The Assyrian Democratic Organization
Assyrian Democratic Organization’s speech
Delivered by political bureau chairman
Comrade Bachir Isaac Saadi
in commemoration of the golden jubilee of ADO’s foundation
Qamishly- Syria – ADO — Ladies and Gentlemen representatives of the political parties and national forces, representatives of organizations and cultural institutions and social forces representatives of our people’s Assyrian Chaldean Syrian institutions.
The Assyrian Democratic Organization celebrates today, the anniversary of the golden jubilee of its founding. Fifty years ago, this city Qamishli, the “New Nusaybin”, on this very same day 15th of July 1957, witnessed the birth of the first national political organization in the life of the Assyrian Chaldean Syrian people.
The founding of the organization came in response to the national need and filled a political vacuum, as well as to the division and despair caused by the tragedies suffered by our people in the early twentieth century, the crime of genocide “Alsefo” during the First World War at the hands of the Turkish “al-Ittihas Waltaraki” government and it’s allies , followed by “ Smillie” massacre in 1933 in North Iraq perpetrated by the Royal criminal Colonel Bakr Sidqi.
The founding was based on nationalist ideology, the foundation of which was laid by the Pioneers of our national Renaissance in the modern era, we recall the names of some of them : Youssef Ashour, Naum Faek, Feridun Athuraia, martyr Patriarch Mar Benyamin Chamoun, Boutros – Agha, Tuma Udo, Yusuf Malik, Senharip Bali, Yowel Warda , Farid Nazha Shukri Charmukli and others . Generations after generations have taken from their national ideology and call for liberation , unity and national demands . Besides , the cultural movement manifested in the emergence of magazines , associations , social youth, scout, sporting and educational organizations have played an important role in the shaping of the intellectual base that the founding fathers relied on . Our founders deserve our love and appreciation for the historic and daring decision they took in the establishment of the first political organization in the modern history of our nation , an organization which has become a national school, an impetus for the emergence of nationalist parties later , these parties that shoulder their responsibilities at present for the sake of freedom and well-being of our people .
The Organization has emphasized , since its inception the inseparability of national , patriotic struggle and the democratic one , we can obtain national rights only in genuine democratic system, within the framework of a nation and a common national identity, hence comes the importance of the organization’s call since the foundation for the establishment of a democratic, secular system , based on the principle of citizenship and Bill of Rights with all its international declarations, covenants and conventions, and the recognition of our people as an indigenous one , considering the Syriac language and culture a national culture , in addition to ensuring the national rights of all the minorities under the wing of a unifying national Syrian identity that would include and recognize cultural ,national , religious diversity in the framework of the unity of State and society. Further we have always believed that gradual, peaceful, democratic struggle is the means to achieve the goals, away from all forms of fanaticism, extremism and violence.
ADO has also contributed to highlight our people’s case in the international forums as a humane and just political issue , and to focus the light on the issue of the forgotten genocide “ Alsefo” acquainting the world public opinion with the facts of the crime which claimed the lives of half a million of civilians of our people , holding the successive Turkish governments responsibility for these crimes and demanding recognition as well as the legal consequences in accordance with the provisions of international law.
Moreover, the Organization has built positive relations with most of the national democratic forces in Syria in their various national spectrums , and has been attending since its foundation all the national political activities . Further , this participation has been strengthened after the arrests of most of its leaders in 1986 and 1987 , as the Organization has decided to transform to a new phase of public work in spite of the prevention, restriction, lack of legal authorization for political action, and has formally began to participate in all the political elections beginning with the 1990 People’s Assembly’ selections . It’s participation continued in the subsequent elections both in the People’s Assembly or local councils and trade unions, allied with the various national democratic forces for the common national goals. Further , It has been able to establish in the public opinion the fact that our people’s cause is not just a sectarian one it is a national issue of an indigenous people . It has also stood forcibly against the immigration urging people to cling to their homeland especially in the 1980s, and contributed to the defense of their rights and stood by them against various abuses for which it suffered harassments and arrests in the years 1992 , 1997 and 1998.
Today, the organization is one of the forces of the national political movement, it is a member in the “Damascus Declaration for Democratic National change,” along with the rest of the national forces of the various power spectrum , all working for the peaceful transition to a democratic regime in Syria that would embody the aspirations of all the people in the homeland
Ladies and gentlemen
While we celebrate this anniversary, the region around us , Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine , is in a great chaos , as a result of the policy of interventions , the American occupation of Iraq , the continuing Israeli occupation, as well as of the growing terrorist and fundamentalist movements . The bleeding Iraq is in a chaos and civil war led by fundamentalist, terrorist organizations under the disguise of the Islamic religion , chaos that threatens to split the country apart, and to convert parts of it to Emirates of backwardness, hatred and terrorism. In the middle of this tragedy , the suffering of our people there is doubly appalling as they are being subjected to genocide and displacement by the fundamentalist , terrorist organizations, through the bombings of churches , the kidnapping and killing of their children, and the imposition of tribute (alJuzia) and the veil on the girls and giving the Christians the option between conversion to Islam , the killing and leaving .
All this comes in a demonic scheme aimed at emptying Iraq of its indigenous population a step towards targeting the whole Christian presence in the Middle East and this is being done amid the indifference of the entire international community .The responsibility to protect the existence and the lives of our people in Iraq firstly falls on the Iraqi government and the occupation countries , a part of the responsibility falls on the Arab and Muslim countries which unfortunately did not show disapproval of such crimes, and also official Islamic religious leaders of various denominations in Iraq and the world who should take a courageous and responsible stand for prohibiting the killing and deportation of Christians from Iraq . On this occasion, we call upon the international community and the League of Arab States in general and the Iraqi government, in particular, to work hard to protect our people in Iraq and guarantee their rights within the framework of constitutional nationalism and unity of the national identity , including its right to autonomy -, and to secure for them a safe haven in the Nineveh plain as a temporary measure until the security situation stabilizes. Conversely, we call upon our political and church authorities to leave behind the state of present division and fragmentation, to unify their word and position in this difficult phase in order to form a common discourse and plan of action to confront the serious risks that threatens their identity.
As for he situation in Syria, despite the prevailing relative security and social stability, and the vast acceptable social and religious freedoms , it is not immune from what is happening in the regional neighborhood. The Syrian society keeps in store ethnic , religious and social tensions resulting from the absence of freedom, and the continuation of the monopoly and exclusiveness in public life, in addition to the spreading of extremist ideas and that are increasingly infiltrating in many of the social circles , in addition to the growing frustration and despair among the young, because of the lack of job opportunities, the deterioration of living standards of citizens, as well as the discontinuation of the promised reform process and the restriction imposed on the whole national political activism .
This increases the congestions and weakens the ability to meet potential threats, and creates the conducive climate for the dark forces of fundamentalism that are waiting the opportunity to reverse the tables on everyone, the regime and the national democratic opposition. What is urgently needed now , a courageous and serious stand to promote civil peace and ease tension, and create true national unity to be able to face the challenges and risks threatening the country , as well as starting a comprehensive national building process that requires serious action and immediate changes according to a comprehensive political reform program launched in participating with all the national forces the Progressive Front and the opposition democratic national forces , to consolidate the social peace and security and achieve a gradual transition towards a democratic system that would respond to the needs of all our national and religious components , and spare the country the threats facing it .
To start this , in our view, we must create a favorable climate and begin with launching public freedoms, revoking the emergency law and repealing all laws and special courts, releasing political prisoners and closing this file once and for all as well as reinstating those fired from their jobs , and passing modern , democratic laws for parties and elections that would take into account the reality of national diversity and would put an end to the political monopoly , these we think are essential steps to achieve comprehensive reform. Despite the feelings of despair and frustration among some forces that have betted on the regime for reform, we remain optimistic and look at the half full part of the cup, not the half empty, and we think that reaching the ideal democratic system , does not come in a glance, but requires effort and time, and long gradual social and cultural struggle.
The change in our view comes through a context of a civilized political process , begins and ends with dialogue, and because we believe that the opportunity and the national climate is still appropriate for the process of genuine national dialogue, we take this opportunity, the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of our organization, as the country is on the threshold of a new constitutional term , and out of concern for the safety of our society and our nation, in order to build a national unity capable of facing real challenges and avoiding any possible hazards, to address Mr. President, calling on him to take this historic initiative and launch a comprehensive national dialogue through a national conference of all national democratic forces in order to agree on a program of comprehensive gradual democratic reform that would lead to the building of the desired democratic secular society. This initiative , we believe is now possible , it should not be delayed on the pretexts and justifications of external challenges and risks, but on the contrary , these same reasons must be strong motivation to quickly the launch.
Ladies and gentlemen
The national responsibility makes incumbent upon us also to stand all parties , forces , social groups and institutions of a civil society, and apart from politics, a firm responsible stand towards what is happening in our local society from time to time such as differences and clashes and tensions that usually begin with individuals incidents and then take general implications, this is sometimes fed by and inflated by the culture of extremism and fanaticism growing at the bottom of our society, by working hand in hand to contain , uproot and remove all traces of tension and resentment that go along with it, whatever their source. Let us all unite in one rank , and side with moderation against the tide of extremism, whatever its source and guise whether nationalist, religious or political, and this can be done only through convergence between all the components of our society Arabs and Kurds, Assyrians and Armenians , Muslims and Christians, and start dialogue through agreed mechanisms, in order to reinforce our mutual existence and common national values and protect our society against the winds of extremism that is blowing around us .
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are doomed to hope . Hope and optimism for the better tomorrow for our people and our homeland is strong , and we will not surrender to despair and frustration. What brings us together in this place is a cause for optimism in the strength of our Syrian society and its genuine patriotic forces . We must build on this real national status , to stay together hand in hand in our common efforts for a democratic Syria a final Homeland for all its children.
Finally, thank you all . We are proud of you.
Qamishly , July 15th , 2007
