We, the members of the Mandaean community in the United States of America and their friends, are asking our government to take the moral, legal and historic responsibility to save the Iraqi Mandaean refugees in Syria and Jordan. Less than 3000 Mandaeans are currently trapped in Iraq. Our hope is to resettle them in America as a persecuted group in order to save the future culture, traditions, and faith of the Mandaean community.
Without the help of our government, the Mandaean people, who are without a country, cannot defend themselves are headed towards annihilation.
Mandaean are considered the smallest and most vulnerable minority in Iraq. We number fewer than 60,000 people, scattered around the globe. We follow the teachings of John the Baptist and practice baptism in flowing water as our central ritual. Our teachings expressly forbid us from carrying weapons, even for self-defense. Instead, the
Ginza Raba%u2014the chief Mandaean holy book%u2014 teaches us to
oppose injustice bravely with words and knowledge, not iron. We therefore live our lives solely by peaceful means.
