Christopher Coen
Melissa Sogard
nancylee1
According to an article in the Boston Globe Iraqi Mandaean refugees – Mandaeanism is an ancient religion – are desperate to find a country that will take them all in, however no one wants all of them. In addition, the U.S. has decided to resettle the Mandaean refugees around the country rather than allow them to live together in one area, as they have requested.
BOSTON—No single country wants to take all the Iraqi Mandaean refugees, and that’s putting the tiny population at risk, a United Nations refugee official said Thursday…
…Mandaeanism is a tiny, ancient religion that views John the Baptist as its great teacher. About 60,000 Mandaeans recently have fled Iraq and Iran because of persecution, many to Jordan and Syria.
Since 2007, more than 1,200 Iraqi Mandaean refugees have been resettled in the United States, according to the U.S. State Department. The groups are scattered mostly in Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, Colorado and California. Populations also have been resettled in Europe and Australia.
Boston Mandaean doctor Wisam Breegi said Mandaeans need to be resettled together for support in one place, like Boston, or the population will disappear within two generations.
“This community has no country and is scattered all over the world,” Breegi said. “There needs to be an effort to try to keep Mandaeans together.”…Read more here
