Assyrian Democratic Organization ADO
ADO’s Chairman of Political Bureau Mr. Bashir Saade’s Speech
on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary
Messrs. Representatives of Arab , Kurd and Assyrian parties and national forces
Representatives of our people’s social , cultural and commercial institutions
Ladies and gentlemen
Good evening
Qamishly- ADO– We are pleased and honored by your presence and participation in our celebration this evening, which is the first in a series of celebrations and activities that will be held by the Assyrian Democratic Organization on the occasion of the golden Jubilee of its foundation .
Fifty years ago , the will of a dedicated , select few of our people from different sects like : Ashour Yousef , Naaoum Faiek,Fredoun Athouraia, Mar Shamoun Beniamen , Agha Butros, Yousef Malek , Farid Elias Nezha , Sanharib Bali , Youel Warda, Yousef Darna , Youhanoun Dolbani , Youhanoun Kashisho,Hanna Abdalke, Shukri Charmoukli ,…and others , converged to lay the foundation of a national political party that will carry the task of the struggle for the rights of their people in freedom and existence , and this gave birth to Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO) from here this city , Qamishly –Nuseibin , and the day was 15th of February 1957 . The foundation came in response to the feeling of despair and frustration resulting from the appalling tragedies suffered by our people in the beginning of the 20th century , the first of which was the genocide perpetrated by the Turkish Ithad Waltakki government and its allies against our people on parts of its historic territories in Mesopotamia –southeastern present Turkey- during the first world war and claimed the lives of half a million of innocent civilians . The second was Simili massacre which claimed the lives of five thousand innocent civilians on the 7th of August 1933 on the hands of units from the Iraqi royal army under the command of the criminal colonel Baker Sudki . The birth also came as a response to a national and political necessity dictated by the democratic margin the fifties , the years following the independence , provided .
The Organization (ADO) , which derived its ideology and practice from the essence of our people’s experience , its rich human and civilized legacy , its culture and values which are deeply rooted in its land , was the first national political party in the modern history of our people .The Organization since its inception has committed itself to the national democratic issue for the simple reason that is, our people can attain its rights only through a framework of a genuine democratic system and within the scope of a strong prosperous nation acting as an incubator for all its children. Therefore , the Organization has formulated its ideology and approach on the call for the establishment of a democratic and secular regime based on justice , equality and principles of citizenship and bill of human rights , as well as the constitutional recognition of our Assyrian people as an indigenous one and guaranteeing its national rights alongside the rights of all national minorities under the umbrella of a unifying national identify that would include and recognize the national , religious and political variety within the framework of the unity of nation and society . Furthermore , the Organization has firmly believed in peaceful struggle as a means to reaching goals , and also adopted moderation and realism in its political activity away from all forms of fanaticism and extremism .
At the national level and despite the long years of repression and totalitarianism that overshadowed Syria and the region , the Organization was able to promulgate its thoughts amongst broad sections of our people at home and abroad and further , to establish organizational frameworks in many places , particularly in Sweden and Europe where the Assyrian clubs do an important work in preserving our national identity from fusion and in raising the national awareness and keeping the national issue alive in the hearts of our people there .
Moreover , it was able , via its branches and institutions , to unite the expatriates with the motherland through opening communication channels with different social , cultural and economic activities . It also contributed to highlight our people’s cause in international forums as a human and just political case and focused on the forgotten genocide “alSeifo” issue and made the world public opinion aware of the reality of this crime and held the successive Turkish governments responsible for it and further demanded Turkey’s recognition of this crime as well as its acceptance of the legal liabilities and consequences in accordance with the provisions of the international law . Besides , ADO has made great efforts to preserve the Syriac language , heritage and culture , to revive the folklore and the national feasts , like the Assyrian New Year on the 1st of April and Martyrs Day on the 7th of August . It has also relentlessly stood by its people ,defending their rights , protecting them against all sorts of encroachments everywhere in Syria , Iraq or Turkey .
What is more , the Organization has also sought to build a broader and deeper relations with the various parties , forces and institutions of our people, and currently , is exerting active efforts to strengthen these relations in view of the greater challenges facing our people especially in Iraq . In the mid 1980 the Organization has initiated to create a National Front which did not come to fruition , but later on , it was brought to a successful result when in the beginning of the 1990 a Joint Action Paper was concluded with the Assyrian Democratic Movement . It also contributed effectively in establishing a National Alliance in the mid 1990 and in convening Baghdad Conference in 2003 and Henghlo conference in 2006 , in addition to its continued participation in the overall activities held by our people’s institutions at home and abroad . At present , it is working closely with other national forces in order to create a common national discourse that would reflect the will , demands and the rights of our people in the federal Iraqi constitution to be modified , and in the draft constitution of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region , so that to ensure our people’s national rights, unified appellation and the autonomous rule in the Nineveh Plain .
Ladies and gentlemen
We can say that , the Organization was able through its struggle and involvement in the national political process and by means of its good relationships with the entire national political forces in Syria to acquaint them with the cause of our people and gain their recognition to it , as the cause of an indigenous people which constitute an essential component of this nation and not just as a factional , sectarian or religious issue as was intended to be . This has been repeatedly expressed during the recent years, in statements issued by national forces , signatories to Damascus Declaration , and by many other civil society institutions , national figures and Syrian human rights organizations .
At the national level, the Organization has put forward the issue of concurrence of the national and patriotic struggle and that the solution of the people’s national problems is linked to its struggle alongside the other patriotic forces that believe in democracy and human rights as means of reaching a national , democratic system that recognizes the rights of all the components of the society Arabs , Assyrians , Kurds and Armenians and further , emphasizing on the adoption of the national identity as a unifying framework to all these components . In spite of the long decades of underground work owing to the repression and the limitation of the political activities and in spite of the monopoly on truth that characterized most political movements that adopted totalitarian ideologies , the ADO repeatedly sought to extend bridges of dialogue with all the parties whenever possible . As a matter of fact , these barriers of secrecy broke down following the arrest of the Organization’s leaders in 1986 and 1987 , this marked the second stage of semi-public activity for the Organization in which it involved in direct political participation starting from the 1990 elections to the successive parliamentarian , local and union elections through political alliances with various national forces , achieving every time considerable political presence and gaining increasing public sympathy and support from different sections of our people as well as from national and patriotic force .
The Organization has strengthened its presence on the national scene in recent years that has witnessed a narrow margin of freedom and kept on building close relationships with various parties , national personalities as well as with different civil society institutions , legal unions concerned with human rights, including some parties in the Progressive National Front on the basis of mutual respect .It has further contributed in the political process through participating in political forums and the overall possible political activities .
The Assyrian Democratic Organization has always been at the heart of the events . At the beginning of last year the Organization joined the framework of Damascus Declaration for National Democratic Change side by side with different Declaration’s forces that constitute the entire spectrum of political national and patriotic forces in the country , in fact , it is participating effectively in all its committees from the top down to the governorates’ level including its committees in the diaspora . The organization feels that Damascus Declaration reflects a national consensus and the will of the Syrian people to move to a democratic system by means of different ways of gradual, peaceful and democratic struggle , away from all forms of violence and extremism .
Despite the positive and peaceful approach adopted by the Opposition and its constant call for dialogue and reform , unfortunately , the prospect of change is still closed and postponed , and what is more the policy of restriction , banning from travel , and exclusion is the only one recognized by the regime , and the pretext always is , the outside pressures and threats as well as the conflict with Zionist enemy . This , no doubt , increases the sense of frustration and worsens the volatile situation . Consequently , no one except the dark forces of fundamentalism would gain from a situation such as this , these lurking forces that may one day turn the table on both the regime and the national opposition . Hence , we believe that , the way to build a strong national society , a genuine national unity able to stand up to dangers and outside challenges and to liberate our occupied land , is not by restricting freedoms and closing the file of political reform , but just the opposite , by opening it wide without delay or postponement , and the first step in this direction , in our view , should be the abolition of State of Emergency as well as special courts and laws , the closure of the file of political detentions , the issuance of a modern democratic laws for political parties and the elections ensuring true representation of all components of the Syrian people and paving the way for drafting a new constitution based on the principles of democracy, secularism and the bill of rights.
Ladies and gentlemen
We are doomed to hope , our optimism and hope for a better future for our people and country is unshakable , what is unifying us here in this place is a cause for optimism , a strong belief in the strength of our people and the Syrian society with all its lively national forces , these are genuine and true reflection of the reality of our homeland and we must build on this national situation . Let us join forces in our common march , for the sake of democratic Syria , a permanent home for all its children.
Finally , we thank you all for your participation and we are proud of you .
Qamishly –Syria 17/02/2007
ADO Political Bureau
