"The Assyrian, The Rod of my Anger"
by: Eva Haddad Chapter one talks about the ancient Assyrians whom she refer to as Builders of human civilization. She writes; The origin of the Assyrian people is mentioned in Genesis 10:11 where it is written, Out of Sinar went forth the Assyrian and built Nineveh. (Lamsa). The King James version reads: And out of that land went forth Ashur and builded Nineveh. Ashur was the second son of Shem, the oldest of Noahs sons. According to ancient historical documents, the Assyrian history began with the era of the Assyrian Deluge which took place 4750 years before the nativity of Christ. Chapter two discusses how the Assyrians adopted Christianity and talks about king Abgar and his letter to Jesus. Chapter three is devoted to the battle of Barwari-Bala, and the Iraqis attempt to overtaking it from the Kurds. Then writes about Mar Eshai Shimuns historic visit to Iraq and says;
On April 24, 1970, the Assyrian Patriarch (Mar Eshai Shimun) and his delegation left Beirut on a Government provided Iraqi Airways Airline, arriving in Baghdad at 3:30 p.m.
On May 21, 1970 a day before the Patriarch was to leave Iraq, a decree was issued by the Iraqi government restoring the Patriarchs citizenship.
In addition, the presidential decree restored all churches to the leadership of the Assyrian Church of the East and appointed the Patriarch as the Head of the Assyrian Church and the Assyrian people in Iraq. No. 286. Presidential Decree.
"In accordance with the request of the Minister of Religion, we hereby decree as follows, namely that we appoint Mar Eshai Shimun Patriarch of the Church of the East (Nestorian) Supreme Head of the Assyrian people in the Republic of Iraq. We are also instructing the Minister of Interior and Religion to carry through this decree.
Issued in Baghdad on the day of Revea Al-Awal, 1390 Hijria, which corresponds with 21 May 1970 of the birth (Christian era).
Signed : Ahmed Hassan Al-Bakr" .... there were some signs of Government plans to recruit a Special Assyrian Force to be used against the Kurds in the north - the Patriarchs help was needed in yet another suicidal scheme. There was no official confirmation of this plan to attack the Kurds. The Assyrian Patriarch left Baghdad on May 22, 1970, just one day after he was declared, The Supreme Head of the Assyrian People in Iraq. He made a second visit to Iraq on September 2, 1971.
On September 27, 1971 at precisely 9 a.m., He met with Saddam Hussain, who was at that time serving as the Vice-Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council. After failing to convince the Assyrian Patriarch to stay in Iraq and take over the leadership of the Assyrian people, the Government invited Malik Yacu DMalik Ismail, the leader of the Assyrian Revolution of 1933, to visit the country. Malik Yacu was residing in Canada, when he received the invitation. He arrived in Baghdad in February 1972 and immediately entered into negotiations with the Government to establish an autonomous entity for Assyrians in a sub-section of the province of Dohuk, previously a section of the Province of Nineveh (Mosul). Several meetings were held in Baghdad between Malik Yacu and President Al-Bakr, and other Government officials. The Iraqi officials were given several Assyrian petitions explaining the historical connection of the Assyrian people with the land of Bet-Nahrain (Iraq), and asked the government to grant the Assyrians their autonomous rights. There were indications that the Government asked Malik Yacu to form an Assyrian Force to be used against the Kurds. It was reported that Malik Yacu refused the offer. As a result of the efforts made by Malik Yacu and other Assyrians, the Government, on April 16, 1972, issued a declaration (Decree Number 251) granting the Assyrians their cultural rights.
The Decree did not mention the historical name of our people. Instead it referred to them as those speaking the Syriac language from Assyrians, Syrians and Chaldeans. This was another example of the Divide and Rule policy left behind by the British colonialists. Chapter four is devoted to the Battle of Habbaniya and how the Assyrian Levis rescued Iraq from Rashid Alis revolt and German attempt to control Iraq, and how the Levis destroyed the Iraqi Army and were on their way to Baghdad, when they were asked by the British to retreat to Habbaniya and leave the rest of the mission to them !! Chapters 5-31 basically testifies to the Assyrian troubles, battles, massacres and heroic acts during WWI in Bridge Jamanay, Bridge Bet-Khiyo, Chamba, Tkhoma, Khoi, Seray mountains, Urmi, Barwari-Bala, Salamas, Askarabad, Targawar, Margawar, Sherreen, Midyat, Mawana, Amadiya and others. Then explains the Great Exodus from Urmi. In chapter twenty nine a passage from the British General Dunstervilles book Adventures of Dunsterville is quoted and as so;
The town and district of Urmia, lying on the west of Lake Urmia, the southern shore of which is distant about 220 miles from Hamadan, contain a population estimated at about 80,000, the majority of whom belong to the two Christian Communities of the Armenian Church and the Assyrian Church. The district had for the past year been entirely surrounded by the 5th and 6th Turkish Divisions, against whom the Christian inhabitants had so far put up a very good fight......
and continues to say;
According to pre-aranged scheme they (the Assyrians) broke through the Turkish troops south of the lake and met our party who had gone up to take the arms and ammunition to them. But there was some delay in their return; wild rumours were spread in Urmia to the effect that they had all been slaughtered; and the whole population, men, women and children, with all their cattle and belongings came flying down the road to Bijar, in appalling confusion, with the Turks and Kurds on their heels massacring and plundering the unfortunate people. As soon as they came into contact with our troops the latter formed a rear-guard and the remainder of the population, probably some 50,000, were rescued and sent down to Baghdad. Pages 130 to the end of the book deal with the Assyrians of antiquity, their history background and the Assyrian supremacy in antiquity.
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