US Ambassador Ryan Crocker Affirms Significance of Article 125 for Iraqi Minorities
Ambassador Ryan Crocker
Washington : February 19, 2008 – In late 2007 US Ambassador Ryan Crocker affirmed the significance of Art. 125 for Iraq's developing system of federalism, when responding to questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about minorities and their goal for a federal unit in the Nineveh Plain.
Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked about the political viability and response of the Iraqi government to the Art. 125/Nineveh Plain solution for minorities. Sen. Biden prefaced his question to Amb. Crocker stating, “Some Iraqi parliamentarians have called for the creation of an autonomous region in the Nineveh Plains, home to a disproportionate number of Iraqi minorities, including Assyrians, Turkmen and Yazidis.”
Amb. Crocker’s response was clear-cut, writing that, “Some Iraqi parliamentarians and local politicians in Ninawa have called for an autonomous region in Ninawa province, citing Article 125 of the Iraqi Constitution. Iraqi citizens can pursue the creation of a separate administrative region through processes consistent with this article.”
“Senator Joseph Biden’s committee is clearly investigating issues of federalism in Iraq that includes accounting for minorities, specifically Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriacs among others. Amb Ryan Crocker’s affirmation that politicians in Ninawa are trying to advance this agenda is a reflection of their success in profiling this goal”, said ISDP’s Project Director, Michael Youash.
The Iraqi Minorities Council, comprising an array of Iraq’s most vulnerable minorities, chaired by Dr. Hunain Al-Qaddo, is a strong voice for the creation of such a unit. The Assyrian Democratic Movement was the first to champion this idea, but now virtually all other Iraqi-based minority political groups are actively pursuing this agenda.
Through meetings, proposals, and constant communication with relevant government officials, ISDP is working with Iraqi partners promoting the Art. 125/Nineveh Plain solution. ISDP sees clearly that the goal of these minorities is a stronger more integrated Iraq, through federalism. The goal is true decentralization without partition, which the minority peoples overwhelmingly support.
“Some question the Art. 125 solution on the basis of misunderstandings of its significance in relation to Iraq’s developing federal system. Amb. Ryan Crocker’s response puts any doubts to rest. ISDP is working to ensure that senior-most US decision-makers are being equipped to deal with matters most vital to the survival of minorities in their homeland; the establishment of the Nineveh Plain Administrative Unit in accordance with Art. 125 of the Iraqi Constitution is a central part of that mission”, said Youash. Press Relaese
Congress Urge President Bush To Heed Pope's Advice And Protect Iraq's
Chritian Population
As Members of Congress who share the concerns of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the welfare of Iraq's Christian population, we are writing to express our gratitude for your attention to this critical humanitarian issue, and to urge you heed the Pope's urgent advice and devote increased resources toward ensuring the welfare of the endangered Iraqi Christian population. Continue
A Special Assyrian Aid Society Production Narrated In English. Written, Filmed & Edited by Alfred B. Rasho. Click Here To Watch The Video
New Books By Fred Aprim
Assyrian author and historian Fred Aprim has recently launched his new book, "Assyrians:From Bedr Khan to Saddam Hussein" to compliment his previous book, "Assyrians: The Continuous Saga". To read a review of either book or to find out how to order, please click one either one of the above book images.
Dutch Netwerk TV Report from the Nineveh Plains on the Murder & Oppression of Assyrians
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A Living Legend
This eagerly awaited double CD will be available in November 2008. Click here to sample a taste of what's to come.
Incipient Genocide
Report Highlights The Ethnic Cleansing Of Assyrians In Iraq
The Assyrian International News Agency has produced a deeply troubling Genocide report regarding the Assyrian (also known as Chaldean and Syriac) Christians of Iraq. The information compiled in Incipient Genocide: The Ethnic Cleansing of the Assyrians of Iraq portrays a systematic campaign of massacre and destruction of this indigenous population of Iraq. Through intimidation, forced conversions, murder, kidnapping, beheading of Church leaders, rape, and daily threats against their security and lives, the Assyrian Christian population in Baghdad and other major cities has dwindled from a once-thriving community to almost nothing. Those who have fled to Jordan and Syria face governments unwilling to recognize their refugee status (Jordan) and are living in dire poverty. Those who manage to flee to North Iraq face political and ethnic persecution at the hands of Kurdish authorities. For a detailed compilation of the atrocities committed against Assyrians since the fall of Saddam, click here.
In April 2007, Nuri Kino, the top award winning investigative reporter and film maker from Sweden spent six grueling days in Amman, Jordan recording and witnessing the dreadful plight of the Iraqi Christians. "By God - Six Days in Amman" is a grim and sobering report that will surely shed a new light on the truth and reality of what is taking place to the less known and less spoken of victims of the war in Iraq, the Christians.
For additional information or to contact Nuri Kino for interviews, speeches, and television appearances, please click here
Petition To Reinstate His Grace Mar Bawai
As a spiritual and religious member in the Eeta of the Church of the East, I urge you to initiate and support a needed reformation and enlightenment within our humble church starting with the readmission and reinstitution of Mar Bawai Soro. I am deeply concerned about the rampant cases of improper behaviors afflicting certain leaders of our Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. These behaviors and characteristics sparked rumors and gossip among our flock and have tarnished our primal mission of spreading the Gospel (St. Mark 13:10) by example and prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:4-6).
Our late Patriarch His Holiness Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII was attempting to implement an enlightening reformation that was cut prematurely due to his tragic and mysterious assasination. I am asking you to track the footsteps and ideas of your predecessor who was scandalously harassed and belittled, coincidently, by some of the same leaders that are today attacking Mar Bawai Soro. Go to the Petition
British MP
"Politicians must act to save the language of Jesus"
Edward Leigh says that only an Iraqi Christian province can preserve the Assyrian Church. Read his article in the Catholic Herald.
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Learning from past mistakes: Assyrians and the Iraqi Elections 2008
Ninos Warda of the Assyria Council of Europe Urges the European Union to observe Elections in Iraq
In addition to providing electoral assistance in Iraq the EU can also send an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the country. EOMs are specifically important because they ‘do not just serve to assess election days but also observe the whole electoral process as a way of gauging the state of democratic development in a given country at a particular time'. Thus, such a mission could gauge whether an election is genuine by touching upon important issues such as whether the legislative procedures for establishing “ground rules” are transparent and inclusive; whether the election administration is independent, impartial, transparent and accountable; whether the rights to freedom of expression, association, movement and assembly are upheld; whether a timely judicial review and accessible dispute resolution mechanisms are guaranteed; whether rules on campaign financing grant all with reasonable access to campaign funds;Click here to read the paper
Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council of America Successful in Securing US
Government Aid
Jackie Bejan, Executive Director CASCA
(Washington, DC) – Today the U.S. Congress completed action on the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act, sending
the bill to the President’s desk for his signature. For the first time, the bill contained money and policy direction for
administering U.S. Government aid to address the suffering of the Chaldean/Assyrian/Syriac people of Iraq.
Specifically, the bill includes the following language:
“The Appropriations Committees support the use of prior year funds, as proposed by the House, to assist religious
minorities in the Nineveh Plain region of Iraq, and direct that prior to the obligation of funds, the Department of State
consult with ethno-religious minorities and locally-elected representatives to identify Iraq-based non-governmental
organizations to implement these programs.
The Appropriations Committees are concerned about the threat to the existence of Iraq’s most vulnerable minorities,
particularly the Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac Christians, who are confronting ethno-religious cleansing in Iraq. The
Appropriations Committees expect the Department of State and USAID to designate a point person within the
Department to focus, coordinate, and improve U.S. Government efforts to provide for these minorities’ humanitarian,
security, and development needs.” Press Release
US Congress Approves
$10 Million for Religious Minorities
in the Nineveh Plain
Michael Youash Project Director ISDP
The US Congress, through the Appropriations Sub-Committee on State and Foreign Operations, approved an ammendment to request $10 million in aid for internally displaced religious minorities in the Nineveh Plain.The amendment, which was unanimously passed, was introduced by Congressman Kirk (10th district, Illinois) and states:
The Committee is concerned about the plight of religious minorities in Iraq and intends that from within the unobligated amounts provided in previous years under the heading "Economic Support Fund" for Iraq, not less than $10,000,000 should be provided to assist religious minorities in the Nineveh Plain region of Iraq, of which $8,000,000 should be provided for internally-displaced families and $2,000,000 should be provided for microfinance programs.
Click to read the Press Release. To watch the presentation, "creating a promise of tomorrow" by Michael Youash, click here.
New Book Release Look Beyond The Fire
Daily Life Under Saddam's Regime by Mona K. Oshana Tate Publishing
