Posted by David Chibo (202.129.95.21) on January 10, 2002 at 21:30:50:
To: rlivesay@vtown.com.au; apotter@mela-sof.adsteam.com.au
Subject: The War on Terrorism, the Meaning of Australia'a Involvement.
The effects of the War on the Assyrian Community
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Name : David Chibo
Position : Chairperson of the Assyrian Youth Group of Victoria Inc. Writer
for Nakosha Magazine and Zinda Magazine. Member of the Assyrian Aid Society
- Australia.
The Assyrians are an indigenous and Semitic Christian minority in the Middle
East who have due to past wars been forced to flee political and religious
opression to Western countries, such as America and Australia.
The Assyrian population in Iraq is today around 1.5 million. After the Gulf
War and the subsequent U.S. imposed U.N. sanctions, supported by Australia,
over 500,000 Assyrians have been forced to flee due to the terrible
conditions.
The same conditions according to conservative U.N. statistics have been
responsible for the deaths of over 500,000 Iraqi children, 36,000 of whom
have been Christian Assyrians in what could be arguably called an
anti-semitic Genocide via sanctions.
However during the entire 11 years of U.S. led sanctions and bombings, the
Iraqi population have never treated the Assyrian Christians as though they
were the enemy and committed crimes against them.
Now since September 11th Assyrians living in Australia and the rest of the
Western world have been negatively affected by what they assumed were more
enlightened nations, due to the whipped up media frenzy.
Please note that unlike Moslem Midle Easterners our females do not wear a
scarf in public and our men are not required to grow their beards.
Yet despite this the following incidents have taken place:
1. Assyrian Church burned down in Chicago.
2. Assyrian Church burned down in Sydney.
3. Assyrians removed from flights in America.
4. Police presence has increased on Assyrian male youths in particular due
to racial profiling in Australia and America. Even though the police won't
admit it this is happening.
5. Assyrian male youths have been given backward glances and nervous looks
on public transportation, elevators etc.
6. Some Assyrians have decided to curtail any travel plans they may have had
until the paranoia factor dies down.
This has come on the heels of the mandatory detention practised by the
current Australian government has served to polarise many members of the
Assyrian community.
They no longer feel as though they are a part of this great nation and are
becoming anxious about the future of Australia.
Please let me know if you require further information.
Kindest regards,
David Chibo