Baghdede/Iraq (bethil.org): Under the slogan "For the Unity of the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac people and the insurance of their constitutional rights", the coordinative committee of the Bishops Council in Nineveh and the national parties of this people held their first symposium at 5pm on Wednesday the 22nd June 2005 in the hall of Mar Sargis and Bakus church in Baghdede (North of Iraq).

The formal presence in this symposium was represented by Bishop Mar Baselios Jerjis al-Kass Moussa, father Youhanna Issa, father Quryaqos Hanna al-Bartelli, father Ishaq Babaui and representatives of the parties of the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac people such as Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (HBA), Independent Syriac Movement Assembly (ISMA), Chaldean Democratic Union Party (CDUP), Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), Democratic Christian Party (DCP) and a number of journalists representing the following newspapers: Ninevah al-Hurra (Free Nineveh), Nisha (The Aim), Sadda al-Syrian (The Syriac Echo), Al-Hayat al-Jadidah (The New Life), Saut Bakhdede (Beghdede Voice), Fajr al-Kildan (The Chaldean Dawn), Bahra (Light), al-Karma (The Vine), al-Bushra (The Message) and Shiraa Syrian (The Syriac Sail). Moreover, representatives of Suroyo TV, Ashur TV and a crowd of educational and people interested in writing the constitution attended this event.

The symposium focused on 3 major points:

1. The religious point from a constitutional point of view.

The clergy men Botros Mushe, the head of the Church's Court gave a lecture. At the beginning, he wondered about the prospects of the new constitution, then, he answered "what we want is to ensure our rights as Christians in this issue. I'd like to affirm that this should be according to the UN's pact of the Human Rights and the final proclamation of the second Vaticani Council which was held on the 7th of December 1967 which represents what we demand. Most of the constitutions in the world admit the religious freedom." He also asked the civil authorities to work seriously to protect the religious freedom of the people in order to practice their religious duties and direct their own lives. This point included 12 items. 

2. The national point included the political and administrative sides.

Mr. Abdul-Satiaa Botros Jajji Olo gave a lecture and demanded confirming the national, administrative and political rights. Moreover, he mentioned that the new constitution should refer to the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac people as a nationality not as a group since this people is ancient and has a history and a rich civilization. Then, he suggested applying (al-Kota System) in order to attain posts in the government for the minor nationalities.

3. The cultural point.

Mr. Aziz Amanuel who gave a lecture spoke about the Syriac heritage and language pointing to the fact that culture is the property of a specific society and it differentiates it from the other ones. "For this reason the cultural unity is more important than the borders unity and the ethnic one. Since culture may be called the spirit of peoples and nations, so they can't live without culture and if a people changed their culture, their identity would be changed. Moreover, a culture is closely related to the spiritual and religious sides."

After that, the Bishop Mar Baselios Jerjis al-Kass Moussa spoke about the aims of the coordinating committee of the Bishops Council in Nineveh and the national parties confirming the unity among the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac people. Moreover, he focused on the issues that could gather the members of this people.

The discussions of the session were led by Dr. Behnam Atalla and the head of the coordinative committee Dr. Michael Shmees who spoke about the insurance of the constitutional rights of this people and asked the attendants to accept each other as members of this nation to achieve the unity.

Finally, the lecturers answered the questions of the attendants. The symposium ended with several decisions which will be added to the decisions of other symposiums which will be held later. At the end of those symposiums, the decisions will be send to the Churches Council in Baghdad and the Representatives Mr. Younadam Kanna, Mr. Nouri Botros Atto and other men in charge. As a result of the symposium several committees were formed such as the financial, the administrative, the media and the organizing committee.

http://www.bethil.org/news/news/june-05/assyrian-chaldean-05.htm