Three Assyrian political groups protest land distribution in Nineveh Plains

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Three Assyrian political groups have submitted an official protest note to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and the governor of Nineveh over land distribution in the Nineveh Plains, a historic Assyrian heartland in northern Iraq. The Assyrian Democratic Movement, the Beth Nahrain National Unity Party and the Assyrian National Party delivered the written memorandum through the district's sub-governor, according to the groups. They said the ongoing distribution of land and what they described as "legal violations" amount to policies aimed at altering the demographic makeup of the region. The signatories warned that such measures pose a direct threat to the rights of indigenous communities and weaken social peace. The memorandum called for an immediate halt to all unlawful transactions and urged the government to enforce the constitutional provision that explicitly bans property acquisition intended to change demographics. The groups also urged authorities to protect constitutional rights and preserve the historical identity of the region. No response from the prime minister's office or the Nineveh governorate was immediately available.