JANUARY 2019

ONE-on-ONE
A Conversation about
about religious freedoms
The Chaldean News talks
with Representative in the
U.S. for the Kurdistan
Regional Government.
BY VANESSA DENHA GARMO
The Chaldean Community Foundation recently
organized an International Religious
Freedom (IRF) roundtable discussion at the
Chaldean Cultural Center inside the Shenandoah
Country Club. Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, representative
in the United States for the Kurdistan Regional
Government was among the speakers. We
followed up with her for this one-on-one discussion.
CN: Why have these roundtable discussions?
BR: Understanding each other’s perspectives and
concerns is an important component of tolerance
and peaceful, respectful coexistence, and so we
need to continue to listen to each other. Religious
freedom roundtable discussions like the ones that
have happened in Washington and Michigan, and
the one that will happen in Erbil, are great opportunities
for representatives of different communities
to deliver their concerns. As a government, it
is especially important for us to hear the needs and
concerns of the community.
CN: Why is in important for the Kurdistan Regional
Government to work with IRF?
BR: We will seek any opportunity to engage our
community, especially minorities, and learn about
their needs. IRF has developed a unique and hopefully
productive platform for this.
CN: What has this group accomplished over the last
eight years, since its inception?
BR: We have only worked with IRF since summer
of 2018, so I can’t speak to their other endeavors.
But I think that even in this short time, we’ve
improved contacts and goodwill between KRG
and civil society organizations. Tolerance and understanding
between communities are difficult to
measure, but I think forums like the IRF roundtables
are very important.
CN: What have been some of the issues discussed?
BR: The IRF roundtables operate under Chatham
House rules, so I can’t give you specifics, but I can
say that we have very frank discussions about the
status and future of religious and ethnic minority
groups in the Kurdistan region. It is a great opportunity
for me as KRG Representative to listen, to
learn and to convey my government’s position on
issues such as faith, genocide and accountability,
property disputes, political representation and calls
for self-administration by different groups.
CN: What action plans have come from the discussions?
BR: The meetings in the United States were really
about setting the framework for the roundtable
meetings in Kurdistan. We hope to see a
Kurdistan meeting of religious groups early in
2019. The International Religious Freedom
Roundtable has said it will support the roundtable
in Kurdistan.
CN: What was the purpose of the meeting on
December 10 at Shenandoah Country Club?
BR: As always, it was a chance for civil society
organizations, advocates, and religious leaders to
share their concerns with each other and with the
KRG. U.S. government officials were also present
as observers and members of congress took part.
CN: What is the hope of bringing the faith-based communities
together?
BR: Some of Iraq’s dysfunction comes from the
distrust and misunderstandings that communities
have about each other. By bringing them together
and giving them a forum for their voices to be
heard, we hope to ultimately bring about greater
understanding in our society.
CN: Why does the Kurdistan Region care about religious
freedoms?
BR: The people of the Kurdistan Region are from
many different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
In Iraq, we have seen how destructive religious intolerance
can be, and we want to ensure that the
Kurdistan Region remains a peaceful place for all of
its inhabitants and citizens.
26 CHALDEAN NEWS JANUARY 2019