Assyrian Life

With over 90% of the votes in, here are the election results for the Assyrian (Chaldean/Syriac) parties in Iraq. I want you to notice that over 65% of the votes went to two parties. The Two Rivers List, supported by the Assyrian Democratic Movement , got 35.5% and The Assyrian Chaldean Syriac People’s Council which has Kurdish support, got 30.7% of Assyrian votes.

This tell me three things.

1 -You will notice that both major parties call for the unity of all Assyrian people: Chaldean, Syriac, and Assyrian.

2 – In this election, the majority of Assyrians voted for parties that speak of Assyrian unity. Is this a sign that we Assyrians as a people might finally be putting our small differences aside and finally unite under one voice? I hope so.

3 -I guess the final and most important question to be answered is…do we want to be under Kurdish influence? (Assyrian Chaldean Syriac People’s Council: 30.7%)

or

Do we want to control our own destiny? (The Two Rivers List: 35.5%.)

Right now its very close, but it looks like Assyrian are wanting to control their own future, by slightly leaning in favor of the The Two Rivers List which is backed by the Assyrian Democratic Movement.

Rody

Dorothy Thompson once said: “There is nothing to fear except the persistent refusal to find out the truth”

Today, truth has won a small battle. Passed by only a single vote, the Swedish parliament adopted a resolution that recognized the World War I-era killings of 2.75 million Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greeks by the Ottomans as genocide. It is estimated that the genocide claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenians, 750,000 Assyrians (75% of their population) and 500,000 Greeks.

What is special here is that Sweden not only recognized the genocide as it refers to Armenians, as has been done by other Countries, but also included Assyrians and Greeks in the genocide. I believe the global recognition that Assyrians and Greeks were slaughtered along with their Armenian brothers came into acceptance back in December 2007 when the International Association of Genocide Scholars recognized the genocides of the Assyrian and Greek populations of the Ottoman Empire to be included along with the Armenians.

As expected Turkey condemned the decision of the Swedish Parliament by:
• Issuing a harsh press release from the Prime Minister’s office.
• Recalling its ambassador to Sweden and
• Canceling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan planned visit to Sweden this month

The tide is turning and after 95 years of denials the truth cannot be held back anymore. A big congratulations to Sweden and its people for being brave enough to admit the truth. !!!!!!

Now its time for America, ‘the upholders of truth and freedom’ to approve the genocide. For those not aware, last week the American House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a resolution calling the Turkish mass murder of the Armenians a genocide. Unfortunately, I don’t see recognition going further in America for now. Only last week, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated that

“Circumstances have changed in very significant ways,” she said. And she said that the Obama Administration would oppose the resolution as it goes to Congress.”

Hopefully one day, there will not be any ‘circumstances’ that force Americans not recognize the truth.

Rody

Murder and mayhem has again shown its face against the beleaguered Assyrian Community in Iraq. In anticipation of the fast approaching Iraqi elections to be held on March 7, certain ‘undefined’ peoples within Iraq have escalated the violence against Assyrians, at least eight Assyrian have been killed in the Mosul in the past two weeks. In January 2009 provincial polls 450 Christian families fled the city after at least 35 Assyrians were killed.

Threats Ahead of Elections

In Mosul, the situation remainds dire, a flyer was posted on the doors of Assyrian Christian homes in Mosul yesterday, stating: “Do not go to vote and do not elect Christians or you will die.”

Exodus

A UN report said Sunday that 4,098 Christians fled Mosul between February 20 and 27 following the attacks. It is estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 Assryains live in Mosul. Since the 2003 US-led invasion, Al-Qaeda militants have been targeting Christians and other minorities. Hundreds of thousands have since fled Iraq to neighboring and European countries. The number of Christians in Iraq is estimated at nearly 600,000, and was over 1.2 million before 2003 invasion.

Rody