Assyrian Youth in Switzerland Light Candles for Assyrians in Iraq

     

Lurzen(Switzerland) – AINA —  More than 30 Assyrian youth gathered for a candlelight vigil in support of the Assyrians of Iraq. The vigil was part of a youth education camp organized by the Assyrian Youth Federation of Germany.

Ms. Attiya Gamri, a member of the Dutch Parliament, lead a prayer for the Assyrians who were killed in the Turkish genocide in World War One (called Safyo in Assyrian) and all the Assyrians who are being killed in Iraq today, which she likened to the beginnings of the Turkish genocide.

Muslim groups, mainly affiliated to al-Qaeda but also Shiites of Muqtada al-Sadr, have moved into Assyrian neighborhoods in Baghdad and begun imposing Shari’a (Islamic law) on Assyrians (AINA 6-4-2007). Shari’a demands that Christians pay the jizya, the poll tax demanded by the Koran which all Christians and Jews must pay in exchange for being allowed to live and practice their faith as well as being entitled to ‘Muslim protection’ from outside aggression.

Al-Qaeda has also demanded that females be surrendered to mosques so that they can be married off to Muslims. Meanwhile, Shiite forces loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr have ordered Christian women to veil themselves or face dire consequences (AINA 5-30-2007).

In a speech to the youth, Ms. Gamri explained the needs of the Assyrians in Iraq. The Assyrians in the northern province of Nineveh, she said, must be able to decide their own future and need their own police and militia to protect them. At this moment nobody is protecting them, she said.

Candles were continually lit during the 3 days of the education camp. Ms. Gamri asked one of girls to give a lit candle to G. Giro, the president of Assyrian Youth Federation of Germany, to bring to other youth education camps in Europe, as a symbol of hope and unity between the Assyrians in the Diaspora and in the homelands. “Their future is ours and our future is theirs”, said 19 year old Rachel.