Iraq
(asked on 19th November 2014) - View Source
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Iraq about the destruction of churches, synagogues and holy sites in Iraq.
This question was answered on 1st December 2014
The Government is deeply concerned about the destruction of churches and other holy sites in Iraq. This includes the destruction of the Mosque of the Prophet Younis, which housed the Tomb of Jonah, by the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in July, and the destruction of the Green Church, which was thought to be the oldest church in the Middle East, by ISIL in September. We co-sponsored a resolution at the Human Rights Council in September, which highlighted and condemned the destruction of monuments, shrines, churches, mosques and other places of worship in Iraq and encouraged the Government of Iraq to protect these sites. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), condemned the destruction of religious sites in his statement of 30 July, which followed a meeting with representatives of the Iraqi Christian community. Officials from our Embassy in Baghdad and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in London have met a number of religious leaders to discuss the situation for religious groups in Iraq and have also met the Iraqi government to urge them to take appropriate steps to protect religious communities. We have also funded a series of grass roots meetings among religious leaders in Iraq to promote religious tolerance and freedom of religion or belief. We continue to encourage influential religious leaders in Iraq to speak out publicly and condemn sectarian violence.
The Government is deeply concerned about the destruction of churches and other holy sites in Iraq. This includes the destruction of the Mosque of the Prophet Younis, which housed the Tomb of Jonah, by the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in July, and the destruction of the Green Church, which was thought to be the oldest church in the Middle East, by ISIL in September. We co-sponsored a resolution at the Human Rights Council in September, which highlighted and condemned the destruction of monuments, shrines, churches, mosques and other places of worship in Iraq and encouraged the Government of Iraq to protect these sites. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), condemned the destruction of religious sites in his statement of 30 July, which followed a meeting with representatives of the Iraqi Christian community. Officials from our Embassy in Baghdad and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in London have met a number of religious leaders to discuss the situation for religious groups in Iraq and have also met the Iraqi government to urge them to take appropriate steps to protect religious communities. We have also funded a series of grass roots meetings among religious leaders in Iraq to promote religious tolerance and freedom of religion or belief. We continue to encourage influential religious leaders in Iraq to speak out publicly and condemn sectarian violence.