September 9, 2002

Zinda Says

A CALL FOR RESIGNATION OF JOHN NIRMROD

After careful discernment and with deep concern about the future of Assyrian political accord and effectual representation in Washington, Zinda Magazine calls for the immediate resignation of Mr. John Nimrod and an end to his overall futile strategies and dangerous political maneuvers.

Mr. John Nimrod was born in Chicago on 1 May 1922. He completed a degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University. He served the United States with four years of military duty during World War II and two year in Korea. He has been awarded six battle stars, Combat Infantry badge, the Bronze Star, and the Wahrung Korean Medal. He was release from active duty as a Captain.

Mr. Nimrod was elected as the head of the Republican Party for sixteen years in his area before being elected as Illinois State Senator between 1970 and 1983. In the 1990's he became a delegate to the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and later headed that organization for at least a term.

In 1996 John Nimrod was elected the Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance. He has been re-elected to that position at every bi-annual Congress of the AUA. With insightful American-style political savvy Mr. Nimrod united the different factions comprising the AUA at the time of his first election to office. Soon after he helped in building a coalition of the political parties into what is now called the Assyrian National Coalition (Awyoota). He has traveled extensively in Europe, Iran, Australia, and the former republics of the Soviet Union to promote his organization's agenda and represent Assyrians in several human rights conferences.

During last week's Assyrian National Convention it became obvious that the points made in Mr. Nimrod's rebuttal letter to this publication were completely unfounded. The leadership of the other Assyrian political groups, during several tense meetings, demanded an explanation for the existence of the letter published in Zinda Magazine and questioned the motives behind Mr. Nimrod's personal intentions.

In a letter submitted to the State Department, Mr. Nimrod suggests his role as the representative of the Assyrian people. Only one week after the pressure from the other three members of the Coalition, last weekend he traveled to California and met with Mr. Sargon Dadesho and suggested a new coalition between the AUA, Dadesho's Bet-Nahrain Group, and the Assyrian Democratic Movement. The other members of the Coalition were removed from this new triangular alliance. Sources to Zinda Magazine explain that the leadership of the Assyrian Democratic Movement was not consulted prior to this past weekend's meeting in Ceres, California.

The situation of the Assyrian nation is critical and the credibility of the political leadership of the Assyrian nation is seriously put into question by the man often called the "sleepy politician", a reference to his resting with eyes closed at the international conferences.

Mr. Nimrod has a tendency to personalize the role of the Assyrian Universal Alliance through his own goals and vision. For the past five years the objectives of this important political organization have evolved around his core personality which over time emphasize and reinforce his sense of ownership of the organization. Indeed he has succeeded to muffle the voices of other members of the Executive Board to the extend that no other Board member is ever consulted on decisions requiring the advise of the elected officials of the AUA. Needless to say, Mr. Nimrod does not enjoy the full confidence of his own organization's Executive Board.

Mr. Nirmod has created a rigid and inflexible environment where no alternative or opposing view can be expressed and no new blood infused into a decaying political machinery. In recent years he has become a monstrously self-aggrandizing leader of a weakened organization. He is called "Senator" wherever he goes, is treated with great deference and is given the best of everything. Stressing unity, making clever compromises, ensuring the continued support of those indebted to him (i.e. Mr. Homer Ashurian in Chicago) or those he could trust (i.e. Mr. Carlo Ganjeh in San Jose) have been his stock-in-trade since he assumed the leadership of the AUA six years ago.

The Assyrian Universal Alliance needs a more effective leader to fulfill its role as the unifier of all Assyrian political groups. In these trying times, the Assyrian nation needs someone with the political and economic competence to fully represent their case at the U.S. State Department, the Non-Governmental Organizations, and before the government officials in the Middle East. Most importantly we need an energetic person as the CNN and BBC cameras roll from one corner of al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad to the Oval Office in the White House.

The current crisis in the Middle East will erupt soon. It is imperative that the members of the AUA Executive Board help expedite the process of Mr. John Nimrod's resignation, should he otherwise decide to hand over the reins of his power at the next congress of the AUA. This cannot be as a change must be effectuated now.

The jostling for position in the succession will soon go under way and those with an eye on the top seat would be rash to make their intentions known. Only one person from the current cadre of AUA board members can help brighten the tarnished image of this political organization and effectively represent the Assyrians in all future negotiations.

Zinda Magazine recommends the immediate appointment of Ms. Suzy David, the Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance, to replace Mr. Nimrod prior to any military action against Iraq. After her confirmation, Ms. David should quickly call upon all major Assyrian political parties - without any exception - and convene a meeting to appoint a single voice to represent the Assyrian people at the upcoming Post-Saddam talks. Mr. John Nimrod's valuable past experience must then be utilized only in a consultative capacity.

In 1996 John Nimrod played a significant role in revitalizing the organization hailed as the most important Assyrian political conception in the 20th Century. His work at the UNPO and his visits with the heads of the states and President Khatami of Iran opened a new chapter in the nation's efforts for international recognition. Nevertheless, today's political song and dance routines require a different tune and ultimately a different drummer.

Copies of the Letter Submitted by Mr. Nimrod to the State Department on 30 July 2002.

The Lighthouse

ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST
THE NEXT TWO THOUSAND YEARS

Part 3 of 3

WHAT MUST BE DONE NOW?

In the past two issues Zinda Magazine outlined a thorough and controversial analysis of the present situation of the Church of the East. What this investigation has failed to present is the Church's vision for the next 5, 10, or 100 years. After much examination we have concluded that there exists no common vision of future as would be expected of a such a a historically important church.

Public debate on the expediency of the Church of the East's participation in the ecumenical movement is slowly becoming intense, yet there are no serious discussions and dialogue taking place on this sensitive subject. Worst yet, the Church itself remains silent and unaffected by such growing anxiety.

If a dialogue between the Church leaders and the faithful were happening successfully, a better understanding of these issues could put many at ease. While the anxiety and frustration are growing, apathy of the adherents of this Church grows equally parallel.

In the next few paragraphs we will attempt to list a few of the most important issues facing the Church of the East today and hope to engender some pointers for an active discussion among the readers in an effort to help reach a common vision for this Church in the next century.

To initiate a much needed national dialogue we begin by listing a few recent accomplishments and setbacks of the Church of the East, followed by some short and long term remedies.

The Successes

1. Participation in The Ecumenical Movement of The Churches

Since 1994, as a result of the "Common Christological Understanding", the Church of the East has been actively engaged with the Roman Catholic, the Chaldean Catholic Church and other Syriac-speaking churches. This active participation has led to a greater recognition of the Church's value in promoting Christianity in the Middle East, the theology of the Church, and the Assyrian identity in general. For more information see http://www.cired.org

2. Educating the Clergy in the West

His Holiness Mar Dinkha has initiated a new systematic program of educating the clergy in the Church of the East. In the past 15 years there has been more than half a dozen clergy completing their education from the theological schools of the Catholic Church at the Vatican and the United States. Today, the number of graduate students studying in Rome is five. They are looked upon as the new leadership of the Church of the East.

3. Establishment of The First Assyrian School in The West

Last year under the leadership of Mar Melis Zia, the Assyrian community of Australia opened the doors to the first Assyrian elementary school outside of the Middle East. Hundreds of Assyrian and non-Assyrian children are expected to receive unparalleled general and more specialized education which includes Assyrian language and history. See http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au

4. Elimination of Bingo as a Source of Income

Although the portion of the general revenue of the church coming from membership dues may have declined, the Church of the East's decision to bring an end to the bingo games has demonstrated its commitment to a healthier social and spiritual environment for its members, particularly the youth. By doing so, the church declares her continued dependence on the committed faithful, and not the customers.

5. Assyrian Academy

Under the leadership of Mar Bawai Soro, some time in the near future, Assyrians and non-Assyrians alike from various countries will be able to embark upon a comprehensive educational program to learn Syriac language, Assyrian history, Mesopotamian culture and Church of the East theology. These subjects will be offered through online (distant learning) courses in conjunction with higher educational institutes in the United States and will be taught by qualified professors within the fields of their expertise.

The Setbacks

1. Tribalism

Tribalism in the Assyrian sense is the ethnocentrism based on affiliation with one of the tribes of North Iraq or Turkey (i.e. Jelu, Tiari, Dez, etc). But, by all means, tribalism among Assyrians cannot be confined to certain tribes when it is seen to be an epidemic inflicting Assyrians also from villages and small towns. Modern hostilities among the tribal extremists have in recent years led to such debacles as the 1987 division of the Church of the East in Sydney, Australia, the 1992 controversy in Modesto, California; and, on a much larger scale, even the splitting up of the Church of the East into the "ancient" and "new" calendar-churches during the 1960's. Tribalism prevents the Church from pursuing the common good of all its universal adherents and makes the acceptance of its pastors from varied backgrounds more difficult. That is why the Church of the East cannot and must not tolerate any form of tribalism from within or without its body, because when tolerating such social illnesses it actually helps in promoting it. As a consequence of any tribalism in the church, Assyrian national unity will ultimately be deprived.

2. Declining Spirituality

A one-time visit to most Church of the East services outside of the Middle East would clearly indicate a gradual decline in average church attendance and participation. The most important cause of this "western" phenomenon is the growing apathy of the faithful. The youth in particular is the group most commonly affected. It continues to express its yearning for spiritual meaning by attending protestant churches whose services can be better understood and where greater emphasis is placed on individual spiritual growth. Due to a lack of proper education, Church of the East clergy sometimes promote traditions without the benefit of explaining their significance to the people. This problem could be symptomatic of other "traditionalist" churches also. The lack of biblical justification of the norms taught in the traditional Assyrian churches drives the faithful out of the Church and produce a poorly spiritual community. As one clergy puts it: "the equation is simple: If the faithful understand they will stay."

3. The Silent Patriarch

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV is perhaps the most visible source of strength and continuity in the Church of the East today. He is a leader who recognizes the cultural pluralism of the Church and recognizes the diversity of his people's backgrounds. In his speeches he often emphasizes the tradition of full participation of the people in his church. He encourages bold initiatives and calls for a more mature sense of responsibility. Mar Dinkha is also an ecumenist who engages in dialogue with Orthodox traditions in an effort to bring greater Christian unity. He is also a very gentle soul with a sense of humor.

His Holiness, on the other hand, is often too accommodating and leaves the impression that he is insecure with his position. In times of reflection and anxiety, when many souls reach for his spiritual guidance and support, His Holiness has remained silent on many important social and political issues. Unlike Mar Raphael Bidawid I, the Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church; and Mor Sfair of the Maronite Church in Lebanon, Mar Dinkha has shied away from many internal (the controversy surrounding Mar Aprim's investigations) and political issues (i.e. the Gulf War and the Year 2000 Census Issue) facing his flock.

4. The Future of the Priesthood

Where is the next generation of the priests, monks and nuns of the Church of the East coming from? Certainly not from North America and Europe. The Church which produced thousands of monks and missionaries for the sole purpose of evangelizing the Word of God between the First and Thirteenth Centuries is no longer promoting monastic life and the active training of the future priests. This is partially due to lack of people presenting themselves for these positions, lack of encouragement by their parents, the high cost of educating young men for the entire duration of the priesthood, typically seven years. Other than the five pupils studying at Vatican (paid fully by the Roman Catholic Church) the remaining group from Iraq receives its education at the Chaldean Catholic Church's Babylon College in Baghdad.

What Must the Church Do Now?

The Church of the East must take many necessary steps to promote common growth. Here are a few suggestions:

Historically as the soul of the Assyrian nation, the Church of the East must promote the formation of spiritual and moral principles in the lives of her faithful in the face increasing individualism and consumerism. This can only be achieved through the active education and catechization of Assyrians in the Church of the East.
Reform the liturgy of the church to make it more available to the laity, the youth in particular. In the Western countries, the generation of Assyrians attending church services, regardless of its understanding and participation, is slowly disappearing. The new rising generation of Assyrians in the West demands an entirely new liturgical offering. Just like adherents of other churches of the West, young Assyrians often demand from their pastors a more active role in the liturgical life of their church. The membership of some Assyrian and non-Assyrian Protestant congregations are in certain parts of the world continue to thrive on the lack of reform in the liturgy of the Church of the East.
As we have seen in the first segment of this three-part report, there are ethical and financial issues in the Church of the East that require accountability on part of the bishops. The Church of the East, like any Christian spiritual body, does not solely rely on earthly-material means to communicate the Christian message. The strongest "weapon" in its possession is its moral authority and spiritual influence in the lives and minds of the faithful. For this reason, unless the image of the church and her leaders is higher than that of the common Assyrian, the Church of the East will eventually impair its moral authority and weaken its role among the Assyrians. The soul of the Assyrian Nation must be strengthened by the strong spiritual life reinforced by the Church of the East.
Re-institute monastic life as a source of spirituality and education of the future generation of priests and the lay people. For centuries nearly all Patriarchs of the Church were chosen from among the monks educated in Nisibin or Edessa (Urhai). Today there are no monks belonging to the Church of the East.
Return the Patriarchal See back to Bet-Nahrain. No other church in the Middle East or in the West will ever take the Church of the East seriously if it continues to operate from North America or anywhere but Mesopotamia. It is time that the status of the Church in Exile be reversed to the pre-1933 standing and His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV consider returning to the homeland of the Assyrians and the birthplace of his Church. A post-Saddam Iraq would provide a perfect condition for such a historic event in the near future.
As mentioned earlier in this article, one of the Church's major successes has been its openness to other churches, especially the Roman Catholic Church. Similarly, the ecumenical dialogue with other Syriac-speaking churches, but mainly with the Chaldean Catholics and the Ancient Church of the East must equally, if not more, progress and succeed. The end result of such a process must be the re-establishment of the Church of the East prior to the 16th century and the 20th century schisms. Ideological contradictions must be put aside and the greater good of the Assyrian (Chaldean) nation be considered as a priority. For, this church unity is not only for or of the churches, rather ultimately for the realization of the Assyrian people's national unity as well. Church and National unity is a matter that will tremendously affect the lives of every Assyrian and shape the future of Assyrian politics, spiritual growth, and indeed survival. Day after day the necessity of an open, calm and deliberate national debate on the church-unity issue seems to be unavoidable. The Patriarchs and the bishops of the Assyrian churches are expected to fulfill this historic role in realizing the unity of the Assyrian churches.
The Graying of the Clergy: the Church must assure decency for those whose activities are limited by reason of frailty, assist priests to continue to grow spiritually, emotionally and intellectually throughout their priesthood; and helping both the priests and the deacons to interact positively with a graying clergy. Care for the aging priests of the Church must begin by setting aside a specific budget to provide health services and housing - separate or in a retirement facility.
The future of priesthood in the Church of the East is in crisis. His Holiness Mar Dinkha's initiative in educating the Assyrian clergy at Catholic universities is therefore a first step in the right direction. It allows young Assyrian clergy to go out of their cocooned mindset and discover how the rest of the world perceives the new dimension of spirituality and care for the common man.. They also learn new theological, social and administrative skills needed in their pastoral service for the educated Assyrians. In today's Christian world many prominent church leaders have done exactly that. His All Holiness Mar Bartholomew I, the head of all the Orthodox people in the world, for example completed his education at the Vatican. According to a World Council of Churches sources, almost 50% of today's church leaders in Western Europe and North America have had ecumenical training during their theological education. Thus, despite systematic opposition to His Holiness Mar Dinkha and those studying with other Churches, this program must continue.

The Assyrians are people of dignity, great honor and ethics. They will do everything to preserve their dignity and support their beloved Churches in face of a hostile environment. But can they stand tall before such incredible challenges?

The most effective step in effectuating positive changes is the active participation in the life of the Church with all its complex problems. In the next few years the issue of the re-unification of the Church of the East and its sister Syriac-speaking Churches, the Chaldean Catholic Church in particularly, will be on the agenda. The Church of the East faithful must be spiritually prepared and intellectually equipped to encounter a new reality in the 21st century. Promoting Christian solidarity, a single national identity, financial stability, and most importantly respect for the unique theology of the East Syriac Churches deeply rooted in the Mesopotamian experience must be the ultimate objectives of any decisions made by the Church leadership and the laity.

Zinda Magazine
September 2002

Northern Watch

FRONTIER MEDICINE

Have you ever imagined riding a mechanical bull set on an intensity level of 3?

Now imagine the bull being a 4WD and yourself accompanying an Assyrian Aid Society (AAS) medical team, gritting your teeth, clutching the 4WD's handles and hauling boxes of medicine that rattle on every bump.

Welcome to the life of an AAS Medical team! And welcome to the rugged road to Nahla!

The date was the 27th of June and the AAS's medical team consisted of Dr. Yousip Hormis from Dohuk, a pharmacist Ishmail Heydo David along with an Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) driver, Patros Rafael, and an ADM policeman, Gilgamesh Phillipos. I was also lucky enough to hitch a ride with the team.

Having met them in the North Iraqi city of Akra the only news I had of the trip was that we were traveling into the Nahla region a region consisting of seven Assyrian villages and one Kurdish village.

The AAS medical team had twice before been blocked access into Nahla. In order to precede political pressure along with a personal visit by the team to the KDP headquarters in Akra were required. After lengthy questioning and a search of our 4WD's contents we were finally given permission to take a medical trip into Nahla.

Politics aside we were now on the infamous unpaved dirt road to Nahla. Driving in searing 40 degree weather and being buffeted from left to right it felt as though the 4WD's chassis was about to tear open on every bump. It had been over three years since the AAS medical team had last visited Nahla and judging from the remoteness and ruggedness of the region it was understandable why it was so important for the people of Nahla to receive this medical access.

After one and a half hours of ascending mountain trails along cliff faces and wading through waist-high streams, with the 1982 model 4WD, we assumed that we had passed the worst of it as we approached the first Assyrian village.

"It's stuck!" exclaimed Patros Rafael as he changed gears from reverse to first in an effort to clear the mud. With the village of Kashkawa only a few kilometers away Dr. Hormis and I decided to walk to the first village and send for help while Patros and Gilgamesh attempted to use rocks and sticks to clear the mud.

After a 20 minute walk in the hot sun we arrived sweating at the local village chief's house and had him send help for our 4WD and call the villagers to his house where the clinic would be setup and the team begin seeing patients.

With the help of a local tractor the 4WD was helped out of the mud and the medical team finally arrived and began unpacking the medicines on the front porch of the village chief's house. Ishmail David painstakingly arranged the medicines into ordered boxes and bags.

"I'm all set up here!" he told Dr. Hormis.

Dr. Hormis sitting on a chair then began to administer to the steady stream of patients that had lined up to his left. With the automatic blood pressure reader strapped around an elderly person's upper arm, Dr. Hormis, speaking in Syriac, would fire of questions at the next patient. In quick fire succession Dr. Hormis got into a routine of questioning, diagnosing and testing a patient before coming up with a recommended treatment which he would shout out to Ishmail David.

"Give this lady Zantac and antacid," he'd shout out.

Ishmail David would then franticly look through the ordered boxes and bags of medicines to find the Dr. Hormis's prescribed medicine. After finding the medicine he'd carefully either measure out or count the quantity required and place it in a container or bag before writing down the quantity and frequency of use for the patient.

We next traveled to Dupereh, a purely Kurdish village in the Nahla district. After arriving and unpacking at the village chief's house the local Kurds slowly arrived and began to be administered by Dr. Hormis. The Kurds showed great respect for the team as seats and glasses of cold water were brought out to us. The men also assisted in hauling the medicines from the 4WD onto the village chief's front concrete porch. Meanwhile Dr. Hormis continued his work and switching to Kurdish he asked a Kurdish mother to roll up her son's shirt as he placed the end of the stethoscope on his chest.

"Cough medicine and antibiotics," he shouted out to Ishmail David. Ishmail, who was busy opening little plastic bags and filling them with the prescribed pills and doling them out to the patients.

Before leaving Sirwan Zari a local Kurdish man approached the team and speaking in Kurdish wished to express his thanks for the team's hard work, "The medical assistance that you [the AAS] have given us, has not even been given by our own people."

Next stop on the road to Nahla was the Assyrian village of Zhouleh. Having arrived at the village chief's house the team again unpacked boxes of equipment and medicines before the first patients began to arrive.

Barely pausing to give Ishmail David breath Dr. Hormis treated patient after patient. Patients with serious symptoms, especially the elderly, received lengthy and serious questioning as well as undergoing an extensive diagnosis before medicine was prescribed to them.

The Assyrian village of Khalilane was the next on the list as the medical team once again hauled equipment and medicine onto the front porch of another village chief. By the time Dr. Hormis and Ishmail were ready a queue of parents holding their children had grown.

It was here that the age old parenting method of scaring their children into good behavior backfired. All it took was one alert little girl to scream out, "The Doctor's going to give us a needle!" before all the children were set off. Children with mild symptoms such as rashes or coughs were crying and bawling as they waited in line refusing to see the "dreaded" doctor.

Needless to say the already stressed medical team's nerves were severely tested.

Hezaneh was the next Assyrian village visited by the medical team arriving at 7:30pm. By this time the day was just beginning to end and the medical team was hard pressed to finish their job before daylight ended.

As in the other villages the medical team went into their well practiced routine of unloading and setting up before the patients started arriving. With little access to medical facilities and with isolation of their villages many villages with minor ailments also presented themselves before the visiting medical team.

The main tools used by Dr. Hormis were a stethoscope that hung around his neck and an automated blood pressure tester that had been provided by the AAS-America. In some cases a Glucometer, supplied by the AAS-America was also used to test patients who displayed signs of diabetes.

Bilmand was the next Assyrian village to be visited and thanks to the installation of the new electricity generators that had recently been supplied by the Assyrian American National Federation's (AANF) the team arrived to a village fully lit up with fluorescent tubes and globes. With the team's energy waning Dr. Hormis pushed them to complete this final village before resting for the night. Once again patients were seen and given treatment as the clock ticked past 12:00am.

At 12:30 am the medical team completed had completed their work and were invited to a late dinner by the village chief's wife. After a quick bite to eat the local villagers dispersed us amongst themselves and gave us a place to sleep for the night.

Next morning we were up at 8:00am sharp as villagers who had missed out the previous night came in early to see the doctor whilst we were still having breakfast.

The medicines dispensed in the Nahla region had been part of a shipment sent at the start of 2002 by the AAS-America branch. The huge shipment had been dispersed throughout the AAS pharmacies throughout North Iraq and the AAS pharmacy in Dohuk had stored the remaining medicine for medical trips of just this type.

In addition to living in one of the most isolated villages in North Iraq most of Nahla's villagers were very poor. This meant that not only did they have no access to medical facilities but even if they could reach a doctor it was doubtful that they could afford to pay his bill.

With the first wave of patients treated the team collected its medicines and equipment and prepared to complete Nahla's remaining villages.

Dr. Hormis and the team then hopped into the 4WD and pressed onto the remote village of Meruke. After arriving and going into their usual routine, I questioned some of the villagers about the accidents or diseases that most scare villagers.

Their mixed responses reported that scorpion and snake bites are a common occurrence in the Nahla region and in the past year alone, one person had been treated for snake bite and four for scorpion bites.

With this history in mind and combined with the isolation of the villages Ishmail David had to prepare village First Aid Kits consisting of snake and scorpion syrum as well as other items such as band aids, cough syrup and pain killers. These First Aid kits were left at the home of each village chief with instructions on how to administer the syrum.

Our final destination was the remote Assyrian village of Cham-Rabatke. Half way to Cham-Rabatke and mechanical problems struck our 4WD yet again. This time it was a sharp stick puncturing the 4WD's tire. Patros and Gilgamesh yet again insisted on handling the situation as we waited in the searing midday sun. With the tire changed we hopped back into the 4WD and drove to the final village.

With the final village complete we packed and then boarded the 4WD yet again for the journey back to Akra. In the two day medical trip the team had managed to see 8 villages, 104 homes and close to 907 people!

On the bumpy journey back to Akra I asked Doctor Hormis what his thoughts regarding the two-day AAS sponsored medical trip. His remarks were, "I've been working with the AAS for the past 10 years. When we first began we had bigger problems. We had medicine shortages, lack of security as well as many other difficulties."

AAS Pharmascist, Ishmail David's thoughts on the trip were also very similar, "This work is routine as we've done this work for the past 10 years. Our aim is to take the medicines into the remote Assyrian villages and dispense them there. If we can fulfill our obligations to our people then we're even happier. It had been 3 years since we'd seen our people in Nahla…..they were in great need of these medicines."

Tiglath Chibo
Nahla District, North Iraq

Table : Nahla's eight villages and a Census conducted during the medical trip gives a breakdown of Nahla's homes and villagers.

Literatus

WILL IT CREAK OR WILL IT CRACK?
ASSYRIAN VIEWPOINT ON THE FUTURE OF BAGHDAD

Introduction

The title is not my own invention, because it has been the title of a scientific seminar given by an academic many years ago. I have kept memorizing those words for years and have chosen to be the title of this modest article as the structure of Baghdad may either creak or crack in the coming developments.

The rhetoric against Baghdad has intensified in recent weeks (the time of writing), with the United states boldly taking the bashing line while Britain is standing by Baghdad, which is natural to me from my personal experience, with the rest of macro-nations remaining either opportunistic, indifferent or waiting for further developments.

In February 1978 I arrived in Britain and the message I conveyed was that Baghdad is a dictatorial regime, thing Britain did not like to hear from anyone, if it did but not from an Assyrian Christian. At that time the leading opposition of today were not invented yet and Britain as elsewhere was swamped with Baghdad-financed loyalist students.

I had to wait until 2 August 1990 when the Baghdadi army seized the Sheikhdom of Kuwait, then the opinion started to shift to what I was preaching twelve years before. The regime was battered near total collapse in the 1991 war but was intentionally saved due to cordial love affairs between Baghdad and foreign interests and at that time there was no alternative for who would replace the sultan in Baghdad. Baghdad accepted military surrender on the condition that the outside powers should not work to unseat Baghdad.

That was fine until 2001 September 11, the tragic event that altered the perspective, with Baghdad increasingly turning as Islamic as Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan or Saudi Arabia, waiting for an opportunity to occupy the world's headlines.

Things are different now especially when we are approaching the first anniversary of September 11 and news media almost everyday report a wide coverage on the unending saga that has dominated the international stage for nearly 12 years.

The Creation of the State of Baghdad was a Mistake

The nonviability and unworkability of such cheese and chalk state is due to its ethnic problem, because its creation did not cater for ethnicly based state. The Assyrians, Kurds and others were ruled by Arab minority faction without even granting them minimal rights; their nationalities remained suppressed as were the other religious minorities like Yezedis and Mandeans.

The state failed and will fail until its constitution is totally altered to safeguard the freedom of the Assyrian Christians and other minorities.

During the royal regime and early republican era the government and the army were dominated by Arab Muslims of Mosul, but with the Baathists in power the weight shifted to a few towns north and west of Baghdad with Tikrit and Haditha taking the highest share in the establishment, the rest of the nation ignored.

The current leading opposition figures have no solutions to the problems of the current state should the Baghdadi regime cracks; they will remain inert and incapable of solving the state's problems especially ethnic and religion.
Neither the opposition has a mandate as they are mere individuals with no known past, acknowledged present or grassroots support and running a state without solving its problems will not last but anarchy and chaos will prevail and the military will take its role in seizing power as it did in the 1950s and 1960s.

You can not impose an Islamic regime and you can not impose an Arabised regime but the solution will lie in solving the ethnic problem along the federation line or sort of that.

Although there are four possibilities for the aftermath of Baghdad's collapse; disintegration, federation, minimal change or no change, but the first and the last are not likely to happen, because the problems will exacerbate more and the land will become ungovernable. Minimal change if not federation are most likely to come out in the first stage but that could develop for greater separation in the following years or decades.

The Assyrians under the state of Baghdad

Ever since the imposition of the Hijazi run 1920/1921 state our Assyrian experience is a sham, its a history of occupier and occupied, persecutor and persecuted, abuser and abused, without any sort of identity, citizenship or belonging; having no dignity on our soil, squeezed between Kurds and Arabs, unified against us as their common enemy, striking us whenever it is relevant to them.Our chance for national salvation or nationhood came to no fruition mainly because our people were not ready yet for such responsibility, also we lacked effective and proper leadership despite having a few national figures like Agha Putros, add to this the sell out and betrayal of the colonial powers, Britain in particular. Later our token leader, late Agha Putros was found murdered and our national cause was put to rest.

History is repeating itself and the political enigma that culminated after First World War is within us again, and this is to prove that the creation of such state is neither tenable nor viable. The problems of the state will not remain only but will explode without control unless the nationalities problem is solved in a new system that match the national aspirations of the ethnic groups rather than what fits the colonial master and the Hijazi tribe.

The time of our march to freedom and liberation is now, and there is no other time to come; we have the best generation of all times, all determined and if we fail this time, our Assyrian pride will be crushed forever and our people who still live in our homeland will begin to scatter more and more and our land will no longer be called Assyria.

Winds of Change Blowing Over Baghdad

As the Baghdadi brutal regime begins to teeter and the current political morass moves to exacerbate by the impending blows from either within, or without or even both; we the Assyrian masses have to take a comprehensive and solid stand and enter the process of change that soon will take place in our dearest land, the land bestowed to us, generation after generation, by our glorious forefathers.

We have to enter the process of change boldly and stand firm, breaking our yokes and smashing our shackles and never shy that we are part and parcel of the coming process of change and we as the native indigenous people want our share in the slicing of the cake. We have to leave our tragedies and sacrifices and tears behind us and take the one way road that leads to our freedom and liberation.

As a nation we have to reject the state of Baghdad in its present form and shut for good the years of serfdom and misery and need never shy in seeking anything that leads us to our salvation for we have nothing to lose but our 'chains'.

In opting valiantly and in unison the radical approach to our Assyrian national salvation and Assyrian national recognition, we Assyrians have to pay final farewell to the Young Turks, Kurdish mercenaries, Faisal I, Ghazi , Bakir Sidqi, Abdalsalam Aref and Saddam Altikriti.

We Assyrians with republican nationalist Kurds and Arabs have to shape the future of the country, leaving the gates open to other minorities to present their cases. If the country remains unified we have to go for it on the condition of federation between regions populated by Assyrians, Kurds and Arabs, asserting that the north west of the country is assigned as the regional governance for the Assyrians, with the rest for the Kurds and Arabs.

Should the country teeter, we have to go for it too and we have to shed no tears for our executioners the likes of Bakir Sidqi and Saddam Altikriti.

Integration or Isolation

We will no longer live as slaves on our own soil under Arab rule nor as pygmies under the Kurdish rule but we go for an Assyrian self-rule either within the current state if manages to stand on its feet or for full entity if it crumbles and this maybe be taken in step by step approach.

From the Seventh century up to our present time, our experience is full of disgrace and tragedies surfacing again and again according to the will of the ruler. Shall we remain scapegoats always at the mercy of the ruler? Will the future be free from typical dummies like Kamal Ataturk, Bakir Sidqi or Saddam al-Tikriti? Shall we shed more Assyrian blood by appeasing the Kurds and Arabs, our killers, for the sake of a nice word like 'integration'?

Thh butchering of the Christians has always been routine. We cannot define our people as either 'integrationists' or 'isolationists'; there is nothing as either black or white because the picture is very clear, either we remain oppressed under the Kurds or Arabs or be free to run our own afairs. Why should things start to change for better when everything is going for worse with the dominance of anti-Christian Islamic tendencies? Things did not change in the past fourteen centuries.

Within an Islamic state, the state cannot tolerate equality between Muslims and non-Muslims, namely Christians; this is the doctrine, ever was and ever will be. Take the experience of Syria and Lebanon since the two states were baptized by France and see the decline in the Christian power by the coercive compatriot Muslims or the experience of Christians of Indonesia who had the best Christian-Muslim tolerence prior to the advance of the Islamists.

In the past years, our Indonesian brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering most. Christians villages are being erased by invading Muslim militants, some of them volunteers from other Muslim countries, with the army and police either standingby or joining the Muslim militants. This practice is happening all over the land from Indonesia to Pakistan and from Sudan to northern Nigeria and from Kosovo to Bosnia ; the matter is not if this could happen in Alqosh or Ankawa but when.

Ethnic and religious chasm present in such a state ordained by colonial power to fit its dominance and impose its permanent straitjacket on our Assyrian people, to abort the creation of a rival and advanced state in a backward region.
Those who raise the isolation and integration principles project cohabitation under the present status in a simple reform programme that does not suffice our freedom as a nation. For example having representation or teaching our language only is meaningless.

History proved that representation does not deter slaughtering our people, even if an Assyrian was made president of the republic, he had to work harder and show himself more Islamic than any Muslim. This view is shortsighted and
shallow one. Our people in our region always will be persecuted and their necks under the sword, unless we opt out for our total freedom in full or part according to what is on the table.

Our ideal integrationists are the likes of Tariq Aziz and Franso Hariri. The former serves Arab Nationalism and the latter adopted Kurdish tribalism; but despite being loyals to their causes both are locally derided, simply for being Christians. One was assassinated to be a lesson for other Christians, while the other his future is bleak and will be mocked more for being Christian than being Baathist. Both always hated despite serving the Muslims to their best and doing nothing for Christianity and Christians. This proves that holding offices does not alter our status unless we go for
self-rule.

The nearest Christian states to us are Cyprus, Greece, Georgia and Armenia where Christians are free and protected by the state with the exception of Cyprus which is more vulnerable but this is due to Britain's 'subversion' rather than Turkey's aggression. It is a collusion between the two to divide and rule.

In the same way Assyrians will always be persecuted and their necks under the sword unless they run their own affairs as full nation or as a partner in a loose federation.

At The Mercy of Such Miserable Rulers

History is full of such tyrannical rulers who used the Islamic 'scythe' to decimate their Christian subjects by all means that suited the day but let us stick to our present time, because if we keep memorizing history some will accuse us of not living in the real world but disillusioned with the past.

In the academic year 1965/1966 when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Baghdad, Abdalsalam Aref, President of the Republic at the time visited our college. I was one in a large audience in the college's main theatre where the president met a roaring and clapping enthusiasts- except me. The president, an avant garde soldier, ahead of his time and a militant Muslim, derided the past crusaders and the present crusading west. He singled out with disdain Habash and Aflaq, the Arab thinkers of the time, simply because they were Christians. He elaborated that these figures are the invention of western colonialism to mislead the Islamic nations. Any Christian present in that theatre must have felt alienated. After a few months his helicopter was blown up in the air, possibly by the Tikritis, and from that event Saddam al-Tikriti started marching to power.

In another episode and during the early 1970s Saddam al-Tikriti ridiculed the Libyan Leader, Muammar Algaddafi, for stating that Christians of the Middle East have either to convert to Muslims or leave. But now Saddam al-Tikriti is the one who is implementing the same ideas, a double-edged sword, Islamisation and emigration of Assyrians. For how long shall we remain stateless and allow such miserable idiots to decide for us? Muammar Algaddafi did not mean
Christians of Cyprus, Greece, Georgia or Armenia but he meant the Assyrians, Copts, Assyrian Maronites, local Greeks and local Armenians.

Freedom and Liberation are the Only Solutions

We Assyrians did not enter the modern political arena in time like the Kurds for example who started two decades before us, because this was due to many reasons but now the time has come and our voice is being made louder
and louder and we must continue with determination.

We seek the full change of the regime and the federal system if the country is kept unified, based in republicanism and secularism of the state with Assyrians given the north west section of the country.

The current regime is teetering and the change is real and we most of the Assyrian people, apart from a few, go full length and seek the freedom of our people. Here we have to be sure that the changes are genuine and benefit our people and reject any ploys of arranged palace coup and transfer of power from Saddam al-Tikriti to another, a policy favoured by Britain to keep its dominance as it did since the creation of that shabby state at the expense of the Assyrian national existence.

Events made the creation of the state of Baghdad and the state of Yugoslavia possible and in the same way the events of cracking of Yugoslavia will be matched by the cracking of Baghdad, but we have to show our effective stand
and leadership and when Baghdad is cracked, then you know that the liberation of the land has come and our banners of liberty will fly on every plain, hill and mound of our dearest land and the land will bloom and our glory restored and the people who departed our soil shall gather again, our suffering ends.

We the Assyrian people and in the same way we exalt our past leaders like Agha Putros, our current activists or members of ADM, AUA, BNDP or any, will be judged according to their nationalistic cards and their services and
achievements for our Assyrian nation and our Assyrian people.

Dr. George Habash
United Kingdom

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A CALL FOR RESIGNATION OF JOHN NIRMROD

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