The statement, released on 17 May 2026 by the Assyrian Democratic Movement, and signed by two other smaller Assyrian groups, described the recent actions as “a clear attempt to impose a new demographic reality” in violation of the Iraqi Constitution and previous official decisions. The ADM warns that the measures threaten the historical presence of the Assyrian people in the Nineveh Plain.
At the center of the dispute is the reactivation of the Jaber Bin Hayyan Foundation Employees Complex project, which includes the distribution of 1,600 residential plots in the Qabr Maryam area of Tel Keppe District. According to the parties, the project is rooted in decisions issued by the dissolved Revolutionary Command Council during the former Baathist regime in 1992 and 1993. They argue that those decisions were originally intended to alter the demographic composition of historically Assyrian areas by confiscating and extinguishing agricultural lands owned by residents of Tel Keppe.
The parties pointed to Governing Council Decision No. 50, issued on 29 May 2003, which annulled all decrees and measures enacted by the former regime that aimed to change Iraq’s demographic and political realities. They also cited Article 23 of the Iraqi Constitution, which prohibits property ownership for the purpose of demographic change.
In their statement, the parties accused local authorities of violating the constitution and disregarding the rights of original landowners by proceeding with settlement procedures, road openings, and residential block planning tied to the project.
The statement also strongly criticized ongoing efforts to legalize informal housing units in the Al-Qawsiyat area of Tel Keppe. According to the parties, approximately 6,000 informal housing units have been built on agricultural lands belonging to local residents. The parties argued that granting legal ownership to those settlements would effectively reward illegal encroachment while further marginalizing the indigenous population.
“The continued legalization of these settlements represents the consolidation of a policy of imposing a fait accompli at the expense of the historical and legal rights of the indigenous population,” the statement said.
The parties warned that the developments in Tel Keppe are part of a broader pattern of demographic change affecting the Nineveh Plain over recent years, which they say has contributed to the erosion of the Assyrian presence in the region.
The joint statement called for the immediate suspension of all procedures related to the Jaber Bin Hayyan land project, the freezing of settlement legalization decisions in Al-Qawsiyat, and the opening of an official investigation into those seeking to revive annulled decisions from the former regime.
The parties also demanded stronger protections for the historical identity of Nineveh Plain towns, respect for private property rights, and fair compensation for affected landowners within legal frameworks.
Concluding their statement, the signatories warned that continuing such policies could threaten social peace and the historical diversity of the region. They also announced plans to organize demonstrations in different areas, with dates and locations to be announced in the coming days.
“Our people will not remain silent in the face of any attempt to undermine their land, existence, and legitimate rights,” the statement declared.
