 2:46 pm

    Yep. They might seem like a nice alternative to ISIS or the Hussein regime, but that’s just relative. I knew they couldn’t be trusted.

  10. Westman says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 5:14 pm

    “Jizya is a tax that the subjugated “People of the Book” must pay to the Muslims for the privilege of being allowed to practice their religions, albeit within a superstructure of institutionalized discrimination and harassment.”

    In the time of Al Capone this forced payment system was called a “Protection Racket”. You pay them to protect you from them. Islam is a grown-up version of the bully who robbed your lunch money. He makes your life hell on earth while telling you that sadistic Allah is waiting with his barby to make ribs – yours.

  11. somehistory says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 5:48 pm

    So much for the propaganda about the kurds being ‘honest’ and ‘ ‘nice’ and ‘different’ moslims.

    A moslim is a moslim is a moslim…or he/she isn’t a moslim. They all use the same unholy, filthy book, and listen to the same evil, filthy, unholy speeches on “preying” nights.

    It is a wild beast from satan the devil, and all who belong to it, follow satna’s demands. satan’s enemies are the people who love God.

    • Eur says

      Jul 2, 2018 at 8:06 pm

      Several Kurdish tribes were the ones who murdered hundreds of thousands of Armenians. The Kurds appropriated the houses, lands and possessions of the Armenians. The Armenian peasants were subjected to looting in the form of payment of large taxes and then the looting of land. The Armenians had to pay the “hafir” to the Kurds, a kind of tribute in exchange for securing their lives and haciendas.
      Some Kurds saved the lives of Armenian women and children but in an interested way. These Armenian women became their property and the children could be used as slave labor. Many Kurds left the Turkish prisons in exchange for doing what they wanted with the Armenians. Thats the reality. Despite the current sympathy that the Kurds arouse … they were the executing hand of the Turks, they murdered the Armenians.

  12. gravenimage says

    Jul 2, 2018 at 8:08 pm

    Northern Iraq: Kurdish government imposes jizya on Assyrian Christians
    ………………….

    This should surprise no one. The Kurds have (recently) been less genocidal than their coreligionists–but they are still Muslims, and persecute Christians and other Infidels.

  13. Robert says

    Jul 3, 2018 at 3:36 am

    “officials justify the tax difference by pointing to Ankawa’s growing tourism, as many foreigners elect to stay in Ankawa when visiting the region.”… Tourists, specifically westerners, do not generally feel comfortable staying in predominantly muslim places, when traveling in the middle east… It is sad that Christians are so discriminated against and have very little recourse in largely Muslim controlled countries…

  14. Ibrahim itace muhammed says

    Jul 3, 2018 at 7:15 am

    mithraist Roman Christian colonialists imposed heavy taxes on the the colonies for the exclusive use of Romans (“give to Caesar what is due for Caesar “)in the same way wicked mithraist christian colonialists imposed head taxes and stole resources from colonies for the use of colonial Masters only. Jizya tax rate is below zakkat rate paid by Muslims and non-muslim citizens who are poor are among beneficiaries of jizya and to some extent zakkat. why objections against jizya, which is fair and just unlike exploitative taxes being imposed by Romans and mithraist christian colonialists?

    • Necrophage says

      Jul 3, 2018 at 3:53 pm

      Nice opinion. Got any facts to support it? That’s what I thought. Go raise your ass to your moon Goddess. Maybe she’ll give you a good buggering for your trouble.

    • gravenimage says

      Jul 3, 2018 at 11:16 pm

      What tripe from Ibrahim itace muhammed.

      The Jizya was always intended to crush and humiliate its victims. This is what Jizya is for.

  15. Elliott R.Ohannes, PhD says

    Jul 3, 2018 at 3:03 pm

    In 1895-96 the Kurds were the major killing instruments (Hamidye cavalry) of Caliph Abdul Hamid II in the annihilation of thousands of Assyrians in Northern Iraq and Northwest Persia. What the Kurds did to the Assyrians of that same region in 1915 at the behest of Young Turks brought that same group of Assyrian Christians to the brink of extinction.

    Also see, “Genocide in the Ottoman Empire: Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, 1913-1923” George N. Shirian, ed, Publishe by Berghahn, New York and Oxford, 2017.

    • gravenimage says

      Jul 3, 2018 at 11:23 pm

      Grimly true. As oppressed as they themselves were, many Kurds were enthusiastic in slaughtering Christians during the Armenian Genocide.

  16. Karen says

    Jul 3, 2018 at 4:23 pm

    Aren’t these the same wonderful folks who let Osama bin Laden slip through to the north during the Iraq invasion? For some reason that story was never investigated and it just faded away. I’ve never trusted them after that event.

    • gravenimage says

      Jul 3, 2018 at 11:24 pm

      Osama bin Laden’s skipping to Pakistan had nothing to do with the invasion of Iraq. He was never there.

      • Karen says

        Jul 4, 2018 at 12:29 pm

        Apologies, I got my wars mixed up. I was thinking of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan – they let OBL thru to Pakistan.

        Sorry, Kurds, didn’t mean to falsely accuse you of anything, even though I’m having my doubts about you now.

  17. Milan says

    Jul 3, 2018 at 8:18 pm

    The Kurdish Gov. gets tons of Wepoans from christian germany against ISIS!
    What will Merkel(her father was a priest) say?You know it,NOTHING!

  18. Anonymous says

    Jul 6, 2018 at 6:55 am

    Kurds are responsible for 1915 Armenian Genocide when 1.5 million Armenian Christians were brutally killed and crucified.
    They don’t deserve our pity nowadays.

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