Mayor of Hamdaniya, Nineveh Speaks Out
Mayor Issam Behnam Matti of Hamdaniya.
A candid conversation with Mayor Issam Behnam Matti
By Adhid Miri, PhD
In celebration of the 21st Annual Awards Dinner hosted by the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce (CACC) in Michigan, the organizers invited several dignitaries from Iraq. Among those that accepted and made the trip to the U.S. were the mayors of the Districts of Qaraqosh/Nineveh, Mayor Issam Behnam Matti, and Ankawa/Erbil, Mayor Ramy Noori Syawish.
While they were here, the Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) in Sterling Heights facilitated several meetings, including one with Mayor Syawish and Mayor Michael Taylor of Sterling Heights. Their discussions revolved around shared experiences, developing joint work, consolidating relations, and connecting bridges of communication between our people at home and abroad. The two mayors also discussed the possibility of creating a sister-city relationship.
On Saturday, April 27, the CCF hosted the Governor of Nineveh for a Town Hall discussion. Participants discussed ways to support the minority community in Iraq (Mosul). CCF president Martin Manna addressed demographic changes, hiring community members for Iraqi government positions, and implementing Article 125, which provides for self-administration for Chaldeans and other minority communities in Iraq. Also present were the Iraqi General Counsel and the mayor of Al-Hamdaniya, Issam Behnam Matti Da’aboul.
The Chaldean News staff took the opportunity while they were in town to have candid conversations with both mayors. The mayor of Al-Hamdaniya gave the CN an exclusive interview about the situation post-ISIS, the reconstruction process, and the coexistence of the individual components of the region. The mayor of Ankawa shed light on the challenges and opportunities facing the people in the Kurdistan Regional Government area and Nineveh Plain regions and discussed ways to support them.
Mayor Issam Behnam Matti
The mayor was born in Bakhdida in 1967 and was educated in his hometown and at Mosul University with a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was married in 1998; his wife holds a master’s degree in physics and currently lectures at Hamdaniya University. His parents are Behnam Matti and Ammo Dano, and he has 4 brothers and 3 sisters.
Issam worked for the Hamdaniya municipality and public works for 10 years but had to flee to France when ISIS rolled into the district in 2015. His house in Qaraqosh was used as ISIS headquarters. Issam returned after the district was liberated and participated in local elections. On February 27, 2018, he was elected as mayor of the District of Hamdaniya for a 4-year term by a majority of the district council (13 out of 15) and has been in this position since, despite many attempts by local militias to remove him.
Chaldean News: Tell us a bit about your district.
Mayor Issam: Al-Hamdaniya is one of the large districts in Nineveh Governorate - northern Iraq. It includes three districts and several villages. Al-Hamdāniyya (Arabic) has three distinct names; its other names are Qaraqosh, which means “black bird” in Turkish, and Bakhdida (Aramaic).
Qaraqosh, the city 33 kilometers from Mosul, was the heart of the Christian community in Iraq and the biggest Christian town in Iraq—with a population of about 60,000, most of them Syriac and Chaldean—before it was overrun by the Sunni Muslim jihadist group Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014.
The heart stopped beating for 34 months when it was occupied by ISIS Caliphate. Its citizens faced a stark decision—convert to Islam or be killed. Thus, the district was emptied of its inhabitants in a matter of a few days.
In 2003, the number of people in Qaraqosh was around 70,000, but 40% of the locals fled the area due to lack of security, demographic changes, and work opportunities over the years. The neighboring town of Bartella (Syriacs Orthodox) suffered the most significant demographic changes and the historic Chaldean town of Karmles lost 70% of its people.
Before 2014, Qaraqosh was a bustling city and was home to the largest population of Christians in the entire country. The population of Bakhdida today is 25,000-30,000. The town is still being rebuilt and about half of its residents are said to have returned.
The district was the breadbasket of the region, known for its rich fields, agriculture, and poultry farms. We had 190 poultry farms, enough to feed all of Kurdistan and part of Iraq!
CN: How did ISIS change the district?
Mayor Issam: In 2014, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) took control of the Hamdaniya District (southeast of Mosul) and damaged government buildings in the district center in addition to destroying and burning thousands of homes and religious sites. Their invasion forced nearly all of the city’s Christians to flee for their lives.
The mayor’s neighborhood and house were first occupied by ISIS and were used as its headquarters. Their walls were filled with ISIS insignias, and names of its leaders Abou Talha Al-Almani (the German), Abou Fatuma, and others.
The district was regained from ISIS control in 2017, but not all of the residents of the district returned to their homes. This was the most decisive front in the war against Daesh. In liberating Qaraqosh and Mosul, the military won a battle, but victory is still far off. Until the security situation, corruption, exploitation, and ignorance are defeated, the dark elements will always know where to go to find fresh blood for their cause.
After the liberation of the district, the number of returning displaced persons began to gradually increase. At present 90-100% of the Arabs, Shabaks, Kakais, and Turkmen returned to the district because the judiciary administration is working to erase the effects of the ISIS war and provide the necessary services for the return of normal life to Al-Hamdaniya.
The percentage of returning Christians to Bakhdida was 60 percent, meaning that 40 percent of them did not return because they were more damaged than others by the ISIS war. Bartella lost most of its Christian population, and Karmles lost 70% of its people. Most of the displaced people live in Ankawa and the KRG region.
CN: Are there accurate statistics and follow-ups on the damage caused by ISIS?
Mayor Issam: Upon returning to their hometown of Qaraqosh, most Christian families found nothing but scorched buildings and decimated infrastructure. ISIS wreaked havoc on the city during their occupation.
There are no accurate statistics to determine the extent of the damage, but some regions worked on this issue, and it became clear that there was considerable damage to government buildings in the district center (Bakhdida - Qaraqosh) in addition to the burning and destruction of five thousand homes.
The service sector in the districts and villages of Al-Hamdaniya was also damaged. There were more than 180 poultry farms in Al-Hamdaniya, more than 150 of which were destroyed, 70 percent of which have not been restored yet.
Electrical power transmission lines have been rehabilitated, but we suffer from the problem of scarcity of production like the rest of Iraq. As for drinking water, there is a single water project in Hamdaniya that previously supplied 50,000 people in the area with water, but now it is not enough to meet the needs of the population.
CN: Rebuilding, how did you face this challenge?
Mayor Issam: After the liberation, the deterioration of the service sectors was not the only problem we faced. The task was very difficult, but with the support of international organizations and following a solid plan to educate citizens, which included forming a group that included clerics from all components, as well as through education centers, we were able to restore peaceful coexistence to the region.
One of the first activities was to conduct an extensive survey of the needs of the damaged towns and villages. The survey results showed that people require basic things like food, education, job training, counseling, and spiritual development.
Education is a beacon of hope in Qaraqosh for the returning citizens. Education, schools, and teachers have been key in the district; teachers were its best contribution to early education in Iraq. Academic formation and education about living together peacefully, they need community and they need schools for every subject and every grade, but especially for the youngest group.
CN: Define the infrastructure issues, (i.e., lack of services, poor roads, etc.)
Mayor Issam: In the beginning, the government’s efforts were not at the required level; however, with time and through the governorates’ development budget, work was done on many water and electricity projects. I do not say that all services are available, but the service aspect now is better in comparison to the period before the arrival of ISIS.
The administrative changes in Mosul, especially after the change of the governor (in 2019), were a major change with reconstruction campaigns launched in all sectors, especially the restoration of public sector buildings. At present, we are discussing the issue of the return of the Investment Authority so that it has a role in the reconstruction.
The main institutions in the district were repaired or rebuilt. For example, Al-Hamdaniya General Hospital is considered one of the best hospitals in Iraq. The hospital was rebuilt and rehabilitated by USAID. It is considered the best hospital in the Nineveh Plain region with over 1,800 employees and has various specialized departments (surgery, dentistry, optometry, kidney dialysis center, and other essential departments).
The water lines and network are working well. The sewer system project was revitalized after liberation. Tunnels were used by ISIS to store weapons. Today it is considered the first major public work that was completed in Iraq.
In the education sector, most schools have been renovated in addition to building new schools. We also have new private schools. The University of Hamdaniya is fully operational, it offers BS Degrees in different fields and its entire faculty is made of Iraqi academics. It plans to start master’s programs in 2025.
The colleges of the university graduate 30-40 physicians and 40-50 engineers every year; however, new graduates need workplaces. The agricultural sector which is the lifeline of the region is still weak and antiquated. It needs a new vision and 21st century farming strategies and new irrigation technologies.
CN: What about rebuilding the churches and religious sites?
Mayor Issam: The pope’s visit in 2023 placed Al-Hamdaniya under the spotlights of international media. It was a historical marker where the people’s faith, resilience, and desire to stay in their ancestral towns were strongly evident. A campaign of restoration and rebuilding took place by foreign and local organizations.
Unfortunately, not all churches and religious sites that were burned and destroyed by ISIS militants were restored. These important sites in the district were not given priority by the Iraqi officials. The main church (Al-Tahira - the Immaculate) in Hamdaniya and the Seminary was used as a shooting range and training arena by ISIS.
We can see that the churches of Mosul have been rehabilitated with funds allocated to them by foreign organizations and hope that the Iraqi government will allocate a budget for the reconstruction of religious sites within its future budgets and plans.
CN: How secure is the region?
Mayor Issam: Before ISIS, we did not know exactly who was responsible for the security of the region. After the ISIL invasion on August 6, 2014, the town was under the control of ISIL until October 16, 2016.
Since liberation from ISIS, the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU) run the security profile in the city alongside the Iraqi Army.
Several initiatives were introduced in 2021 to hire local police officers, federal police, and district military staff. By July 1, 2024, we expect that the federal government forces will be in charge of the security file completely.
CN: Can you tell us about displacement and the return of refugees?
Mayor Issam: I believe that the continuation of the assistance provided to citizens, especially farmers, will help them return, stay, and revive agricultural lands, and will contribute to the return of stability and coexistence.
International community organizations played a notable role through their programs and granting small loans, such as those now granted to farmers, to pay attention to the agricultural sector in their regions.
I believe that we have made great strides in this field, as evidenced by the fact that ISIS failed to create an incubating environment and carry out terrorist operations in the region after its liberation, except in some rare cases. This is evidence that the people of the region are cooperating with the security services.
CN: What about the confiscation of land and demographic changes?
Mayor Issam: Buying and selling land, homes, and properties was scarce before ISIS. The lands of Bakhdida were a red line for anyone who dared to touch them; however, Bartella was and continues to be a thorny issue where properties were sold to non-Christians.
Bartella, in Iraq’s Christian heartland, is a complex problem with continuous feuds over the town’s identity. A historic Christian town, first mentioned in 1153 AD, Bartella is home to many Syriac Orthodox Christians and Shabaks, a group with a disputed ethnic origin but related to Kurds.
When I assumed my post as mayor, I worked closely with the local political parties (Assyrian Democratic Movement, The Syriac Coalition Movement), departments of land records in Hamdaniya and Mosul, and enlisted the help of Article 23-B of the Iraqi Constitution and the interpretation of the Supreme Court (decision #65 of 2013) regarding the preservation of the land rights of minorities and components in their region and that settlement of outsiders must be with obtaining the necessary legal approvals.
Resisting demographic changes and upholding the law requires grit and administrative will. I considered the Supreme Court decision as a central law and opinion against demographic changes. A recent example was the case of a Shabak person who purchased a residential property from another Shabak without due process and sued me in Mosul Court. The Integrity Court of Mosul threw the case and sided with me in a historic opinion dated April 15, 2024.
CN: What of the wedding fire in Qara-qosh? What did the investigation find?
Mayor Issam: A massive fire broke out in Al-Haitham wedding hall in Al-Hamdaniya district, on September 26 or 27, 2023, that resulted in the death of 122 people and the injury of dozens.
Safety standards are often to blame and poorly observed in Iraq, which has been plagued by decades of mismanagement and corruption. The wedding hall that burned in Al-Hamdaniya had a capacity of 500, but twice the number was inside when the blaze started. It was also “devoid of emergency doors.” Safety instructions are often not followed in Iraq, especially in the construction and transportation sectors, which frequently leads to fires and other deadly disasters.
The official line about the tragedy that occurred in late September was that it was “accidental and 100% an act of God” and that the main cause of the accident was the launch of fireworks inside the hall at a height exceeding four meters from four machines.
The investigation committee concluded that these fireworks led to the burning of the roof, which was built of “highly flammable” and “prohibited” materials, in addition to decorative materials and materials from which the hall’s curtains were made, all of which were highly flammable. The investigative committee also noted the presence of “large quantities of alcoholic beverages,” which helped speed up the spread of the fire.
The results of the investigation were not satisfactory to the families of the victims and feelings were filled with doubts and anger. The investigation and conclusion were determined in haste by military personnel, without the participation of international experts. Our people believe that there was a cover-up, and that the investigation was tainted by influential political interest.
Massive demonstrations took place in Qaraqosh, against political clientelism demanding a re-investigation of the tragedy and at the top of the list, investigating the files of the powers controlling the area’s security and that the security file be handled exclusively by members of the judiciary.
In this tragedy, I lost one of my sisters plus 9 cousins and their wives. We have a large number of burned cases that cannot be treated.
CN: Do you have anything you’d like to share with our readers?
Mayor Issam: Fear is more powerful than weapons. This issue was one of the difficult challenges. The people are suffering from many problems, immigration and loss of population are the toughest challenges facing the town today. Security, local economy, and keeping the Nineveh Plain region away from local politics and militia forces.
Our priorities are security, the rule of law, building community relationships, providing a stable business environment, developing the local economy, empowering the people, restoring hope, community collaboration, and government support.
The current PM Al-Sudani government seems to be serious and organized and issued a decree 25-230 to form a committee that examines and resolves land disputes. After his recent visit to the U.S. in April, the PM issued an administrative decree #235-23 to implement the Supreme Court decisions and formed a new committee that deals with the component’s complaints.
All in all, we can say that progress is taking place and 90 percent of government departments and institutions in the district have resumed their duties. The district continues to attract admiration and acclaim from local politicians and international visitors.
Sources: Issam Behnam Matti, Zagros TV - Muhammad Talal Al Nuaimi, David Gritten, BBC News