By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis  

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky calls for the return of allegedly seized Assyrian lands, while protests expand across northern Iraq over demographic change concerns

US Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has urged Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government to protect Assyrian rights and return allegedly seized lands as protests over demographic change intensify.

Growing International Attention

The long-running dispute over Assyrian land rights in Iraq has attracted renewed international attention after US Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky publicly urged both the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to protect the rights of Iraq's indigenous Assyrian community and restore lands that she says were illegally seized.

The statement came amid a series of protests organised by Assyrian political parties in Duhok (Nohadra) and follows growing concerns among Assyrian organisations regarding land ownership disputes and alleged demographic changes affecting traditional Assyrian communities across northern Iraq.

Schakowsky said she had received messages from Assyrian families in Illinois who remain deeply concerned about developments in their ancestral homeland.

"After generations of persecution, Assyrian Christians in Iraq are still waiting for justice. It's time to return illegally seized land to its rightful owners."

She also expressed solidarity with Assyrian communities both in the United States and Iraq, calling on Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, the federal government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government to uphold "the rights and dignity of Iraq's indigenous Assyrian people."

Assyrian Parties Welcome Congressional Support

The congresswoman's remarks were welcomed by Joseph Sliwa, President of the Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (HBA), one of the political organisations behind the recent demonstrations.

According to Sliwa, the protests have helped elevate the issue beyond local politics, generating increasing international attention and calls for justice regarding disputed lands and property rights.

Assyrian organisations argue that decades of land disputes and demographic changes have undermined the presence of one of Iraq's oldest indigenous Christian communities in areas such as the Nineveh Plain and parts of the Kurdistan Region.

They maintain that stronger legal protections and government action are required to preserve the community's historical presence.

New Demonstrations Planned

Assyrian political parties have announced another demonstration scheduled for 3 August in Tel Keppe in the Nineveh Plain.

The organisers are demanding:

• An immediate suspension of all land distribution procedures in the Nineveh Plain.
• Cancellation of decisions based on former Baath-era policies or measures they argue contributed to demographic change.
• A transparent and independent judicial investigation into officials who allegedly continued implementing land measures despite suspension orders.
• Accountability for those found responsible for unlawful land allocations.

The protests reflect growing frustration among Assyrian organisations, which argue that existing legal mechanisms have failed to resolve longstanding property disputes.

A Long-Standing and Sensitive Issue

Land ownership has remained one of the most contentious issues affecting Iraq's minority communities since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Successive governments have faced accusations from different ethnic and religious groups—including Assyrians, Yazidis, Turkmen, Kurds, and Arabs—over disputed property claims, historical confiscations, forced displacement, and competing legal interpretations regarding ownership.

For Assyrian organisations, the issue extends beyond individual property disputes. They argue that continued changes in land ownership risk altering the demographic character of historically Assyrian towns and villages, potentially threatening the long-term survival of indigenous Christian communities in Iraq.

Government authorities have generally maintained that land disputes should be resolved through Iraq's legal and judicial institutions, although many cases remain unresolved after years of litigation.

Analysis: Minority Rights Could Become a Larger Issue in US-Iraq Relations

Congresswoman Schakowsky's intervention illustrates how minority rights continue to feature in Washington's engagement with Iraq beyond traditional security and counterterrorism concerns.

Although a statement from a single member of Congress does not represent official US government policy, such interventions can increase political visibility for longstanding human rights issues, particularly when supported by active diaspora communities in the United States.

The timing is also notable. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has sought to present Iraq as a country pursuing institutional reform, improved governance, and closer economic cooperation with Washington. Allegations involving minority rights and disputed land ownership risk complicating that narrative if they receive broader international attention.

For the Kurdistan Regional Government, the issue carries additional sensitivity. The Kurdistan Region has long promoted itself as one of the Middle East's safest and most tolerant areas for religious minorities, hosting large numbers of Christians, Yazidis, and others displaced by conflict. Allegations of unresolved land disputes involving Assyrian communities therefore have the potential to affect that image if left unaddressed.

Whether these concerns translate into concrete policy changes remains uncertain. However, the growing international attention suggests that minority rights—particularly questions surrounding land ownership, demographic change, and the protection of indigenous communities—may become a more prominent element of future discussions between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and their Western partners.

As Iraq seeks deeper political and economic ties with the United States, demonstrating credible legal mechanisms for resolving historical land disputes could become increasingly important for reinforcing confidence in the country's broader reform agenda.

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