{"id":210,"date":"2005-02-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2005-02-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2010-10-01T20:26:49","modified_gmt":"2010-10-01T20:26:49","slug":"official-letter-to-australian-prime-minister-john-howard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/official-letter-to-australian-prime-minister-john-howard\/","title":{"rendered":"Official Letter to australian Prime Minister John Howard"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 216pt\" align=right><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>The ChaldoAssyrianSyriac Nation<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 216pt\" align=right><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>(election group) <\/SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags\" \/><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Australia<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 216pt\" align=right><st1:address><FONT face=verdana><st1:Street><SPAN lang=EN-AU>PO Box<\/SPAN><\/st1:Street><SPAN lang=EN-AU> 344<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/st1:address><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 216pt\" align=right><FONT face=verdana><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Fairfield<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-AU> 2165<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 216pt\" align=right><st1:place><FONT face=verdana><st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Sydney<\/SPAN><\/st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Australia<\/SPAN><\/st1:country-region><\/FONT><\/st1:place><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = \"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office\" \/><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>The Honourable John Howard<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=IT style=\"mso-ansi-language: IT\"><FONT face=verdana>Prime Minister<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=IT style=\"mso-ansi-language: IT\"><FONT face=verdana>Australia<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=IT style=\"mso-ansi-language: IT\"><FONT face=verdana>PO Box 336<o:p><\/o:p><\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>Gladesville, NSW 2111<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>Dear Sir<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>We, the ChaldoAssyrian community of <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Australia<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, would like to voice our concern regarding the recent election in <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, which has prematurely been hailed as a resounding success in bringing democracy to <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>. In this regard we would like to highlight the exclusion of an electorate of nearly 200,000 voters in the Nineveh Plains in <\/SPAN><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Northern Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, and the questionable voting processes which led to this exclusion. We maintain that the omission of this electorate was a deliberate act.<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>The Iraqi elections have thus disenfranchised the ChaldoAssyrian community. Hundreds of thousands of ChaldoAssyrians were deliberately blocked from exercising their democratic privilege to vote and, hence to secure recognition and representation in the new democratic Iraqi government.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoBodyText style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left\" align=left><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>As the indigenous population of <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, ChaldoAssyrians have suffered persecution, oppression and repeated attempts at genocide in its various forms. The ChaldoAssyrians comprise approximately 5% of the total Iraqi population, a large proportion of whom reside in the northern towns that were prevented from taking part in the election. Their prevention from voting and being represented in the new democratic government amounts to political genocide. It denies them representation, recognition and rights as citizens of <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> in the new constitution.<SPAN style=\"mso-spacerun: yes\">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Mr Stephen Pound MP in his address to the Parliament of the <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>United Kingdom<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> in December 2004 stressed that unlike the Kurds and the Arabs in <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, the ChaldoAssyrians are highly vulnerable and under siege. There is a real and genuine possibility that this community in <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> will be reduced to a tiny remnant.<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) is the official body responsible for ensuring the prompt delivery of ballot papers, boxes and voting materials to all polling stations throughout the country.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>We maintain that the IECI have failed in their fundamental duty and function to act independently and without bias in ensuring that all Iraqi citizens are equally afforded the opportunity to vote. We also maintain that in addition to the omission of the ChaldoAssyrian electorate, the outcome of the election is further undermined by irregularities including massive scale stacking, registration of ineligible voters and more importantly the failure to deliver ballot boxes and materials to various voting centres.<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Due to the unreliable conduct of the IECI, we reject the findings of their subsequent investigation of this issue. We hold that the exclusion of the ChaldoAssyrian community was deliberate and call upon the <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>US<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> and Australian Governments to conduct an independent investigation into the alleged voting irregularities. <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>From the outset, the governments of <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Australia<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>, the <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>United States<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> and the <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>United Kingdom<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> have stressed their commitment to establishing a true democracy in <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>. In keeping with this commitment, we respectfully ask that you take the necessary steps to rectify this situation and ensure that the ChaldoAssyrian population of <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU> are finally afforded political recognition, security and rights as citizens of <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Iraq<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><SPAN lang=EN-AU>.<\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><o:p><FONT face=verdana>&nbsp;<\/FONT><\/o:p><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><SPAN lang=EN-AU><FONT face=verdana>Yours Sincerely<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/P><br \/>\n<P class=MsoNormal style=\"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt\"><FONT face=verdana><SPAN lang=EN-AU>The ChaldoAssyrianSyriac Nation (election group) in <\/SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-AU>Australia<\/SPAN><\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region><\/FONT><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The ChaldoAssyrianSyriac Nation (election group) Australia PO Box 344 Fairfield 2165 Sydney, Australia &nbsp; The Honourable John Howard Prime Minister Australia PO Box 336 Gladesville, NSW 2111 &nbsp; Dear Sir We, the ChaldoAssyrian community of Australia, would like to voice our concern regarding the recent election in Iraq, which has prematurely been hailed as a &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","","category-assyrian-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ado-world.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}