With the Killing of the Chaldean Archbishop, Momentum is on our
Side
By: Ashur Sada. Mar. 14, 2008
You know the situation is bad enough for our people in Iraq, when the terrorists
can easily kill the Chaldean Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho and burry him in
dirt. This despite the world pressure and outcry for his immediate and
unconditional release. But it is the terrorists we are dealing with here,
who have no logic or any sense of rational thinking. Following his death, the
whole world has been put on notice, and not just in Iraq. Almost every popular
channel and media outlet has talked about this horrible crime against a man of
his holiness and status. It seems like this is what was needed to wake some
people up to the reality in Iraq and what our Assyrian people and Christians in
general face. As sad and as sombre the mood is, this is an opportunity for us
to bring about some changes. It is a moment when the world is looking at us, and
we need to make sure they are looking for long enough and not just for a few
days. Momentum is on our side, much like it was with the United States following
the September 11 attacks, and we have to exploit it to our advantage.
First, Recognize we are in Danger
First, others have to recognize that Assyrians and Christians in Iraq face a
real danger. Sure, it is not only us who are facing this danger, as violence in
Iraq is faced by all groups. But given our relative small numbers, and inability
to defend ourselves, we are in a greater danger than all other groups. These
terrorists groups have made it clear in many occasions, that they don't want us there.
They want us out of the land which we were the first to ever live on, out of all
other people in Iraq. This is a crazy call, and no one should accept it. Even
the UN should recognize this grave danger and issue some public call for the
safe protection of the Assyrian-Christian minority in Iraq. With all due respect
to other groups that call Iraq home, Iraq would be nothing more than a desert
without us: we are the salt in an otherwise tasteless place. We are the color in
an otherwise black and white place. In short, our place in Iraq is of vital
human and biblical importance, the whole world need to recognize that we are in
danger and need some serious attention and protection.
World And Iraqi Action
Once the world and the Iraqi public has recognized that we are in a real danger,
serious action is needed immediately after. What action be taken? first, a real
look has to be taken for our various proposals for the Nineveh Plain, and how
important it is for us to be able to administer it ourselves and be able to have
our own security forces in the area. The Nineveh Plains area is not a sudden
magic solution in a place as violent as Iraq. But it can help in the long term:
our people will finally have a place they can truly and comfortably call home.
World powers, most importantly those with an important role in Iraq, need to
start paying more attention to the plight of the helpless Christians who have
been a target for close to 5 years now. Hundreds of thousands have fled the
country, and thousands more have been directly effected by the violence. When
will this stop? and isn't it time that the world reacted? What about the Iraqi
government itself? while it has done its job of lip service, no real action has
been taken yet. The only credit to them, when you can't see the enemy, there is
not much you can do. Having said that, it is about time that the Iraqi
government doubled and even tripled its efforts to save us from this danger and
made us one of its priorities. The Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa) has
already called for such an action plan from the Iraqi government.
Chance for National Unity
What about us? the real people effected by this. Both in the Diaspora and those
living in Iraq and facing the real danger. Does it take a tragedy of this
magnitude for us to come and unite? it was so nice to watch the few Assyrian
satellite channels that we have, and seeing us agree on the same thing finally.
This is a golden opportunity to mobilize ourselves and unite in one direction.
We are a people who forget too fast. Let us make sure we come up with some real
solutions and answers before this tragedy has become something of the distant
past. Otherwise, it won't be too long before another takes place. Sure we
need all the help and protection that the world can offer, but it all starts
with us. If we are not united and together as one to begin with, nothing else
will matter. Let us come together, march together, protest together and let the
world know that the Assyrian nation, with all its different political and
religious ideologies, is one and the same at the end of the day.
When the terrorists struck the United States on September 11, the US used that
great tragedy to their advantage. They had a great momentum going on for them,
using it to unite and mobilize the people and bring the entire world on their
side; even Iran paid tribute to those killed in these terrorists attacks. We
need to do the same. We need to mobilize our people, raise awareness, and unite
as one. And it wouldn't matter if we were a little more assertive in our
actions, and less peaceful in our demands. It is human nature, attention can
only be obtained when the matter is serious enough. May you rest in peace your
holiness Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho. And may your violent passing be a
reminder of what Jesus had warned us against two thousand years ago. It is
time for Unity. It is time for action.
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