Iraq’s Human Rights Committee calls for necessity that its ancient Sabian minority share in country’s decision-making

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Chairman of Iraq’s Human Rights Committee, Salim al-Jiboury, has called on necessity that Iraq ’s Sabian minority to share in the country’s decision-making, in order to put an end for the violations committed against them, according to a statement by his office on Monday.   “Jiboury, who received a delegation representing the Mandaean Sabians, said that the Mandaean Sabians in Iraq have been exposed for severe pressures that forces large numbers of them to immigrate abroad, thing that threatened their existence, despite fact that they represent part of the original citizens of Iraq,” said the statement, copy of which was received by IraqiNews.com news agency.   He said that “the Mandaean Sabian minority had suffered from margining and isolation during the past periods; and now time has come to be just towards them,” calling for “necessity for their participation in the decision-making in different institutions of the State of Iraq.”   “Our Human Rights Committee shall exert efforts to respond to the demands of the said delegation, in order to enable them have a considerable representation in different institutions of the State of Iraq,” he said.   Noteworthy is that the Mandaean Sabians are ancient inhabitants of Iraq and their religious traditions are linked to the rivers, spread in southern Iraq , thing that made their existence continue there.   The religious books of the Mandaean Sanbians point out to the so-called “al-Tib (Goodness)” area in southern Iraq ’s Amara city, the center of Missan Province , 290 km to the south of Baghdad , as being their religious capital.   The Mandaean Sabians follow their religious guidance in their holy book, called “Ganza Rabba (God’s Treasure)”, with Sunday as their sacred weekly holiday and one of their leaders, called Sheikh Jabbar Hillu, is in charge of the Minority’s Affairs inside and outside Iraq nowadays.   SKH (FT)   423