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                                       THE   L   I   G   H   T   H   O   U   S   E
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This brotherly letter is submitted to your consideration hoping that it will
come by your immediate attention.  For the last few years our Assyrian
brothers, living in some 34 villages in the banks of Khabour river in
Bethnahrain-Syria, have been experiencing harsh living conditions due to the
gradual decrease of water flow in the said river.  This was caused by the
many dams that the Turkish government has constructed, disregarding the plot
of hundreds of thousands of inhabitants in theat region.
 

As a matter of course, this caused a gradual shortage of potable water and
decreased agricultural productivity to less thatn 30%.  Because of this,
many Assyrian villagers left their lands uncultivated and went seeking
temporary employment, here and there.  However, most of these Assyrians, who
depended on this river for potable water and irrigation, were able to deal
with this disaster satisfactorily untill the flow in this, once great river,
almost ceased creating rotten swamps.
 

today our brothers in these villages are deprived of portable water let
alone bathing and washing.  Those who are financially able are running to
the city of Hassakeh to buy water.  While the majority is consuming
unportable water, that can lead to serious diseases, that may claim the
lives of many, inclusing children and elderly.
 

Assuming responsibility, both national and humanitarian, the Assyrian
Democratic Organization has already initiated a plan for an emergency
project to provide portable water to our people in these villages.
 

As we are submitting this appeal, we are anticipating responsive attention
from all the Assyrian compatriots in exile, in the hope that they will
materialize their brotherly response by their support and aid to this project.
 

We are quite confident that you will give this emergency matter utmost
attention, and send a message of hope and care for your brothers who are
still very much attached to the land of our mighty ancestors.
 

This project cost is approximately $45,000.00 dollars.  We have already
formed a committee to this effect from most of our Assyrian organizations,
in the state of Illinois.  Note: Special Bank accounts has been opened in
Liberty Federal Savings 5700 N. Lincoln Chicago, IL 60659 - in the name of
Khabour Relief Fund Acct. No.
10 58 800509 2
 

All donations are tax deductible
 

Abgar Maloul
A.D.O. Representative

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

   KURDISH-SYRIAN TIES INCREASE TENSION BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA
 

(ZNRU: Ankara)  Last Monday Turkey said that its troops had withdrawn from
northern Bet-Nahrain after making limited incursions against
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrillas there.  Fighting with the PKK had
spilled several miles across the mountainous border of the Hakkaris last
week and 163 rebels were killed in such clashes.

Meanwhile a small Syrian military build-up near the Turkey-Syrian border was
reported last week.  ``There are some movements but I think it is more
related to their own internal affairs,'' said an official at the Turkish
general staff headquarters.  Turkey and Syria, long at odds over water,
territory and Syria's alleged support for Kurdish rebels, have been at loggerheads since Ankara signed a
military training deal with Israel in February.  Earlier this month, the
U.S. State Department said it had confirmed reports of several explosions in
Syria over the past month and advised its citizens there to take care.
Damascus dismissed the U.S. claims.

Abdullah Ocalan, head of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebel group
active in southeast Turkey, is believed to live in Syria. He said last month
that he had been the target of an assassination attempt by the Turkish
government in Damascus.  Turkish warships are to hold maneuvers near the
Syrian coast this week,  including a port visit to a sensitive border area
claimed by Damascus, the military official said.
 
 

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                                                 S   U   R   F   S     U   P   !
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"I was so excited to find that you were extending your subject to the
culinary masterpieces of our forebearers that I decided to take you up on
the recipe and have a taste of their ancient delicacies.  To be in full
character, I decided to skip work on Wednesday and go pigeon hunting (that's
how those old Assyrians did it right?)  It took me three hours to catch one
well mostly because this was the first time I had hunted pigeon.  At any
rate, I figured one pigeon would do since the recipe called for "Other meat"
and I add some shrimp and Italian sausage and figured I would make a sort of
Mesopotamian Jambalaya. Since the recipe wasn't all that specific, I
"prepared" the water by boiling it.  I threw in the manteca (you know, lard:
fat) so that it would keep the meat tender and juicy. As I allowed my herbs
to soak in the milk, I realized I hadn't any samidu.  I figured Assur, the
local ancient near eastern market owner, would probably know and have the
herb/spice.  Assur didn't seem to know what I was talking about, but wanting
to sell me something, he insisted that he had the right supplement.  He
explained that samidu only grew in Garbia and it wasn't in great demand out
here.  I got home and poured in Assur's secret spice and realized the recipe
didn't tell me how too cook the meat.  So I figured it was meant to be eaten as is, so I did.
I don't know, Zenda, all that I can say is that our cuisine has come a long
way...  I would opt for my mom's dolma any day. Came to find out that
evening that you shouldn't eat raw chicken, oops.  So,
I'm writing from the hospital where I got my stomach pumped to let you know
that it isn't a good idea to include incomplete excerpts in the magazine.
Just a suggestion."
 

an Ancient Assyrian Wannabe
 

                          **************
 

"We have in Toronto (mississauga) a center of 8000 ft" that is controlled by
the Assyrian Society of Canada, a 27 year old organization with a few dozen
members that is closed 5 days a week, used one day foe weddings etc
(Catering) and open Sundays for a few hours of Hewa, Assyrian dancing,
Arabic and Assyrian music, a few games of bingo. The adminstrators, who all
have masters degree in the art of "Lishana Basseema" and "Doogleh B'qananeh"
refuse the use of these premises for any purpose always using the excuse,
electricity, carpets will get dirty, the walls will be eaten. In charge of
the premises is An ewlectrical engineer with Dr's degree, and the front man
is a 55 year old bachelor who loves to entertain Arab guests
there. In December the United Assyrian Youth of Canada offered to manage the
centre on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (Days that the centre is running
grounds for mice) for cultural, social and educational activities. The reply
was that they cannot, their reason!!! "The exec,committee is EMBARKING on an
extensive education program in those days" This is almost five months later,
we found out that the letter contained a speling error of one word
"Embarking" The "Em" in the beginning of the word were extra. It is sad that
1 million dollars of assets is used 4-10 hours per week. $9000 plus $500,000
hard cash invested for 4-10 hours per week. Something to the effect of $600
per hour for a few games of bingo and HEWA. I wonder if the same problem
exists in other areas where Assyrians reside?"
 

Ninos Younan
Toronto, Canada

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                                S  U  R  F  E  R  S      C  O  R  N  E  R
=====================================================================
A Reader asks:  "Who should I contact in order to have a username to
be posted on the Assyrian Global WhitePages Directory?"
 

[A comprehensive list of Assyrian contacts can be found at:
       http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~jatou/./contacts.html ]
 

=====================================================================
                                N   E   W   S       D   I   G   E   S   T
=====================================================================
 

               IRANIAN-IRAQI POW'S ISSUE RAISED AGAIN
 

(ZNRU: Cyprus) Iran has recently reiterated that it was not holding any
Iraqi prisoners of war and said more than 10,000 Iraqi POWs had sought
refuge in the Islamic republic after its 1980-88 war with Baghdad.  Brig.
Gen. Abdullah Najafi, head of the commission in charge of Iranian prisoner
of war affairs, dismissed reports in Baghdad that Iraqi POWs had escaped
from Iran, the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.  Humanitarian
sources in Baghdad said earlier this month that hundreds of desperate Iraqi
POWs have escaped from Iran in the past year after losing hope that their
freedom could be secured through diplomatic means or the efforts of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The fleeing Iraqis were
shown on Iraq's state television.  The ICRC in Baghdad says more than 13,000
Iraqi POWs it registered during the war have not yet been repatriated. It
also says it knew of more than 5,000 others not registered by it. Iran and
Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding during talks in September last
year on mutual relations and the issue of POWs, but did not announce the
details. Iran says 5,000 to 10,000 prisoners are still held by Iraq.
Baghdad denies holding any Iranians and says more than 20,000 Iraqis, of
which hundreds may be Assyrian, are held by Iran.
 

          ASSYRIAN NATIONAL CONVENTION/SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
            The Assyrian American National Federation
                      Modesto, California
 

Thursday, August 29     Dance Party     Red Lion Inn Hotel
Friday, August 30       Dance Party     Red Lion Inn Hotel
Saturday, August 31     Choir Concert
                        Trip to the Yosemite National Park
                        Dinner Party    Red Lion Inn Hotel
                        Cocktail Party  AACC of Turlock
Sunday, September 1     Youth Excellence Pageant
                        Banquet Dinner  AACC of Turlock
                        Cocktail Party  Red Lion Inn Hotel
Monday, September 2     Picnic at Toulumne River Park - Modesto
 

Red Lion Inn Reservations:  1-800-733-5466
        King Single     $65.00
        King Double     $65.00
        Double Queen    $80.00
        Triple Queen    $80.00
        Grand Queen     $80.00
 
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D I  R  E  C  T  O  R  Y  OF THE  N  E  W  S   S  O  U  R  C  E  S
=====================================================================
ZNNQ (Nabu Quarterly)
ZNRU (Reuters):  ClariNet Communications Corp.
ZNSC (soc.culture.assyrian) newsgroup
ZNTN (Turkish News Agency)
ZNUP (United Press International)
ZNDA (Zenda: zenda@ix.netcom.com)
 

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

June 30        CAN-AM Soccer Tournament:  London, Ontario-Canada
                        Game 1 : London vs. Toronto
                        Game 2 : Detroit vs. Windsor
                        Game 3 : London vs. Windsor
                        Game 4 : Detroit vs. Toronto
                        Game 5 : Toronto vs. Windsor
                        Game 6 : Detroit vs. London
 

                        The Final : 1st team vs. 2nd Team
 

                Followed by a Dance Party and the Canada Day Picnic on July 1
 

July 1-5        RENCONTRE ASSYRIOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE
                Praque, Czech Republic
 

July 3-7        10th Annual Assyrian Youth Convention
                of the Assyrian Church of the East
                Sponsored by the Mar Gewargis Youth organization
                Chicago, Illinois
 

July 4-7        Assyrian Olympics of California
                San Diego, California
 

Thru Aug 15     "Beirut:  Uncovering the Past"
                Profiles recent UNESCO archeology efforts
                The British Museum
                London, England
 

August 12-14    SyrCOM-96: Second International Forum
                           on Syrian Computing
                Symposium Syriacum
                Uppsala University
                Dept of Asian and African Studies
                Box 513
                S-751 20 Uppsala
                Sweden
                Fax: +46 18 181094
                Witold.Witakowski@afro.uu.se
 
Aug 29-Sept 2   AANF National Convention
                Red Lion Inn Hotel
                Modesto, U.S.A.
 
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                    E N T E R T A I N M E N T
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July 14         Nusard-il Picnic
                San Jose, California
 

July 20         Garden Party at the BETA
                AAA of San Jose
                20000 Almaden Road
                San Jose, California
                Entertainment:  Assyrian Stand-up Comedy
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          R E G U L A R  C L A S S E S  &  M E E T I N G S
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Mondays          Assyrian History Class
                 "Assyrian History: 19th Century thru Present "
                 Instructor:  Wilfred Alkhas
                 BETA on 20000 Almaden Rd, San Jose, Calif
                 Class begins on June 3
 

Fridays          Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at
                 Modesto Junior College
                 1:00 pm
                 Founders Hall 108
                 Modesto, U.S.A.
 

Saturdays        Nisibis School
                 10:30-1:30
                 The Church of the East
                 Toronto, Canada
 

                 Nisibin School
                 Ages 4 thru 14
                 Assyrian Language, History, & Arts
                 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
                 BETA on 20000 Almaden Rd, San Joe, Calif
 

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                         A  S  S  Y  R  I  A  N     S  U  R  F  I  N  G     P  O  S  T  S
=====================================================================
Assyrian-Australian Academic Society
        http://www.magna.com.au/~taaas/taaas.htm
 

=====================================================================
                                           P  U  M  P    UP THE   V O L U M E
=====================================================================
                 ENGLISH                ASSYRIAN
 

            Jealous                       khassama    [M]
                                              khassamta   [F]
            Miser,Parsimonious     qal-lootda  [M]
                                              qal-lootdta [F]
            Selfish                        Anaya       [M]
                                              Aneta       [F]
_____________________________________________________________________
F = Feminine     M = Masculine      P = Plural
 

 
=====================================================================
                                       B  A  C  K     TO THE      F  U  T  U  R  E
=====================================================================
 

B.C. (1750)  Sumerians ceize to exist as a people in southern Bet-Nahrain.
 

<<The Sumerians, Samuel Kramer>>
 

A.D. (1915) The following account is told by Rev. Y. M. Nissan on the events
which took place during the winter of 1915 in the Urmie region of
northwestern Iran:  "One day 48 people were seized in the yard of the French
Mission.  Mar Dinkha, bishop of the Old Church, was one of them.  As they
were keeping him in prison some days, I try to buy off Mar Dinkha with the
promise of 50 gold pieces, but they asked 100.  I was outwitnessed at that
time, for as often as I raise my offer, they would advance the price.  They
carried them outside, and when they were bound arm to arm they were all
shot.  Once they went to the village of Golpashan and demanded a sum of
mony;  they took money and carried off everything as well;  45 men who were
on the watch were killed that night. "
 
<<The Assyrian Question, Dr. Joseph Yacoub>>
 
 

=====================================================================
                                             L    I    T    E    R    A    T    U    S
=====================================================================
                  ISHTAR ADDRESSING THE GATEKEEPER
           From the Legend of Ishtar and Dummuzi (Tamuz)
 
 

O gatekeeper, open your gate,
Open your gates so that I may enter.
If you do not open the gate and I cannot enter
I will break down the door, I will break the lock,
I will break down the door frame and tear out the doors,
I will bring the dead, they will devour the living,
The dead will outnumber the living.
 

<< Peotry From Babylonia and Assyria, Erica Riener >>

=====================================================================
                              T  H  I  S    W  E  E  K     I  N    H  I  S  T  O  R  Y
=====================================================================
 

June 24, 1906:  The Kokhva (Star) newspaper is published under the
editorship of Rabbie Youkhana Moshe in Urmie, Iran.
 

=====================================================================
                                                   B     R    A     V     O
=====================================================================
 

On June 15, The Nisibin School in San Jose, California began teaching
Assyrian language, history, and arts to nearly 40 children between the ages
of 4 and 14.  Classes are taught by 6 teachers and 4 teacher-assistants from
9:00 am until 12:00 noon.  The current summer session will continue until
mid-August.
 

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

CORPORATE ACCOUNTS
                        Hittachi Corp
 
UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS
                        University of Sydney, Australia (3)
 
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
                        Phoenix, Arizona
 

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                           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:
 

        Sharokin Betgevargiz    New Britain, Connecticut
        Vivian Hermiz           Berkeley, California
        Christoph Aktas         Sunnyvale, California
        Carlo Ganjeh            San Jose, California
        Natalie Ibrahimi        Chicago, Illinois
_____________________________________________________________________
ZENDA  prints 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 the activities of your local and national
Assyrian communities, personal accomplishments, and meeting/school
events to ZENDA no later than Sunday, 12:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time.
 

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IN OUR NEXT ISSUE:
                        AUOC Elections
 
 

          Our Next Issue will appear on Monday, July 1, 1996.
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