Northern Iraq minorities victims of 'human rights catastrophe'

11/12/09: Jurist reports that minority groups in northern Iraq have been the target of attacks by Sunni Arab extremist groups and harassment by Kurdish forces because of ongoing disputes with the country's central government, according to a Human Rights Watch.  HRW called on the Kurdish government to legally recognize Shabaks and Yazidis, allow minorities to participate in public affairs, and permit organizations with opposing political views to operate freely without retribution.