Chaldean National Congress Calls Upon Iraqi Opposition to secure Chaldean Rights and Representation

San Diego, February 26, 2003

The Chaldean National Congress called upon the leaders of the Iraqi Opposition Leaders to secure the Chaldeans’ ethnic, political, and cultural rights in the new Iraqi constitution and their inclusion in the Coordination and Follow-up Committee of the Iraqi Opposition .

A communiqué by a representative of the Chaldean National Congress (CNC) stressed that the Coordination and Follow-up Committee of the Iraqi Opposition, meeting now in Salah al-Din in north of Iraq, must correct the mistakes  committed against the Chaldeans, the absolute majority of the Christians in Iraq, in the last meeting of the Iraqi Opposition held in London. That meeting's final declaration did not guarantee the Chaldeans ethnic, religious, and cultural rights in the new proposed Iraqi Constitution in a clear and appropriate manner, similar to other elements of the Iraqi people. It is also worth mentioning that the present Coordination and Follow-up Committee is missing completely any Chaldean representatives; therefore, it cannot claim that it represents the true Iraqi ethnic fabric.

The CNC source additionally stated that the CNC had sent several letters to the leaders of the Iraqi Opposition and to what is known as “The Group of Six” in the past two months. In those letters, the CNC stressed the importance of a Chaldean representation in the Coordination and Follow-up Committee. The CNC additionally asked that the final declaration from this present meeting must include a clear and appropriate article in which the Iraqi Opposition define its official stand towards the Iraqi Chaldeans and its support for their ethnic, political, and cultural rights in the new Iraqi Constitution.

Members of the CNC met last January with representatives from the American National Security Council and the US State Department. In those meetings, the CNC asked for the support of the American Administration for the legitimate rights of the Iraqi Chaldeans. Meanwhile, meetings between the CNC and several leaders of the Iraqi Opposition took place in London. In those meetings, the Iraqi Opposition leaders were asked to support the presence of Chaldeans in the Coordination and Follow-up Committee through their representatives Ghassan Hanna Shathaya of the CNC and Abd al-Ahad Afram of the Chaldean Democratic Union Party.

Concerning the preparations of the CNC in assisting our Chaldean and Iraqi people in case of a new war with the Iraqi regime, the source mentioned that the CNC had sent special letters to Mr. Kofi Annan, the General Secretary of the United Nations and Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell. The CNC declared in those letters that in case of war it is ready to mobilize humanitarian assistance from the Chaldean community in the Diaspora to our people inside Iraq.

Furthermore, the source called upon our Chaldean people to contact the worldwide representatives of the CNC in order to coordinate our efforts and utilize the resources of our Chaldean nation to secure our people's ethnic, political, and cultural rights. This coordination will also support the efforts of all the good people of Beth Nahrain in their continuous struggle to remove the dictatorship and build tomorrow’s free, democratic, and federal Iraq where all its people can enjoy real equality and prosperous life.

Here is a list for the Chaldean National Congress representatives worldwide and how to contact them:

1. Mr. Ghassan Hanna Shathaya – General Secretary of the Congress - Resident of California, USA.

    E-mail ghanna@chaldeansonline.org

2. Mr. Samir Yousif – Under Secretary and representative of Australia - Resident of Sydney, Australia.

    E-mail samyousif@yahoo.com.au

3. Mr. Joseph Kassab – Representative of the State of Michigan - Resident of Detroit, USA.

    E-mail kassaj@karmanos.org

4. Mr. Hilal Malakha – Representative of the State of California - Resident of San Diego, USA.

    E-mail hmalakha@hotmail.com

5. Mr. Lukman Yacoub – Representative of United Kingdom - Resident of London, England.

    E-mail lukman4chudp@yahoo.co.uk

6. Dr. Subhi Toma – Representative of France - Resident of Paris, France.

    E-mail tomasubi@cybercable.fr

7. Mr. Nazar Malakha – Representative of Denmark - Resident of Copenhagen, Denmark.

    E-mail alkosh50@hotmail.com

8. Mr. Dominique Essa – Representative of Switzerland - Resident of Zurich, Switzerland.

    E-mail Dominique_gan@yahoo.com

9. Mr. George Kando – Representative of Austria - Resident of Zurich, Switzerland.

    E-mail malaka@freesurf.ch