ANKAWA, Iraq — Joseph Sliwa, president of the Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union (Huyodo d’Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA) and a former Iraqi parliament member, accused the Suyana and Babylon blocs of failing to represent the interests of the Suraya (Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian) people, following the formation of Iraq’s new government under Ali al-Zaydi, which included no Suraye ministers.

The exclusion has renewed questions about the political representation of Iraq’s indigenous Christian communities, whose numbers have declined significantly through decades of conflict, discrimination and emigration. Disagreements over parliamentary representation and government appointments have also exposed longstanding divisions among political groups claiming to speak for the community.

Speaking on Al-Maidan, hosted by Miqdad al-Humaidan, Sliwa criticized the so-called Christian Alliance and accused the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of interfering in Suraye politics and exploiting divisions within the community.

Sliwa questioned the Christian Alliance’s legal standing and argued that its name and activities fostered divisions among Suraye, the indigenous people of Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia). He also criticized the participation of civil society organizations in political activities and questioned the legitimacy of parties that had failed to hold organizational conferences.

He warned that political groups continuing to undermine the community’s rights risked suffering irreversible losses.

Sliwa Accuses KDP of Political Interference

Asked who had contributed to divisions among Suraye political parties, Sliwa explicitly identified the KDP, led by the Barzani family.

He accused the party of portraying Suraye political groups to the international community as divided and incapable of managing their own affairs, while presenting itself as their protector.

The KDP is a major political force in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and exercises considerable influence in disputed territories where Suraye and other minority communities live. Its relationship with minority political representatives has long been a subject of debate over whether participation in broader Kurdish political structures strengthens minority representation or makes it dependent on larger parties.

Sliwa said the KDP’s approach of positioning itself as the community’s “big brother” was unacceptable.

He also criticized the party’s use of the religious designation “Christians” instead of recognizing the community’s distinct national identity, which he said dates back 7,000 years.

“If it truly represents us, it should respect our distinct identity as a people and listen to our demands,” Sliwa said.

He argued that the KDP instead cultivated politically dependent figures to advance its own agenda.

Criticism of Suyana and Babylon

Sliwa rejected claims that the Suyana and Babylon blocs genuinely represented the Suraya of Iraq.

He alleged that approximately 90% of Suyana’s votes came from the KDP’s popular and party base, as well as its security and military apparatus. He similarly argued that Babylon drew most of its support from within the Shia political sphere. These figures and assessments reflect Sliwa’s claims during the interview.

According to Sliwa, political parties that genuinely represented the community and articulated its aspirations had been excluded from the elections.

The dispute over representation has practical consequences beyond parliamentary seats. Government portfolios can provide access to public resources, administrative influence, and opportunities to address the needs of minority communities. The disagreement between Suyana and Babylon over the Ministry of Migration and Displacement therefore became another focal point in the wider struggle over who speaks for Iraq’s Suraye.

Following the formation of the new government, Sliwa appealed directly to Prime Minister al-Zaydi in a post on X, urging him to appoint a Suraya minister unaffiliated with either bloc.

إلى السيد @AliFalihAlzaidy المحترم لا صويانا تمثل المسيحيين ” في حقيقة الأمر ” و لا بابليون تمثلهم بأمانة و مصداقية .. الاولى هي اداة البارتي الكوردي و الثانية هي اسيرة سلطة الشيعة .. الحل يكمن في التواصل مع الاحزاب الكلدانية السريانية الآشورية الحقيقية ممثلة لارادة هذا المكون الاصيل ، التي أقصيت من الانتخابات بسبب قانون انتخابي مجحف بحقهم حينما لم يخصص لهم سجل خاص للمسيحيين و ابقيت مقاعدهم مفتوحة حيث البارتي يخصص اصوات من البشمرگة و قواعده الحزبية يوصي بانتخاب شخصيات تابعة له فبعد وصولهم إلى البرلمان يملي عليهم اجندات هي ضد كينونة الشعب الكلداني السرياني الأشوري و كذلك الحال مع السلطة الشيعية التي تتبع سياسة ايرانية في العراق ! بتالي تسرق مقاعدهم النيابية و يصادر قرارهم السياسي .. وجب اختيار شخصية تتوفر فيها المعايير التالية من قبلكم شخصياً .. اما المعايير هي : ١- انتمائه للعراق حصراً ٢- يكون لصيق بقضايا الشعب الكلداني السرياني الأشوري ٣- ان لا تحوم حوله و حول حزبه شبهات الفساد بجميع أنواعه !

— النائب جوزيف صليوا (@joseph_sylawa) October 17, 2026

Sliwa said the candidate should demonstrate “exclusive allegiance to Iraq,” have no corruption allegations or suspicions involving them or their party, understand the community’s challenges, and be committed to resolving them.

He added that a candidate meeting these criteria would receive strong support from Suraye inside and outside Iraq.

Population and National Identity

Sliwa estimated Iraq’s Suraya population at between 300,000 and 400,000, acknowledging that precise figures were unavailable. He attributed the community’s decline in its ancestral homeland to racist policies justified at different times through religious or nationalist arguments.

The community’s demographic decline has been shaped by successive waves of displacement, including violence following the 2003 invasion of Iraq and attacks by the Islamic State (ISIS), which seized large areas of northern Iraq in 2014. Many families fled their ancestral towns and villages, while others emigrated abroad in search of security and economic stability.

“What matters most, however, is that the majority of productive people, scientists and elites come from minority communities,” Sliwa said.

He praised the community’s continued commitment to Iraq despite historical persecution and displacement.

“We are proud that, despite everything we have endured throughout history, we have never abandoned our homeland, betrayed it, sold it or traded it for personal gain,” Sliwa said.

He argued that patriotism required placing the country’s welfare above personal interests and refusing to compromise principles for political gain.

Concluding his criticism of the KDP, Sliwa accused the party of exerting pressure on the Suraya community.

“The KDP has placed a sword at the throats of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people,” he declared.

The post HBA President Joseph Sliwa: Suyana and Babylon blocs do not represent Suraya people in Iraq appeared first on SyriacPress.

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