During a special session Thursday on the situation of the Syriacs and Assyrians in Iraq and Syria, the European Parliament passed a resolution urgently calling for the establishment of save haven for the Syriacs and Assyrians in Nineveh Plains and Khabour.

The resolution cited the attacks carried out on Assyrians/Syriacs/Chaldeans by the ISIS gangs, including the recent abduction of 220 Assyrians near Tell Tamer on the southern Khabur River bank in north-east Syria on 23 February 2015, destruction during the same campaign of properties and holy places of the Christians, killing of dozens of Assyrians during the IS assault; the reported declaration by ISIS in February 2015 requesting Assyrian villages in the Syrian Hasaka Province to pay the jizya, a tax on non-Muslims dating to early Islamic rule and abolished in 1856 across the Ottoman empire, to convert to Islam or else be killed; major ISIS/Da’esh attacks reported on Assyrian Christian towns in the Khabur River area since 9 March 2015, and dozens of Assyrians still held captive by ISIS and threatened to be killed if the coalition bombings do not stop.

The resolution stated that as part of a deliberate policy of cultural and religious cleansing, IS has reportedly destroyed more than 100 churches in Iraq, and at least 6 churches in Syria, as well as a number of Shia mosques in Iraq; whereas in February 2015, IS fighters deliberately publicised their destruction of statues and other artefacts in the Mosul Museum dating back to the ancient Assyrian and Akkadian empires. It also recalled that IS subsequently bulldozed the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud and, most recently, it reportedly destroyed the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hatra.

Strongly condemning ISIS/Da’esh and its egregious human rights abuses that amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and which could be called genocide; the resolution voiced extremely concerns at this terrorist group’s deliberate targeting of Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen, Shi’ites, Shabak, Sabeans, Kaka’e and Sunnis who do not agree with their interpretation of Islam, as part of its attempts to exterminate any religious minorities from the areas under its control;

Underlining that there must be no impunity for the perpetrators of these acts and that those responsible should be referred to the ICC; recalls, the resolution recalled, in this context, the unresolved kidnapping of Bishops Yohanna Ibrahim and Paul Yazigi by armed rebels in Aleppo Province, Syria, on 22 April 2013;

The resolution called upon the international coalition to “do more to prevent abductions of minorities, such as the abduction of hundreds of Assyrian Christians in northern Syria”; underlining the importance of ensuring a safe haven for the Chaldeans/Assyrians/Syriacs and others at risk in the Nineveh Plains, Iraq.

Calling on the EU and its Member States to take a proactive and preventive approach towards the threat of ISIS/Da’esh expansion into countries and regions beyond Iraq and Syria; in this light, the resolution urged the EU and its Member States, as well as NATO partners, to address the issue of certain countries’ ambivalent roles in the conflict, in particular where they contributed, or still contribute, actively or passively, to the rise of ISIS/Da’esh and other extremist groups.

Voicing concerns about the financing of the dissemination of the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam by public and private entities of countries from the Gulf region, the resolution called upon these countries to stop this financing; furthermore, urges these countries to stop the financing of terrorist organisations from within their territories.

The European Parliament also called upon Turkey to play a positive role in the fight against ISIS/Da’esh and without delay allow Christian minorities and other persecuted people fleeing from Syria to cross the border into Turkey and seek safety.

The resolution further encouraged the cooperation with newly emerging regional and local forces, such as the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq, Kurdish groups elsewhere, such as the role of YPG in the liberation of Kobane, and the Syriac Military Council, as well as local self-governing entities in the region which have shown more commitment to human rights and democracy than their countries' rulers. It saluted the courage of the Kurdish forces who have done so much to protect endangered minorities.

Concerned about reports of Christian minorities not having access to refugee camps in the region because they would be too dangerous for them, the resolution requested that the EU make sure its development assistance targets all minority groups displaced by the conflict; encourages the EU to use the experience and well-established networks of local and regional churches, as well as international relief organisations of churches, to provide financial and other assistance, in order to ensure that all minority groups can benefit from the protection and support of European aid.

The EP urged the EU and its Member States to cooperate with international and local partners to safeguard as much Assyrian and other cultural and religious heritage as possible from the territories occupied by ISIS/Da’esh; furthermore, urged the Council to take action against the illicit trade in ancient artefacts coming from these territories.

The EU Parliament confirmed and supported the inalienable right of all religious and ethnic minorities living in Iraq and Syria to continue to live in their historical and traditional homelands in dignity, equality and safety, and to practice their religion freely; in this light, urged all UN member states to clearly speak out against the violence and in particular in favour of the rights of minorities.

Rejecting without reservation and considering illegitimate the announcement by ISIS/Da’esh leadership that it has established a caliphate in the areas it now controls; the resolution emphasised that the creation and expansion of the ‘Islamic caliphate’, and the activities of other extremist groups in the Middle East, is a direct threat to the security of the region, as well as European countries.

The EP further urged the EU to further explore counter-terrorism policies, within the human rights framework, other than those already in place, and to continue to work with Member States to enhance policies that counter radicalisation on EU soil, the spreading of hate speech and incitement to violence online; urged EU Member States, furthermore, to work together with the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly to stop the spread of extremist and jihadist ideology worldwide.