Assyrian national movement

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The Assyrian national movement describes a political movement in Syria and Mesopotamia moved by Christian intellectuals, which aims at an educational, ethnically and culturally based demonstrative national identification and nation preservation.

It is aimed at the preservation of the national integrity of this people and against the assimilation of the people into the Islamic and Arab environment of the Middle East.

Goals and development

In the Faculty of Ethnology at the University of Leipzig, this Assyrian movement is equated with Assyrism . It was intended to establish a transformation of the pan-Mesopotamian thought values ​​and a transformation in the social, cultural and political structure of the Christian Syro-Mesopotamian society, with reference to old traditions and current circumstances. This movement is called the "Assyrian Liberation Movement" by some Assyrian thinkers. This is based on the resistance to the genocide and the later attempts to establish an Assyrian state in the original settlement areas of the Syrian Christians in the areas of Tur Abdin , Urmia , Hakkâri , the Mosul plain and the Syrian Jesireh.

In their thought values ​​one believes in an ethnic group as the descendants of the old, merged Mesopotamian and Syrian peoples. She believes in a common origin of the indigenous peoples of Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. This is based on the Syro-Mesopotamian empires of the Sumerians , Chaldeans , Babylonians , Assyrians , Arameans and Phoenicians of antiquity. She bases this origin on the belonging to one historical homeland. But also to the common history, common sufferings and common customs and traditions. This bond is expressed in the common Syrian language. In addition, a common cultural heritage is assumed, which also stems from a common Christian tradition. The population groups in which the Assyrian national movement is active belong to the following churches: the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and of the whole East, the Syrian Catholic Church of Antioch and all of the East, the Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch, the ancients Holy Apostolic Church of the East (under Patriarch Mar Addai II.), The Assyrian Church of the East , the Chaldean Catholic Church , the Melctic (Greek Catholic) Church of Antioch, the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch as well as numerous Protestant communities in Syria , Lebanon , Iraq and Iran .

The spiritual core of this national movement formed a synthesis of a sense of belonging, a national consciousness and a happy-liberal patriotism to the "fatherland" Mesopotamia. Concepts such as nation and fatherland were made tangible both literarily and musically. Sometimes these mixed up with a Christian-religious stamp. This national movement is strongly influenced by the genocide of the Assyrians and all the suffering, massacres and deportations that this people suffered.

The Assyrian national movement is not an institutional movement. But her thoughts aim at the solution of the Assyrian national question. Pan-Mesopotamist ideas found their special expression in it. A longing was triggered in this people: the founding of their own state.

The development of the national movement was different for the various denominations - due to the different forms of national identity and the different development in the respective Middle Eastern countries and in the diaspora in which the Assyrians lived. The calls for people's unity were loud, but could only limit the influence of sectarianism among Syrian Christians .

Organizations

The national movement is sometimes cut short in the work of some political organizations and associations. Some Assyrian intellectuals see them as the bedrock of the Assyrian national movement in the mid-20th century and as a reaction to the policies of the pre-existing political parties and branches of the Middle East.

Political organizations played an important role in spreading national consciousness, but they are only part of the many Assyrian social institutions. They were important foundations for the establishment of the national movement, but failed to create a unified political and administrative project.

According to the company, the founding of the “ Assyrian Democratic Organization ” (ADO) in Syria was the culmination of the establishment of the cross-denominational movement among Syrian Christians in Mesopotamia. The establishment of the " Assyrian National Alliance " (AUA) in Iran was able to offer many Assyrians in Mesopotamia and in the diaspora an institutional association, which was an important step towards the establishment of an Assyrian lobby for the pursuit of national goals. The establishment of further political organizations later, such as the " Assyrian Democratic Movement " (ADM) in Iraq and the Shuraya in Lebanon, could specifically be a step forward in a politicized national movement. This could also crystallize the political visions of this people in all their denominations.

The founding of the " Assyrian American Federation " as a supra-denominational umbrella organization for US clubs and associations was not just a lobby, but a collection of associations and clubs scattered in the USA into an influential institute for the representation of the people.

The establishment of the associations of Assyrian associations in Sweden and Central Europe was also able to offer the national movement a home in Europe. They are a platform for the nationally minded intellectuals and artists whom these institutions sometimes asked a chance to develop and develop.

The influence of the missionaries in certain areas was also strong, especially in Iran, where the Assyrian Universal Alliance (long-term chairman, retired US senator John Namrud ) was later founded. The first Syrian language magazine appeared in this country in 1840.

The Aramaic current is said to be part of the development of the national movement. It is only not entirely clear to what extent the influence of this current - but not always clearly identifiable directions - can be ascribed to today's national movement. The Assyrian nation according to the ideas of its national movement, with all its cultural characteristics, existed for thousands of years. It is intended to promote the further development of the ancient peoples of the Syro-Mesopotamian area and its high culture. The Aramaicization on the linguistic level took place many thousands of years ago in the Assyrian and Babylonian times. It was accompanied by political and cultural Assyrization and religious Babylonization (Chaldeanization) and Syrianization (Christianization).

literature

  • Suleiman Yousef Yousef: 50 Years of the Assyrian Movement , an article published in various forums.
  • Raif Toma: Assyrism
  • Ashur Georgis: The Assyrian Liberation Movement and the French Intervention, as well as various articles
  • Simon Parpola: Assyrians after Assyrian , Helsinki 1999.
  • Raif Toma: various articles
  • Gabriele Yonan: Journalism among the Assyrians , Central Association of Assyrian Associations in Germany and Central Europe, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-9800913-1-7 .
  • Yuhanun Qashisho: history, language and culture, thoughts on the national identity of the Assyrians . Mesopotamia Association, Augsburg 1993, ISBN 91-88328-00-7 .

See also

Web links