Assyrians

There is no concrete evidence of any affiliation "genetic" or other relationship between the inhabitants of the Assyrian Empire of ancient times (which are probably derived, with multiple mixtures, all the current populations of the Middle East , whatever their ethnicity or their religion now) and the modern Assyrians, but the Assyrian nationalist movement cultivated a national myth with, for example, the use of names like Nebuchadnezzar (unthinkable in traditional families, very attached to their churches , since it is not a Christian name), and the juxtaposition in propaganda pamphlets profiles antique bas-reliefs and pictures of "Assyrians" modern.

the Assyrians at the end of the Ottoman Empire

In the nineteenth ^century and early ^twentieth century, the Assyrian Christians of all denominations were divided into the Ottoman provinces that currently eastern Turkey , the Iraq and Syria and in Iran and the Caucasus Russian ( Armenia , Georgia ). Their language was Aramaic New Oriental , derived from the Aramaic. In the mountains of Hakkiari (current province of Hakkari , Turkey), the religious leader of the Assyrians, Nestorians , Mar Shimoun had the status of a tribal leader like tribal leaders Kurds , and had therefore to some autonomy from feudal until 1843-1846, when the Ottoman Empire abolished the feudal entities Bohtan Hakkiari and after the massacres of Assyrians, Nestorians and Kurds by the rival Kurdish emir Bohtan.

During WWI , the Armenians , Assyrians and Pontic underwent a religious-ethnic cleansing, because they lived in areas with predominantly non-Muslim Turkic between Anatolia and Azerbaijan - a prospect both Turanian (political union between the "Turks of Anatolia, the Caucasus and Central Asia) populations than punitive suspects, rightly or wrongly, of conspiring with enemies of the Muslim Turks: Russia, Greece, France, United Kingdom , Italy.

Peace treaties and mandates

The Treaty of Sevres in 1920 provided some autonomy to the "Assyrian-Chaldeans" (as usual at the time), whose delegation had attended peace conferences with the claim of a State Assyrian apparently promised by London in December 1917 , but the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 constituted a setback for them and for the Armenians or the Kurds , all sacrificed to the realism and the new geopolitical division of the Middle East between Turkey Kemalist French mandate in Syria , Lebanon ) and Cases Britain ( Iraq , Transjordan , Palestine ).

The Assyrian diaspora in the Middle East

the Assyrians in Iraq

A squadron Assyrian (Assyrian Levies) helped the British mandatory power to suppress insurrections Arab nationalist Shiites and Kurds in Iraq but at the end of the mandate in 1932 , the UK abandoned its allies. 20 October 1931 , a memorandum of notable Assyrian, calling for the establishment of an autonomous region, which have been grouped in particular the Assyrian refugees Hakkiari, was sent to the authorities, without result, and the summer following the Assyrian Levies revolted and were tamed with the help of British troops. In May 1933 , the Iraqi government began Patriarch Mar Shimoun under house arrest in Baghdad, and Assyrian-Nestorian community leaders were challenged to give up any claim of compact settlement of refugees, after which, in July, some of these went refugees seeking asylum in Syria under French mandate. Before the French authorities' refusal to grant an autonomous territory, they recross the border with Iraq in August 1933 where a thousand of them were killed on 13 August, Semmel, by Iraqi troops, led by Colonel Kurdish Bakir Sidqi .

Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq is the only country in the region where the parties' Chaldo-Assyrian "or" Syriac "are active and stand for election. However, even under the Baathist regime, at least during his time more open to minorities, neo-Aramaic language was taught and cultural development of the minority encouraged.

Since August 2004, in most major cities in Iraq, including Baghdad, Mosul and Kirkuk, a multitude of gangs and militias flourish, taking advantage of the chaos and the impotence of the central government to attack the Christian minority. The acts of all kinds are identified: bombing, strafing, car bombs, targeted assassinations against Christians, abductions and killings of clerics , destruction of churches ... The proliferation of abuses urges Christians to flee.

the Assyrians in Turkey

The Assyrians have almost disappeared from South-East Turkey. The Nestorian Assyrians were massacred and forced into exile to Iran, Russia and Iraq during the First World War. The vast majority of the Assyrians and Chaldean Syriac survivors went to Europe (Sweden, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium ...) at the end of the twentieth ^century.

the Assyrians in Iran

The Assyrian-Chaldeans have a reserved seat in the Iranian Parliament.

the Assyrians in Syria

Most Assyrians originate let this be good for Syria, but the different migration and annexation of Northern Syria through Turkey that the Assyrians of Syria were found scattered or in Turkey ( Midyat , Mardin ) or in Iraq. It was during the first half of the twentieth ^century they had fled persecution who beat Turkey and Iraq. They are mostly found in the Jazira and Aleppo. They migrate now increasingly from Syria to the West. Since the U.S. occupation of Iraq and civil war that prevails in this country, tens of thousands of Assyrians have fled the country to Syria, where some parties are then in Europe or the United States.

Caucasus The Assyrians

"The Assyrians of the Soviet Union who fled en masse from Persia and Turkey to the north, in the Diaspora generally caused by the events of the First World War, have benefited greatly in the past, their recognized status Soviet citizenship. In many cases, their path has diverged from that taken by the rest of the Assyrians. Their isolation was largely due to the substitution of the Latin alphabet by alphabet Syriac and anti-religious attitude of the official Soviet Union. Assyrians from the Soviet Union reflect on a smaller scale, the changes most important Soviet nationalities also suffered. Despite a tendency to blend into the Russian culture, the small Assyrian community continues to preserve its national culture . "

the Assyrians in Lebanon

Unlike other religious communities, those corresponding to the Assyrians have only a representation via a common headquarters for the four churches over the Latins, Copts and Jews.

the Assyrians in Israel and Palestine

The vast majority of Assyrians from Israel and the Palestinian territories from Syria. In Israel, they are recognized as a non-Arab Christian minority. Upon request, we could have the statement: Assyrian (not) on the Israeli identity cards. Somewhat less recognized in the Palestinian territories where they are assimilated into the Arab Palestinian population (they are not). Across the territory, they are divided into two main churches: Syriac Orthodox (majority) and Syriac Catholic (minority). Many live in Bethlehem.

The Assyrian diaspora outside the Middle East

The Assyrian nationalist movement

Naum Faik is the founder of Assyrian nationalism, which has produced several movements:

• Assyrian National Association, founded in 1915 in Jersey City
• Assyrian American Association of Chicago, founded in 1917
• Assyrian Universal Alliance, founded April 10, 1968 in Pau (France)
• Assyrian Democratic Organization, founded July 15, 1957 in Jazira (Syria)
• Beth Nahrin Democratic Party, founded on November ^1, 1976 in Chicago

Demographics

Here are some estimated figures on the Assyrian presence in the world . The dispersion of this people in the world makes such work difficult :

• Iraq : 1.2 million
• Syria : 877,000
• USA : 400 000
• Sweden : 120 000
• Iran : 80,000
• Jordan : 70 000
• Brazil : 50 000
• Lebanon : 100,000
• Russia : 35 000
• Australia : 30 000
• Germany : 100 000
• Canada : 20,000
• France : 18 000
• Armenia : 15 000
• Netherlands : 15 000
• Georgia : 14 000
• Turkey : 25 000
• Denmark : 10 000
• UK : 8000
• Austria : 7000
• Greece : 5000
• Belgium : 15 000
• New Zealand : 3000
• Switzerland : 3000
• Italy : 3000
• Other 100 000

• Total: 3,323,000

References

See also

Related article

• Assyria
• Massacre of the Assyrians
• Assyrians in Iran
• Assyrians in Syria

Bibliography

• Sebastien de Courtois, Christians of the East on the Silk Road in the footsteps of the Nestorians, The Round Table, October 2007. ( ISBN 978-2710328520 )
• Lawrence and Annie Chabry, Politics and Minorities in the Middle East, Paris, Maisonneuve et Larose, 1984, ( ISBN 2706808756 ).
• Francoise Brie, migration and displacement of Assyrian-Chaldeans from Iraq, Paris-Sorbonne, Paris IV.

• Robert Alaux, Latest Assyrians (Paris), 2003, documentary film of 53 minutes.

Cinema

• Nahro Beth Kinne and Robert Alaux "Seyfo disposal", (Brussels), 2006, documentary film of 52 minutes.

External Links

• The tragedy of the Assyrian-Chaldeans through the ...
• Chaldean Mission de France
• Syriac Institute of Belgium
• Assyrian-Chaldean Association of France
• Union of Assyrian-Chaldeans of France
• Assyrian Democratic Organization
• Assyria Liberation Party
• (In) Assyrian International News Agency

• Christians of the East Portal
• Portal minorities