A French group called “New Martyrs”, which supports persecuted Middle East Christians, has launched a campaign to stop Western companies from buying oil from Islamic State.
Some 84 MPs support a proposed parliamentary resolution to block French companies from buying it and a petition to publish the names of all European companies trading with the jihadists has drawn over 940 signatories so far.
The group, founded by a trade unionist and a journalist, plans to rally outside UNESCO in Paris on Sunday to draw attention to their campaign.
Meanwhile in Baghdad a member of the city’s municipal council said this week that 70 per cent of homes in Baghdad that belonged to Christians had been illegally seized. Many Iraqi Christians fled the country during the unrest that followed the US-led invasion of 2003.
Mohammed al-Rubai told Al-Mada television: "These houses belonged to Christians who fled from Baghdad, seeking refuge from violent attacks targeting them and their homes. The title deed documents have been falsified and the new title deeds have been lodged with the real estate registry. Many properties had been given illegally to other Iraqi citizens."
He added: "it is possible that both parties [the original and new owners] can possess legally registered title deeds to the same property".
The NGO Baghdad Beituna [Baghdad Our Home], said there have been more than 7,000 violations against properties belonging to Iraqi Christians in Baghdad since 2003. Director Saad Jassim said many homes stolen from Christians “are now occupied by militia commanders and politicians in or close to power”.
Above: Many Christians from the north of Iraq have fled to Kurdistan but Islamic State terrorists have sold off the possessions they left behind. Photo: CNS/EPA
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