ADO on the Occasion of the Assyrian New Year 6755

Assyrian Democratic Organization
Political Bureau

26 March 2005

Dear countrymen in the homeland and Diaspora,

It has become a tradition in the Diaspora and the homeland to celebrate annually our national day , the New Year , on the first day of Nissan (April), in various public celebrations that represent in their symbolism and meaning the victory over all forms of tyranny and oppression and the determination of our people to keep on living , drawing inspiration from the renewal of nature and rebirth of Tammuz , a new resurrection and potential to recreate and persist. The first of Nissan (April) and the celebration of our people in nature, come to confirm the continuity of our people’s contribution and creativity, its civilized national presence and adherence to its roots and homeland throughout ages from Sumer, Akkad, Assyria , Aram, Babylonia ending up with the Christian era.

Dear brothers and countrymen,

Pressures and threats are increasing on Syria these days , aiming at reconstructing the new Middle East to suit the US strategy as a sole superpower in the world , and further consolidating its hegemony on the area and imposing its agenda and vision, through breaking down all the strongholds and barriers of rejection to its policy . Now , all the indications show that Syria is the next target . No doubt, the ability to confront these threats is waning, with no change and reforms in the offing, especially that , these pressures are accompanied with winds of liberty and democracy that is sweeping the area and finding extremely enthusiastic and receptive reactions amongst all sectors of the Syrian society.

The decision by president Bashar al-Assad to pull out the Syrian troops from Lebanon in response to the UN resolution and the desire and interest of both Lebanese and Syrian people was a step in the right direction , that would strengthen the independence and sovereignty of the two countries , help establish best relations between them and further ease the pressures to a large extent, if not completely stop them.

As a matter of fact, the rehabilitation of the domestic internal situation and putting it in order would , no doubt , strengthen the country and make it immune to the threats and pressures, as well as would break its isolation , and help her restore its role as a member of the international community alongside the modern democratic developing countries . Thus , priority must be given now to the reform of the internal situation . Arrangements should be made for real general reconciliation in the country , far from demagogic calls for reform coming from outside .On top of these arrangements comes , an invitation for holding a broad-based national dialogue convention called and presided by the president of the country , that would involve all components of the political forces in Syrian society, aiming at debating the different issues with transparency , objectivity and high sense of responsibility and seeking to find the best means and ways to bring to life the ailing reform process , through a new reform policy that would consider the political reforms in the country as an introduction for general reforms in all sectors , and within a course that would lead to the renewal and revival of political life, through releasing general freedoms , broadening involvement in political life , issuing a modern democratic law for political parties that would take into consideration the political ethnic and religious diversity in Syria, as well as putting an end to political monopoly and further , consolidating the concept of citizenship and resolving the problem of ethnic diversity within the national framework, on the basis of real democratic principles via constitutionally recognizing our people alongside other ethnicities . Besides , the emergency law as well as all the exceptional courts and laws should be revoked . Political prisoners , amongst them our brothers , who have been arrested against the backdrop of Hassake's events should be released . These steps only ,when taken , national unity can be reinforced and a strong , stable and flourishing country capable of confronting the various challenges, can be built.

While in Iraq , our people like all others , has been through very difficult times owing to the loose security situation and the control of terrorists and killers on the streets of Iraq . Their churches and holy places have been targeted and attacked , many of them have been martyred and many others displaced with the aim of ethnic cleansing . Nevertheless , and in an admirable experiment , that expressed their thirst for freedom and democracy , millions of Iraqis challenged the forces of darkness and terror and participated in the first real parliamentary elections in Iraq’s history . In spite of that , the results of this election did not live up to the expectations and ambitions of our people and did not reflect its true representation because of the splits and divisions amongst them on one hand , and depriving many of them of the right to vote in many towns and villages of Nineva plain on the other, due to the partiality and one-sidedness of these elections and the agreement between the Election's High Commission and influential parties in the area to diminish and further eliminate the role and participation of our people . The democratic experience can not be corrected by diminishing the rights of minorities and depriving them of their rights , or by subjecting them to the will of the powerful parties . The best model of democracy is , that which guarantees the rights of minorities . Hence , the rights of our people and the other minorities must be safeguarded in the permanent constitution . We take the opportunity of our feast to call upon our people's various factions and institutions in Iraq, to draw lessons from previous experiences and to unify their forces and speech in preparation for the next elections, the most important of which are, the upcoming parliamentary elections and the permanent constitution drafting commission.

Whereas in Turkey and after long years of tyranny , oppression, ethnic and religious discrimination practiced against our people with the aim of displacing them from their historical towns and villages , the authorities, and in their endeavor to enter the EU , have permitted , our people for the first time , to celebrate their national day , the Assyrian New Year. The initiative to hold this celebration was taken by the community council of the Syriac church in Tur Abdin , this is considered an exemplary step reflecting the true conscience and feeling of our people . Our people everywhere is looking forward to generalizing this experiment so that churches everywhere would take part in one of our most important celebrations .

No doubt , the permission by Turkey to hold this celebration is a positive step , but not a sufficient one to atone for crimes committed against our people. Turkey must reconcile with its past at least its near past , and this can be done only through recognizing the genocide perpetrated by her against our people and the Armenians during the II world war, and further, by its acceptance of all the binding obligations according to the international law resulting from this acknowledgement , such as the right of return , reclaiming the possessions , compensations and legal and constitutional guaranties , in addition to a formal apology.

In Diaspora our people and institutions have shown great dynamism and vitality during the past year in defending and interacting with our various issues and were able to knock the door of international bodies to explain our cause to them , this was revealed through the institutional and political efforts as well as demonstrations and rallies and attempts to promote and build up better relations with governments , parliaments and international organizations and human right societies . As a matter of fact ,these accumulated experiences and remarkable connections are considered a great support for the cause of our people , if invested correctly .

The 1st of April is a festival of nature , a deep –rooted national feast . Our people is looking forward to considering this occasion , a national day for all components of our society .

Finally on this occasion we extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes to all our people in the homeland and Diaspora.

In Response to the Statement of the KRG-Nordic Representation

Fred Aprim
California

On March 16, 2005, the KRG-Nordic Representation issued a statement in connection with the many complains of Assyrian (ChaldoAssyrian) Christian groups in the Diaspora. The KRG statement condemned the attacks on Christians throughout Iraq and stressed that the Kurds have no control of what terrorists commit in regions beyond their northern Iraq authorities. The securing in central and southern Iraq is indeed a problem; however, north of Iraq has its own problems but these problems are suppressed and do not find their way into world media. This is a well planned policy by the United States to reflect a rosy image of the Kurdish authorities and the KRG.

Fact is that the acts of terror, political assassination, abduction, rape, forced evictions, and marginalizing against non-Kurdish groups in north of Iraq are well documented since 1992 as the local Kurdish government was created.

Assyrian Continuity from Fall of Nineveh to Modern Times / 309 pages Hard Cover $30 Paperback (Soft Cover) $20 Price includes shipping and handling. Send money orders (preferred) or personal checks to: Fred Aprim P.O. Box 446 Hayward, CA. 94543  USA

The statement of the KRG declares that in the 1992 elections for Kurdistan National Assembly five seats were allocated to the Christians of the region. I need to emphasize that the assignment of the five seats in north of Iraq regional government in 1992 was only to show to the West that the Kurds were treating the Assyrians fairly; it was good policy. However, the Kurds do not publicize how they manipulated the 1992 election to allow one of their puppets to win one of those five seats. They used that puppet ever since to undermine many issues presented by the other four representative Assyrians in the north of Iraq regional parliament. The acts of Kurdish leadership in north of Iraq (occupied Assyria) since 1992 have been anything but democratic. Christian officials or ministers like Sarkis Aghajan Mamendu and Yousif al-Qas Hanna are KDP members. They report to and work for the KDP and not for Assyrian concerns.

The statement mentions about the assistance of KRG in Syriac schooling expenses, which is a positive point; however, we know that this was not the whole picture. Assyrian schools had many problems in printing curriculum that were always delayed, providing school buses, and paying for all substitute teachers and other matters. Without legally instituting the rights of Assyrians as ethnic group and as the indigenous people of north of Iraq, schools alone prove very little as they could be closed prior to any notice. Furthermore, the renovation and restoration of churches in north of Iraq is another point brought up by the said statement. Fact is that a lot of money has been donated by Christian foreign aid to the Kurds and if Kurds were to renovate some churches, then that is the least they could do. For Kurdish leadership it is a good policy to pay some attention to churches in order to shine their image in front of Christian groups in Europe and the United States. Furthermore, Christianity was never a problem for Kurds. Assyrians are Christian Kurds after all as far as many Kurdish writers and intellectuals are concerned. These writers and intellectual are simply implementing the Kurdification of Assyria and Assyrians, which is a fundamental policy of the KDP and its leadership. What the Kurdish leadership is failing to do is protect the national rights of the ethnic Assyrians (ChaldoAssyrians).

In its statement, the KRG states: "The January 30 elections, three Christian political groups joined the Kurdistan Alliance List (Assyrian National Party, Chaldean Democratic Union and Bait Nahrain Democratic Party). Because of this inclusion in the Kurdistan coalition, Christian candidates managed to enter into the Iraq Transitional Assembly." Fact is that all the above mentioned groups were created by the KDP and are run indirectly by Mas'uad Barazani. The four Christians that won seats in Iraqi National Assembly due to this cooperation have obligations primarily to KDP and not to Assyrians (ChaldoAssyrians). Furthermore, it was the Kurdish involvement that prevented the ChaldoAssyrians in the Nineveh Plain from voting, thus, the Kurds made sure that the Assyrians (ChaldoAssyrians) of northern Iraq will have no say in the writing of the constitution. The KRG denial of Kurdish involvement is simply untrue. How could the KRG explain how neighboring Kurdish villages did not face the same problems?

The statement declares that the Kurds are cooperating with other groups to establish a democratic society. The Kurdish actions in north of Iraq (Assyria) are anything but democratic. Anyone who does not subscribe to the policies of the KDP has no chance to operate in north of Iraq. This is the simple reality in the region and everybody knows it.

I present the following facts:

1. The Kurdish leadership interferes in most of the Assyrians' internal national affairs.
2. The Kurdish leadership establishes political groups that are under their control in order to marginalize the Assyrians (ChaldoAssyrians) and their true representatives.
3. The Kurdish leadership promotes divisions among the powerless Assyrians and promotes Chaldeans as a separate ethnic group when the Chaldeans and Assyrians are one people.
4. The Kurdish leadership fails to return Assyrian lands to their rightful owners. They fail to make the current Kurdish occupiers from evacuating these Assyrian lands.
5. The Kurdish leadership has failed to bring to justice many criminals who committed crimes against Assyrians even when these criminals were identified.
6. The Kurdish leadership continues to permit infiltration of Kurdish elements and groups in purely Assyrian regions.
7. The Kurdish leadership is not sharing fairly with the Assyrians and Turkomen who live in north of Iraq.
   the wealth it has made for 12 years (1992 - 2003) and continue to make.
8. The Kurdish leadership enlisted few ChaldoAssyrian members of the KDP in its list in the Iraqi elections. The members who made it to the parliament with the empowered Kurds would control the faith of any discussions, including the writing of the constitution, in parliament.

The KRG is naturally defending itself and what it stands for. However, its statements are not truthful. The Assyrians living in regions controlled by the KDP are under complete threat. They fear, like everybody else in the region, the KDP's reprisal acts if they did speak out about Kurdish leadership oppression. It is for that reason that oppressive policies, atrocities, unfair treatment, rape, forced abduction of women, illegal confiscation of lands and other acts against the Assyrians are not introduced by the Assyrians in north of Iraq but are communicated to those in the Diaspora who are free to publish them.

What more Does Monsignor Jammo Want?

Joseph Haweil
Australia

After reading the article, "What is Happening Between Chaldeans and Assyrians" in the last edition of Zinda, I was surprised to see that many facts were omitted from the article. Luigia Storti states that Mr. Yonadam Kanna’s "appointment soon created irritation, especially among members of the Chaldean Church, who, strong of their representing the majority, ask for their own representation in the governmental structure." It seems that one key point is missed here - the actual election that took place. We are all aware of the fact that their were voting irregularities in Iraq, although if members of the Chaldean Catholic Church were so "irritated" that Kanna was appointed then why didn’t they take part in the OCV election and elect someone from a Chaldean backed party? Well, the fact is that they didn’t and Mr. Yonadam Kanna was elected (democratically) to the Iraqi Parliament hence quashing the notion that the Chaldean’s were irritated.

Monsignor Jacques Isaac states that the Assyrian Church of the East does not recognize the Roman Pope. Perhaps the Monsignor has missed the fact that the Assyrian Church of the East does recognize the Pope and has in fact even set up a dialogue committee which meets every few years. The Assyrian Church of the East until now does not recognize the SUPREME authority of Pope John Paul because it doesn’t need to. It already has its own Patriarch, prelates and Church structure. When dialogue between the two churches has completed and broken the barriers that exist and the Roman Catholic Church decides that the two churches can come into full communion then yes, the Assyrian Church will recognize the Pope as supreme. Until that time there is frankly no need to.

When reading the comments of Monsignor Sarhad Jammo I found them to be rude, insulting and in fact strongly ignorant of the situation. Monsignor Jammo decides to ignore the historical fact - the name "Chaldean" was imposed on Assyrians converting to Catholicism by the Roman Catholic Church in order to “divide and conquer” the community and to distinguish Assyrians from the new word Chaldeans. This point was even recognized by the late Mar Bidaweed I who declared that he was an Assyrian from an ethnic point and a Chaldean from a religious one!!! Hence, what is the argument?

Monsignor Jammo is no more than an old fashioned “meddling” bishop who personally angers me greatly. What sort of a member of the Clergy creates division of a frankly trivial point; a name! The Assyrian community even gave in to an incorporated name "Chaldean" into their ethnicity. What more does Monsignor Jammo want? It is obvious that he only wants the word "Chaldean" to represent all people in Iraq. He should get off his “high horse” and accept that every body has to make concessions and that he must accept the term "Assyrian-Chaldean" and forgot this old rivalry that is so stuck to the minds of some of the Clergy.

The article states that Chaldeans outnumber Assyrians in Iraq although neglects to mention that Assyrians around the world greatly in some cases out number Chaldeans!

Furthermore Monsignor Jammo’s comments that Assyrians have a "deep-rooted habit to political confrontation" is insulting ignorant and racist. Monsignor Jammo has no right to stereotype in a racist fashion the nature of Assyrians. Assyrians in fact are committed to unity and not in fact confrontation! If Monsignor Jammo recalls it was the Assyrian Church of the East who spearheaded the beginning of a dialogue committee between the Chaldean and Assyrian Churches. If Monsignor Jammo continues to stereotype Assyrians and not work for unity he has no place in the Chaldean Catholic Clergy albeit in any clergy.

It is unfortunate that after the passing of great hearted and progressive Mar Bidaweed I the "meddling" bishop has jumped at the opportunity to criticize the Assyrians; the members of the oldest church in Iraq and in the world and the original inhabitants of Iraq and the Middle East. If the Assyrian Church of the East is willing to continue dialogue the Chaldean Church with or without the "meddler" Monsignor Jammo then the Chaldean Church should jump at the chance.

Further more, if Assyrians are willing to accept Assyrian-Chaldean then the Chaldean Church in particular Monsignor Jammo should accept it. We should all remember that nobody can get everything the way they like, sacrifices must be made. In this case; over the history and unity of the oldest churches in the world and the important remaining to Christianity in the Middle East and Iraq surly it is worth it!

Pastoral Responsibility Reaches into Politics

Ramond Takhsh
California

Happy Assyrian New Year to all of you. Around this time each year, the debate regarding the proper day to commemorate the new year always arises. First of all, it is undeniable that in the ancient Assyrian calendar, Neesan began on the first day of spring. Neesan does not mean April, but when we adopted the Christian calendar, we somehow decided to equate Neesan with April. If you ask any Assyrian today what the word Neesan means, he or she will most likely say that it means the month of April. The Assyrians of antiquity lived long before the emergence of Christianity, and so to suggest that the new year that they celebrated was on April 1st is incorrect. However, I really don't think this debate about the true Assyrian New Year is such an important issue. Some Assyrians chose to celebrate the new year on the first day of spring, while others choose to celebrate it on the 1st of April. I don't think this is such a pressing issue that will divide our people. Indeed, there are
far more pressing issues at hand that our nation must pay attention to.

For example, we the Assyrian people must come to terms with our ineffectual and disappointing role in the Iraqi elections of January 30th. We have only 1 representative from an Assyrian ticket, where we should really have at least five or six. Fortunately, these elections were for a transitional assembly, and so we have an opportunity to correct this error in December 2005. We must form a drive to mobilize as many Assyrians as we can to vote. Voting is more important than any financial donation we can make, or any prayer made in church, and so on.

Unfortunately, people won't listen to me, but they will listen to revered figures like Mar Dinkha and other bishops. Assyrians listen to religious figures before they will listen to anybody else. If a priest or bishop asks people to donate money for renovating a church parking lot, they'll oblige. When these religious figures say that they should not meddle in Assyrian politics, I only remind them that historically the cornerstone of our identity has been our religious faith. The Assyrian nationalist movement is currently still in its infancy, but the connection with religion that Assyrians have has been there for so long. Without a homeland with set boundaries, the Assyrians have turned to their religious leaders for guidance. The Shiites of Iraq are virtually identical to us in this respect -- do you think the January election would have been so successful had Ayatollah Sistani not encouraged the Shiites to vote??

In the United States, men of God like Pat Robertson, Jerry Fallwell, and Billy Graham have exerted powerful influence in the political spectrum. In the 2004 election, Christian leaders of all denominations encouraged people to vote for the candidate that is pro-life and anti-gay; and they did just that.

To all the bishops, I say this: Your people need you. We have missed out on so many opportunities in the 20th century with regard to greater Assyrian representation. We may never again get the opportunity that we have now. It is time to take advantage of it. Help to mobilize our Assyrian people throughout the world. People will listen to you because your power in our community is undeniable. When any bishop comes to a church from overseas or across the country, people flock many miles to see him. Such courtesy is not extended to our political leaders, but that is just the reality. You have the power, and I beg of you to start using it. Get involved, or else we may never have a voice in the future of Iraq.

Munich:  90th Commemoration of the Seyfo Genocide

A joint invitation by the Pontic Greeks (Association of Greeks from Pontos) and Assyrians (Assyrian Democratic Organisation) has been issued on the occasion of the 90th Commemoration Day of the Genocide of the Christians in Turkey covering issues related to Armenians, Assyrians, Greek from Pontos from Minor Asia and Thrakia.

P R O G R A M

Saturday, 16 April 2005
Community Center of the Orthodoxe Metropolit "Allerheiligen“
Ungererstr. 131, 80805
Munich, Germany

Sunday, 17 April 2005

11:00 AM

Memorial Service at the Greek-Orthodox Church,
Preysingstr. 83, 81667
Munich, Germany

After the Church the Munich city council member Theo Gavras will speak about the Genocide of the Pontic Greeks

Registration can be faxed to 089 - 48 95 13 39 or email here.

Lena Yakobova's Film at Columbia University

The documentary film made by the young PhD candidate, Ms. Lena Yakobova of Yerevan State University, called "Assyrians in Armenia," will be screened at the 10th Annual World Convention of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN)

The ASN convention, held at Columbia University, runs from 14-15 April 2005. The topic this year is "Understanding Nationalism: Identity, Empire, Conflict."

The Assyrian documentary will be shown on April 16th at 2:45 pm followed by a Q &A discussion of the film led by Dr. Eden Naby.

For more information about the screening, purchase of the DVD, and information about this quiet but energetic young film-maker, click here.

Prof. Anahit Khosroeva Presents Findings in UCLA

After Nine Decades:  the Enduring Legacy of the Armenian Genocide

University of California, Los Angeles
1 - 3 April 2005

UCLA Campus, Moore Hall 100. Parking Structure 2 (Hilgard Avenue at Westholme)

Saturday, 2 April 2005
11:20-12:45

Panel Discussion: The Armenian Genocide in Comparative Perspective

• Comparative Media Coverage in English-Speaking Countries
  Katia Peltekian, American University of Beirut
• The Assyrian Genocide: Late-Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth Century
  Anahit Khosroyeva, Institute of History, Erevan (in Armenian with English summary)
• The Greek Calamity in Asia Minor and the Pontus
  Speros Vryonis, Jr., UCLA and NYU, Emeritus
  

Click Above Notice For More Information

The Plight of Iraqi Christians

Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli
Senior Analyst
Middle East Economic Studies Program
Middle East Media Research Institute
Courtesy of MEMRI, Issue 213, 22 March 2005

Introduction

The kidnapping of Archbishop Basil Georges Casmoussa on January 17, 2005 in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, and his subsequent release the following day, highlighted the plight of Iraqi Christians, like other Iraqi communities, facing threats from Islamist terrorists bent on plunging Iraq into ethnic conflict.

Deep Roots and Current Violence

The Iraqi daily Al-Mada recently carried a report about the ruins of what is believed to be the oldest Eastern Christian church, discovered in 1976 by an archeological team in the desert west of the holy Shi'ite city of Karbala. The church, known as Al-Qusair Church, was built in the 5th century, 120 years before the appearance of Islam and almost two centuries before the spread of Islam in what is known today as Iraq.

The church (53x13 feet) had fifteen arched doors. Inside archeologists found remnants of an altar and gammadion crosses. There were two small cemeteries, one within the church walls intended for the priests and one outside the walls for other church members.

During the Saddam regime, the eastern side of the church was converted into a training target for an artillery unit of the Iraqi army. A number of unexploded shells have been found within the church's perimeter. After the fall of Saddam, the tombs were desecrated by looters, who hoped to find gold buried with the dead. The Iraqi Department of Antiquities has recognized the historical significance of the church, and restoration and preservation are being considered.[1]

The Iraqi Christians

Iraqi Christians represent three percent of the Iraqi population (which is estimated at 26 million).[2] The overwhelming majority of Iraqi Christians belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church - the Iraqi branch of Roman Catholicism. Chaldean Catholics are also known as "Assyrians." The patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church has clarified that "Assyrian" is an ethnic identity and "Chaldean" is a religious one.[3] There are other churches in Iraq, including the Roman Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Nestorian and Armenian. However, the distinction between these churches is not really understood by most Iraqi Muslims, who look upon all Christians as "People of the Book," as they are referred to in the Koran.

Under the secular Ba'th regime, the Christians in Iraq, who presented no threat to Saddam, enjoyed considerable religious freedom. In an interview with the Arabic-language London daily Al-Hayat, the Latin Patriarch in Iraq, Jan Suleiman, said that whenever Saddam Hussein was approached regarding a problem affecting the Christian education system in Iraq, he would intervene to resolve it.[4]

Violence Against Individuals

The high level of violence in Iraq has affected every sector of the Iraqi population, and Christians are no exception. Christians, however, have been specifically targeted by Islamists, who either accuse them of collaborating with the "invading crusading army" or label them infidels. As Islamist pressures mounted in Iraq, following its occupation, Christian businesses were destroyed, Christian university students were harassed and Christian women were forced to wear the veil. [5]

Suspected of Collaboration

Most Christian children attend Christian schools, where the teaching of a foreign language, primarily English, is a high priority in the curriculum. It is therefore understandable that the multinational forces have tapped the Christian community for office and translation work. However, the Christians are concerned that a prolonged occupation of Iraq by the multinational forces under the command of the United States will only heighten the accusations that they are collaborating with an occupation "originating from a Christian country."[6]

Recently, the unidentified "Brigades for the Liquidation of Christian Agents and Spies" has threatened to liquidate those working with the multinational forces and to "pursue them in their homes and churches." In placards posted in Christian areas, the Brigades wrote:

"The Christian minority enjoys peace and security in the land of the Muslim and in our country in particular. Its members have held senior positions in the State. But their malevolence toward Muslims became evident when the occupier entered our country. He found great support among them in the form of translators and agents who acted as informers against Muslims. Their churches receive evangelist groups. They spread moral corruption and pornography in our streets. Muslims have been arrested, women raped and houses destroyed as a result of Christians being agents of the occupiers."[7]

Violence Against Churches

In August 2004, five churches, one in Baghdad and four in Mosul, were hit in one day, in a coordinated attack that killed 12 people. In October, five churches in Baghdad were hit on the first day of the Muslim month of Ramadan. In November, eight people were killed in two church bombings.[8] The August attack on churches was followed on September 10 by mortar attacks against the Assyrian town in Bakhdeda (also referred to as Qarqosh ) in the Ninevah Governorate in northern Iraq.[9]

The Destruction of Businesses

With the public sector and the military all but closed to them, Christians have focused on the services sector of the economy and retail business. Because of Islamic restrictions on alcohol consumption, Iraqi governments have limited the liquor retail business to Christians, who, in turn, have been meeting an obviously high demand for alcoholic beverages among a large segment of the Iraqi Muslim population. In fact, a considerable amount of money under the "Oil for Food Program" was used by the Saddam regime for the import of the most expensive brands of alcoholic beverages for Saddam Hussein, his sons, and the high echelons of the secular Ba'th ruling party. At one time, the Coalition Provisional Authority was contemplating a public auction of high quality vintage wine and champagne found in the cellars of the palaces of Saddam, his sons, and their cronies.

Shortly after the fall of Saddam, Islamists, who took control of the streets of many Iraqi cities, began to target Christian owners of liquor stores. They first ordered the owners to close their businesses; if the owners failed to comply, the Islamists gutted the stores and often killed the owners. An example is liquor merchant Bashir Toma Alias, who was shot in the head in the center of a bazaar in Basra while on his way home to celebrate Christmas.[10]

Writing about the "deplorable attack against Chaldean Christians in Iraq," the Chaldean New Agency wrote on October 7, 2004:

"Not only did those heinous crimes result in the loss of innocent lives, but worse, they have created tremendous hardships for those Chaldean families whose very livelihood were attacked. With a lack of alternative jobs, many of them are currently living off the charitable contributions of the local Chaldean churches."[11]

The report goes on to warn that unless these "Islamic terrorists" are brought to justice, "Iraqi Chaldeans will continue to be an easy target for such criminals who are bent on imposing their distorted version of Islam by force."[12]It was reported that in the southern city of Basra, the second largest city in Iraq, armed Shi'ite groups with names such as "The Revenge of Allah," "Hizbullah," and "The Organization of Islamic Doctrines," roam the streets to mete out "Islamic punishment" on traders and users of alcohol, as well as on prostitutes. Four hundred Christian stores were closed. According to Faysal Abdullah, the head of the Organization of Islamic Doctrines, Islam "rewards those who seek martyrdom and who were designated by Allah to uproot vice."[13]

Often the police stand idly by in the face of crimes committed in their presence because they are afraid of the armed Islamists or because they sympathize with their aims.

The Christians complain that after they were driven out of the liquor business by Islamist groups, Muslims have taken over the business and continue to sell liquor publicly.[14]

The Islamists have also targeted barber shops run by Christians because the Islamists object to haircuts and to shaving.[15]

Harassment of Students

Christian students at Iraqi universities are also subjected to harassment and often to violence. At the University of Mosul, the second largest university in Iraq, 1,500 Christian students recently decided to suspend their studies because of threats to their lives by Islamists who have taken control of the university.[16] Because many of these students traveled to campus in buses from outside the city, they were afraid that their transportation would be bombed if they persisted in attending the university.[17]

A survey among Christian students carried out by the Iraqi daily Al-Mada has found similar sentiments among Christian students attending other institutions of higher learning in Iraq. They do not understand why they are being victimized. Anna Mirfit Boutrus, a 22-year-old student at the Technological University of Baghdad, expressed her distress:

"Why do the terrorists want to prevent us from performing our religious rites? Why do they bomb our churches? Why do they want to kill us… What have we done to them? We are citizens of this land. This is our country. We will not give it up and we will not replace it with another."[18]

For female Christian students, there is incessant pressure to wear the veil or put their lives in jeopardy.[19]

Christmas Celebrations

Christians celebrated Christmas in their homes, for fear of attacks. Most churches avoided the traditional midnight Mass or large gatherings of church goers.[20] Indeed, the churches called upon their parishioners to avoid coming to churches on Christmas out of concern for their safety.[21]  Asked to comment on the situation on the eve of Christmas, Patriarch Emanuel III, the Patriarch of Babylon, responded:

"As leaders of the Christian communities in Iraq, we are pained by what has happened to our country. There is destruction of our people, resources, buildings and churches. We grieve the tragic death of many of our children and the injuries and psychological shocks suffered by others. Many of our citizens were subject to humiliating kidnapping, thefts, and expulsion."[22]

Sister Warda of the Daughters of Mary Convent commented that the cancellation of Christmas celebrations must be viewed in perspective. She said: "We cannot celebrate in isolation of what our relatives and brothers are subjected to in our wounded country."[23]

Conversion to Islam

Chaldeans also complain about pressures to convert to Islam. When a parent converts to Islam all minors in the family are forcefully converted regardless of the wishes of the other parent.[24]

Leaving the Country

The plight of Iraqi Christians is part of a rapidly deteriorating situation that is forcing Christians throughout the Middle East to seek refuge in the West. A recent article by Majid Aziza in the Iraqi daily Al-Zaman, a newspaper with a long-standing liberal pedigree, highlights the plight of Christians in the Arab and Muslim world:

"Christian natives of Arab countries are escaping their countries of origin. Statistics show that a large number of them have emigrated to countries which offer them and their children greater security, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and some European countries. The reason is the harassment to which they are subjected in countries they have inhabited for thousands of years. Sometimes the harassment originates from the regime; at other times it comes from extremist groups."

Saddam and the Iraqi Christians

On the one hand, Saddam Hussein supported Christian education; on the other, he forced Christians out of their villages in the north as part of the Arabization of Kirkuk and its environs. Many other Christians opted to leave their villages in the north because of the unsettled conflict between the Kurds and Saddam's regime. Now harassment by Islamists is forcing these transplants to return to the villages of their ancestors in the north. In the words of one person who plans to relocate: "Some of the Muslims consider us infidels. We are being targeted. They will eat us alive."[25]  For Christians who have left Iraq, Syria remains the preferred country for temporary residence for two reasons: first, no visa is required and second, it provides security at a low cost of living.[26]  Jordan is another country populated by a large number of Iraqi Christians.

Voting in the Elections

In a meeting with a Christian delegation, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani denounced the attacks on the churches and called upon Christians to participate in the elections to ensure maximum participation.[27]  Al-Sistani has also been quoted as saying that he would have no objection for a Christian to be elected president of Iraq if he met the appropriate qualifications.[28]

There were no fewer than eight Christian parties that competed in the January 30 elections. The Christians were determined to vote because they believed an elected government would provide them with a measure of security they now lacked. They also counted on massive participation of Iraqi Christians in the Diaspora to vote for their parties.[29]  The low rate of participation in the elections of Iraqis in exile must have been disappointing to the Christians.

In the elections, one Christian party, the National Rafidain, received approximately 37,000 votes, entitling it to one seat in the 275-seat assembly.

The low turnout of the Christian voters was involuntary. Many of the Christians live in Sunni provinces, particularly in Ninevah and Salahudin in the so-called Sunni triangle. Tens of thousands of Christians who intended to vote discovered on election day that the Independent Elections Committee did not provide ballot boxes in these two provinces because of security concerns. Christians complained that tens of thousands of their community were in essence disenfranchised, particularly in the city of Mosul, for no fault of their own. Many others may have sought the security of their homes rather than risk violence while going out to vote.[30]

 

References:

The Truth About the So-Called “ACSU” in Lebanon

Ashor Giwargis
Beirut

Days ago, some media sources published about a commemoration held by a so-called “Assyrian Chaldean Syrian Union in Lebanon” (ACSU) in February/27/2005 for remembrance of some Assyrian nation’s martyrs, which ACSU considers to be a group of sects.

Regardless of the event’s significance and its noble meaning, however, it’s important to explain what’s going on behind the scenes, specially that this concerns the Assyrian people in Lebanon and abroad as well, and we have been used to for decades now when few parties take advantage of the martyrs’ blood for their propaganda interests.

The aforementioned commemoration was nothing but propaganda for the GHB (Bet Nahrain Freedom Party) and for the mockery of a name which is being used today under the false banner of “unity”, this was clearly obvious in cramming martyrs names of all denominations in one occasion so that they can use the trio name.

This commemoration was GHB propaganda for it didn’t take into consideration except its martyrs, forgetting other parties’ martyrs specially those of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, those who were killed by the Iraqi regime and the others who were treacherously killed while their files remain closed till this moment.

Thus the absence of The Church of The East from such a commemoration was due to the belief in the Assyrian identity realizing the meaning intended.

The so-called ACSU doesn’t exist and isn’t formally recognized so any one can sue the organizers for holding assemblies and issuing bulletins without authorization.

This union is actually an image for the GHB which has been trying since some time now to operate on the Lebanese arena, so when it didn’t find any institution to work through it purposely controlled the weakest link “The Assyrian Cultural Association in Lebanon” which was founded with the help of a handful of dedicated Assyrians lead by the late Dr. Hanna Salman.

The GHB took advantage of the internal and financial crisis of the Assyrian Cultural Association to persuade its former president, then the same party suggested to me personally, the removal of the Assyrian name and renaming the association as the “Bet Nahrain Cultural Association” (indirectly through the former president) but when I refused, the former president didn’t see any other way except to hold misleading elections, erasing in the process the names of senior members and believers in the Assyrian identity, he didn’t even notify them of the elections date while he resorted to some Lebanese teenagers secretly making them members when they barely knew who are the Assyrian people in Lebanon or what are their denominations, those teenagers didn’t even know that there was an Assyrian Cultural Association.

The new administrative committee was declared with half of the members being illiterate while the other half is farther to be from being Assyrian (then they called it a cultural association!!!) I was “appointed” as a secretary and accepted the results of the shameful elections in order to preserve the formal permit following a three year inactivity and as the former president had claimed that he was contacted by the ministry in charge giving him two days to elect a new committee, at the time he had told me that the elected committee was only to be a temporary one for few months to conduct business.

Six months passed… a year then two years during which I kept on asking for new elections to be held after rectifying the situation by re-instating the original members, thanking the foreigners who voted in order to “save” the association, and erasing their names since they didn’t have the right to vote in the first place … However, I was surprised at the end to find out that the headquarters of the Assyrian Cultural Association was turned into a GHB headquarters, and that it’s the same so-called “ACSU”, this is considered to be a treachery against an independent Assyrian institution.

In my capacity as the secretary of the confiscated association, I asked the appointed president (he was appointed by his party and his father the former president) to hand me the members log for consultation but he refused, he also refused to hand me the seal and if I had asked him for the P.O. Box key he would have refused as well, of course he has the right to do that since I didn’t join the GHB party!

Later, when I was blamed by many of the benevolent members who were excluded from the elections, I found myself obliged to file a complaint with the Ministry of Internal Affairs about these foolish acts, but at present the complaint is in suspension due to the resignation of the minister in charge. The purpose of the complaint is to be able to consult the members log available at the ministry, to contest the rigged elections which I had signed without being aware of the member names erasure (most of them refuse to play around with the Assyrian identity) and I shall continue to follow up on this complaint even if I would be obliged to pursue it before courts.

The Assyrian Cultural Association’s doors have never been closed for those who are willing to serve the Assyrian nation regardless of their denominational affiliations, for many of its founders and presidents were of the Chaldean and Syrian denominations and at the time it was at the top with its Assyrian activity.

It would have been better for those who are un aware of their identity to have either established or confiscated another establishment leaving this outstanding association, otherwise let them accept the responsibility for their recklessness and let them realize that they are in Lebanon and that we have seen many of their kind…

I am responsible for all that I have published or will be publishing, as I accept the legal responsibility for signing on the elections in question even though I didn’t know that they were rigged, and I had brought this to the attention of both the elected committee as well as the concerned authorities.

I shall continue publishing these commentaries whenever I find an invitation for the so-called “ACSU” or even the “Assyrian Cultural Association” until the association’s internal situation is corrected.

On behalf of all the members who were excluded by the confiscating group, I call upon the Assyrian people and their institutions to boycott the aforementioned establishment which has turned into a source for destructive thoughts, until legal elections are held and announced.

The Epoch of Ideologies

Part i of iii

Downpour

Ideas are concepts litigated by mankind. Conception of ideas is therefore, a dispute between the dissidence of the wits and their order of precedence. The wittiest attain a higher perversity of conceit. At a certain stage of time and space, such opinions reach the point of idolatry, thus, inviting an abyss, in their rush to extol their imagination.

Events and Their Chronometry

All events, it seems, are fathomed according to the tact and flair of the period. Wars, conquests, massacres, destructions, annihilations, inhumanity, ideological impositions, crusades, revolutions and security, translated into defense-offense maneuvering theory, are conducted systematically, and inherently whenever a force to reckon, or contemplates to be one, is at its height, militarily, politically and economically.

History records onslaughts for riches, land, food, livestock, domination, and sheer power. The prophetic wars were guided by religious creeds, inundating the brunt of the discontents, in their desire to see change. Yet, there exist the wars for bringing order and civilization. This latter phase has been most commonly fabricated adventure that a large portion of the world population assents and sometimes, even honors.

21st Century

Towards the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries, we are witnessing the slogans under the creed of freedom and liberty, replacing all other categories of wars.

Beginning with the Perestroika, and the downfall of the centralized rule in the former Soviet Union, a single power, and a powerful one at that, has taken the lead to free the enslaved, re-educate the illiterate, enrich the poor, enthuse the enthralled, feed the hungry, and, to empower the voice of the inaudible.

For almost a decade, more than half of the population of Afghanistan was enslaved and caged, with no recourse to any court or any stage of righteousness. The Afghani women were vilified and molested at will by the Taliban government, yet, no United Nations, or any world government raised its voice to free more than 15 million. These calamitously wretched citizens of the world had to wait for a tragic event to occur, such as a Nine-Eleven, to deliberate them from the yoke of indignant shame and magnanimity of scorn, for just being of different sex.

Inhumanity went a mock throughout the world, and on all the continents. Even Australia had its murky prison cells for people that had fled their desperate habitats for a better life. Needless to talk about genocides in Rwanda and Burundi, that went on for years, at a toll of perhaps as many as 2 million ethnic inhabitants of both nations. Least we ought not to forget Cambodia, where more than 2 million perished at the hands of a maniacal ruling clan.

Stench of Hypocrisy

Words are supposed to be odorless, however, there is a stench of hypocrisy looming over most of the horizons, when speaking about human rights and all its deemed, dignified attributes.

Out of 25 nations of the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, only three (3) sanction, secular form of government, to a certain degree, that is. They are: Algeria, Turkey and Syria. The other 22 that also happen to be Islamic non-secular nations defy all international obligations for their religious minorities, in one way or the other. In some of these countries, no churches, synagogues or temples are to be erected. As a matter of fact there are instances that even a display of a religious icon publicly, might invite physical, state sanctioned punishment.

Political Stench

There are variations of dictatorships in the world: (1) inherent; (2) usurpers; (3) revolutionaries; (4) selected by ruling political party.

1. Inherent: -- Besides absolute monarchs, the new trend is a father-to-son standard as in Gabon, Peoples Republic of Congo, North Korea and Syria.
2. Usurpers: -- All those that have reneged on democracy and its ideals, and have overthrown the duly democratically elected governments, ruling by decrees, and holding to both the government and the military apparatus. Burma and Pakistan lead this category.
3. Revolutionaries: -- These leaders are heroes of their nation. Defeating despotism, they took over the helm by public acclamation. Cuba could be cited as the only remaining nation in this category, although it justly can be classified as fitting into the following category, as well.
4. Selected by Ruling Political Party: -- An unequivocal political party, whose members are selected by a Committee from within. China, Cuba, Egypt, Libya and Syria fit this bill.

The Benevolent and The Malfeasant

Without exception, all those that transcend the policies of the United States and some of its allies are considered despots. On the other hand, all the others that kneel down and defend the U.S. policies are simply referred to as either Presidents or Premiers.

Presidents of Pakistan and Egypt are Generals Parvez Mosharraf and Hosni Mobarak, respectfully. China and Cuba are led by Secretary Generals of the Communist Party. The Chinese hierarchy is tolerated, and Cuban is constantly chastised. All others that do not covet the policies of the Foggy Bottom and the Whitehall are considered snobbish, murky and deemed to be removed from offices whenever the occasion arises, and whenever it is less costly.

Schools of Abhorrence

The breeding grounds of hate, despise and abhorrence are perpetually and publicly entrenched in at least a few of the non-secular and amicable regimes. These schools of the philosophy of intolerance are growing in multitude, and are sanctioned in Pakistan and in Saudi Arabia. A number of these schools are also advocating dogmatic theocracy of collusion, in other parts of the world, however they are working underground. This is despite the fact that their nests are well known to the government officials, who turn a blind eye on such misdeeds.

It is ironic that the United Nations, with all its hundreds of Committees dealing with such subjects as deciphering the sounds of the whales, or the mating habits of the sea horses, does not have a Committee to deal with this lop-sided fundamentalist horrifically alarming teaching material. And, it is more ironic that the world member nations do not profess their dexterity on these matters.

Wars of Ideology

>From 1917, ever since the Russian Revolution established a dogmatic ideology, the West has been on the warpath with it.

It was an ideological war against Communism and its attributes on any level, and in any country of the world.

In 1936, even the French Socialist Prime Minister, Leon Blum, declined to come to the aid of the nationalistic democratically elected government of Spain, because it included Communists in its ranks and file. The German Luftwaffe and the Italian Air Force turned the second largest city of Spain, Barcelona, into a no-man's land, with continuous aerial bombardment. More than 2 million Spaniards lost their lives by braving against this inhuman and oppressive onslaught.

Then, right after the end of World War II, The United States and Great Britain, along with most of the Western democracies and despotic regimes of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Asia, joined a sustained military and intelligence apparatus to combat Communism, first in northern Province Azerbaijan, Iran, followed by Greece, Indochina, China, and Malaysia.

South and Central America would have to await, their turn until 1956, when the U.S. overthrew the popularly elected government of Arturo Arbenz of Guatemala, who came to power with the Communist and Socialist ballots. No effort, funds or military aid would be spared to combat Communism. No henchman would be blasphemed or chastised, as long he was anti-Communist. A slight dereliction would mean total removal, if not assassination, a case in point, is the government of President Sukarno of Indonesia, where no less than 500,000 Communists were lined up the highway leading to the airport, and executed, before his abdication in favor of General Suharto, who ruled his country with iron fists for almost three decades with the full support and military aid from Washington, D.C.

The same rule was applied and practiced in 1973, when a democratically elected President Salvador Allende, of Chile, is toppled, killed and replaced with an unspeakable Junta that kept shedding the blood of the young men and women for years, in the soccer stadiums, thus imitating the Romans with their gullible bloody gladiatorial displays in the Colosseums. The only difference being that these young men and women were not given weapons to fight against the onslaught of the machine guns of the army.

All in all, the Cold War continued on at least three Continents, namely, South America, Africa and Asia well until the fall of Communism in Russia.

Wars of Nationalism

The 21st century is witnessing a dangerously dreadful transition in international politics, and on international arenas. This deviation explicitly transcends from ideology to nationalism.

At the turn of the century, beginning with the former Yugoslavia, certain aspects of nationalism were victimized in favor of, and in tune with ideological patterns.

The rebellious forces were aided and abetted to demolish the centrism of the Yugoslav Republic in favor of no less than five independent Republics. What is ironic is that if Yugoslav Republic based on Federalism was not proper or just, how did the West base its policies on Bosnia-Herzegovina, where multi-ethnic, multi-religious entities were forced to maintain the rule of Federalism? Why was it that the Croats, Serbs, Slovenians, Montenegrans, Moslems and Christians should hold onto Federalism in Bosnia, but not in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia?

It is utterly irresponsible for Quebec to secede from Canada, Northern Ireland [Ulster], from Great Britain, the Basques from Spain, Corsicans from France, Northern Ossetia or Abkhazia, from Georgia, but it is fair and just for the Chechens to form their own Republic, just as much as it is for the Shi'as and the Kurds to form their own enclaves, on top of becoming the rulers of the non-Federal Iraq. The same fairness rule was applied to bomb Belgrade for a period of 80 days so that it would abandon its territory of the Province of Kosovo to a religious entity, under the guise of nationalism of ethnicity.

Abusus Non Tollit Usum (Wrong use does not preclude proper use.)

The criteria of combating nationalism, is anathema to ideology.

Abstention is not a maxim for inefficiency. One cannot turn an eye or two on the eventful teachings with the 21st century technology, that go on in many parts of the world. It is this trend that endangers all civil lives and their liberties. The skills to combat the elements of fundamentalists are not vivid when staged as a counterpoint. Those methods must be geared to meticulously eradicate the nests that procreate such elements.

It would not be a confutation to state that almost 100% of the international terrorists derive from friendly nations of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan. There is no record so far, of any terrorist groups fomented in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq or Iran, unleashing their mayhem against the world citizens.

Yet, nowadays, it seems that going to war against Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, and Syria is tantamount to war against terrorism.

No one is really that naïve. Even the countries that had sent tokens of military personnel, to Iraq, with forfeiture of expenses for such expeditions, coming from the U.S. Treasury, are rebuking such moves, and, at press time, no less than 22 out of 34 countries have removed their contingents, or have declared their intent to do so in the next few months.

(Next Week: Part II -- Iraq Insurgency)