Meltha Magazine Online

| | | | |

1998, Volume 4, No1(8) page 3

UNITY

There is no nation or people other than Assyrian that managed to preserve its purity, language and faith. Apparently there is no nation that knew no religious, social or political changes in different periods of its history. These changes inevitably influenced the nature of the man, his habits, and occupations as well as his national features of his character. The Assyrian people were unexceptional.

Just like other nations Assyrians for along time k11ew the brighter side of life as well as darkest times filled with grief and sorrow. Sometimes they got honey but at other times they got a cup of poison instead. At times we were brave and courageous in everyday life and in. spiritual matters and at other times we were weak and feeble. We knew victories and defeats as well both in the battlefield and in the debates at the roundtable.

We left our traces in the history of other nations and made a great impact on their sciences, culture, and conversely they also influenced our life in many different ways. So there is no wonder if we should discover some drops of alien's blood in our own blood vessels, or our own language seems to be saturated with some words from a different language as well. We are not alone in this worry about the loss of our originality. All the nations in the world seem to have been inside this great melting pot of civilization. Some were absorbed and assimilated by others, and these inevitably lost their own national roots after all.

Any nation should not feel weak and hopeless. Despite a considerable damage and deep cuts they never should lose its face. The Assyrian people knew all along much persecution and exile, but the fall of its kingdom did not mean annihilation of the whole nation or even its assimilation.

Owing to the national spirit and power of our ancestors, as well as to their industry and ability to work the Assyrians have managed to prese1"Vt: its identity, Being scattered allover the world the nation sustained an endless struggle through continuous trials and tribulations that came along on its historical path, Besides, they have preserved its culture, traditions, customs and language as well.

At present the Assyrians are facing another problem, The current condition of their existence is no longer a safeguard of their language a1ld culture as well as their own national identity, And if we really love our own people we should by all means try to drive egocentrism out of hea1is and minds as we must think of a prosperous future for our be- loved nation. We must gather all of our strength and stop the al11lihilation of one of the most ancient nation in the world. I think we. Should revive all the good things that we have i11llerited from our ancestors for the truth, is that no future knows no past.

Commonly we should try our best to preserve our language as the older generation still holds to its language and old customs but it will pass away while the youth still cannot totally absorb the national heritage nor can it know the native language.

In this time of trials we must follow the path that God provided for us. This is our unity that can help us get by in hardship now. Every Assyrian must abandon hatred and jealousy and nourish love and kindness for each other's hearts.

In the end, I should like to say again the things everyone should bear in mind, we have nothing to fight about for we once were abandoned by God when we lost our land.

Instead of mutual blows and endless and fruitless debates or false lamentation, how it would be useful for us to gather all our people to find reconciliation among us. This precedent would show that unity is our power. If we call us " Assyrians", I think we should first win sympathy with authorities and respect from our neighbors so that Assyrians should never be identified with someone who does not care much for the name he has.

Tamara Bet-Tamraz