The Athra Alliance (Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܒܪܩܝܡܐ ܕܐܬܼܪܐ, Arabic: تحالف اثرا) is a political alliance of five political parties in Iraq that represent the Assyrian people.[1][2] The alliance comprises these five parties:
- Assyrian Democratic Movement
- Assyrian Patriotic Party
- Beth Nahrin Patriotic Union
- Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council
- Sons of Mesopotamia
Athra Alliance ܒܪܩܝܡܐ ܕܐܬܼܪܐ تحالف اثرا | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Yacoob G. Yaco |
| Founded | July 22, 2023 |
| Headquarters | Baghdad, Iraq |
| Ideology | Assyrian nationalism Minority politics |
The alliance was initially hailed as a major breakthrough for Iraqi Assyrians, believing that a uniting political force was needed to regain political representation. Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Awa III, noted the necessity of unity amongst Assyrian political parties, citing the Athra Alliance as a step in the right direction.[3]
History
editThe five parties that had joined the alliance originally convened to discuss the political situation of Assyrians in Iraq, and the need to prevent demographic changes in the Nineveh Plains. The alliance was formed around the same time that the Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako moved the Patriarchal headquarters from Baghdad to Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, following political tension between the Patriarch and Iraqi government. Abdul Latif Rashid, then the Iraqi president, removed its official recognition of Louis Raphaël I Sako as the authority of the Chaldean Church, sparking protests amongst the Assyrian community in Ankawa.[4] Additionally, the Babylon Brigade under the leadership of Rayan al-Kildani had stolen the political seats designated for Assyrians and Christians in Iraq in the 2021 Iraqi parliamentary election.[5]
In its message of founding the alliance, the Assyrian Democratic Movement stressed the importance of gaining political representation in the 2023 Iraqi governorate elections, as well combatting discrimination and allocating resources to rebuild the Nineveh Plains post-ISIS.[1] The party was registered under the Independent High Electoral Commission in Baghdad on July 22, 2023.
Activity
editThe Athra Alliance was active in investigating the Bakhdida wedding fire, which occurred on September 26th, 2023. A public protest was organized demanding accountability and compensation, concerned with the Iraqi government's lack of credibility regarding investigations. [6] [7]
The Athra Alliance's chosen candidates for the 2023 Iraqi governorate elections were Walentina William Youssef (Kirkuk), Sharara Yusuf Ishaq (Baghdad), and Ma'rib Imad Elias Hanno (Nineveh).[8] During the election, campaigning for Hanno was done with the collaboration of the Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union, visiting areas in the Nineveh Plains and encouraging voter participation. Following the elections, the party criticized the lack of Assyrian voter turnout, with additional criticism levied towards electoral laws regarding minorities in Iraq. [9] [10]
Following changes to the Kurdish region's minority seats in 2024, the Athra Alliance demanded the return of allocated minority seats in the parliament and boycotted the upcoming 2024 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election.
References
edit- ^ a b "بلاغ". zowaa.org. Zowaa. 23 July 2023.
- ^ "تحت مظلة "تحالف أثرا".. الأحزاب القومية لأبناء شعبنا تدخل مرحلة جديدة من توحيد القوى". syriacpress.com. Syriacpress. 24 July 2023.
- ^ "Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East stresses importance of unity of Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people in Iraq". syriacpress.com. Syriacpress. 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Patriarch of Iraqi Chaldean Church transfers from Baghdad to Erbil". kurdistan24.net. Kurdistan24. 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Former Syriac Member of Iraqi Parliament Joseph Sliwa on Iraqi election results: The five 'winners' of Christian quota seats do not represent Christians". Syriac Press. 20 October 2021.
- ^ "Athra Alliance of Iraq protest on 8 October demanding accountability for Baghdede fire will go ahead". Syriac Press. 7 October 2023.
- ^ Naseem Sadiq. "Athra Alliance rally demands justice for wedding fire victims". SBS Assyrian (Podcast). SBS.
- ^ "Athra Alliance unveils electoral program and candidates for 2023 governorate council elections in Iraq". Syriac Press. 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Head of Bethnahrin Patriotic Union reflects on provincial elections, urges political participation beyond ballot box". Syriac Press. 20 December 2023.
- ^ "رئيس تحالف "اثرا" يعقوب كوركيس: تحالفنا قائم على تفاهمات سياسية وقومية". amkaabad.com. Amkaabad. 30 November 2023.