Mein Volk wird wieder massakriert!

Geschrieben von Gilgamesch am 04. August 2004 15:13:00:

Als Antwort auf: NACHRICHTEN (04.08.2004) (o.T.) geschrieben von Pfadfinder am 04. August 2004 08:15:30:

[Von Johannes in den Nachrichtenthread kopiert]


Geschrieben von Gilgamesch am 04. August 2004 14:47:11:

Von:
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 4. August 2004 09:25:20
An: AINADLRECLOC=1069
Betreff: AINA: [Guest Editorial] -- ChaldoAssyrians Must Govern Themselves

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[Guest Editorial] -- ChaldoAssyrians Must Govern Themselves
8-4-2004, 1:16:34
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By Rev. Ken Joseph

In a long predicted series of attacks, four Assyrian Christian Churches - three
in Baghdad and one in Mosul were bombed on Sunday afternoon just as worshipers
were leaving.

"We have warned and warned that this was going to happen" screamed Assyrian
Christian Amir Warda who asked that his name be protected.

"We have begged for help, from the International Community, we have begged for
protection but nobody would listen. Maybe finally they will realize that what
we have been saying is true." he continued.

The Al Najat Church, the Al Mansour Church and two more Churches were targeted,
and with the timing and number of worshipers present serious death and injuries
are being predicted.

The four bombings follow a long string of bombings of Assyrian Christian owned
businesses, homes - a particularly gruesome killing involved two Children aged 6
and 16 gunned down in cold blood in their home.

Further difficulty happened days ago when the Assyrian Christians were
completely shut out of election preparations for their two most populous areas
in Northern Iraq.

Entitled to a minimum of four seats out of 28 for the upcoming National Congress
to prepare for Iraq Elections, the Assyrian Christians received no seats.

Another individual at the scene who asked not to be named related what happened
immediately after the bombing. "American troops immediately circled the area
and visibly angry soldiers nearly lost control as they watched and attempted to
do all they could to help the worshipers as they struggled out of the Church" he
said.

"They were screaming they were so angry at the people who would bomb a Church as
people were leaving the service. Frankly, I can't repeat some of what they
were saying but it was very clear they were deeply affected by this brutal act."

Another individual involved in the efforts, who to asked that his name not be
used for fear of reprisal put it more succinctly. "Maybe this will finally
alert the public to what the situation is. We call specifically on the US
Congress to attach a rider to the appropriations bill for Iraq. The Assyrian
Community is demanding protection and needs specifically four things -
resettlement to their original villages, repair of the villages destroyed by
Saddam Hussein, autonomy in Assyria as provided by Article 53 of the Iraqi
Constitution and voting rights."

"The only way we can remain in Iraq is if we can have a protected area in our
original homeland. Without this we must tell our people to leave. With all due
respect we do not believe the American people fought a war and liberated Iraq to
have it become a radical Muslim state. It is we - the Assyrian Christians who
love the Americans and will be eternally grateful for what they have done. This
the true feeling of the majority of the Iraqis. Now is the time for the
Americans to help their friends and insist that the Assyrian Christians have an
autonomous area in their homeland so they can live in peace."

Experts predict a continuation of the violence against the Assyrian Christians
until either they leave the country en masse or the Assyrian Regional Government
is set up as provided for in their Iraqi Constitution next to the similar
Kurdish Regional Government, seen by many as the only long term solution for the
estimated 2.5 million Assyrian Christians in Iraq.

Predicting much of what is happening, EU Parliament Member Albert Jaan Maat had
weeks earlier issued a report to the European Union saying "Is the Commission
aware that the Assyrian Christians are systematically excluded from the
distribution of aid by local leaders?"

Maat went on to speak of clear cut religious discrimination saying further
"International aid is mainly distributed through regional and therefore Muslim
leaders and seldom or never reaches the Assyrian Christians." according to
Assyrianchristians.com a website devoted to the Assyrian community worldwide.

Reflecting the widespread lack of assistance to the minority community including
the Assyrian Christians, Yazidis and other non-Muslim communities some view the
whole situation as another example of ethnic cleansing in a more subtle way.

"This is our last cry for help" says Warda "If the world will not listen to us
now then they do not care. Where are the Christians of the world when we need
their voices and help? Why should we have to leave our own homeland where we
were the first people to accept Christianity and where we have practiced our
faith and lived in peace for 2,000 years?"

The bombings are expected to increase as more and more responsbility is handed
over to the interim Iraqi Government and the move toward elections proceeds.

----

Rev. Ken Joseph Jr. was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, where his parents met
following the call of General Douglas McArthur for 10,000 young Americans to
come and help rebuild postwar Japan. An Assyrian, his grandparents escaped
Northern Iraq during the Assyrian Holocaust of 1917 and came to the United
States and settled in Chicago.

Ken graduated from the Christian Academy in Japan and Biola University in La
Mirada, California, with degrees in Intercultural Communications and Mass
Communications, returning to Japan in 1987. A Christian minister, Rev. Ken
Joseph Jr. currently serves as a pastor in Tokyo Japan, is founder and director
of The Japan Helpline, a worldwide 24-hour emergency hotline and relief
assistance organization, and is founder and director of the Japan-based Keikyo
Institute, which studies the historical roots of Christianity in Asia.

He is currently ministering in Baghdad, Iraq.


Copyright (C) 2004, Assyrian International News Agency. All Rights Reserved.




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