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In the month of April, while Assyrians feted their ancient New Year, AUA’s
34TH
anniversary passed without notice. There was no celebration, and not even a word from its leadership to remind Assyrians, in particular the new generation, about this significant event in contemporary Assyrian political history.
It would be interesting to learn how many Assyrians know AUA’s birth date. Does any current member of the AUA or, in fact, does any member of its executive committee, know the date? It is sad to ignore the history of this organization, and the failure to commemorate its founding is most regrettable, even if its achievements have fallen short of expectations.
I am a student of Assyrian political parties and national organizations, including their ideologies, by laws, activities, and history. As such, I recently published some pieces to coincide with the anniversaries of the Assyrian Democratic Organization (Mtakasta) and the Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa). In the course of this work, I came across a dated AUA document which, to my great surprise, told of its founding on April 10, 1968. Given our political limitations, the AUA should be seen as an important international organization, and surely, we deserve to have a better understanding of its history. Frankly, the question arises why the AUA itself does not take its history more seriously?
Before addressing that question, it is worth remembering that the creation of AUA was a very significant moment in Assyrian modern
political life. Whether or not one is a member of the AUA, and whether one agrees or not with its policies, its founding was based on a noble and unimpeachable idea. Anyone with the slightest understanding of politics will surely recognize that the AUA organization (including its aims and its structure) is the most suitable of vehicles for the representation of the Assyrian people scattered round the world. The principles, which led to the establishing of the 34 years ago, continue to be valid today. Alas, we cannot forget that principles and their implementation are not one and the same. Yet, it is of value to briefly examine the circumstances and history, which led up to the creation of
AUA.
In the early 1960’s, Assyrians of the Middle East were living under dire conditions, and they faced a serious challenge to their national existence and identity in the homeland. These threats emerged from two directions:
1-
The Rise of Pan Arabism and
Nasserism from Egypt, which spread through Syria and Iraq and which led to
ascendancy in power in both countries by the Ba’ath party in early 1963. This
spawned new generations of Arab nationalists and fundamentalists, posing the
greatest danger to non-Arab and non-Muslim minorities in the countries of the
Middle East.
2- The outbreak of revolt among
the Kurds of North Iraq, which for Assyrians represents the heart of its
homeland, and which contains most of our villages and our densest population.
The eruption of armed conflict between Kurds and the Iraqi government this led
to a great exodus of Assyrians away their villages.
These two developments coincided with the rise of Assyrian national consciousness, and they had a strong impact on Assyrians intellectuals, particularly in Iran, where the Assyrian Youth Cultural Society (AYCS) took the lead in appealing to national duty. Contacts were established with the Diaspora, with a view to creating a leadership entity for Assyrians worldwide. On February 5, 1966, a letter was written to H.H. Mar Shimon, Patriarch of the Church of the East, asking him to take the initiative in creating such an Assyrian leadership. This was followed by letters and contacts with Assyrian organizations in Europe and America, including among others the Assyrian American National Federation, and with certain prominent individuals. Nearly a year after receiving his letter, the Patriarch responded with a letter of his own whose wording was vague and ambiguous, which implicitly amounted to his rejection of the proposal.
Attention then turned to the late Vladimir Petrus Agha, a prominent Assyrian who was the elder son of the Assyrian General, Agha Petrus. He immediately approved of the proposal. Supporters prepared invitations for the convening of a worldwide congress, and these were sent from Toulouse, France, under his signature, to a wide array of Assyrians. It thus came to pass that the First Assyrian World Cultural Congress was held in Pau, France, April 10 through April 13, 1968. The individuals in attendance voted unanimously to formally establish an organization under the name of Assyrian Universal Alliance. A report issued on the last day of the Congress, and summarized below, is very helpful in explaining the AUA’s raison d’ętre.
There is no question that the creation of the AUA was spurred by the need to confront a highly dangerous challenge then confronting Assyrians. Our population was widely scattered throughout the globe. By its rationale, AUA would link all these far-flung Assyrians by providing an internationally federated structure, in effect an umbrella for all national Assyrian organizations. This was seen as the reasonable approach to the development of one leadership representing a united nation. The reality is that today, our population is more scattered around the world than it has ever been, and therefore the principles which motivated the creation of AUA 34 years ago are even more relevant at this time.
It is indeed regrettable that Assyrians have forgotten these noble principles, which in fact do not appear to be fully appreciated even by the AUA members and its leaders. The question remains why this is so. On studying AUA’s history and observing its current situation, I have come to the following conclusions:
1-
Nearly all the AUA founders
and its early members have dropped out. They have either left because of
disagreements, or they have started their own Assyrian organization and
political party, or they have lost all interest in Assyrian
politics.
2- There is a lack of
documentation and archival material, due to the absence of a permanent office.
Documents dealing with the birth of the organization and its early years are
scattered in many countries, in the custody of former members who usually
consider these as their personal property and not belonging to the AUA
organization. We are not aware of
any sustained effort by the AUA to gather these documents in one place, and to
make them accessible to Assyrians.
3- There is a paucity of media
resources, such as a magazine, books, radio, TV and Internet. There is precious
little by way of informing and presenting instruments. Therefore, most
Assyrians, and the new generation in particular, are unaware of AUA
history.
4- Current AUA members and
leaders are insufficiently knowledgeable about the organization's roots. They
know little of the founders and the early leaders. As a result, they seem
unaware of the AUA mission and their behaviour suggests they have forgotten the
principal objective, namely, the unification of Assyrians and providing them
with a national umbrella. Instead, what seems to have happened is that AUA is
engaging in a competition with other Assyrian organizations and political
parties, to see whether it can seize an advantageous position? The AUA is acting
as a specific political party or local organization, overlooking the fact it was
meant to be a federal entity, an organizing body, a vehicle for a united
national leadership, a leadership consisting of the various Assyrian
organizations, and certainly not with its own members. AUA has adopted a posture
similar to (and in competition with) other Assyrians organizations and political
parties. As a result, none of these organizations or parties will accept AUA
leadership or AUA proposals unless these organizations and parties are provided
a position of leadership in the AUA.
But notwithstanding the current misunderstandings, the original AUA ideology remains valid and vitally needed. It is the duty of the AUA leadership to realign its performance in keeping with the main task of AUA. The organization urgently needs to reactivate its original mission, and to provide a legitimate national umbrella for all Assyrian organizations. There is ample time between now and the next anniversary of the organization. AUA’s leaders should take the opportunity to set the organization back on its right course, thus setting the stage for a celebration of this important national day. We are waiting!
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REPORT ON THE FIRST WORLD CULTURAL CONGRESS
HELD IN PAU, FRANCE, APRIL 10–13, 1968
Many Assyrian organizations and prominent members of our community were represented. After four days of discussion, the following decision and recommendations were reached.
1-
There will no longer be a variety of names to
divide the Assyrian people. All will be referred to as ASSYRIANS (ATOURAI).
2- It is recommended that there
be two officially recognized Assyrian languages, the modern (SWADAYA) and the
literary Assyrian (SUPRAYA).
3- Establish a committee to
construct a uniform ALPHABET to simplify the structure of each Assyrian letter
for the common use of all.
4- The protection of the rights
of our people to live with dignity and freedom as provided in the United
Nations’ CHARTER OF HUMAN RIGHTS or any other proper channels.
5-
Provide SCHOOLS &
SCHOLARSHIP for our youth in order to raise their standard of
education.
6- Through all means of
communications, introduce and expand the Assyrian culture in the
world.
7- APRIL 1ST, shall
be designated the ASSYRIAN NATIONAL DAY throughout the world.
8- The establishment of three
separate chapters, one in Asia, one in Europe and one in USA for the purpose of
gathering all the vital information regarding the needs of our people for the
second meeting.
9-
To arrange for the second
meeting to be held in London, England as requested by the Great Britain
delegates.
10- The organization
of a Liaison Body.
11- All these
decisions to be presented to the affiliates and the people, by their respective
representatives, for their approval of rejection.
12- To request the
patriarchs of the various church denominations to come together for the purpose
of uniting the Assyrian people.
13-
The Assyrian
World Congress wishes to express its gratitude to all the nations and
governments that have given the Assyrian people the freedom to teach our
language in their countries.
14- The Assyrian
World Congress expresses its deep appreciation to the French government and the
officials of the city of Pau for their generous assistance in insuring the
success of this Congress, and it gratefully acknowledges the expressions of good
wishes for success from Assyrian individuals, Assyrian organizations, and our
many other friends in high places.
15- We recommend one
uniform organizational flag for all affiliates.
16- Establish an
Assyrian International Headquarter in one of the free countries.
17-
Extend economic
aid to our needy Assyrians.
18- The Second
Congress of this organization will take place when the Chapters decide that they
ready to convene it.
19- Invited delegates
will be the only ones with voting power at the meetings.
20- It was
unanimously decided by all the delegates at this Congress that it has been
established as the ASSYRIAN UNIVERSAL ALLIANCE.
It was thus that the AUA was formally established in April 10, 1968, in Pau, France.
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