The family
who are well known Assyrian Christians had been threatened. While the family was
out terrorists entered and shot the two Children at point blank range.

 `We are
doing our best to get out to the world the simple message that the Assyrian
Christians who are the indigenous people of Iraq are being intimidated,
threatened and killed simply because they are Christians. The world must not
stand by and watch. The last time this happened during the Assyrian Genocide
nearly 2/3rds of our population were killed` says Amir George from Baghdad.

 `We appeal
to the world to help us at this critical time so that we can attain autonomy in
our homeland as guaranteed in article 53 of the new Iraqi Constitution as the
only way to for us to survive. We urgently need help in moving back to our
villages from where we were forcibly uprooted by Saddam.` he continues.

 The
European Union in a recent report concluded that aid and infrastructure
assistance was not getting to the Assyrian Christian community in Iraq in spite
of massive amounts of support being distributed throughout the country.

 MEP Albert
Jan Maat believes elements of `religious favoritism` as the reason for help not
getting to the Assyrian community in Iraq. `International. aid is mainly
distributed through regional and therefore moslem leaders and seldom or never
reaches the Assyrians.` he said.

 As reports
of Assyrian Christians leaving Iraq in desperation increase,  efforts are
underway by various organizations to try and stem the tide including an Assyrian
Security Network to help provide Security to this most vulnerable community. The
Assyrian Assistance Center is working with the authorities on getting funding
and implementation for the project which will provide a 24 hour hotline for the
Assyrian Christians of Iraq to encourage them to stay and to return to their
villages.

 `It is our
prayer that cases like Raneed and Raphid will be able to be prevented if we can
get the ASN online. This will allow us to mobilize help from within our own
community in conjunction with local authorities when there is danger. We feel
this will greatly encourage the Assyrian Christians to stay in Iraq and those
living overseas to return.` commented Assyrian Assistance Center staff member
Gewargis Odishu.

 Prime
Minister Alawi of Iraq through his official spokesman encouraged the community
to stay in Iraq and those living overseas to return. `The Assyrians are Iraq`s
original people. We will do all we can to help them and let them know that as
all Iraqis they have a future in the new Iraq.` he said.

 The
community is calling on the US and EU help for their security needs,
for assistance in resettling the estimated 100,000 who were forcibly taken from
their homes during Saddam Husseins time and for autonomy in their homeland.

http://www.assyrianchristians.com/commentary_massacre_july_11_04.htm

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