Enki
Active member
This was a post made on the newly formed website aimed at destroying the Assyrians (http://www.assyriansofkurdistan.com). As much as I hate what is written in it and as much as I hate to see how blatently obvious it is that it has been written by a Kurd to create more division amongst our Iraqi Assryrians and those over seas, I still can't help but agree with his argument 100%. Its sad really, but truth hurts.
Enjoy!
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The Analyst
" Read, then think "
'Chaldeans Assyrians Syrians'
Nenif Matran Hariri
'Chaldeans Assyrians Syrians' are the oldest inhabitants of modern Iraq ; they have a rich history that dates back to the ancient Assyrian Empire but how have they faired so far, in the 'New Iraq '?
In this article I shall refer to them as a single body (CAS), firstly because the new Iraqi Constitution classifies them so and secondly as they are one ethnic group, with a shared history, language, religion and all of whom originate from the same geographical region, Northern Iraq .
CAS have struggled to find their place in the New Iraq and not surprisingly hindered by a shrinking population which now accounts for only 1.2% of the population, 300,000 in Iraq, (Chaldeans 200,000 / Assyrian 20,000 / Syrians 80,000). There are however as much as 500,000 CAS Iraqi passport holders living abroad. What makes it worse is they are thinly spread throughout the country. Unfortunately for them size matters in this New Iraq , historic bravado carries little weight.
CAS had envisaged a return en masse by their overseas brethren to augment and complement their numbers, led of course by seasoned politicians but that never happened, they were left abandoned at their hour of need. Subsequently, the population here dwindled and with it went vital human resources such as unity and financial prowess, essential requisites for nation building.
The repatriation of CAS Overseas would have been the single biggest political asset to aid their cause, had it materialized. Alas, they were far too busy on the Internet, to sweat it out in Iraq . Their monotonous writings, speeches and political demonstrations gained them no influential friends overseas and made zero impact here, where it counts. In fact, their 'wireless wrangling' was a source of 'self-amusement', rather than an organized petition to secure their Nation's destiny.
Unlike Arabs and Kurds, who returned diligently to contribute towards their own ethnic ambitions and established flourishing enterprises to help their communities. The CAS Overseas, on the other hand, didn't even bother to vote in the elections and not a single penny of their donations since 1991 has ever reached the people here.
Unfortunately, they chose to hide behind their computer screens and studio sets, engaging themselves in fairytale politics and pointless historical rhetoric, rather than returning to face the harsh realities of local politics.
They hoisted their National flag on the wrong side of the Globe and refused to even 'visit' the land they claimed. Their magnamanus and self-assured personas cracked and their true identities was revealed, their political punch seemed nothing more than shadow boxing, a game of insults designed to fool their own kind.
The Iraqi CAS whose opinions have the greater effect on Iraqi politics (as opposed to the self-appointed 'Ambassadors' overseas) were largely ignored, left to their own devices and ill-equipped, they found the going tough. Their efforts were not helped by thoughtless, provocative and counter-productive verbal attacks by their overseas cousins on the very people they share their land with, 'the Kurds' (CAS's only real allies in Iraq ). Hindsight should have taught them that 'minorities' need to make friends not enemies, a lesson from their own history.
A further setback for the community was their failure to unite under one National name. A single word with deep historical meaning and geographical significance such as 'Assyrian' would have been a great unifying weapon which they failed to agree on. The slightly ambiguous 'Chaldo-Assyrian' catch phrase never really caught on and was subsequently not used in the permanent constitution. Now, they are burdened with this rather uncompromising and lightweight 'CAS' term.
Some Nationalist CAS Overseas are intent on establishing a self-administered area for Chaldo-Assyrians in the Mosul province, and why shouldn't they, but it's a long shot. The new Iraqi Constitution does not allow it and the local CAS do not posses the quantity, the finance, the expertise, the international backing nor the will and above all the national unity to pull it off. Even if they did, would the overseas CAS be willing to leave their cushy lifestyles to move there? I don't think so, or else they would have already begun their migrative move, had they of course been serious about the matter. Also, who said that the CAS in the Kurdistan Region, (who have been there for centuries) would exchange their lush green mountain resorts for desert dust?
'Geographical unity' is of paramount importance for these people. The 'dreamers' vision overseas is very distant from that of the local 'realists'.
The 'apathetic truancy' and the 'futile efforts' made by the 'hypocritical spokesmen overseas' so far, has meant that the community here has naturally become more conservative and 'Realist' in its outlook. Understandably, they are looking increasingly to their old geographical partners the Kurds and in particular Masoud Barzani's KDP to help secure their future in the Kurdistan Region where more than a hundred of their villages lie and where there joint destiny might well be.
Enjoy!
-------------------------------------------
The Analyst
" Read, then think "
'Chaldeans Assyrians Syrians'
Nenif Matran Hariri
'Chaldeans Assyrians Syrians' are the oldest inhabitants of modern Iraq ; they have a rich history that dates back to the ancient Assyrian Empire but how have they faired so far, in the 'New Iraq '?
In this article I shall refer to them as a single body (CAS), firstly because the new Iraqi Constitution classifies them so and secondly as they are one ethnic group, with a shared history, language, religion and all of whom originate from the same geographical region, Northern Iraq .
CAS have struggled to find their place in the New Iraq and not surprisingly hindered by a shrinking population which now accounts for only 1.2% of the population, 300,000 in Iraq, (Chaldeans 200,000 / Assyrian 20,000 / Syrians 80,000). There are however as much as 500,000 CAS Iraqi passport holders living abroad. What makes it worse is they are thinly spread throughout the country. Unfortunately for them size matters in this New Iraq , historic bravado carries little weight.
CAS had envisaged a return en masse by their overseas brethren to augment and complement their numbers, led of course by seasoned politicians but that never happened, they were left abandoned at their hour of need. Subsequently, the population here dwindled and with it went vital human resources such as unity and financial prowess, essential requisites for nation building.
The repatriation of CAS Overseas would have been the single biggest political asset to aid their cause, had it materialized. Alas, they were far too busy on the Internet, to sweat it out in Iraq . Their monotonous writings, speeches and political demonstrations gained them no influential friends overseas and made zero impact here, where it counts. In fact, their 'wireless wrangling' was a source of 'self-amusement', rather than an organized petition to secure their Nation's destiny.
Unlike Arabs and Kurds, who returned diligently to contribute towards their own ethnic ambitions and established flourishing enterprises to help their communities. The CAS Overseas, on the other hand, didn't even bother to vote in the elections and not a single penny of their donations since 1991 has ever reached the people here.
Unfortunately, they chose to hide behind their computer screens and studio sets, engaging themselves in fairytale politics and pointless historical rhetoric, rather than returning to face the harsh realities of local politics.
They hoisted their National flag on the wrong side of the Globe and refused to even 'visit' the land they claimed. Their magnamanus and self-assured personas cracked and their true identities was revealed, their political punch seemed nothing more than shadow boxing, a game of insults designed to fool their own kind.
The Iraqi CAS whose opinions have the greater effect on Iraqi politics (as opposed to the self-appointed 'Ambassadors' overseas) were largely ignored, left to their own devices and ill-equipped, they found the going tough. Their efforts were not helped by thoughtless, provocative and counter-productive verbal attacks by their overseas cousins on the very people they share their land with, 'the Kurds' (CAS's only real allies in Iraq ). Hindsight should have taught them that 'minorities' need to make friends not enemies, a lesson from their own history.
A further setback for the community was their failure to unite under one National name. A single word with deep historical meaning and geographical significance such as 'Assyrian' would have been a great unifying weapon which they failed to agree on. The slightly ambiguous 'Chaldo-Assyrian' catch phrase never really caught on and was subsequently not used in the permanent constitution. Now, they are burdened with this rather uncompromising and lightweight 'CAS' term.
Some Nationalist CAS Overseas are intent on establishing a self-administered area for Chaldo-Assyrians in the Mosul province, and why shouldn't they, but it's a long shot. The new Iraqi Constitution does not allow it and the local CAS do not posses the quantity, the finance, the expertise, the international backing nor the will and above all the national unity to pull it off. Even if they did, would the overseas CAS be willing to leave their cushy lifestyles to move there? I don't think so, or else they would have already begun their migrative move, had they of course been serious about the matter. Also, who said that the CAS in the Kurdistan Region, (who have been there for centuries) would exchange their lush green mountain resorts for desert dust?
'Geographical unity' is of paramount importance for these people. The 'dreamers' vision overseas is very distant from that of the local 'realists'.
The 'apathetic truancy' and the 'futile efforts' made by the 'hypocritical spokesmen overseas' so far, has meant that the community here has naturally become more conservative and 'Realist' in its outlook. Understandably, they are looking increasingly to their old geographical partners the Kurds and in particular Masoud Barzani's KDP to help secure their future in the Kurdistan Region where more than a hundred of their villages lie and where there joint destiny might well be.
