ICC Note: The Kurdish Regional Government has imposed a new business regulation affecting the Ankawa neighborhood in Erbil. The neighborhood is traditionally Christian, with most belonging to the Assyrian community. The new regulation requires that business owners now pay a fee when renewing their licenses. Although this regulation was put into effect in January, it has only just been put into practice. It is currently unclear what the KRG’s reasoning is for enacting this regulation.

07/01/2018 Iraq (AINA) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has imposed a discriminatory new regulation requiring all business owners from the Assyrian-majority city of Ankawa, located in the Erbil Province, to renew their business licenses with the Director of the Erbil Center District for a fee. This new regulation applies exclusively to Ankawa, despite the fact that a total of ten districts are under the Erbil Center District’s jurisdiction.

Previously, business owners from Ankawa were able to renew their licenses free of charge at the mayor’s office in Ankawa. The new order was issued on January 23, 2018, yet those interviewed by API representatives claim that locals only became aware of its existence earlier today.

“People didn’t know about it until someone went to the mayor’s office to renew his license, and then he was told to go to the Erbil Center District,” a resident of Ankawa said to the API.

“The application process is now much longer and unnecessary,” a local business owner explained. “Usually, attorneys handle these renewals. I spoke to my attorney this morning and he said he’s already heard that the officials at the Erbil Center District expect bribes in exchange for processing.”

Ankawa, also known as Ainkawa, is a predominantly Assyrian-populated suburb of Erbil. Its population is now estimated to be approximately 60,000. Roughly 80% of the town’s population is Christian; the majority of its Christian residents are adherents to the Chaldean Catholic Church. Located just outside Erbil, the town is considered to be the last Christian Assyrian stronghold in the Kurdistan Region.

The new order targeting Assyrian shop owners is the latest form of discrimination targeting Assyrians in Ankawa.

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For interviews with Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].