Christian Alliance condemns Shaswar Abdulwahid remarks, calls for safeguarding Kurdistan Region's stability

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Christian Alliance in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on Thursday strongly condemned recent statements by Kurdish politician Shaswar Abdulwahid calling for the abolition of the Kurdistan Region, describing the remarks as a threat to social peace, constitutional legitimacy, and the security of the region's diverse communities.

In a statement, the alliance expressed "profound concern" over Abdulwahid's comments, arguing that calls to dismantle the Kurdistan Region undermine Iraq's constitutional framework and sow fear among the ethnic and religious groups that have found stability within the autonomous region.

"The Kurdistan Region is not merely an administrative or political entity," the statement said. "It is the product of decades of struggle and immense sacrifice made by the people of this homeland from all national and religious communities."

The alliance emphasized that the Kurdistan Region is a constitutionally recognized entity established under Iraq's post-2003 political system and approved through the Iraqi Constitution. It argued that any attempt to abolish or dissolve the region would constitute an attack on the will of the Iraqi people and the foundations of the country's political stability.

The statement highlighted the role the Kurdistan Region has played in providing refuge and protection for Christians and other minorities during periods of conflict and persecution, particularly during the rise of the Islamic State group in Iraq.

"For us as Christians, the Kurdistan Region has never been merely a geographical area; it has been, and continues to be, our homeland and our safe haven," the alliance said.

The group noted that religious freedoms have been protected in the Kurdistan Region and pointed to the teaching of Syriac, Chaldean, Assyrian, Armenian, and Turkmen languages in public schools, as well as government support for preserving the cultural heritage of minority communities.

According to the statement, rhetoric questioning the legitimacy of the Kurdistan Region risks undermining decades of coexistence among Kurds, Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen, Arabs, Armenians, and other communities, while potentially encouraging further emigration from Iraq.

The alliance called on Abdulwahid to reconsider his position and adopt what it described as a more responsible political discourse that respects constitutional institutions and preserves civil peace.

It also urged federal and regional authorities—including Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, the federal government, the Iraqi parliament, the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Parliament, and the Kurdistan Regional Government—to take measures to protect the constitutional status of the Kurdistan Region and confront rhetoric that could fuel division or instability.

The statement further argued that Abdulwahid's remarks run counter to efforts aimed at maintaining stability, reform, and development in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq more broadly. It warned that creating political crises at a sensitive time could hinder ongoing reform initiatives and deepen political tensions.

The Christian Alliance additionally called for an investigation into any forces that may be encouraging or exploiting rhetoric targeting the constitutional status of the Kurdistan Region.

Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement, has in recent days sparked controversy with statements criticizing the political structure of the Kurdistan Region and questioning its future.

His remarks have drawn criticism from several political parties, civil society groups, and community representatives who view the Kurdistan Region as a key pillar of Iraq's federal system.

Concluding its statement, the alliance said defending the constitutional status of the Kurdistan Region is ultimately a defense of pluralism, democracy, religious freedom, and peaceful coexistence.

"The Kurdistan Region is the outcome of the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of martyrs and decades of struggle by the people of Kurdistan in all their diversity," the statement said. "No force on earth can erase its constitutional legitimacy or undermine its legal existence."