One Year Memorail of Massacre in Our Lady of Salvation Syriac Catholic Church

Along with other church bombings, assassinations and kidnappings that have been perpetrated against our defenseless and peaceful people since that cowardly attack, this criminal act is intended to dishearten the indigenous Assyrians, forcing them to abandon our ancestral lands and fleeing our homeland, Iraq. As these relentless campaigns of terror continue against our defenseless people, the Assyrians of Iraq are determined to stay the centuries-old course of preserving our unique identity and our ancestral lands as long as possible.

In response to these inhumane acts, our people through our political parties and organizations have established a united front in Iraq, and with support from the Diaspora Assyrians are continuing to voice our demand for a self-governed province on our ancestral lands as part of the Federal Republic of Iraq. The absence of such a solution for this segment of Iraq’s citizens continues to contribute to their economic disadvantage and lack of security.

We call upon the Iraqi government to take definitive action to establish a province for its indigenous Assyrians in the Nineveh plains. We appeal to all democratic governments and human rights organizations around the world and the United Nations to support our call, helping to protect the Assyrians of Iraq. By fulfilling the Assyrian demand for the establishment of a self-governed province, the government of Iraq will be protecting a peace-loving nation and establishing a country in which Iraqis of all religions can live together in harmony.