UPDATE ON THE BAHAI: NO PROGESS YET ON IDENTITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002519 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2016 TAGS: PREL PHUM PNAT KDEM IZ SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE BAHAI: NO PROGESS YET ON IDENTITY CARDS REF: 06 BAGHDAD 01300 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR MARGARET M. SCOBEY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On July 4, President of the Bahai National Spiritual Advisory Group Abdul Razaq Abaychi complained to Poloff that no progress had been made toward allowing Bahai to legally register for the national identity card, or "jensiyya" (reftel). Abaychi nonetheless expressed appreciation for the role the Embassy played in arranging a meeting with then Minister of Interior Bayan Jabr on May 3. During that meeting, Abaychi said, Jabr was sympathetic to the Bahai's plight and expressed willingness to follow up on the issue and push for the ability of members of Iraq's Bahai community to obtain jensiyyas. ¶2. (C) In a June 26 meeting, Director of Nationality and Travel Yasseen al-Yassiri explained to Poloffs that prior to leaving the Ministry, Bayan Jabr had in fact ordered production of an action plan on re-instituting the Bahai category on the jensiyya. Al-Yassiri explained that under Saddam Hussein's regime, the Bahai identity was systematically erased from all MoI documents in compliance with law 105 of 1970 and regulation 358 of 1975 (ref). Al-Yassiri told PolOff that the plight of the Bahai was a serious one and that he was generally in favor of reinstating the Bahai in all the documents ) and his report reflected this recommendation. ¶3. (C) However, al-Yassiri continued, he was very hesitant to release this report beyond his directorate because he was fearful of the repercussions, pointing to the reaction the Bahai have received in Egypt and other countries. PolOff urged that he move forward with issuing Iraqi Bahai their national identity cards, thus allowing them to register their children in schools and receive passports if so desired. Poloff noted that this would be consistent with the religious freedom provision in Iraq's constitution. ¶4. (C) Comment: Post will continue to engage the MoI about this issue and has recommended to Abaychi that he lobby the new Minister of Interior as well. SATTERFIELD