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The Government is deeply concerned about the destruction of churches and other holy
sites in Iraq. This includes the destruction of the Mosque of the Prophet Younis,
which housed the Tomb of Jonah, by the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL) in July, and the destruction of the Green Church, which was thought to be the
oldest church in the Middle East, by ISIL in September. We co-sponsored a resolution
at the Human Rights Council in September, which highlighted and condemned the destruction
of monuments, shrines, churches, mosques and other places of worship in Iraq and encouraged
the Government of Iraq to protect these sites. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth
East (Mr Ellwood), condemned the destruction of religious sites in his statement of
30 July, which followed a meeting with representatives of the Iraqi Christian community.
Officials from our Embassy in Baghdad and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials
in London have met a number of religious leaders to discuss the situation for religious
groups in Iraq and have also met the Iraqi government to urge them to take appropriate
steps to protect religious communities. We have also funded a series of grass roots
meetings among religious leaders in Iraq to promote religious tolerance and freedom
of religion or belief. We continue to encourage influential religious leaders in Iraq
to speak out publicly and condemn sectarian violence.
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