(AINA) -- The use of the "Christian" label for indigenous peoples in Iraq, particularly in northern Iraq, is not neutral. It carries political, legal, and historical consequences that undermine indigenous identity and collective rights. Religion Is not an indigenous Identity; "Christian" describes a religious belief, not a people, nation, or indigenous group.

indigenous status is defined by ancestral connection to the land, a historical continuity, a shared language, culture and national identity. The Assyrian people existed as an indigenous nation since 4750 BC and retained their national identity after adopting the Christian faith in 33 AD.

Related: Brief History of Assyrians

Labeling Assyrians solely as "Christians" denies their status as original inhabitants of Mesopotamia, reduces them to a religious minority, not an indigenous people, and enables the denial of land rights, political representation, and self-determination. This is identity erasure, not recognition.

The use of the Christian moniker is normal Northern Iraq, particularly under the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The "Christian" label is often used to a void recognition of Assyrian indigenous land ownership, present Assyrians as guests or dependents, rather than rightful natives of the land and legitimize demographic change, land confiscation, and administrative control.

Related: Assyrians: Frequently Asked Questions

This reduction is applied selectively. Kurds are not labeled "Muslims," Arabs are not reduced to "Muslims," Turkmen are not defined by religion. Only indigenous Assyrians are stripped of their national identity and recast as a religious community.

International law (including UNDRIP) recognizes:

• indigenous peoples as peoples, not religious sects
• The right to self-identification
• Collective rights to land, culture, history, and political existence

Replacing indigenous identity with a religious label violates these principles.

The Assyrian people pre-date modern religions and modern states and have maintained continuous presence in their ancestral homeland Preserved their identity through language, culture, and historical memory. They are not migrants, settlers, or newcomers.

Related: Kurdish Confiscation of Assyrian Lands in North Iraq

The use of the "Christian" label is not accidental. It is a tool that disenfranchises the Assyrian people, turning a nation into a sect and indigenous landowners into a managed minority. Assyrians are not Christians who happen to live in Iraq, they are an indigenous people of Mesopotamia who happen to be Christian. This distinction is essential for justice, recognition, and rights.