A message to the Assyrian people in Lebanon and the whole world
from Daniel Bar Sargon - 03.06.2003 22:09
In a time of great hope and opportunity for our people, we find ourselves at a crossroads of history. After the oppression of the Baath Regime is now over in Iraq, we face other perils and fears at the hands of another old enemy; Chaos. Now it is the time to mobilize, to find our strength, to unite.
Yet, we are also confronted by the recurring theme of egoism and corruption. In the new dawn, the new "Iraq" with a place for our Assyrian people, we are faced with a question:
What are we willing to do to insure the survival and positive evolution of our people?
We need women and men with education, ideas, thoughts and ideals to work on the future of our people in a "new Iraq". How many of us are willing to go and help? To give money? To give our time? Now is the time for WORK, not discussion.
THE PROBLEM
Sarhad Jammo, who in many talks was quoted as saying "Saddam Hussein is not a bad man" now wishes to speak for our people. A Bishop who does not even follow the will of Raphael BiDawid when he stated he was an Assyrian but part of the "Chaldean Catholic Church", instead "now wishes to forge a new nation, a separate nation comprising of members of his church only!!!
Already many of our people in exile have returned to the Iraqi part Northern Mesopotamia to aid our Assyrian brethren in the homeland in building a new Assyria;
some from Iraq, some from other Middle Eastern countries, and some even from the Diaspora who have never known their motherland but in dreams and visions.
But we have some members of our community who remain in the West, who dictate and rule from Morton Grove, Illinois, rather than Deira d Rabban Hurmizd in Alqosh; the seat of many eastern patriarchs before they were forced into exile.
Khnanaya Dinkha; we the Assyrian people tell you to go back to your land, and Shepard your flock. They are in need of hope and compassion more than those in the West. Why do you stay in such safety and seclusion….? You are nothing but a coward!
Zakka Iwas (Senharib his birth name) , of the Syriac Orthodox Church (formerly Assyrian Apostolic), who's people lie dieing in Bartilla shows no concern? One of the biggest changes in Middle East history is taking place and not one clergy member has returned to help his people. And we follow them?
Hanna Ibrahim, Ishak Saqa, Eugene Kaplan, Cicek; millions of parishioners dollars lost, money which could have gone to help our starving people.
Orahim Orahim who was calling himself an Arab Christian??? This is the man that tells us we are not Assyrian??
When will they stop taking our power from us? When did the Assyrian people loose their nerve to choose their own destiny?
NO
This must not continue. As the people of this nation, we the true Assyrians, who have bleed in body, mind and spirit for the cause of our unity and survival, we now state our purpose and here-to-from agenda and ideology:
No longer will religion dictate our political and cultural history, or future. We are a free people, and will decide for ourselves in a democratic fashion our representatives in the affairs of men and countries. We assert that the Chaldean Catholics, Syriac Orthodox, Church of the East, and Yezidis are all part of our Assyrian nation; We are one people, one nation, built and bred from Shamiram, Hammurabi, Sargon, Naramsin, Ashurbanipal….from Farid Nuzha, Paulus Bedari, Toma Oudo, Agha Petros, Mar Eshai Shamoun, Ashur Yusef, Yusuf Malek and David Perley. We are the daughters and sons of the founders of Nineveh, Alqosh, Ashur, Tur Abdin, Arbil, Nusaybin, Edessa, and Diarbekir; and we will be heard with ears, seen with eyes, and felt by all who would do us harm.
We will not replace foreign dictators with domestic ones. Our destiny is our own, and our Assyrianism our life's breath, from where come our imagination, compassion, courage, kindness and love.
We shall see the peoples' will done. And we shall watch our enemies closely.
WE ARE OF ONE MIND, ONE BODY, ONE HEART AND ONE SOUL. ALL ARE ASSYRIAN….BUT ONE ASSYRIA.
Stand up! Let your voices be heard in our churches, in our clubs and social gatherings. Tell our clergy how you feel. They are OUR SPIRITUAL SERVANTS. Do not be afraid. The biggest sin is inaction. We must be heard. If they continue on their path of division and destruction, we must take a stronger stance. Boycott the collection plate, stop your donations. Stand up and be heard for the sake of your children, and for the memory of our mothers and fathers who have long since departed.
Stop being passive, or you and your family will be nothing but another page in a children's history book
