=====================================================
                      THE   L   I   G   H   T   H   O   U   S   E
=====================================================

                   HE KNOWS IT ALL

The average Assyrian of today knows everything; he
cannot be taught, for he knows it already.  If he sees
that he doesn't, then he loses interest; which
attitude he might either betray by restlessness or he
may be very blunt in expressing it, depending upon
the level of his social culture.  A man with knowledge
of any kind is rarely accorded his rightful place or
receives due consideration because everybody else is
his equal, therefore, such a person is easily dis-
pensable.  Consequently, the latter, under such
circumstances, has two alternatives--either forget
Assyrian society and mingle with non-Assyrians,
because they have a more agreeable yardstick for the
measurement of meritorious values, or withdraw into
his own shell and end his life in isolation.  This
adverse condition is caused by no other factor than
the absence of a cultured and well organized system
within our society.
 

A nation that has no home, no recognized head and
no reliable social system will not be in a position
to take an inventory of its assets and much less
utilize them.  Geniuses will be born and live in the
very midst of the people, without the least awareness
of their existence.
 

        William Daniel (1903-1988)
        An excerpt from:
        "Assyrians of Today, Their Problem & A Solution"
 

=====================================================
            G O O D   M O R N I N G   B E T - N A H R A I N
=====================================================
 

       TURKISH FORCES AMASS AT THE IRAQI BORDER
 

(RU: Ankara) Turkish troops are once again positioning
themselves along the frontier with Iraq nearly a year
after a huge cross-border incursion against Kurdish
rebels. "There is no preparation for a big operation
into Iraq,'' said an official at the Turkish armed
forces headquarters. A Western diplomat with extensive
contacts in the region confirmed a heavy movement of
weaponry. He said it could be aimed at preventing PKK
attacks into Turkey. More than 18,500 people have been
killed in the rebels' 12-year-old campaign for autonomy
or independence from Turkey. Last March, heavily-armed
troops backed by air power swarmed over the Iraqi border
and overwhelmed PKK positions. However, Turkish commanders
and politicians later acknowledged that most of the rebels
fled to safety. Some of Turkey's Western allies condemned
the incursion.
 

=====================================================
                                          S U R F S  U P !
=====================================================
"In response to Jeanclaude's article... I couldn't
more! We Assyrians have mastered the art of preserving
our community without the need for geographic boundaries.
I find it amazing that we continue to identify ourselves
as "Assyrian, Babylonian, Chaldean,(and whatever else
we call ourselves these days)". The fundamental
elements for the "virtual community" Jeanclaude speaks
of are already in place....  we've been working on them
for over 2500 years!    The internet serves as a tool to
bring this "virtual community" closer together and
strenthen the ties amonst the members of this community.
We would be foolish not to seize the opportunity to use
technology to our advantage.
 

Am I reading correctly?   There are 250,000 Assyrian-Jews
in Israel?    How do we go about purchasing this Hebrew-
Assyrian  dictionary?
 

Under the section lising classes, there's a listing for
Assyrian Discussion Group.   Have these meetings resumed?
 

In response to Ramil Daniel's article Obviously Ramin is
a proud Assyrian, as I am.   I just hope the day will come
with proud Assyrians like Ramil will stop confusing their
nationality,ethnicity and religion."
 

                                -Yolanda Bebla
                                 San Jose, California
 

[In the near future look for a feature article in Zenda
explaining the origins of the so called Jewish-Kurds.
At the press time we have not received adequate information
from the University Press in Jerusalem regarding the Hebrew-
Assyrian Dictionary. The Assyrian Discussion Group will
resume its weekly meetings at the San Jose Assyrian Center
(BETA) in April.  For more information send an email to
walkhas@qntm.com .]
 

             --------------------------
 

"Greetings in the name of our beloved Assyrian Nation.
I would like you to add my second home use email address
to the Zenda's subscription list.  My wife is eager to
get Zenda at home. She likes to read it, so I am supplying
her with hardcopies to read, and sometimes I forget to make
her copies, but she insist to get her dose of Zenda..."
 

                                -Atour Golani
                                 Detroit, Michigan
 

             --------------------------
 

"Hello. Please put me on your mailing list so I can
receive "Zenda" every Monday..."
 

                                -Shameran Lazar
 

             --------------------------
[The following message was emailed in response to our
inquiry about the Twin Rivers Homepage and the people
behind this informative website.  For more information
see New Site(s) under ASSYRIAN SURFING POSTS.]
 

"... I am proud to be able to serve, and consider myself
blessed to be able to share what I have learned with others.
Though not Assyrian by blood myself, I feel that blood flow
strongest when immersed in the history, myth, and Religion
of your ancient peoples. I too am preparing to celebrate the
Akitu, and am busy attempting to commit the great creation
myths 'Enuma Elis' and 'Atrahasis' to memory...that they may
be recited to those who gather at our festival, as it was
retold of old. It is truly an exciting time of the year!
I would be overjoyed to be able to contribute to your
Newsletter...All my best."

                                -Adapa
                                 Twin Rivers
 

=====================================================
                                 S U R F E R S   C O R N E R
=====================================================
[Dear Readers:  Here's a new section we just added
this week.  At the SURFERS CORNER we ask you the
questions other readers address or we often ponder
about.
 

A ZENDA reader asks:  Is there an Assyrian IRC server?

Please submit your answer before the next issue of
ZENDA leaves our PC's.
 
=====================================================
                                 N E W S    D I G E S T
=====================================================

          PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN IRAQ

(RU: Baghdad) Iraq announced Tuesday that 698 candidates,
all supporters of Saddam's ruling Baath party, would
compete for 220 seats during a parliamentary election
on March 24.  There were 250 seats during the last term
of the parliament which started in 1989. But for this
term the number has been reduced to 220 because three
northern Bet-Nahrain provinces are excluded from the
elections. Saddam had previously issued a decree
postponing elections in northern Bet-Nahrain districts
of Sulaimaniya, Arbil and Dahouk. According to a new
law, parliament will consist solely of members who
believe in the principles of the ruling Baath party.

          PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN IRAN

(RU:  Tehran) Results of Iran's parliamentary elections
began flowing in Saturday with the announcement of
results in 87 smaller constituencies with many leading
to by-elections.  Of the 270 seats in Iran's Parliament
or Majlis five seats are reserved for non-Muslims:
 

  Zoroastrians (Zartoshtis)     One
  Jews                                 One
  Assyrians                           One
  Armenians                         Two
 

Members of Majlis have powers to introduce and pass
legislation, summon ministers to account and impeach the
president. These powers are checked by the Guardian
Council, a 12-man body of clerics and lawyers which must
ensure all laws passed by the Majlis agree with Islamic
Sharia law and Iran's constitution. The spiritual leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has supreme power over all state
institutions. Candidates must win more than half of all
votes cast in their district to be elected for a four-year
term. A runoff is held for those who fail to get enough
votes in the first round. In the next issue ZENDA will
cover the election results for the Assyrian seat.
 

   JORDAN'S CHRISTIANS REMAIN AN INFLUENCIAL FORCE
 

(RU:  Amman)  Christians have four of the 40 seats in the
appointed Senate, traditionally at least two ministers in
cabinet and other influential posts in government. Other
Christians are prominent businessmen and politicians. A
proposed law that would give Christians more seats in
parliament drew a barrage of criticism from politicians
and parties, who believe they are already over-represented.
Under a decades-old arrangement, some seats in the lower
house are reserved for Christians.  The draft law proposed
that Christians get 11 seats in a new 100-member parliament,
up from eight in the current 80-seat chamber. Leaders of
churches dotting Jordan's major towns say Christians account
for under 5 percent of the country's 4.1 million people --
about half what some estimate the Christian population was a
century ago.  Christians often have smaller families than
Muslims, an average of three children compared to more than
six -- a difference attributed to better education and a
higher standard of living.
 

  THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE AUSTRALIAN ACADEMIC JOURNAL
 

(SC: Santa Barbara) The Assyrian Australian Academic
Society will soon be publishing the Journal of TAAAS.
An annual publication and sold by subscription the
Journal will be launched this month. The cost of the
Journal is AUD $10.00 for members and AUD $15.00 for
non-members. An additional $5.00 AUD will be charged
on overseas subscriptions. For more information:
            Publications Committee
                     TAAAS
                  PO Box 144W
           Fairfield West  NSW  2165
                   AUSTRALIA
 

=====================================================
  D I R E C T O R Y  OF THE  N E W S  S O U R C E S
=====================================================
 

NQ (Nebu Quarterly)
        P.O. Box 59422, Chicago  Illinois  60659
RU (Reuters)
SC (soc.culture.assyrian)
ZN (Zenda Reporters):   zenda@ix.netcom.com
 

=====================================================
       C A L E N D A R    OF     E V E N T S
=====================================================

March 13        "How a Babylonian Schoolboy learned
                 his ABC's"
                Public Lecture Series
                University of Toronto
                Toronto, Canada
                (416) 978-4531
 

March 24        Sawa Khamis Qardakha of Arbela:
                His Poetry on Religion, Romance, Wine,
                 Wisdom and Other Topics
                Oraham Yalda Oraham
                5:00 P.M., Edens Banquets
                6313 N. Pulaski
                Chicago, U.S.A.
 

March 27        Lecture:  The Struggle For Power in
                          Northern Iraq
                Speaker:  Wilfred Alkhas
                3:00-5:00 pm
                Modesto Junior College
                Forum Building 101
                Modesto, U.S.A.
 

March 28-31     Assyrian Universal Alliance Annual Congress
                Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
 

April 12-14     The Assyrian Art Exhibition 1996
                Toronto, Canada
                (416) 972-0106  Voice
                (416) 650-1983  Fax
 

May 24-27       Assyrian State Convention of California
                Fairmont Hotel
                San Jose, U.S.A.
 
 

May 24-25       Memorial Weekend Games
                Chicago, U.S.A.
 

May 25-26       2nd Assyrian Community Networking Conference
                Fairmont Hotel
                San Jose, U.S.A.
 

June 1          Nineveh Choral Concert
                Conducted by Maestro Nebu Issabey
                Santa Teresa High School Auditorium
                San Jose, U.S.A.
                8:00 pm
 

June 9-11       The ARAM Conference
                Harvard University
                Cambridge, Massachusetts,  U.S.A
 

Aug 29-Sept 2   AANF National Convention
                Red Lion Inn Hotel
                Modesto, U.S.A.
 
-----------------------------------------------------
                  ENTERTAINMENT
-----------------------------------------------------
March 16        A Fundraising Party for Rep. Anna Eshoo
                AWANA
                Church of the East
                San Jose, U.S.A.
                $50.00
 

March 30        Kha b'Neesan 6746 Party
                Assyrian American Association of San Jose
                Banker's Club
                San Jose, U.S.A.
                $20.00
 

April 12        St. Mary's Annual Church Party
                Assyrian Catholic Church
                Entertainer:  Walter Aziz
                $30.00
 
 
-----------------------------------------------------
               REGULAR MEETINGS
-----------------------------------------------------
Fridays       Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at
              Modesto Junior College
              1:00 pm
              Founders Hall 108
              Modesto, U.S.A.
 

-----------------------------------------------------
                    CLASSES
-----------------------------------------------------
Mondays       Assyrian Language Classes
              BETA:  AAA of San Jose, U.S.A.
              7:00-8:30 pm
 

              Assyrian Discussion Group
              BETA:  AAA of  San Jose, U.S.A.
              8:00-9:30 pm
 

Thursdays     Nineveh Choir:  Maestro Nebu Issabey
              BETA:  AAA of San Jose, U.S.A.
              7:30-9:00 pm
 

=====================================================
                     A S S Y R I A N   S U R F I N G   P O S T S
=====================================================

Sumerian Culture/Dictionary

        http://webusers.anet-dfw.com/~adapa/Index.html
 

*****************************************************
[Due to lack of memory space we have omitted the full
list of our Surfing Posts.  The complete list of all
websites will be published in our next issue.]
 
=====================================================
          P U M P  U P  T H E  V O L U M E
=====================================================
        ENGLISH                ASSYRIAN
 
        Library               Maktava  [F]
        Hospital              Mabsama  [F]
        Museum                Ma-taqa [F]
 
Note:   Ma = "of" or "place of"
        Ktava = book
        Bsama = recovery
        Taqa = old, ancient
_____________________________________________________
F = Feminine     M = Masculine      P = Plural

=====================================================
                       B A C K    T O  T H E    F U T U R E
=====================================================
 

B.C. (c. 2000) The populatin of the city of Ur, the
capital of Sumer in southern Bet-Nahrain, reaches
an estimated 200,000.
 

<< Samuel Kramer, THE SUMERIANS >>
 

A.D. (643) The first recorded translation from Assyrian
into Arabic was a version of the four Gospels which
was made by a number of translators during the
Patriarchate of John of Sedras, Patriarch of Antioch.
 

<< R.Y. Ebied, Nineveh Magazine, Vol 7, No. 2>>
 

======================================================
                                      L  I  T  E  R  A  T  U  S
======================================================
 
        The Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet X, Col ii
                     c. 2900 B.C.
 

        Remember always, mighty king,
        that gods decreed the fate of all
        many years ago.  They along are let
        to be eternal, while we frail humans die
        as you yourself must someday do.
        What is best for us to do
        is now to sing and dance.
        Relish warm food and cool drinks.
 
 

======================================================
                    T H I S    W E E K   I N    H I S T O R Y
======================================================
March 15, 1910:  William Sarmas, author of several
Assyrian history and language books, is born.
 

March 16, 1918:  Mar Shimun, Patriarch of the Assyrian
Church of the East, is assassinated in the hands of
Semko, a Kurdish rebel chief.
 

March 17, 1903:  William Daniel, poet, musician, and
author is born in Iran.
 

======================================================
                                   B   R   A   V   O
======================================================
(SC: Chicago)  The long wait is finally over.  Lack of
sufficient funds did not prevent the editors of the Nabu
Quarterly from the distribution of this lively Assyrian
journal.  Noted for its engaging articles, NQ will roll
out of the printshop within the next 2 weeks.  The new
NQ staff includes Misters Firas Jatou & Edwin Gania.
Mr. Jatou, creator of the Assyria Online and Mr. Gania,
a publisher of the ASSYRIA POLITICAL REVIEW journal,
along with Mr. Simone Nouri have agreed to join Mr.
Robert Dekalaita in the future publication of NQ.
 

"The addition of Mr. Gania, Mr. Jatou, and Mr. Nouri to
Nabu Quarterly," explains Mr. Dekalaita "will in the
future lead to the production of a critical Assyrian
periodical, having as its central goal the reporting
and analyzing of news relevant to Assyrians all over
the world. It is hoped that in the near future, a number
of international reporters will be added to the staff,
to further strengthen reporting on events outside of the
US."  For subscription to Nabu Quarterly write to:
                     NQ
               P.O. Box 59422
           Chicago, Illinois 60659
                   U.S.A.
 
 

=====================================================
                            W E L C O M E   T O   Z E N D A
=====================================================
Zenda welcomes our new on-line subscribers from:
 

CORPORATE ACCOUNTS
                [Hitachi Corporation], San Diego, U.S.A.
                [Sun], Mountain View, U.S.A.
                [3COM], Santa Clara, U.S.A.
 

PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
                San Jose, U.S.A. (2)
                Twin Rivers HomePage
 
=====================================================
                         A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
=====================================================
Zenda wishes to thank the following individuals &
organizations whose contributions appear in this issue:
 

Robert Dekalaita        Chicago, U.S.A.
Francis Sarguis         Santa Barbara, U.S.A.
Ashur Malek             Toronto, Canada
____________________________________________________
 

ZENDA will continue to print your comments and
suggestions free of editing, as they appear in our
mailbox.  All letters will be printed in our SURFS UP!
section unless directed otherwise.
 

We urge you to submit your community events, personal
accomplishments, and meeting/school times to Zenda
no later than Sunday at 12:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time.

-----------------------------------------------------
Our Next Issue will appear on Monday, March 18, 1996.
-----------------------------------------------------