The ChaldoAssyrian administrative region

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The presentation entitled ?The Plight of the ChaldoAssyrian Christian Community in Iraq? was co-hosted by the Assyrian Democratic Movement and the Jubilee Campaign. The main speakers were Mr John Michael of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, Miss Shamiran Mako of Human Rights Without Frontiers, Professor Eden Naby of the Assyrian Academic Society and last but not least, Mr Wilfred Wong Parliamentary Officer of the Jubilee Campaign.

The event was chaired by a man who is championing the cause of the ChaldoAssyrians, a man that calls for the establishment of a ChaldoAssyrian administrative region within a federal Iraq, none other than the Rt Hon Stephen Pound MP.

It was perhaps fitting that before Mr Pound proceeded to relay his opening speech, he asked Rev. Yalda to recite a short prayer in Syriac. By meeting today we not only raised the issue in the British Parliament but also sent a strong signal of support and solidarity to this persecuted minority said Mr Pound. He recounted the atrocities perpetrated past and present against a beleaguered nation in an exhilarating speech delivered with a true sense of purpose to an audience that included the Rt Hon Donald Andersen MP, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

The following text is the closing segment of Mr Pound?s speech.

I, as an individual and on behalf of so many of my colleagues urge our Government to particularly move in three directions. This, I would like to say will be contentious and there are some who will not agree but what little I know about the situation, leads me to believe that there has to be an autonomous administrative region as a safe haven, such as could be guaranteed, and in fact does feature in the Transitional Administrative Law under article 53D.

An autonomous region to include ChaldoAssyrian ancestral towns and villages located near Mosul, in the Nineveh plains, as if anybody needed reminding, the ancestral homeland of ChaldoAssyrians and the capital of the ancient Assyrian empire.

We must also financially support the reconstitution of ChaldoAssyrian villages and infrastructure. We ask this Government to provide across the board political support against the active and passive ethnic cleansing which ChaldoAssyrians are being subjected to because of their distinct ethnicity as the only indigenous people of Iraq, and because of their Christian faith. We must also assist ChaldoAssyrians in their struggle to reclaim towns and villages which have been encroached upon in the north, and must financially support the return and resettlement of ChaldoAssyrian refugees. The majority of them, and you need no reminding of this, are educated and professional young people the lifeblood of a new nation, a people who can build that new nation, and a people that without whom, a new nation cannot be built.

If there is to be, and I pray to God there is, a reconstruction in Iraq, it is these very people that will be needed at every level of society to build that new Iraq, and to lead their country on the path of peace, stability and democracy. And I would hope that we can extend financial and logistical support to ChaldoAssyrian organizations who can protect their people, their land and properties.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the fate of the ChaldoAssyrians in Iraq will undoubtedly define the overall future socio-political structure of a greater Middle East. The ChaldoAssyrians, a self-administered enclave in a federal Iraq is currently the only alternative to migration.

History is replete with massacres and other crimes perpetrated against a nation scorned. Scorned for what? Scorned for its faith, scorned for its ethnicity, scorned for the very being, scorned not for any aggression, not for any duplicity, not for any political reasons [but] because of what they hold true to in their hearts.

A self determined enclave is fundamental to the survival of the ChaldoAssyrians and frankly the benchmark by which the forces of liberation, particularly the United States and United Kingdom must work towards. If the notion of sustainable peace and stability in Iraq and the region has any credibility this must happen.

A future Iraq without a home for the ChaldoAssyrians would simply be the beginning of another failed state. Sadly, it would also prompt the ChaldoAssyrian exodus to Diaspora levels. It is that important. By gathering here today, I hope that we will be making the case and making the point, and I can assure you I can speak for myself and I can also speak for a number of my colleagues, we know more now than we did even a few months ago. We have much more to learn, and the more we learn, the more we realise that here is a people who deserve not just respect you are entitled to respect, but the assistance, support and recognition by Her Majesty?s Government of the unique circumstances.

I would simply end by saying that the British have always turned to the ChaldoAssyrian community for support and assistance. There has never been a time when that community has said no to Britain. Now is the time when this country must say yes to that community.

24-11-2004


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