Attn: Dr. Gerald Bidawid, President of Patriarch Bidawid foundation, Member of Hidyab Society for Competence

  • Written by:

Brussels, July 4th, 2017
Dear representative of the Chaldean/Syriac/Assyrian people,
Your dedication to the process of finding consensus at the conference in Brussels is a testament to your dedication to your people. It is a testament to your dedication to a most fundamental pillar of democracy – the willingness to carry on when things get complicated – to negotiate, to stay at the table despite your frustrations. What you accomplished in Brussels is truly historic. I say “you” because the position paper is your policy. While I am happy that we are able to play a role in facilitating this consensus, ultimately it is your document, a manifestation of everyone’s hopes for the Chaldean/Syriac/Assyrian people to live free in the Nineveh Plain.

Your demands are just: To live freely, safely, and prosperously in your ancestral homeland, to practice your faith without fear of persecution, and to take your rightful place as equal citizens in a land you have called home since time immemorial.

Your demands are legal: As they grounded in the Iraqi constitution, upheld by the council of ministers, and are aligned with the laws and principles of a federal Iraqi state.

Your demands are fair: The Chaldean/Syriac/Assyrian people are not demanding any unreasonable accommodation. You are simply expressing your people’s desire to exercise your fundamental and constitutional right to self determination. You are not asking anyone to do it for you – you are taking responsibility for your future and are merely expecting the support from the world – support to which you are unequivocally entitled. Support you have earned both through your contribution to Iraqi society and through your suffering at the hands of it.

I remain committed to working with you and your representatives to help turn this consensus in tangible actions on the ground.
Yours sincerely,

Lars Adaktusson MEP