A REPORT OF THE 2ND WORLD ASSYRIAN CONFERENCE IN MOSCOW

Co-chairmen of the first session – Rabbi M. Mammoo & Prof. Mikhael Sado

Co-chairmen: Rabbi M. Mammoo & Prof. Mikhael Sado

1. Dr. Sargis Osipov (Moscow, Russia): Modern Assyrians: Historical and Linguistic Sources of Diversities
2. Rabbi Michael Mammoo (Stockholm, Sweden): The Importance of the Assyrian Language and the Difficulties Encountered in its Teaching
3. Prof. Michael Sado (St. Petersburg, Russia): On some Aspects of Modern Literary Language of the Assyrians.
4. Mr. Hannibal Gevargiz (Tehran, Iran): Assyrian Printing Presses in Iran
5. Ms. Naures Atoo (Leiden, Holland): Perceptions of Identity among Suryoyo and Surai Academicians in the European Diaspora
6. Mr. Edward Badalov (Moscow, Russia): Assyrian Literature in the Soviet Bibliography

13:00 – 14:00 Coffee Break
14.00 – 17.00 Session II

Co-chairment of the second session – Dr. Norman Solhkhah & Dr. S.G. Osipov

Co-chairmen: Dr. Norman Solhkhah & Dr. S.G. Osipov

1. Dr. Norman Solhkhah (Chicago, U.S.): Under Watch – Full Eyes of the Coalition Troops.
2. Mr. Aprim Shapera (London, England): Fallcies in the Assyrian History.
3. Dr. Sargis Osopov (Moscow, RUSSIA): The Assyrian History – False Dogmas and Majestic Truth.
4. Mr. Walter Veniaminov (Novorossiisk, Russia): Overall Description of Written Manuscripts on Legislation of Ancient Mesopotamia.
5. Ms. Leena Yakubova (Erevan, Armenia): Assyrians and Armenians. A History of Relationship and Interference in the Course of Centuries.
6. Dr. Daniel Sarkisov (Tbilisi, Georgia): The Role of Churches in the Assyrian History Formation
7. Mr. Arsen SAVVA (Kazan, Russia): Development of the Assyrian Historiography during Political Evolution in Russia (19th through 21st century).
Saturday, June 28, 2003

10.00 – 13.00 Future of Iraq (The Round Table)
14.00 – 17.00 Meeting of the Assyrian Representatives from Commonwealth of Independent States.

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MODERN ASSYRIANS: HISTORICAL AND LINGUISTIC SOURCES OF DIVERSITIES

The 2nd World Assyrian Conference has completed its work in Moscow. Representatives from the Assyrian communities of Russia, USA, Sweden, Holland, Armenia, Georgia reported at the conference. Also two reports sent to the Conference by Mr. Hannibal Gevargiz (Iran) and Mr. Aprim Shapera (Great Britain) who could not attend the conference were read to the audience. The Proceedings of the Conference will be published in the near future.

The questions raised at this conference may seem as merely having theoretical and academic significance, but they are of great practical interest. Numerous problems, impossible to solve by means of political or social methods, face modern Assyrian historiography and modern comprehension of Assyrian linguistics.

A dominant problem today is achieving unity. Without solving this problem all other goals and ideas are unattainable. To preserve the nation, national origins, and to strive for the revival of our national heritage even in the form of autonomy –can be accomplished only by means of uniting all remaining fragments of once powerful nation.

We are confronted with unprecedented resistance concerning exactly the problem of uniting the nation and we see that no arguments can lead to any consensus. Each fragment seeks its own way of self-identification and tries to convince the others of its special solemnity, of its ethnic and confessional primordial status. Naturally a question arises: how to extirpate this estrangement and convince everyone of the unity of their nature and in their community?

I believe that science has a priority in this issue, as only scientific method will give an opportunity to find the origins of this estrangement and prove arguments in favor of the nation’s unity, the arguments based on objective historical data. But again, it’s quite natural, that nobody but we will solve these problems.

We all know well enough how subjectively Assyria’s history is interpreted and occasionally in diametrically different ways depending on the interests of this or that historiography schools or even on tastes and wishes of this or that historian. But the most important fact is that against this background national historiography is completely lacking, the point how the Assyrian nation itself sees its history. Even if this vision be a subjective one. Out of all the books I know I can name only one source – a small book by Rabi Benjamin Arsanis “The Fall of the Assyrian State”, in which he manages to bring to the forefront all those positive things that allow considering ancient Assyria the cradle of civilization.

If we can define these priorities and examine the whole path of the Assyrian nation after the fall of the Empire, especially from the moment of adopting Christianity and appearance of ethno-confessional groups as a result of intra-church conflicts aimed at the struggle for power, we will establish a firm basis in order to eliminate false discordant arguments and to unite scattered fragments of the nation.

Ms. Naures Atto from Leiden, Holland discussed perceptions of identity among academicians in Europe

A similar situation has developed in the Assyrian linguistics. In addition to a natural division of the Aramaic language into eastern and western branches, both these branches have many dialects. One cannot help considering the regularities, which lead to the formation of a modern language. But again, our task is to define these regularities and find optimal ways for forming a common literary language and perfection of the deep-rooted dialects. Will a literary language be formed only on the basis of Classical Syriac, the so called “lishana atiqa” or only on the basis of a modern “lishana svadaya”? It is unlikely.

Most probably details of both languages will become the basis of it, as many classical roots have been lost once and for all, and are not found in any of the modern dialects. And on the other hand, a number of neologisms in the modern language have increased so much that it’s simply impossible to reject them basing only on the classical language.

Modern terminology is also necessary for correct correlation with principal languages of the modern world. It should be considered in order to make translation from Assyrian and into Assyrian full-fledged to the maximum and proper in a semantic sense.

Thus, reasoning from the above said, we considered that in today’s situation which is extremely important for our nation, solution of the issues concerning national historiography and linguistics could have great practical significance. If we solve this problem we will have a real hope in changing the situation fundamentally.

But, first of all, we hoped for the concernment of our specialists in the sphere of history and language. Unfortunately we haven’t received the expected interest and activity. It seems to me that most of them consider this work as a kind of a hobby or as dilettanti’s game, which is of no interest for professionals. But the importance of this work for the future of our nation is not taken into consideration. Alas, it is one more sign of assimilation and destruction of national consciousness.

The quicker we define priorities promoting national unification, the greater confidence in the future and hope for the achievement of an unrealizable dream for the time being – revival of our state – we will have.

Establishment of CANO-CIS

After completion of the conference a general meeting of the representatives from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was held. The Confederation of the Assyrian National Organizations of CIS was established at this meeting. Associations of the Assyrians from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and some regions of Russia – Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tatarstan, Krasnodar and Novorossyisk became members of the Confederation.

At the first meeting of the ‘Confederation’ the following statement was drafted: the Confederation of the Assyrian National Organizations of CIS manifests its full support of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa) and its titanic efforts aimed at the defense of the Assyrian nation’s interests in a new free Iraq. The Confederation calls upon the entire Assyrian nation to support Zowaa’s efforts in every way and express solidarity with it. The Confederation considers it necessary to declare that the compromises to which Zowaa agreed are necessary and well-taken at the modern stage. The Confederation representing the interests of the Assyrian nation of CIS considers its supreme and vital task to be of support to our brothers in Iraq in order to achieve the main national goal – establishing Assyrian Autonomy in a new federative Iraq.

Igor Kolomiets
Russia