Assyrian Society of the United Kingdom Demonstration against the disenfranchisement of Christians in Iraq

Press Release ? For Immediate Release ? Assyrian Society of the United Kingdom Demonstration against the disenfranchisement of Christians in Iraq

(London, United Kingdom) – The Assyrian Society of the United Kingdom wishes to announce a demonstration taking place this Sunday, 6th February 2005, at 3pm outside 10 Downing Street to protest against the massive injustice perpetrated against our people in the recent Iraqi elections in our ancestral homeland of Northern Iraq, and in particular in the district of Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire.

Confirmed reports coming from many sources in Northern Iraq have informed us that over 100,000 Assyrians (including Chaldeans and Syriacs) have been prevented from voting due to organisational and administrative mishaps. Thousands of voters were left stranded outside the polling station with no sign of election officials or ballot papers. This injustice must be immediately rectified through any means possible, otherwise the talk and rhetoric of freedom and democracy in Iraq for ALL Iraqis will be merely that, talk and rhetoric. We will be demonstrating on behalf of our people in our homeland, and imploring the government of the United Kingdom to take immediate and necessary measures to make sure that this injustice is rectified.

The Assyrians are the indigenous and homogenous people of the land of Mesopotamia (now made up of modern day Iraq, South Eastern Turkey, North Western Iran and North Eastern Syria) and are a Christian minority living within a Muslim majority. As a result of their cultural and religious diversity, the Assyrians have come to be known throughout the ages by various appellations, such as Chaldeans, Syriacs, Nestorians, and Aramaeans, etc. all names denoting the one and same nation. As a result of their distinct ethnic and religious identity, the Assyrians have been constantly persecuted under various regimes, till the present day, for refusing to denounce these two characteristics. The persecution has escalated in more recent months culminating in churches being bombed as well as members of the clergy being threatened and kidnapped.

Our people in Iraq, together with all other peace-loving Iraqis, have been waiting for this very day where they may freely and without fear of intimidation or persecution cast their votes in a national election. However, it is unfortunate that for whatever motives or reasons, our people in the north of the country have been prevented from doing so. Such a status quo is unacceptable and the Assyrian Society of the United Kingdom, together with all Assyrians in the Diaspora demands that this injustice be rectified as soon as possible. This vote is about nothing other than the survival of the last of the already dwindling number of indigenous Assyrian people. Without representation, Assyrians will not be able to fight for their rights when the legislative assembly draws up Iraq?s new constitution.

All media outlets are invited to attend this demonstration so that the voice of democracy may prevail.