Author: Felekian Ara

ARMENIAN LEADER IMPRESSED BY PUTIN’S RAPID RESPONSE PHONE CALLS

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
20 Aug 04

Sochi, 20 August: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan is pleased with
his talks with his Russian counterpart and particularly with the speed
and efficiency with which decisions were taken.

“During the talks, Vladimir Putin made operational telephone calls to
his ministers and issued instructions,” Kocharyan said. “I think this
prompt style is very effective,” the Armenian president said.

For his part, Vladimir Putin confirmed that he had telephoned Prime
Minister (Mikhail) Fradkov, Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin and
Transport Minister Igor Levitin during the talks. “It was possible to
do so,” Putin said with a smile. “Bearing in mind the opportunities
created here not just for the press but for presidents too,” he said
by way of clarification, casting his eye over the new press centre
opened at his Bocharov Ruchey residence this month.

RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 19 2004

AZERBAIJAN DEFERS TO NATO ON ENTRANCE QUESTIONS

MOSCOW, August 19 (RIA Novosti) – Questions concerning Azerbaijan’s
entry into NATO should be addressed to NATO member-countries, Foreign
Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov said at a press conference in
Moscow.

“I am always asked whether Azerbaijan wants to enter NATO,” he said.
“But this question should be addressed to NATO member-countries.”

The minister said that it was naive to talk about the possibility of
creating NATO military bases in Azerbaijan.

“It is very naive to think that bases can appear overnight,” he said.
He reminded the audience of the difficulties in coordinating all the
issues related to deploying military bases and that the issue
required a parliamentary decision.

Touching on military and technical cooperation with Russia, he said
that this topic was discussed at his negotiations with Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday.

The minister said that Azerbaijan was cooperating with Russia in the
military and technical sphere and that Azerbaijan leased the
Gabalinskaya Radar to Russia. He also said that the two defense
ministries maintained exchanges.

Baku believes that Russia should increase its participation in
resolution of the Karabakh conflict “on the basis of the norms of
international laws.”

“We expect a significant statement from the cochairmen of the Minsk
OSCE Group in the settlement of the conflict,” the minister pointed
out.

He underscored the firmness of the principle of territorial
integrity. “Other questions, such as self-determination, can be
discussed,” Mr. Mamedyarov added.

He also said that Azerbaijan “does not believe in the idea of ‘frozen
conflicts’.” The minister reiterated the position of Azerbaijan: the
conflict should be resolved peacefully.

Assa-Irada
Aug 13 2004

US Defense Secretary avoids question on Upper Garabagh

BAKU

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld held a press conference at the
Heydar Aliyev Airport of Baku prior to leaving Azerbaijan.
Rumsfeld said that in his meetings with President Ilham Aliyev and
Defense Minister Safar Abiyev he thanked the Azerbaijani people for
the contribution to anti-terror operations.
Touching upon the details of the talks held in Baku, the US Defense
Secretary said issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed.
He said the US cooperation with Azerbaijan in this area promotes the
tranquility in the Caspian region, fighting international terrorism,
smuggle of goods, transit of narcotics, and weapons of mass
destruction.
`The American people appreciate Azerbaijan’s efforts at fighting
terrorism globally and our military cooperation will continue’,
Rumsfeld said. He noted that he did not discuss with President Aliyev
the issue of expanding the contingent of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in
Iraq an Afghanistan.
Rumsfeld added that the USA was in talks with its allies on the
upcoming presidential election in Iraq and that he discussed the
issue with Azerbaijani government officials.
He avoided a question on whether the US could step up assistance in
settling the Upper Garabagh conflict and make changes to its policy
in this respect.
`As you know, the United States supports the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. Washington’, Rumsfeld said and added that Washington was
involved in the Minsk Group.
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev who attended the news
conference called on the United States to demand that Armenia
withdraw from the occupied land of Azerbaijan.
Touching upon the involvement of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Iraq,
Abiyev said this was a political issue and that he would be able to
address it after a political decision is made.
With regard to Iran’s nuclear program, Rumsfeld said it represents a
threat for the neighboring countries.
Referring to the recent visit by the Iranian President Khatami to
Baku, the US Defense Secretary said he discussed the issue with
President Ilham Aliyev.*

Assa-Irada
Aug 13 2004

Parliament to discuss Garabagh conflict in fall

BAKU

A group of Azerbaijani parliament members has proposed to discuss the
Upper Garabagh conflict in the fall session of the Milli Majlis
(parliament).
Leader of the Party of Civil Solidarity, MP Sabir Rustamkhanli
supported the proposal despite the fact the Milli Majlis leadership
said this was not appropriate amidst ongoing peace talks.
Rustamkhanli told `525′ newspaper that the Garabagh problem, with
`its acute nature’, will be put on the parliament agenda in the fall
as an `all-national problem’ that requires joining effort by all the
layers of the Azerbaijani public.*

McLean Connection, VA
Aug 12 2004

Building Connections Between Virginia and Armenia
McLean resident is nominated to the state’s Commission on Armenia.

Sandra Adelstein

A tradition exists among Armenians that they are descended from Noah.
Like the ancient patriarch, Sarkis A. Satian has traveled far from
his origins and has been fortunate in his life’s work. Like Noah, he
has a calling that extends beyond providing for himself and his
immediate family. He is devoting his time, energy and resources to
building a democratic Armenia, a mission he takes seriously and which
he imbues with idealism and pragmatism. His recent nomination to Gov.
Mark Warner’s Commission on Armenia is a means for this Virginian to
exercise his influence in revamping the Armenian economy.
The McLean resident’s story begins with his mother, who was the only
survivor in her family of the 1915 genocidal slaughter of Armenians
by the Turks. Forced to leave the county, she went to Egypt, where
Satian was born and lived until 1962, when he immigrated to the
United States seeking a new life. Five months after arriving, he was
drafted into the Army, and he served for two years as a medic at Fort
Gordon in Georgia and Fort Sam Houston in Texas. After his discharge,
he returned to Virginia working for some years as a civil engineer
and then starting his own business, Satian Enterprises, a
construction company, which he headed until the age of 62, when he
sold the business to his son and retired. Not content in his
retirement, he started a new company called Land Quest, which he said
buys, engineers and sells land to construction companies.
An individualist and an entrepreneur, Satian has admired Thomas
Jefferson since his adolescence, because of Jefferson’s intellect,
patriotic virtues, and his constant striving to create a just society
in which the people’s noblest instincts would be manifest. Satian’s
approach to rebuilding the struggling Armenian nation combines
Jeffersonian idealism with business savvy.
Satian is a member of the Armenian Assembly of Washington. “The
Armenian Assembly of Washington is a 501c3 advocacy organization,
which means that it is nonprofit. Its purpose is to promote Armenian
interests. It is not affiliated with the Armenian government,” said
Satian. The Armenian lobby has become one of the most influential on
Capitol Hill, winning millions of dollars in foreign aid for that
nation. As a member of this organization, Satian is indirectly
involved in the planning of a new Armenian museum to be located in
Washington. As a recent appointee to Gov. Warner’s Commission on
Armenia, Statian said that in his view the primary objective is to
promote business and trade between Virginia and Armenia. According to
Beddros Banbandazian, who is the head of the Governor’s Commission on
Armenian Affairs and a friend of Satian’s, the commission will also
cultivate relationships in the agricultural, technological and a
cultural sectors.
A country the size of Delaware, Armenia gained its independence from
the Soviet Union in 1991. A war with neighboring Azerbaijan and
hostility with Turkey have caused serious economic problems that
resulted in the migration of approximately 1 million people, among
whom are many professionals. Satian says however, that it has the
least oppressive business environment of all of the former republics
of the Soviet Union and a developing high technology base that
generates approximately $50,000,000 a year.
According to Satian, Virginia is an excellent business partner for
Armenia because in addition to its flourishing high technology
industry it is close to Washington and has a port in Norfolk. He
hopes that the relationship will stimulate investment in Armenia,
which will stem the tide of emigrants and create jobs for people. He
thinks that the new relationship will be beneficial for Virginia and
Armenia. A leader in his church, a commission member and a delegate
to the Second Armenian Diaspora Conference, an advisory conference of
Armenians living abroad, Satian says, “I would like to share my
experience of living in the U.S.A. to chart a healthy and prudent
course for our government to take.”
Satian’s daughter, Rosemary Edwards, said of her father, “I have
always been impressed by my father’s desire to achieve. Growing up,
he worked six and sometimes seven days a week, and we were never at
need for anything. Armenia is such a rich country, culturally, and he
has always stuck to his Armenian roots. He wants to give back, and he
has the ability to do it now.”
Surrounded by friends and family, including eight grandchildren, he
said, “I would like to keep myself busy, keep myself active, enjoy
life and give more of my time.”

Azeri party suspends protests over Armenian officers’ visit

Sarq, Baku
13 Aug 04

Text of Xalid’s report by Azerbaijani newspaper Sarq on 13 August
headlined “The PFUAP has given up on its unsanctioned protests” and
subheaded “The pickets have been postponed”

The People’s Front of United Azerbaijan Party the more accurate
rendition of the United People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party has given
up its decision to stage protest actions against the visit of
Armenians to Baku to attend NATO exercises in September . This
decision was made at a session of the party’s steering committee
yesterday.

To recap, the party was to stage an unsanctioned picket outside the
French embassy in Azerbaijan today. Members of the steering committee
decided that this is unacceptable and postponed the actions until 18
August. The party leadership will discuss the issue of protests after
18 August.

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNION OF ARMENIAN CHURCH PARTICIPATES IN CONGRESS
OF WORLD CHRISTIAN STUDENTS UNION

ANTELIAS, August 9 (Noyan Tapan). The congress of the World Christian
Students’ Union entitled “Christians and Islamists and Problems of
Present-Day Life” was held at Dar Al Inaya temple in Sayd on July
22-28. It was initiated by the government of Middle East. Carla
Khijoyan and Vigen Jambulian participated in the congress from the
University Students’ Union of the Armenian Church of the Catholicosate
of the Great Cilician House. According to the press service of the
Great Cilician House, youth arrived from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Sudan
and Palestine participated in the congress. The purpose of the
congress is to unite the Christian and Moslem youth and discuss
problems agitating them, as well as to provide the dialogue and
development of the socio-political life.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 1) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 1) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

August 6, 2004

ACNIS Releases Public and Expert Opinion Results on
Armenia’s National and International Security

Yerevan–The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
today issued the results of both a specialized questionnaire and a public
survey on “Armenia’s National and International Security in the Next
Decade,” which it conducted between July 15 and August 2 in Yerevan and all
of Armenia’s regions. More than 50 experts and 2021 citizens took part in
them. Do the Armenian citizens trust the reliability of their country’s
national security? What are the major military, political, economic, and
social dangers that will threaten Armenia in the next 5 years and to what
extent do state authority bodies take the necessary steps to prevent,
abolish, or control these dangers?

ACNIS director of administration Karapet Kalenchian greeted the invited
guests and public participants with opening remarks. “These deliberations on
national security, together with the public and expert survey preceding
them, aim to present public and professional perceptions of national
security problems and draw the attention of responsible bodies to them,” he
said.

ACNIS legal and political affairs analyst Stepan Safarian presented “The
Results of the Survey,” focusing in detail on the findings of the expert and
public opinion polls. According to the findings, the majority of the
surveyed citizens (45.1%) assert that Armenia’s national security is
partially provided, 27.5% think it is not provided at all, 18.1% feel secure
enough, and 9.1% find it difficult to answer. In the expert opinion poll,
these indices read 24%, 76%, 0%, and 0%, respectively.

27.2% of citizens think that Armenia should first of all strengthen 2its
army’s combatibility in the next 5 years, 43.5% its economic potential,
and 6.8% its democratic potential. As for the expert survey, 58% hold
that democratic potential should be strengthened first of all, 24%
economic potential and only 10% army’s combatibility.

Among the broader public, 3.1% point to the presence of Russian military
bases in Armenia as the major military danger that will threaten Armenia in
the next 5 years, 11.2% the withdrawal of these bases from Armenia, 47.5%
the outbreak of war with Azerbaijan, 2.8% Armenia’s accession to NATO, 7%
Turkey’s military invasion of Armenia, 11.7% civil war, 1.7% possible
military conflict with Georgia. Only 13.6% think there is no military
danger. In the expert opinion poll the corresponding findings are 18%, 4%,
44%, 2%, 8%, 4%, 2%, and 18%.

As for the major political danger that will threaten Armenia in the next 5
years, 21.8% of respondent citizens point to confrontations between
authorities and people, while 30% of experts point to falsification of
election results. Furthermore, 4% of citizens and 24% of experts find danger
in the restriction of Armenia’s sovereignty, 9.8% and 14% in the limitation
of political and civil rights, 11.6% and 0% in a possible attempt of revolt,
6.5 and 6% in political terrorism, 14.2% and 0% in provocation of political
tension by the opposition, and 2.9% and 10% in Armenia’s absence from
regional programs. Only 6.8% and 0% are convinced there is no political
danger.

Both groups of respondents find corruption to be the major economic danger
that will threaten Armenia in the next 5 years (41% and 42%). 11.2% and 12%
think it is foreign debt, 19.8% and 14% financial economic crisis, 5.5% and
10% the maintenance of Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s economic blockade on
Armenia, and 11.6% and 8% plunder of foreign loans provided for the state.
22.8% of citizens and 12% of experts cite emigration to be the major social
danger, 19.3% and 6% poverty, 23.8% and 0% unemployment, 13.4% and 34%
illegality, 8.9% and 30% immorality, and 2.2% and 12% reduction of birth rat
e. 1.4% and 0% of respondent citizens and experts, respectively, suggest
that there is no social danger.

In response to the question, “To what extent do state authority bodies take
the necessary steps to prevent, abolish, or control these dangers?,” 2.6% of
citizens and 0% of experts think fully, 41.2% and 12% partially, 48.8% and
88% not at all, and 6.9% and 0% find it difficult to answer. The majority of
citizens (76.9%) think that from the viewpoint of security, Armenia’s
relations should be developed with Russia, whereas experts (88%) choose the
European Union. As for the United States, the figures are 35.6% and 76%, for
Iran 31.9% and 48%, and for Turkey 16% and 64%. 49% of respondent citizens
and 52% of specialists think that Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia should be
in a united system of security, 26.2% and 30% think they should not, and
23.9% and 18% find it difficult to answer. 42.8% of citizens and 64% of
experts have positive attitudes toward opening the Armenian-Turkish border,
34.8% and 24% have negative attitudes, and 21.3% and 12% find it difficult
to answer.

In regards to foreign military presence, 46.9% of citizens are convinced
that only Russian military bases should be in Armenia in the next decade,
while 40% of respondent specialists think Russian and NATO military bases
should. In contrast, 20.8% and 0% think military bases of Russia and CIS
member-states should be in Armenia, and 2.5% and 12% only NATO military
bases together. 13.2% of citizens and 30% of experts are for the withdrawal
of all foreign military bases from Armenia.

The second item on the day’s agenda was a presentation by Stepan Safarian,
who addressed the causes of the sometimes differing, sometimes similar
polling numbers of the experts and the citizens. “We may deduce from the
results that citizens are more interested in and affected by internal
issues, while experts are more concerned with external problems,” he
emphasized.

The formal presentations were followed by contributions by former minister
of state Vahan Shirkhanian; Edward Antinian of the Liberal Progressive
Party; Asbed Kotchikian, post-graduate student from Boston University;
Vahagn Khachatrian of the “Armat” center; Giro Manoyan of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation; Yerevan State University professors Vardan
Khachatrian and Aram Harutiunian; Artashes Ghazakhetsian of Armenia 2020
program; Petros Makeyan of the Democratic Fatherland Party; Tevan Poghosian
of the International Center for Human Development; ACNIS economic and
diaspora affairs analyst Hovsep Khurshudian; Artak Zakarian of the
Republican Party; National Press Club chairperson Narine Mkrtchian; Davit
Petrosian, political analyst for Noyan Tapan news agency; and several
others.

44.5% of the respondent citizens are male and 55.5% female; 7% are 21-30
years of age, 24.1% 31-40, 22.7% 41-50, 34.6% 51-60, 11.6% 60 or above.
42.2% of the citizens surveyed have received a higher education, 8.6%
incomplete higher, 20.9% specialized secondary, 24.6% secondary, and 3.7%
incomplete secondary training. 46.1% are actively employed, 9.5% are
pensioners, 1.4% welfare recipients, and 6.6 students. According to their
income, 44% consider themselves middle class, 32.1% below average, 7.6%
above average, 11.1% poor, 2.6% extremely poor, 0.5% rich, and 1.2%
well-off.

Among the experts, 74% are male and 26% female; 16% are 21-30 years of age,
36% 31-40, 30% 41-50, 18% 51 or above. All the experts surveyed have
received a higher education, 4% are full professors (PhD), 24% candidates of
sciences, 68% hold a Master’s degree, and 4% have earned a Bachelor’s
degree.

Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K.
Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS serves
as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy challenges
facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet world. It also
aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic thinking and a wider
understanding of the new global environment. In 2004, the Center focuses
primarily on public outreach, civic education, and applied research on
critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the nation.

For further information on the Center or the full graphics of the poll
results, call (3741) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (3741) 52-48-46; e-mail
[email protected] or [email protected]; or visit or

Azeri, Armenian sociologists conduct joint opinion poll on peace

Ekho, Baku
30 Jul 04

Text of E. Huseynzada report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 30 July
headlined “95 per cent of Azerbaijani and Armenian citizens want
peace” and subheaded “This is the result of joint opinion poll
conducted in two countries”:

The citizens of Azerbaijan and Armenia are ready for inter-ethnic
peace. The results of the opinion poll that was conducted in the two
conflicting countries testify to this. The absolute majority of
respondents on both sides, 95 per cent, said that they were for peace
when answering the questions.

A press conference was held in Tbilisi to announce the results of the
opinion poll that was conducted by the Millennium Association for
Education and Research from Armenia and the Azerbaijani Sociological
Association. It was said at the press conference that the opinion poll
was conducted in the two countries for two months, and 2,400
respondents took part in the survey. In each country, 1,000
respondents from different towns participated. In addition, there were
200 Armenians who reside on the occupied territories in Karabakh and
200 Azeri internally displaced people from Karabakh among the
respondents.

The project was funded by the US-based American University Centre for
Global Peace. University of Texas Department of Sociology Professor
Jeffrey Halley, representative of the university, noted that he was
very surprised by the fact that the both sides of the conflict have so
many things in common. “When asked whether the re-establishment of
relations between the Azeris and the Armenians was desirable, 97 per
cent of Armenian respondents and 93.2 per cent of Azerbaijani
respondents replied in the affirmative,” Halley said. Meanwhile, the
representative of the American university pointed out the fact that 60
per cent of Armenians stipulate the so-called “independence” of
Nagornyy Karabakh as the main condition for “peace”. The release of
the occupied territory was cited as a top condition for 38 per cent of
the respondents from Azerbaijan, and 31.8 per cent deem the return of
the refugees to their land the main condition as published; in actual
report, 31.8 per cent of the respondents from the internally displaced
persons’ group listed the release of the occupied territory as the
condition for re-establishing relations .

According to Sevil Asadova from the Azerbaijani Sociological
Association, the sum of these two indicators (69.8 per cent) means
that the Azeris support the idea of the liberation of the occupied
Azerbaijani territories as published; the 69.8 per cent figure is not
encountered in the survey .

“The survey showed that 23 per cent of the respondents blame the
conflict on a third party, and 28.2 per cent – on the political elite
of Armenia,” Asadova said. President of the Millennium Rubina
Ter-Martirosyan also confirmed that the majority of the respondents
from Armenia blame the conflict on the “internal” forces, and only 14
per cent – on “external” ones. “In Armenia, 70.2 per cent of the
population obtain information about Azerbaijan mainly from TV, which
presents one-sided information. This situation has to be changed.”
figures in the preceding paragraph not present in the survey results
According to her, the idea of the joint study was conceived in 2000,
when she visited Baku and Sevil Asadova visited Yerevan under the
framework of a conference on problems of women. The researchers were
allocated 40,000 US dollars, which was split equally between the two
countries. The organizers intend to translate their reports into
Armenian and Azeri. Similar events will be held in Baku and Yerevan.
The full version of the reports can be read at
http:

United Press International
August 3, 2004 Tuesday 11:18 AM Eastern Time

Analysis: Attacks defy the Prophet’s wish

By UWE SIEMON-NETTO

GENEVA, Switzerland, Aug. 3 (UPI)

The lethal attacks on five churches in Iraq violated the stated will
of the prophet Mohammed, who in the 7th century issued a “Firman” –
or letter of protection — for Assyrian Christians.

Assyrians make up the majority of the 700,000 Christians in
present-day Iraq. Mohammed was so impressed with their ancestors’
knowledge of medicine and the sciences that he decreed for them to be
left in peace, according to Albert Yelda, formerly the Christian
representative in the leadership of the London-based Iraqi National
Congress.

The Firman disappeared without trace in 1847, Yelda told United Press
International. Assyrians believe that the then-Turkish rulers
destroyed this document before setting out to kill 30,000 Christians.

Joseph Yacoub, a political science professor at the Catholic
University of Lyon, France, fears that the coordinated car bombings
of churches may accomplish what Mohammed had tried to prevent. “There
exists a definite risk that the Christian presence will be reduced to
a level of insignificance,” he told the French newspaper, Le Figaro.

“So far there had just been attacks on Christian individuals,” this
leading expert on Middle Eastern Christianity continued. “But now the
bombers have taken on the entire community. Their message is clear:
This is Muslim territory; it does not belong to you.”

Thus one of the most remarkable set of Christians is once again
threatened with extinction. The Assyrians, of whom there are 1.5
million worldwide, are descendants of one of the oldest civilizations
– Mesopotamia. Almost three millennia ago, they excelled in
astronomy, jurisprudence, the arts, architecture, medicine and the
natural sciences.

Assyrians were the first nation to adopt Christianity as their state
religion in 179 A.D., more than a century before Armenia. They claim
to have been the first to build churches and to translate the New
Testament from Greek into their vernacular – Aramaic, the language of
Christ.

In the 8th century, not long after Mohammed’s death, Assyrians were
the first to send missionaries to China, Mongolia and even Japan.
They were Nestorians, heretics in the eyes of the rest of the church
because they followed the teachings of Nestorius, a 5th-century
bishop of Constantinople who taught that the Virgin Mary was not the
“theodokos,” or mother of God, but simply the mother of Jesus Christ.

This fine point of theology has long ceased to stand in the way of
Christian unity in Iraq. In the 16th century, a major segment of the
Nestorian church united with Rome while retaining its ancient
liturgy. They are now called the Chaldean Church to which most
Assyrian Christians belong.

The remaining Nestorians are on excellent of terms with the
Chaldeans, while maintaining different traditions. Their liturgy is
extremely “high;” yet their incense-filled sanctuaries appear as
stark as synagogues or Reformed churches.

There is no iconostasis – a partition or screen decorated with icons
separating the sanctuary from the rest of the church. There are no
graven images. A simple cross above the altar is the only adornment
of a Nestorian church. Nestorians call their priests “rabi;” like
orthodox Jews they eschew mixed marriages.

While the Assyrians lived in peace for much of the first 11 centuries
since the Muslim conquest of their homeland, martyrdom has been their
fate for the past 150 years.

The massacre of 30,000 Christians in 1847 was succeeded by another in
1896. In 1915 the Turks slaughtered not only over one million
Armenians but also 250,000 Assyrians, a fact seldom mentioned when
the first holocaust of the 20th century is being discussed.

There are still some old men alive in Iraq who were forcible
converted to Islam in their childhood but remained Christians in
their hearts, fasting during Lent and making merry at Christmas,
Easter and Pentecost.

During Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, the Assysians’ persecution was
in a sense more of a cultural than a religious nature. “Tyrants hate
minorities,” said Yelda. Hence Saddam had hundreds of Assyrian
villages razed, including one 2nd-century church. He also banned the
Assyrians’ cultural clubs where they had kept their literary language
alive.

But in Saddam’s days, too, Muslim mobs terrorized Iraqi Christians,
beheading on Aug. 15, 2002 a Chaldean nun, Sister Cecilia Hanna,
whose monastery they had stormed.

Like their cousins, the Jews, Assyrians are now scattered around the
world. Almost 300,000 went to America, primarily the Chicago area.
Others live in Jordan, Australia, France, Germany and the United
Kingdom.

It is with a heavy heart that Pope John Paul II reacted to the news
of the murderous attacks on Iraq’s churches by stressing his
closeness to the marvelous and venerable Christian culture, which is
at the point of oblivion.

The pontiff appealed to those believing in one God to show mercy.
Instead, Iraq’s Christians are being murdered — in the name of that
merciful God.