The map of Assyria, which appears in one of the pages of this magazine, gives the boundaries of the ancient Assyrian Empire. From Baghdad and Urfa, all along the historic rivers of Beth Nahreen, the Assyrian towns and villages abound. Within five miles north of Mosul, rises up the broken country which is known as Kurdistan. And the interior of this region has for centuries been enhabitted by the Assyrians and their Kurdish neighbors. The vast majorities of these Kurds are of the Assyrian origin. Further west, are the provinces of Diarbekr and Kharpoot and Midhiat, where the Assyrian Jacobites abound. Still further toward the slopes of the historic Lebanon, are our Maronite brethren. Thus the presence of the Assyrians in these extreme ends of the old country gives the reader an idea as to the extent of the old Assyrian Empire.
It has been suggested that it would be advisable to segregare the Georgians, and the Armenians, and the Assyrians together, and place them in one territory, the boundries of which to be decided by the geographical position of the three named nationalities. It is needless to say, that this will be an utter impossibility. The Assyrians have no Imperial dreams, nor the thought of conquest. What the Assyrians desire is a portion of their own land, it matters not how small, with an outlet to the sea. The mountains of Kurdistan, together with the plain of the province of Mosul, with Tigris giving us an outlet to the sea, with a guarantee that they would be protected from persecution anf further atrocities, would be sufficient to satisfy the reasonable desire of the Assyrian Nation.
The Allies are sacrificing the lives of millions of men, and billions of dollars, in order to avoid the shadow of a friction that might possibly lead the nations of the world into another war. The peace of the world is the aim of the Allies! And it is well to let the Allies know now that, there cannot possibly be peace when the Georgians, and the Armenians, and the Assyrians are segregated together in one territory. What we want is a home of our own, no matter how small, where the Assyrians can go from India, from Lebanon, from the interior of Turkey, from Caucasia, and from all over, to sit beneath their own vine, puesue their own industies, and eat their own bread, without any molestation.
To have this, and even to be under the protectorate of England, is what the Assyrian desire. Joel E. Werda, Editor
"The New Assyria" monthly magazine
Vol. II, July 15, 1918, No. 23
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