– It is worrying that religious minorities are no longer given priority. That’s what Nariman Hame (23) says, a law student with a Yezidi background. She is an activist on behalf of the Yezidi people group who have been subjected to genocide by the Islamic State. Religious refugees such as the Yezidis were prioritized when quota refugees were taken in 2021, but were taken off the priority list for 2022 when the Støre government came to power. With this, Hame believes that the government is failing the most vulnerable refugees. Want to prioritize It was in the budget settlement between the previous government and the Progress Party that religious minorities became a prioritized refugee group. In addition to other vulnerable groups, such as queer people and families with children, it was stated that “persecuted Christians, Ahmadiyya and Yezidi refugees must also be prioritized as a group and individuals when taking out quota refugees.” Hame believes that was a good decision. Ideally, she wants refugees not to be chosen based on faith. – But unfortunately, different religious groups are not on equal terms in their home countries. Religious minorities generally have far worse conditions for coping after war and conflict, in the face of discriminatory legislation, working life and society. Therefore, she asks the Minister of Justice to put religious refugees on the priority list again. – Difficult access The Ministry of Justice will not be interviewed, but writes in an e-mail that the circumstances for religious minorities are different than for other priority groups. To be picked up as a quota refugee, one must flee to a new country and be granted refugee status by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). – But many of those who are persecuted because of religious affiliation stay in their home country. Then they cannot be recognized as refugees by UNHCR – and UNHCR cannot submit an application for their transfer, explains communications adviser in the ministry, Anders Bortne. Yazidis are a Kurdish religious minority who live mainly in Iraq. Photo: ISMAEL ADNAN / AFP He adds that Norway prioritizes refugee groups that are exposed to danger in the form of violence, discrimination and lack of protection in the countries they flee from. But it is more difficult to help the refugees who live in dangerous areas. – It is the UNHCR that submits applications for transfer refugees and must have access to the persons for whom it may be appropriate to submit applications – also in order to be able to identify them at all. In some countries, the security situation is so bad that UNHCR does not have access to people or areas. This applies, among other things, to religious minorities, explains Bortne. – The danger can change These are dangers Cecilie Hellestveit knows. As a conflict and international law researcher, she has worked on questions about religious minorities in the Middle East. Under certain political conditions, she believes that this is a particularly vulnerable group. – For example, there were 60,000 Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2003. At the start of 2014, the number had been reduced to 10,000. By the summer, when IS took over the city, there were only 3,000 left. But Hellestveit points out that the dangers change over time. – After IS lost its territorial foothold and the wars in Iraq and Syria have ended or are in calmer phases, we are now in a period where the threats against religious minorities are of a different and less serious nature. – No safe and dignified future for Yezidis in the Middle East And since protection needs change, Hellestveit believes that we are best served by a system that can quickly adapt to the changes. – If the protection is to serve its main purpose, it must be turned down when the particular dangers are reduced, to allow it to be scaled up when a new group needs it, or if the pressure against religious minorities increases again. Conflict and international law researcher Cecilie Hellestveit has worked on questions about religious minorities in the Middle East. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB But even though the wars in Iraq and Syria have calmed down, Hame paints a gloomy picture of the Yezidi’s plight in the region. – The Yezidis are in a collective trauma after the genocide eight years ago. Over 200,000 are internally displaced, over 2,700 are still reported missing, and several suicides among young Yezidis have been reported. Many want to return to their homes in Sinjar, but geopolitical battles over the city prevent a safe return home. She therefore believes it is unjustifiable not to prioritize religious refugees. – As the situation is now, there is no safe and dignified future for Yezidis in the Middle East.
ttn-69
Asks the government to prioritize religious refugees – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
