Malfono "Teacher" Naoum Faik (1886-1930) was born in Diar Bakker, southeastern Turkey.  Versed in Syriac, Turkish, Arabic, Farsi and French his views on Assyrian nationalism inspired a new generation of activists culminating in the creation of the Assyrian Democratic Organization and other Assyrian political movements in the 50's and 60's.  Malfono Faik published the "Kawkab al-Sharg" (Eastern Star) and the "Beth-Nahrain" magazines in which he defended and popularized the political and cultural rights of the Assyrian people.  Seventy years after his death, Naoum Faik remains one of the most inspiring Assyrian political personalities of the Twentieth Century.  See this week's SURFERS CORNER

Thirty years ago this week three American astronauts achieved the impossible- they successfully landed and walked on the moon.  That same year a group of Assyrians formed the first Assyrian engineering society in the United States.  Members of this group, inspired by the success of the Apollo 11 mission, went on to become the visionaries behind the success of a few technological breakthroughs that have made the publication of this magazine possible.

This week ZENDA salutes the 1999 senior high school and university graduates who will help realize the impossible dreams of today.  While congratulating the families of these bright stars of the Assyrian nation, ZENDA also wishes to remind its readers of the momentous achievements of over 7,000 Assyrian students and teachers in northern Iraq.  In the past few years a completely new teaching curriculum, entirely written in the Assyrian language, has been prepared for the elementary and high school students residing in the heart of northern Bet-Nahrain.  New school texts were written and hundreds of teachers were trained to instruct in the Assyrian language.

It must also be noted that the entire budget allocated to the financial assistance offered to the students in northern Iraq, Europe, and the United States has been estimated to be less than three percent of the construction cost of a single Assyrian church in the Modesto/Turlock area.  Surely, unless every Assyrian community around the globe affords higher education of today's youth as its highest priority, then no dreams of today can be realized in the years to come.  The education of our young, our most important assets, must come first.

The Class of 1999, as all future graduating classes, has the heavy burden of becoming the instrument by which the Assyrian nation will successfully pass from the Century of Sorrows to the Century of Hope, Light, and Joy.   Thank you fathers, mothers, teachers, and friends who in every way possible assisted the graduating seniors listed below to realize their potential and prepare for the challenges ahead.   Until the day that the eagle of our collective conscious lands on the surface of our national dreamscape may every one of these Assyrian stars serve the world and the Assyrian nation with his or her utmost abilities.  Nothing less should be expected of the children of Bet-Nahrain.

Angela Warda . Anita Sultan.Antonia Yalda.Arbella Isaac.Atoor Ismail.Benjamin Yousif.Caroline Babico.Christina Hanna.Clara Tchiko.Dana Eshaya.Diana Anwaya.Diana Aprim  .Dourin Reyhana  .Edison Gorgees  .Elishwa Kando
Emmanuel Oshana .Emmanuel Slefo  .Erika Anne Kliszus.Esho Youkhana   .Evon Moosh   .Fedi Dawood   .Forat Lazaar .George Lilou.Hamorabi Mkrdichian.Helda Gewargis.Helean Zando.Heydo Zando.Isabel Lazar.Jack Youkhanna.James Sorisho.Jenny Samuel.Joe Atou.Jonathan Enwiya.Joseph Michael.Juilia Sorisho.Klara Kina.Lena Khamo.Leona Benyamin.Liane Aghasi.Lidya Malko.Linda Malham.Matthew (Mirzayoff) Dunlap.Martin Mikhail.Mary Khamo.Michelle Icho.Nahren Ishaya.Nahren Youkhana.Nina Gracie Yalda.Nineveh Markus.Nineveh Toma.Ninos Asharia.Ninos Sargis.Paul Albazi.Pauline Atou.Rabel Shamuel.Ramina Zomaya.Ramsin Canon.Reta Merza.Riemon Anwiya.Rimon Orahim.Rinya Daniel.Rona Youna.Rumson Neesan.Sabrina Haido.Sargis Gewargis.Sargon Yocoub.Snonita Khnanisho.Susan Benyamin.Susan Danavi.Susan I. Lander.Sylvana David.Taniel Khamo.Tanya Chikko.Victor Rasho.Vinous Eshoo.Walter David.Zaiya Mikhael

Afram Athniel (Rev.)	Master	Theology	University of St. Mary of the Lake
Amil Alkass	B.A.	Criminal Justice	University of Illinois
Anthony Buro	A.A.	Dental Lab Tech	Triton Community College
Ashoor Joseph (Dec.)	A.A.	Electronic Tech	DeVry Institute of Tech
Ashoor Tamo	B.S.	Computer Science	Northeastern Illinois University
Ashtar Marcus	B.A.	Advertising and Journalism	Univ. of Wisconsin
Ben Maradkel	B.S.	Environmental Health	Northern Illinois University
Benny Ghashalazar	B.S.	Computer Information Systems	San Jose State University
Branda Al-Bazi	B.S.	Accounting	University of  Illinois at Chicago
Danny Zacharia	B.A.	Music and Elective Business	DePaul University
David Royel (Rev.)	Master	Theology	University of St. Mary of the Lake
David Youkhana	Masters	Finance	American State University
Christopher (Mirzayoff) Dunlap	B.S.	Biology	Virginia Polytechnic and State University
David Eshaaya	B.A.	Physical Education	Aurora University
Denise Gewargis	A.A.	Liberal Arts	Oakton Comm.. College.
David Youkhana	Master	Finance	American State Univ.
Dina Michael	B.A.	Education, Minor in Psychology	Northeastern Univ.
Domarina Oshana	Master	Social Science	University of Chicago
Ephraim John Mrad		Victorian Certificate of Education	Penola Catholic College (Australia)
Fraidon Sarkis	B.S.	Electronic Engineering	DeVry Institute of Tech
Hurmz Yaroo	B.S.	Computer Information	De Vry Institute of Tech
Marlene Yaro	B.A.	Elementary Education	Northeastern University
Mazin Enwiya	Master	Earth Science	Northeastern Illinois University
Michael H. Jabri	A.A.S	Electronic Tech	Oakton Community College
Monica Benjamin	B.S.	Computer Information System	San Jose State University
Nahrain Arkis	A.A.S	Micro Computer Processing	Oakton College
Nashat David	A.A.S	medical Assistance	Robert Morris College
Ninos Rasho	B.S.	Electronic Engineering	DeVry Institute of Tech.
Noel E Rehana	B.S.	Science	University of Illinois
Nora Arkis	B.S	Management Inf.. System	University of Illinois
Peter A. Napoleon	B.S	Law Enforcement and Justice Admin	Northeastern Illinois
Peter Bedrio	B.S.	Economic and Comm.	Northeastern Illinois Univ..
Peter Hawkins Lander	B.A.	Music	Johns Hopkins University
Rashel D. Assouri	B.S.	Criminal Justice [Magna Cum Laude]	National University
Rita Eliah	B.A.	Elementary Education	Northeastern University
Rita Rehana	B.A.	Elementary Education	Northeastern University
Riva Khoshaba	B.A.	History and Anthropology	University of Chicago
Romio Ibrahim	Master	Chemistry	Northeastern Illinois University
Romio Lilou	B.S	Computer Science	DeVry Institute of Tech.
Sargon B. Odisho	B.S	Biological Science	University of Il. At Chicago
Sargon Daniel	B.S.	Marketing	DePaul University
Sargon Esho	A.A.S.	Liberal Arts	Oakton Community College
Sargon Odesho	B.S.	Computer Engineering	Illinois Institute of Tech
Sargon Shamoon	B.S.	Computer Engineering	University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign
Shamiran Malham	B.A.	Business Admin	Loyola University
Shamiran Malham	A.A.S	Science	Harper College
Vivian Shmayel	B.S.	Management Information System	University of Illinois
William Toma (Rev.)	Master	Theology	University of St. Mary of the Lake
Zaher Bouza	B.A.	Business Administration	Marines
Zaya Daoud	Master	Teaching	Northeastern Illinois University

Sources:  ZENDA parents, families, and the Assyrian Church of the East

The following two articles are reprinted from from the RFE/RL IRAQ REPORT:  Vol. 2, No. 25 & 26.
Reported by David Nissman

(ZNRF: Prague)    Orhan Ketene, the North American Coordinator for an Iraqi Turkmen organization based in the U.S., issued a statement in which he attributes much of the hostility that exists between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to tribalism. The KDP consists primarily of speakers of a Kurdish dialect called Behdinan. The PUK is primarily made up of speakers of another Kurdish dialect, Soran. One thing they have in common is that the two Kurdish groups are hostile to the Iraqi Turkmens' concept of 'Turkmeneli,' that is, setting aside a region in Iraqi Kurdistan for a autonomous Turkmen structure.

One possible solution is the establishment of a "Mosul Federation." Ketene points out that in a Mosul Federation, Turkmens, Sorans, Behdinans, Mosul Arabs, and Assyrians could live together without interfering in each others' affairs. Another advantage of a Mosul Federation is that it would be less of a potential threat to Ankara, and even to Baghdad, than an Iraqi Kurdistan.

Although Dr. Muzaffer Arslan, the leader of the Unified Iraqi Turkmen Front, was received by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright when he visited Washington and it appears that the Iraqi Turkmens are receiving somewhat more international recognition than in the past, they do not seem to be any closer to being included as a party to the Washington Agreement. It is doubtful that a Mosul Federation would receive any more recognition than "Turkmeneli" has in the past.

(ZNRF: Prague)   On 8 July the Iraq Foundation announced that it is investigating a number of incidents, listed below, affecting Assyrians in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan. The incidents do not all follow the same pattern.

In October 1996, six Assyrians working in the Presidential Palace in Baghdad were arrested. In March 1997, Amnesty International wrote to the Iraqi government requesting information on their fate and whereabouts. It received no answer.

In December 1997, six Assyrians died as the result of a PKK ambush near Dohuk. There is no information on why this Assyrian group was targeted.

In December 1998, an Assyrian woman and her young daughter died in a bomb explosion in Arbil. The Iraq Foundation has contacted the representative of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in Washington to ask about the status of any ongoing investigation into the case.

The following information was received from the Assyrian Patriotic Party bureau in Europe.

On the 26th anniversary celebrations of the APP (14 July 1999) the APP political bureau of APP issued the following communiqué in which it stated the challenges of  the previous 26 years:

• The Anniversary is a time for celebration and to review the whole Assyrian situation and question
• APP will not change its policy as it must remain very clear, realistic and honest with our people
• The priority of the APP political agenda is to guarantee the Assyrian participation in the Iraqi opposition groups, plans and mechanism.
• The Assyrian representation should be the true Assyrian voice in the opposition groups. The representation cannot achieve private objects and benefits. The Assyrian question should not be used for personal interests.
• In the previous years it was proven that handling of the Assyrian question through narrow-mind and  personal ways increased internal conflicts.
• The APP achieved many successes in the homeland and it insists to struggle for more
• The APP aspires to bring on stable and peaceful conditions in Iraq

 The Arabic newspaper, Azzaman, based in London in its issue of 15 July 1999 referred to the above APP communiqué. Azzaman quoted from the communiqué, especially from the paragraphs on Assyrian representation in the Iraqi opposition groups.  The communiqué and Azzaman article in PDF file can be forwarded upon request.

On the occasion of its 26th anniversary the APP had organized a political gathering in the morning of Wednesday, 14 July in the Main Hall of Dohuk in northern Iraq.  The gathering was attended by about 500 people in addition to the representatives of the Assyrian and non-Assyrian political parties, institutions and organizations.  Political speeches were delivered and many congratulation letters were read from different parties in the homeland and from Diaspora.

The Nida'a al-Mustaqbal newspaper, the political newspaper of Iraqi National Accord (INC), has issued the text of the interview with Mr. Nimrud Baito Youkhana and Mr. Romel Shimshon Shmoiel, both APP headquarters members from northern Iraq.  The interview was broadcasted on air in the INC Radio based in Jordan.  The broadcast covers the entire Iraqi territory.

The editorial article of Qoyaman, an APP newspaper issued in June, was widely welcomed by the Assyrian people in homeland, as the editorial introduced the APP stand on the issue of the Assyrian representation in Iraqi opposition groups and Iraqi political future.  The editorial repeated and confirmed the stand of APP towards having a common Assyrian focus.  The editorial file (in Arabic) can also be forwarded in JPG upon request.

Mar Hanna Qulo, the Chaldean Bishop of Dohuk, carried the opening ceremony of St. Johannes church in the village of Dawodiya.  The ceremony was attended by a large number of people.  The church was constructed by the humanitarian group CAPNI.  In his emotional speech, Mar Hana Qulo thanked the staff of CAPNI for their work.

(ZNAF:  Baghdad)  According to Qabis Saeed, Dean of Mosul University (in northern Iraq) the best view of the worlds last solar eclipse of the second millennium will be around the ancient city of Nineveh, the historic capital of Assyria.  The university will make available an equipment which will allow up to 85-percent view of the eclipse on August 11. The site will be located northeast of Mosul near the site of the ancient Nineveh.  Saeed charged that the US space agency NASA had come under political pressure from Washington and London before deciding to set up a similar site in neighboring southern Turkey rather than Iraq. "Northern Iraq is the best place on the planet to take part in this historic event," he insisted.  Special religious services are to be held in Mosul on the day.

"In Germany one has to be careful when discussing different races. Especially for a scholar who wishes to talk about a theory based on race! Once Professor van Bruinessen asked me to prove to him that I truly was an Assyrian. I simply answered him: "I am Assyrian because I believe that I am and because my parents are Assyrians." That was not enough for him; therefore, he made me to conduct an ethnological research and write a paper on this subject. He then recommended Dr. Joseph's "Nestorians and Their Moslem Neighbors". After reading only 20 pages of this book I called my mentor, Dr. Gabriele Yonan, and asked her for help!!! The result of this paper and another one for Prof. van Bruinessen was that we have kept in touch ever since and continued to exchange our thoughts on Assyrians!!!

Last week after reading Dr. Joseph's article in Zenda, I with Dr. Yonan again and I asked her if there was really any Assyrian blood in our veins! Dr. Yonan, as would any German scholar after hearing such a statement became angry and said:  "Thank God that we are not living in the Third Reich and nobody has to prove one's identity by his BLOOD!  It is enough that you believe you are an Assyrian and NOBODY can deny you this right." "

Adrin Takhsh
Germany

Obviously, from the letter of the AUA, the author is basing his remarks on the RETRACTED statement of the Kurdish authorities (which strangely Zenda printed on June 28 issue, when it was already retracted on June 22 (as stated by Mr. Dilshad Barzani Representative of the Regional Government of Iraqi Kurdistan to Germany (Buero der irakischen Kurden in Deutschland) Bonn/Germany). Mr. Barzani clearly stated the followings to that letter published by Zenda:

1. - I have not published the above mentioned statement; it is not a statement of my office (Buero der irakischen Kurden in Deutschland).

2. - The content of the statement is not correct.

3. - The Statement is a manipulation.

It also seems that the AUA representative when issuing his statement on July 2, 1999 have not even read the second “CORRECT” statement of the KRG posted on July 1, 1999 on iraq.net website (I am attaching a copy at the end of this letter).

In it, the KRG concludes that Helen’s death was an "ordinary crime case" as well as the "Assyrian origin of Helena is different than the Chaldean origin of others". A statement repeated 3 times by KRG.

The AUA statement not only fails to recognize those DIVIDING tactics of the Kurdish authorities (of claiming OFFICIALLY that Chaldeans are different than Assyrians), but worse it thinks that the entire protest case against Helena's death is because "she worked for a high KDP official" and not the "racist reason" for why she had to work for him in the first place i.e. denying her father's pension for no reason but being an Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac.

The AUA and for the last 8 years (since the establishment of the Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq) has been meeting certain Kurdish officials, however, it is yet to point to a single act of "President Barzani" in resolving a single murder case against our Assyrian/Chaldean people of northern Iraq.

When a "pressure campaign" is making in-roads (especially like the one we mounted on Iraq.net in which we were able to collect more than 165 signatures among which were known activists in the Iraqi opposition as well as sending that protest letter to more than 20 Iraqi, American, Kurdish as well as UN organizations), when such campaign starts "hurting", Assyrian parties should not jump in and play the "apologist" or attempt to "diffuse this pressure" UNLESS they’re able to show to their supporters something tangible like PAST SUCCESS stories of RESOLUTION of A SINGLE case of terror against our people. If they can't, then my advice is to let OTHERS continue their POSITIVE work. In that respect, let it be crystal clear, that our campaign is directed against the Kurdish authorities’ “lawlessness and racism”, and NOT against the Kurdish people, many of whom just as well suffer from its discriminating and bloody tactics.

The Kurdish authorities have proven through several trials, that they react better to “pressure” than “trusting souls”. Hence, towards that goal, I would like to ask the AUA, as well as other Assyrian parties, for their support. We will greatly appreciate it.

In a political act, while one group should keep the "pressure", another should keep "talking". Towards that goal, I would like to ask the AUA, as well as other Assyrian parties, to continue their own course of "talking", while I and others will compliment their own work through our "pressure campaign". One-course only, never solved any problem. Thank you. "

Ghassan Hanna
California

And regarding Mary the the Holy Mother of Our Lord and Savior, she is highly praised in Christianity than any other religion in the world.  In Islam Fatima alzahra is the lady of the women of the world. There is no woman in Islam to be praised as the mother of the world. In Islam Muhamed is to marry the virgin Marry in paradise along with the sister of Pharaoh and the sister of Moses.

I commend our Assyrian brother George David for his mentality of no religion barriers but when it comes to the truth we must set the record straight so no one will be misguide. As an Assyrian and a former Muslim I found it my duty to respond to this matter.  God bless you all. "

Abdullah Alashoery
N/A
 

I am pleased to inform you that a delegation of two Assyrian Patriotic Party headquarters members, Mr. Nimrud Baito Youkhana and Mr. Romel Shimshon Shamouel, arrived in Germany in the beginning of their visit to meet different Assyrian and non Assyrian communities and institutions and to introduce the current political situation of our people in homeland.

The visit is designed to include meetings with the Iraqi and European institutions who are linked or involved in the Iraqi political situation. The APP delegation will introduce the necessity for the Assyrian participation in the Iraqi opposition efforts to establish a new Iraqi future based on democracy, human rights values, equal respect of all the Iraqi nations.

The visit to Europe came after meetings in Istanbul and Amman where they held many constructive meetings in the headquarters of the Iraqi National Accord (between June 19 - 23) to exchange views on the Iraqi opposition.

For further information please write to: app@onlinehome.de

Sam Shlimon
APP - North America

To All Assyro-Chaldean Youth
The 15th. World Days of Youth
10-20 August 2000
Rome - Italy

The World Days of Youth is the meeting of the Holy Father and the Christian youth from around the world, in the setting of the Year 2000 Jubilee dedicated in Trinity. At the time of this event the young meet on a single theme that they testify their faith and move to meet the Pope, the Church and Christ.

The 15th World Days of Youth will take place between August 10 and 20, 2000 in Rome, Italy. The youth will stay with the families in the Dioceses throughout Italy where they will discover the Church in a as pilgrims between August 10 and 14.  On August 15 the Pope will welcome the young with the Mass of in Saint Peter's in Rome. Between the 16 and 18th of August the young pilgrims will participate in the morning catechism and in the afternoon in the demonstrations organized in Rome under the banner of "Incontragiovani". The traditional vigil with the Pope Jean-Paul II will take place on the 19th and the Mass of the 15th World Days of Youth under the theme "God made himself flesh and it lived among us" on the last day.

The participating youth are received by families from throughout the Italy to discover the Dioceses, their life styles and their faith, between August 10 and 14. In the next five days, the "Gioventù" (Youth) will discover the ancient city of Rome, its monumental wealth and the strength of its faith.

The World Days of Youth is a meeting of the young Christians.  It is a time to give and to receive, to deepen our faith, to meet the Holy Father and in him the Church and Jesus Christ, to unite in the diversity by our common faith and our different origins and life styles. The World Days of Youth in Rome is organized under the auspices of the Papal Council for laics in the Vatican. The 15th. conference is confided to the Episcopal Conference of Vatican. In France a national team will oversee the activities and the involvement of the French participants.

The World Days of Youth is organized for the youth between the ages of 18 and 35 without exception. The Pope invites all young from any origins. For the hundreds of thousands of youth are waited by the Holy Father. All Assyro-Chaldeans young in Rome ! ! !

To participate contact JAC (the popular name of Assyro-Chaldean Youth). The Assyro-Chaldean Youth are actively participating in the preparation and the realization of the World Days of Youth. All you need to participate in the World Days of Youth is to contact JAC and we will take care of the rest.  You may also organize local groups in your cities in France and in your countries.   We hope that you will not hesitate and contact us soon! ! !

The JAC acts as the mediator between your group and the French national team and Dioceses.  JAC is also organizing the meeting of all Assyro-Chaldean youth in Rome.  To help us with the promotional activities for the World Days of Youth, the administration of all phases of this important event and the dissemination of information to the youth JAC requests your local city or country support.  Please have your Diocese's representative contact us at:

The Assyro Chaldean Youth - JAC
9, Bd Henri Poincaré - 95200 SARCELLES - FRANCE
Tél. : 01 39 90 87 11 - fax: 01 34 19 84 72
E-mail: acc_f@club-internet.fr

Thank you for your participation,

Association des Assyro-Chaldéens de France-  JAC

Practical steps in order to tear the memory of Amide’s teacher, Naoum Faik, from a local to an international celebration:

Every year for almost four decades our Assyrian people have celebrated the memory of our great teacher Naoum Faik on the 5th of February. Since the Sixties, when the Covert Committee (ALLEGNEH ASSERREEH) of the Assyrian Democratic Organization began celebrating the memory of this virtuous teacher, it had in mind the idea of making this event a huge demonstration for Assyrians everywhere to celebrate and to designate this day to honor and recognize every individual who serves this nation with sincerity and sacrifice. However, due to circumstances beyond control which cannot be encompassed here, the realization of such plans were completely hindered.

To face and overcome these challenges, to realize these plans, and to avoid further stagnation, the Assyrian Democratic Organization has recently formed a special group named The Naoum Faik's Committee- charged with the preparation of a special celebration for the year 2000.  This event will be worthy of Naoum Faik’s stature and the expectations of our people on a cultural, political, and social basis, so that we may deserve to be called the grandchildren of Bardisan, Hanin Ben Ishack, Thabet Ben Qara, Bar Hebraia, and many other geniuses.  It will in turn enjoin us to play once again the productive role which was practiced by the Assyrians in building both the human and international civilizations that we, the inhabitants of Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) and Syria founded.

With an inspiration of the soul of our great teacher Naoum Faik and driven by his gracious humanitarian principles we decided to designate an annual award named "NAOUM FAIK’S AWARD" to be given to one or some of our many creative people during the commemoration of the great teacher on February 05th of every year.  The main principles surrounding the establishment of Naoum Faik’s Award are the following:

*Raising the level of Naoum Faik’s celebration day from local to international, consequently gaining the trust of the multitude and involving them in the service of our national causes
*Creating a joint committee to direct the funds in Europe
*Recognizing the creative spirit of our people, hence pushing forward the wheel of prosperity and success
*Having this occasion as an example for many more to come
*To be worthy of being called the students of the great teacher Naoum Faik
*To begin the third Millennium with confidence and determination in order to realize our hopes as well as our national and civil aspirations.

For more information or to submit any suggestions please forward your correspondence to the following fax or address:

Naoum Faik’s Committee
Sweden

The Assyrian Youth Excellence Pageant is a program sponsored by Assyrian American National Federation during its annual conventions. Its objective is to honor the Assyrian young men and women of talent and in good educational standing. Each year, from the eligible candidates, a young Assyrian Man and Woman of the year and two runners up from each sex group are selected and presented with various awards and prizes. This year the cash prizes are $1000,00. $700.00, and $500.00 for the first, second and third-place winners.

Candidates are required to meet the following criteria:

1. Have at least one parent of Assyrian descent.
2. Be a high school senior, or full-time student at a college or university.
3. Have a GPA (grade point average) of 3.00 or above.
4. Speak Assyrian (reading and writing proficiency is a plus).

This year a special program is arranged for The Assyrian Youth Excellence Pageant during the convention in Los Angeles in September. Interested young men and women must contact their local Assyrian-American Associations as soon as possible, to obtain an application packet. Besides the application form, each candidate needs to prepare three letters of recommendation from instructors or prominent Assyrians in their community, copies of awards they might have, and transcripts of recent grades.

The application packet will provide the candidates with reference material which will ensure their success in the program. San Jose applicants please contact the AAA of San Jose promptly at (408) 218-7129.

The Assyrian Youth Excellence Pageant Committee
Assyrian American National Federation

I am Assyrian. No one can take that from me. I am one of three-million and I intend to hold my position with my head held high because I am the product of a tenacious and resilient people. I think we are amazing and I believe in the goodness in every Assyrian, although I have witnessed our homophobia, which is intense, our misogyny, which is fierce, and our ethnocentricity, which is just bravado. Stereotypically speaking, we are a passionate bunch!

And it is passion that brings me to this new road, and if I have to I will travel it alone. It would not be the first time an Assyrian was banished and sentenced to a life in the diaspora. Yet solitude is not my aim and intention, but solidarity. My purpose is to connect with the world that is not connected. I am human and cannot thrive on rebellion and on setting myself against my people. That is not my dream. I am not a freak, a proud pariah, but a son, a brother, an Assyrian relative.

One thing I am not is a martyr. This is not the diary of an angel, nor the portrait of the model gay Assyrian. It is merely a steady reminder that we are present, and that you, dear reader, are not and will never again be alone...

Emil Keliane
California
June, 1999

To visit Mr. Keliane's diary CLICK HERE

BC (2000)

In ancient Assyria abortion was a criminal offense.  For an Assyrian woman, the penalty was "to be impaled and not be given burial."  If she died of the abortion, the same punishment was meted out to her corpse.

Sex in History, Tannahill

Dr. Vladimir S. Tuman delivers his "Astronomical Dating of Esarhaddon's Stela" lecture at California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock.  Dr. Tuman and his wife, Turan, championed the Assyrian and Near Eastern studies and an Assyrian scholarship program at Cal State Stanislaus.  Later on, Dr. Tuman was appointed as the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Assyrian American National Federation.

A basalt Stela of Esarhaddon was erected outside the city gate of Sam'al.  This shows that the city of Sam'al, near Zinjirli in the Amanus mountains, was probably part of the Assyrian Empire during the reign of Esarhaddon.  This basalt stela was discovered by the German Archeological Expedition of 1899-1902 in the ruins of the old northern Syrian city.  It is now located in the Staatliche Museum in Berlin.  The monument depicts the giant figure of Esarhaddon, holding upon a leash, two personages of much lesser importance.  The kneeling one is probably the Crown Prince of Egypt, the son of King Taharqa, and the standing figure is either the local king Baal of Tyre or Abdi-Milkutim the King of Sidon.  It is believed that these persons were taken into captivity during the last campaign of Esarhaddon against Egypt.

On the top of the Stela we find a number of astral symbols depicting the deities of the time and their planetary attributes.  Once we identify the deities, constellations and planets, within a certain boundary, we can determine the coordinates of the planets and of the Sun and the Moon.  Having such information at hand, with the aid of a computer or the ancient astronomical tables, we can determine the possible dates which the symbols represent.  It was only natural to speculate that the astral symbols on the stela would represent the precise date of the conquest of Egypt; however, to our surprise, it represents something else...

Astronomical Dating of Esarhaddon's Stela, A lecture delivered by Dr. Vladimir S. Tuman, 1985

July 20, 1969:   A group of Assyrian-Americans establish the first Assyrian engineering society in the United States.  The date of its establishment coincided with NASA's successful Apollo 11 mission.

The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (RMO) is the national museum of antiquities at Leiden, the Netherlands. It has plenty to offer a broad and diverse public on the civilizations of Ancient Egypt, the Near East, the Classical World and the early Netherlands.

In the summer of 1997 the excavation team from the RMO discovered a regional administrative center from the thirteenth century B.C. in North Syria on "Tell Sabi Abyad" (Hill of the White Boy).

The team excavated a monumental office building from the Assyrian period, complete with bathrooms and toilets. They also discovered 46 inscribed clay tablets, including the private archive of the great vizier, the most powerful man in ancient Assyria next to the king himself.

Headed by Peter Akkermans, curator of the museum's Near Eastern department, the team of archaeologists are investigating the Hill of the White Boy. This hill is some 10 meters high and covers roughly 5 hectares. Earlier excavation campaigns focused on the prehistoric occupation of the hill (6500-5200 B.C.). The next stage in its occupation history begins around 1250 B.C., when the Assyrians took over the hill as a western border fort of the Assyrian Empire. As has now become clear, it was also the seat of the regional administration.

The RMO is at present one of the few Dutch institutions to continually carry out archaeological research in Syria.

Courtesy of RMO National Museum of Antiquities
Rapenburg 28, Leiden
Telephone: + 31 71 516 31 63
Email: info@rmo.nl
 

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The Directory of ZENDA News Sources
ZNAA (Assyrian Academic Society-Chicago)
ZNAD (Assyrian Democratic Organization)
ZNAF (Agence France-Presse)
ZNAH (Al-Ahram Newspaper, London)
ZNAL (Al-Hayat, London)
ZNAI  (Assyrian International News Agency)
ZNAK (American Kurdish
ZNAM (Archeology Magazine)
ZNAP (Associated Press International)
ZNBN (Bet-Nahrain Inc/ KBSV-TV "AssyriaVision")
ZNCN (ClariNews)
ZNCS (Conservative News Service)
ZNIF (Iraq Foundation)
ZNDA (Zenda: zenda@ix.netcom.com)
ZNDN (Detroit News)
ZNIN (Iraqi National Congress)
ZNLT (Los Angeles Times)
ZNMN (San Jose Mercury News)
ZNMS (Mar Shimun Magazine-Canada)
ZNMV (Minerva- The Int. Rev. of Art & Archaeology)
ZNMW (Mideast Newswire)
ZNNQ (Nabu Quarterly)
ZNNV (Nineveh Magazine)
ZNNY:  New York Times
ZNPR:  Palestinian Review
ZNQA (Qala Atouraya- Moscow)
ZNRF (Radio Free Iraq)
ZNRU (Reuters)
ZNSH (Shotapouta Newsletter)
ZNSJ (San Jose Mercury News)
ZNSM (Shufimafi Lebanese News)
ZNSO (Syrian Orthodox News "SOCNews")
ZNTD (Turkish Daily News)
ZNTM (Time Magazine)
ZNUP (United Press International)
ZNUS (US News & World Report)
ZNCW:  Catholic World News