<\/SPAN><\/SPAN>?<\/P> President George W. Bush<\/SPAN><\/P> The White House<\/SPAN><\/P> 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.<\/SPAN><\/P> Washington, D.C.? 20500<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> 7 February 2005<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Mr. President:<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> We are writing to express our concern for the future of Christians, <\/SPAN>Mandaeans, Yezidis and other non-Muslim minorities in Iraq.? There are three critical actions that you can take to help guarantee their survival as a community in Iraq:<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> ? <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>?<\/P> Assyrian, Chaldean, Syriac Christians of Iraq, called ChaldoAssyrian under the Temporary Administrative Law, now comprise only between 5 and 10% of the population although they are the indigenous people of Iraq.? Religious\/ethnic discrimination and persecution over the last half-century have driven one-half of their population into diaspora.? Over 80% of all Iraqis living in the United States today are Christian.? ChaldoAssyrians have been targeted by Islamic fundamentalist militias and insurgent forces that use kidnappings, assassinations, murders of little children, and the bombing of churches in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Mosul.? <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>?<\/P> ChaldoAssyrians are also being persecuted and displaced in Iraq due to active and passive policies of Kurdish administrative authorities, resulting in encroachment on their lands, not allowing them to return to villages or rebuild churches and schools.? These acts intimidate the Christian community, leaving them with few alternatives but to flee their indigenous homeland in Iraq<\/SPAN>.? <\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> During the past six months an estimated 40,000 Christians are reported to have fled to Syria and Jordan.? Other non-Muslims, such as the Yezidis and Sabean Mandaeans, have experienced similar pressures. Thousands have left Iraq to Jordan and Syria fearing for their lives.<\/SPAN><\/P> ??????? <\/SPAN><\/P> In order to prevent a mass exodus that would destroy an indigenous population, detrimentally affect the preservation of diversity in the Middle East, and, critically, deprive Iraq of an educated and forward-thinking skilled and professional class, the United States do all in its power to guarantee the welfare of Iraq?s ChaldoAssyrian community and other non-Muslim minorities.? These communities are strong allies for the promotion of democratic ideals and moderation.? <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>?<\/P> With reports of tens of thousands of ChaldoAssyrians, fleeing Iraq in terror, there now exists the real possibility of the permanent loss of the indigenous ChaldoAssyrian people in Iraq for the first time in their 6700 year continuous existence. ? Mandaeans and Yezidis also face extinction.? The final litmus test for the new Iraqi government and the international community?s genuine commitment to pluralism and democracy remains the preservation of ChaldoAssyrians, Mandaeans and Yezidi, the indigenous people of Iraq, as well as other existing non-Muslim minorities in Iraq.<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Respectfully,<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> The Rev. Dr. Keith Roderick<\/SPAN><\/P> Secretary General<\/SPAN><\/P> Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Cc:? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Sabri Alkan<\/SPAN><\/P> Assyrian Democratic Organization Europe<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Simon Barmano<\/SPAN><\/P> Assyrian Federation of Sweden<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN><\/SPAN>?<\/P> Gary L. Bauer<\/SPAN><\/P> President<\/SPAN><\/P> American Values<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Charbel Barakat<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> World Lebanese Organization (WLO)<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Ann J. Buwalda, Esq.<\/SPAN><\/P> Director<\/SPAN><\/P> Jubilee Campaign USA<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Rich Cizik<\/SPAN> National Association of Evangelicals<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Narsai M. David, President<\/SPAN><\/P> Assyrian Aid Society of America<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Sait Demir<\/SPAN><\/P> Zentralverband der Assyryischen Vereinigungen in Deutschland <\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Dr. John Eibner<\/SPAN><\/P> Executive Director <\/SPAN><\/P> Christian Solidarity International ?USA<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Juliette M. Engel, M.D.<\/SPAN><\/P> Mira Med Institute<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Deborah Fikes<\/SPAN><\/P> Director \/Ministerial Alliance<\/SPAN><\/P> Midland, Texas <\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Joseph K. Grieboski<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> President<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> Institute on Religion and Public Policy<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Tom Harb<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> Chairman<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> American Maronite Union<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Donna M. Hughes, Ph.D.<\/SPAN><\/P> Professor and Carlson Endowed Chair<\/SPAN><\/P> University of Rhode Island<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Sheikh Sami al Khoury<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> President<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> World Maronite Union<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Sheba Mando<\/SPAN><\/P> Assyrian National Council of Illinois<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> John C. Michael, MD, <\/SPAN><\/P> President<\/SPAN><\/P> Assyrian Academic Society<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Faith J. H. McDonnell<\/SPAN><\/P> Director, Religious Liberty Programs<\/SPAN><\/P> Institute on Religion & Democracy<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> William J Murray<\/SPAN><\/P> Chairman<\/SPAN><\/P> Religious Freedom Coalition<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Dr. Suhaib Nashi <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Yakdan Nissan<\/SPAN><\/P> Assyrian Democratic Organization USA and Canada<\/SPAN><\/P> <\/SPAN>?<\/P> Professor Walid Phares, <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P>
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Vice President for Governmental Affairs<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P>
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General Secretary
Mandaean Society of America<\/SPAN><\/P>
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