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AINA Assyrian International News Agency
Oct 25 2014
Never Forget, and Never Again
By Paul Benjamin
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Since the genocide of Armenians, Pontic Greeks and Assyrians (also
called Chaldeans and Syriacs) in the Ottoman empire in 1915, these
communities have been subject to a diaspora with new settlements in
countries far from their ancestral ones.
A diaspora is defined as a scattered population with a common origin
in a smaller geographic area.
Imagine an American diaspora where for every one America still living
in the United States, five have fled to escape ethnic persecution. Now
you can stop imagining that scenario and come to terms with the fact
that this is the current state of affairs for Assyrians.
Assyrians are now residing in Sweden, the United States, Canada,
Germany, Australia, Russia, Netherlands, France, Jordan, United
Kingdom, and many other countries that have opened their doors.
The total population of Assyrians living in countries outside their
native and indigenous homelands of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey
outnumber those living in the original homelands by five to one. This
is not by choice; rather, it is driven by ethnic persecution.
Flip a typical six-sided die. Roll a 1 through 5 and you flee your
home. Roll a "lucky" 6 and you're now living in your home with the
incessant fear that it's only a matter of time before you're forced to
flee too. And the diaspora has continued to grow since the invasion of
Iraq. Recent events driven by IS (Islamic State) in Iraq and Syria
have dramatically driven that number up.
In fleeing, Assyrians have integrated into their new home countries,
learning multiple languages and cultures, and have contributed to all
aspects of life, from technical and legal to medical and political.
Assyrians have learned how to adapt to their new homes.
But how will the Assyrian culture or any other diaspora community
preserve its rich heritage and not totally assimilate?
Education
The Jewish community has been one of the most persecuted communities
in the world. From the exodus in the Old Testament to the Holocaust,
Jews have endured as a strong and resilient community. An impressive
193 Jews have been awarded the Nobel Prize; that is roughly one
quarter of all award winners since 1901.
What can another diaspora community learn from the Jews?
The more educated you are, the more you will be able to contribute
back to society and at the same time drive change for your ethnic
community. The state of Israel was not created overnight. Jews
prepared themselves for the opportunity back in the mid-1800s by
educating and supporting their people. The statement may be
oversimplified, as preparations may have even started earlier than
that, but my point is this: Education is the key to driving change for
the community.
How can Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs start?
Go to school and educate yourself in a field that you are passionate in.
Be the best at what you do. Others in your ancestral homelands are
being killed for having your ethnicity. Use it as motivation to drive
yourself.
Be proud of your ethnicity. Learn who you are and teach others. If
someone asks if you are Persian or Arab or Italian or Greek or even
Japanese (yes, I got Japanese once), be polite while explaining and
educating them as to who you really are.
Preserve your language. I have been in many conversations with people
who think Neo-Aramaic (Assyrian) is an "extinct language." New schools
and even apps -- Assyrian ABCs, ZalinVille, Ishtar Games, Assyrian and
many others -- have been developed to preserve the language and
culture. Use those tools to educate yourself, your children and your
families.
Get involved by joining grassroot efforts like A Demand for Action,
your local association, your federation or political party and support
each other.
Internalize the saying "Never forget, and never again."
Choose your life, your passions, and your career and become the best
in whatever it is, and always remember that you are also an
ambassador. You have a voice to give to the unheard. It's only when
the diaspora understands the value of both melting into the societies
they live in and preserving their ethnic identity that it can
flourish.
By raising awareness, rallying, fundraising and debating, we have made
known, to the rest of the world, that the ongoing ethno-religious
genocide at the dirty hands of Islamic extremists will not be
tolerated.
Never forget the atrocities that have happened to your ancestors, and
never allow something like this to happen again.
http://www.aina.org/news/20141025003552.htm
Oct 25 2014
Never Forget, and Never Again
By Paul Benjamin
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Since the genocide of Armenians, Pontic Greeks and Assyrians (also
called Chaldeans and Syriacs) in the Ottoman empire in 1915, these
communities have been subject to a diaspora with new settlements in
countries far from their ancestral ones.
A diaspora is defined as a scattered population with a common origin
in a smaller geographic area.
Imagine an American diaspora where for every one America still living
in the United States, five have fled to escape ethnic persecution. Now
you can stop imagining that scenario and come to terms with the fact
that this is the current state of affairs for Assyrians.
Assyrians are now residing in Sweden, the United States, Canada,
Germany, Australia, Russia, Netherlands, France, Jordan, United
Kingdom, and many other countries that have opened their doors.
The total population of Assyrians living in countries outside their
native and indigenous homelands of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey
outnumber those living in the original homelands by five to one. This
is not by choice; rather, it is driven by ethnic persecution.
Flip a typical six-sided die. Roll a 1 through 5 and you flee your
home. Roll a "lucky" 6 and you're now living in your home with the
incessant fear that it's only a matter of time before you're forced to
flee too. And the diaspora has continued to grow since the invasion of
Iraq. Recent events driven by IS (Islamic State) in Iraq and Syria
have dramatically driven that number up.
In fleeing, Assyrians have integrated into their new home countries,
learning multiple languages and cultures, and have contributed to all
aspects of life, from technical and legal to medical and political.
Assyrians have learned how to adapt to their new homes.
But how will the Assyrian culture or any other diaspora community
preserve its rich heritage and not totally assimilate?
Education
The Jewish community has been one of the most persecuted communities
in the world. From the exodus in the Old Testament to the Holocaust,
Jews have endured as a strong and resilient community. An impressive
193 Jews have been awarded the Nobel Prize; that is roughly one
quarter of all award winners since 1901.
What can another diaspora community learn from the Jews?
The more educated you are, the more you will be able to contribute
back to society and at the same time drive change for your ethnic
community. The state of Israel was not created overnight. Jews
prepared themselves for the opportunity back in the mid-1800s by
educating and supporting their people. The statement may be
oversimplified, as preparations may have even started earlier than
that, but my point is this: Education is the key to driving change for
the community.
How can Assyrians/Chaldeans/Syriacs start?
Go to school and educate yourself in a field that you are passionate in.
Be the best at what you do. Others in your ancestral homelands are
being killed for having your ethnicity. Use it as motivation to drive
yourself.
Be proud of your ethnicity. Learn who you are and teach others. If
someone asks if you are Persian or Arab or Italian or Greek or even
Japanese (yes, I got Japanese once), be polite while explaining and
educating them as to who you really are.
Preserve your language. I have been in many conversations with people
who think Neo-Aramaic (Assyrian) is an "extinct language." New schools
and even apps -- Assyrian ABCs, ZalinVille, Ishtar Games, Assyrian and
many others -- have been developed to preserve the language and
culture. Use those tools to educate yourself, your children and your
families.
Get involved by joining grassroot efforts like A Demand for Action,
your local association, your federation or political party and support
each other.
Internalize the saying "Never forget, and never again."
Choose your life, your passions, and your career and become the best
in whatever it is, and always remember that you are also an
ambassador. You have a voice to give to the unheard. It's only when
the diaspora understands the value of both melting into the societies
they live in and preserving their ethnic identity that it can
flourish.
By raising awareness, rallying, fundraising and debating, we have made
known, to the rest of the world, that the ongoing ethno-religious
genocide at the dirty hands of Islamic extremists will not be
tolerated.
Never forget the atrocities that have happened to your ancestors, and
never allow something like this to happen again.
http://www.aina.org/news/20141025003552.htm