Lest we forget the Plight of The Assyrians

When we hear the word Assyrian, the first thing that comes to mind is a great civilization of a bygone era limited to the confines of a history book. The greatness of Ashurbanipal and other great Assyrian kings are a testament to this. The Assyrian Empire and most of its legacy is long gone but the sons of Assyria continue to live on the land of their forefathers. A question arises in our inquisitive minds ‘Who are the sons of Assyria?’

The Assyrians are the living legacy of the Assyrian Empire. They number approximately 3 million to 4 million in all (although some cite lower figures) and their numbers have fluctuated throughout history. In the present day Assyrian homeland (N.Iraq,Turkey,Syria and some parts of W.Iran)their numbers are thought to be around 1 million to 2 million.

It’s sad to note that they are a minority in their own homeland. Their numbers in Iran and Turkey have been significantly reduced as a result of massacres, the Islamic Revolution and War. The only safe homeland they had was Syria and Iraq. Then came the Iraq war in 2003.

Early successes came for the Americans but slowly violence and lawlessness crept in. People were kidnapped; brutally tortured and religious minorities were targeted. Assyrians who were chiefly Christians were targeted by militant groups. Churches were bombed, liquor shops were forced to shut down, kidnappings and killing caused a huge exodus of Assyrian Christians from the urban areas of Baghdad and Basra to Assyrian ancestral villages in northern Iraq.

Many others were left as refugees fleeing the violence to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. It is estimated that approximately 40% of the Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan are Assyrian Christians.40%! That is almost 8 times more than the national average of Iraqi Assyrians!

Recently, the violence in Iraq has quelled quite dramatically but the violence against Assyrian Christians still continues. Early 2008, the Chaldean Archbishop, Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho was kidnapped and killed by gunmen and his body was buried by the side of the road in a shallow grave.

In October 2008, a spite of killing in Mosul targeting minority Christians sparked an exodus of Christians fleeing to monasteries and ancestral villages in search of peace and safety. Fortunately with the help of Assyrian leaders, the Assyrians were able to organize themselves and form their own militia to protect themselves.

As we see this phenomenon unfold before our eyes the question arises, are we to turn a blind eye to the plight of the Assyrians? Are we willing to let the Seyfo massacre of 1915 to happen again? Are we willing to see more Assyrian blood shed just because they confess Jesus as Lord? Surely not!

So, come take action! Petition for more rights and political representation for this beleaguered minority .Organize demonstrations demanding Assyrian rights and through charitable organizations send much needed aid to displaced Assyrians.

So, come stand up for the Assyrians! You can make a difference! Let me end this article with a beautiful Syriac(Assyrian)hymn written by Mor Ephrem the Syrian.