"Ninavah al Hurra", Arabic For "Free Nineveh"
On the death list in the chaos of Iraq, a courageous
man publishes an independent Christian newspaper
By Erwin Decker, Mossul
Translated from German
April 3, 06
His picture like a letter hangs on the walls of the mosques.
His name stands on the death list of the Islamists. They regularly
search for this relatively small man. He is not a politician,
nor soldier or generally an important man in Iraq. Ramzi Hormouz
Jakob is only a Christian and a journalist. He publishes the
only independent Christian newspaper.
"Ninavah al hurrah", in German means "Free
Nineveh". This newspaper gives the fanatical Islamist of
Iraq a thousand reasons to murder Ramzi Hormouz Jakob. Those
who get a copy of "Ninavah al hurrah" from the Christians
of Iraq , read it up to the last page. The Assyrians know what
Journalist Ramzi writes is the truth. He is not the mouthpiece
for any financier, who controls what he writes. In Iraq, almost
all newspapers are pure propaganda medias for parties, including
the Islamist or very especially the USA. Ramzi Hormouz Jakob
publishes his paper with the help of twenty other colleagues
and is distributed in the entire Iraq and get no honorarium.
Each month the twelve page "Ninavah al hurrah", a newspaper
made in a modern manner with subjects that interest especially
the Christian minority in the Iraq, bids them to have courage.
On the first page of the March-edition, are reports of attempted
bombings and attacks against Christians in Iraq. Under that is
an article about the educational opportunities for the young
people. The page three reports about the bird flu and a professional
advise about what it is and how to prevent it. On the next page
is about a man, who showed civil courage in Iraq. Two pages are
dedicated to articles about women by women. The Sports page shows
the first gathering of a small soc cer club in northern Iraq.
Interviews, cross word puzzles and reader's criticism round off
the last page.
Nowhere in the paper is there anything disapproving of the
moslems. "Until two years ago we lived peacefully together.
It is incomprehensible to me that we have suddenly become hateful
unbelievers, hunted and banished . We do not want to repay them
with the same coin. I am as always certain that most moslem are
peaceful people", say Ramzi Hormouz Jakob. Because he does
not have an office of his own, an assyrian group makes available
to him a small room with museum old computers. Fortunately the
E-Mail-system functions well which makes collaboration with colleagues
possible.
The 39-year-old Ramzi is single, lives at home with his family.
There is no lack of opportunity for him to meet women in a place,
where women out number men by 75 percent. "I can not provide
a family with my work. I could not live with the responsibility",
say Ramzi. "Please do not write that I am courageous. I
have days, when I live with terrible anxiety. Only in Iraq, if
one admits this is considered as a weakling."
He has no income,therefore lives with his extended family.
Of car or own computer he can only dream. He has two pairs of
pants, three shirts and couple pairs of shoes. For a month now
he owns a pair of glasses. Ramzi Hormouz Jakob is journalist
with passion. Until late at night under the flickering light
of a candle he sits on his desk, and writes by hand. Except for
the help from a graphic artist Ramzi publishes the newspaper
alone. In1988 he participated in a short stories-competition.
During the Saddam-time, Criticism would have been deadly for
the author. On the first of August 2003, six months after the
war, the first edition of the "Ninavah al hurrah" was
published. Nineveh was the capital of the old assyrian empire
700 years before Christ.
Ramzi wishes he had a sponsor for his newspaper. However he
should not interfere with its contents. Assistance from a foreign
country would be best. " we could sell at least 10,000 newspapers
each week." The selling price would be fifteen cent, schools
and groups of young people will receive it for free. He will
not have the pressure of paying 450 dollars per edition for 4000
copies.
He gets some help from the Christian businessmen. There are
no advertising in the postwar chaos. The largest problem is pressure,
it is too dangerous to publish a Christian newspaper in Iraq.
With the help of intermediaries Ramzi found a printer, who was
willing to help. He had to take the CD containing texts and photos
to a village near Mosul, to the print shop, by hiding it inside
his shirt. If one of the extremists had recognized him it would
have meant his certain death. Then "Ninavah al Hurra"
was printed. "Until the first copy came off the press I
still had heart palpitation." He hid the printed paper in
the cigarettes cartons and took it to the distribution places
in taxis..
Backers, who want to become partners in publishing his newspaper
are willing to pay him plenty. The Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP) would be happy to invest larger sum of money in his enterprise
but their condition would be for Ramzi to return the favor by
writing positive articles about the Kurdish Party, no criticism
of the Kurds should appear in the paper and one page of it should
be printed in the Kurdish language.
How the press freedom is stepped on by the Kurds, the journalist
has experienced it by his own body. When he reported that urns
everywhere were being lifted by the Kurds he was arrested by
the same people, who wanted to become his partners in publishing
his newspaper, he was beaten day after day. "Also I have
not forgotten, that a short time ago a journalist who criticized
the Kurdish president Barzani, was convicted to serve 30 years
in prison.
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Who are
the Christians of Iraq?
May = Ayar
"Ninavah
al Hurra", Arabic For "Free Nineveh" May 4, 06
Assyrians
Face Escalating Abuses in "New Iraq" May 3, 06
The
Dangers of Being Christian: Religious Freedom in the Islamic
World May
3, 06
Iraqi
Christians seek asylum here May
3, 06
No Talabani!
Assyrians are an imprtant part of Iraq's roots May 2, 06
April = Neesan
The Friodil Institute
and the Assyrian Seyfo April 30, 06
Threats Force
Cancellation of Assyrian Genocide Conference in Holland April 29,06
European Parliament
Meets Assyrian Politician on Assyrian Question April 28, 06
The West vs.
Christianity? April 28, 06
Teenager charged
with shooting murder of the Assyrian April 28, 06
Assyrian Geoncide
Seyfo Monument in Sweden April 28, 06
Northern Iraq city's
fragile ethnic mix perseveres April 27, 06
Angered Copts March
to Break Their Long Silence April 25, 06
Stolen Away:
Girls of Iraq Gone Missing April 25, 06
Islamists Down
Under April 25, 06
Assyrian Delegation
Visits Iraq April 21, 06
Assyrians hope
to dispel myths April 21, 06
`Idol'-style contest
spotlights music for a new generation April 21, 06
Assyrian Dutch politician
Gamri visits the Assyrian's in Iraq during Ha b Nisan. April
20, 06
A Day Dedicated
to St. Ephrem the Assyrian April
18, 06
Iraqi Christians
brave violence to celebrate Easter April 17, 05
Iraqis
Find Respite in Faith, Priest Says April 16, 06
US Colonel Offers
Iraq an Apology of Sorts for Devastation of Babylon April 14, 06
Unesco intends
to put the magic back in Babylon April 14, 06
Christian
Killed in Islamist Raids on Egypt Churches April 14, 06
Shore Senior Center
chooses 7 directors April 14, 06
Assyrians of Australia
Divided By Fear After Shooting Death April 12, 06
County Legislators
Endorse Assyrian Candidate April 12, 06
The Shattering
of the Syriac Orthodox Church! April 12, 06
Islamizing American
Schools April 10,
06
Cry unheard
- Genocide and Me April
9, 06
Should We Constantly
Be Victims? April 7, 06
European Parliament
Report; Iraq: Situation in prisons and the Assyrian community April 7, 06
Assyrian new
Year in the Advance News paper Australia April 6, 06
Neglect of Iraqi
Christians by President Bush April 6, 06
Ignoring Christians
and Ethnic Minorities in Arab Muslim Countries April 6, 06
Iraq's Greatest
Treasure to Start World Tour in Washington April
6, 06
Lifetime Detention
of an Assyrian in Syria Violates Human Rights April
5, 06
Substitution
of Civilizations Is the Real Risk: European MP April
5, 06
Assyrian New Year
Celebrations in Sweden April 5, 06
A Tribute to Nuri
Kino April 4, 06
Outside View:
Condoleezza's Folly April
4, 06
Petition aksing
for Assyrian Territory in Iraq April
4, 06
Killings Stoke
Fear Among Assyrian Shopkeepers April
4, 06
The West Versus
Christianity? April
3, 06
Assyrian New Year
Celebrations in Iraq April 2, 06
The Ghost in the
Baghdad Museum April 2, 06
Conversations
with the Assyrians of Mardin April
1, 06
Turlock's Assyrian
community rings in year 6756 with dinner, dance April
1, 06
Italians find ancient
Ur tablets April 1, 06
March = Addar (a's as in Art)
Mortar
Shell Kills Three Women in Baghdad Assyrian Market March 31, 06
Creulty
of Nations and the Hollier than thou preaching Mrch 31, 06
Violence
Spreads in Turkey's Kurdish Region March 30, 06
Iraqi Commander
Says, 'We Didn't Find a Mosque' March 30, 06
Brussels
Prosecutes Immigrant Priest for Islamophobia March 30, 06
Iraqi
Chaldean Prelate Says Christians Feel Desperate March 28, 06
Press
Release about ASSYRISKA: the Movie March 29, 06
Who will save Iraq's
Christians? March 28, 06
Leader
of the Assyrian Democratic Organization summoned to apear in
Court March 27, 06
Therefore
Jews call their script 'ketuv Ashuri'; Assyrian script March 27, 06
The
Future of the Assyrians of Iraq: A Safe Haven vs. Self-Administrative
Region Mach 27, 06
A
Child in need of help March
26, 06
3
Years of War Wither a Family's Seed of Hope March 26, 06
Kurd's
- Persian New Year and its Assyrian - Babylonian origin March 26, 06
US
government report on Syria's human rights March 25, 06
Turkey to Renovate
Churches and Synagogue March 25, 06
When
Islamic Laws Contradict the Universal Declaration of Human Rights March 23, 06
The
Foolishness of imposing Oppressive Arab Nationalism on None Arabs March 23, 06
Afghan
Man Faces Death for Being a Christian March 21, 06
THE
QUR'AN: MISINTERPRETED, MISTRANSLATED, AND MISREAD March 21, 06
Human tragedy
of the Syrian citizen Yacoub Hanna Shamoun March 21, 06
The
Treasure Hunter March 19, 06
Kha
b'Nissan Assryian New Year Celebrations in Los Angeles
The
American Premiere of ASSYRISKA: A National Team Without A Nation March 18, 06
Sectarian
divides and violence distress Many Bay Area Iraqis March 18, 06
Trouble
in Kurdistan March 17, 06
'TALAT PASHA RALLY'
GATHERS 15 CHAUVINISTIC TURKS March 17, 06
Investigating
Assyrian canals across time, from space March 17, 06
Turkey
Should not Deny the Truth if it wants to be believed March 16, 06
Assyrian
Genocide on The Liberal Party's Agenda in Sweden March 15, 06
Turkish
Large-Scale campaign Project 2006 - so called "The Lie of
the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide." March 15, 06
Announcing
the American Premiere of ASSYRISKA: A National Team Without A
Nation
March 14,
06
Turks'
planned demonstration in Berlin stopped March 14, 06
US
government report on Iraq's human rights Iraq, Politics March 13, 06
Another
Priest attacked in Turkey March
13, 06
Assyrian
Elected President of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences March 13, 06
In
Syria's prison without cause for More than 20 Years March 12, 06
Muslim's Blunt
Criticism of Islam Draws Threats March 11, 06
An
Interview with Rosie Malek-Yonan by akitu.de.vu March 11, 06
IRAQI
CHRISTIANS: CAUGHT IN A REFUGEE WEB March 9, 06
Will
You be an Assyrian Actor? March 8, 06
In Turkey Assyrians/Syriacs
are being robbed of property they owned for thousands of years March
8, 06
Iraqi
Women Attacked for Removing Headscarves, NGO Says March 7, 06
Car
bomb in Turkey injures Assyrian March 6, 06
ASSYRIAN
CHRISTIANS KEEP THE FAITH March
5, 06
"Christians
do not wants to leave Iraq for good" March 4, 06
Iraqi
Catholics Donate to Rebuild Samarra Mosque March, 3, 06
Relatives
and friends gather at store where 2 were slain March 3, 06
A
Preliminary Investigation into Assyrian Identity March 3, 06
Firodil
Institute Meets The Christian Fair Trade Group March 2, 06
UNESCO
funding reconstruction of destroyed mosques but not Churches March 2, 06
Christian
Churches in Iraq Subjected to Synchronized Terrorism March 1, 06
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