BASRAH MANDAEAN LEADER EXPRESSES SERIOUS CONCERNS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000111

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/30/2016
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL PNAT KDEM SMIG IZ JO SY
SUBJECT: BASRAH MANDAEAN LEADER EXPRESSES SERIOUS CONCERNS

REF: (A) BASRAH 031 (B) BAGHDAD 1924

CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)





1. (C) On June 29, the Regional Coordinator (RC) met with the
spiritual leader of the Basrah Mandaean community, Shaykh Raad
Gbashi at his request. Shaykh Raad is a contact of the Regional
Embassy Office (see Ref A) and has met previously with the RC.
At this meeting, Shaykh Raad said that his community is under
pressure from criminal and terrorist gangs who were taking
advantage of the vulnerability and passive nature of the small
Mandaean community to get their hands on their wealth. According
to Shaykh Raad, on June 28 armed gangs in pick-up trucks opened
fire on the Mandeaen house of worship in Basrah. No one was
injured, and the Iraqi police failed to capture the assailants
or provide adequate protection for his congregation. He also
recounted several cases of Mandaean families being harassed,
robbed and killed.


2. (C) Shaykh Raad estimated there are only about 250 Mandaean
families, approximately 1,000 people, left in Basrah, a decrease
from a total of about 20,000 before the fall of Saddam.
However, during the past several years, more and more Mandaean
families have left for Syria, Jordan and other countries.
According to Shaykh Raad, in the last two weeks 12 Mandaean
families from Basrah have fled to Syria via Iran. He added that
throughout Iraq, a total of 1,500 Mandaean families have fled to
Syria and 500 to Jordan.


3. (C) Shaykh Raad stated that he was now considering moving the
entire Basrah Mandaean community to the north of Iraq where it
was more peaceful. He said that the Mandaeans would be welcomed
in the north because they were wealthy and could provide much
needed investment in the province. However, Shaykh Raad said
there was also the possibility of Mandaean families moving to
Syria or Amman where they could live or have the opportunity to
seek resettlement to Europe, Australia or Canada. He lamented
that the Mandaean community had to consider moving since Basrah
has been their home for the past 7,000 years.


4. (C) Comment: Clearly the small Mandaean community is coming
under pressure from the poor security situation in Basrah.
Their plight appears to mirror that of other Mandaean
communities in Iraq (see ref B). As Shaykh Raad stated, it
truly would be a loss for the rich cultural heritage of Basrah
if the Mandaean community decides they must move in order to
survive. End Comment.

GROSS