Christian Alliance in Iraq protests government's salary freeze
Shafaq News/ The Christian Alliance of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region filed a formal complaint against the federal government and the Ministry of Finance, protesting the suspension of salary payments for 1.2 million Kurdish civil servants.
The alliance submitted the complaint to the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights, describing the decision to halt funding as a 'flagrant violation of basic human rights and constitutional guarantees' that threatens the livelihoods of thousands.
'This is not about numbers and accounts—it's about human lives and dignity,' said Ano Jawhar Abdoka, the alliance's Secretary-General. 'When people's livelihoods are used as political leverage, we enter a dangerous ethical decline that no responsible state should tolerate.'
The complaint cites multiple articles of the Iraqi constitution, including Article 30 (guaranteeing a decent standard of living), Article 31 (ensuring health care), and Article 14 (equality and non-discrimination). It also argues that the decision violates Iraq's 2023 federal budget law and international human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
The alliance urged the High Commission to open an investigation into the decision's humanitarian consequences and issue recommendations to halt the suspension. It called for the submission of a report to the United Nations and other international bodies, and for immediate legal measures to ensure the protection of employees' salaries.
The Christian community in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region numbers around 250,000 people, down from 1.5 million before 2003, according to estimates by church leaders and international organizations. They are spread across Nineveh, Erbil, Duhok, and other areas, and many have faced repeated displacement due to conflict and instability.
The salary freeze comes amid a broader financial dispute between Baghdad and Erbil, fueled by disagreements over oil revenue sharing and constitutional interpretations. Tensions have escalated further after the KRG signed two massive energy deals with American companies worth over $110B, prompting Baghdad to accuse Erbil of 'exceeding its constitutional powers.'
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