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[casi] Iraqi Gov Council: Another trouble ahead ?




Another trouble ahead ?

Neglecting - despite earlier contacts and appeals - Chaldeans being the
third largest ethnic group in Iraq and making up for more than 80% of Iraqi
Christians  is a bit hefty, I'd think.

Isn't it ?


Andreas

------------------

http://www.chaldeansonline.net/chaldeanews/cnc_cdu.html

Chaldean Groups Protest Lack of Chaldean Representation in Iraqi Ruling
Council


FOR ARABIC VERSION, PLEASE, CLICK HERE
http://www.chaldeansonline.net/chaldeanews/cnc_cdu_ar.html

14 July, 2003 Baghdad, Iraq    The Chaldean National Congress and the United
Chaldean Democratic Party, representing the Chaldean national movement,
issued a joint press release protesting strongly the lack of any Chaldean
representative in the Iraqi Ruling Council that was recently appointed by
the American Civil Governor of Iraq, Mr. Paul Bremer.

Following the joint press release of the two groups, Mr. Ghassan Hanna,
General Secretary of the Chaldean National Movement, promised a major
campaign inside and outside Iraq to protest that great injustice against the
Chaldeans. "We will allow no one to sidestep the Chaldean presence or claim
its representation, and we will work with all our power to get the Chaldean
voice heard till justice is done ".

Below is a copy of the complete press release:


Honorable Mr. Paul Bremer, Civil Governor on Iraq

Honorable Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, UN Special Envoy to Iraq

Honorable Members of the Iraqi Ruling Council

Honorable Leaders of Iraqi Parties and Patriotic Personalities



We were looking forward for the creation of the Iraqi Ruling Council, and
we're extremely pleased for its birth which we consider as the first step on
the road to bringing life back to governmental agencies and organizations so
they could start servicing the Iraqi people. Also, so as that council could
bring back the much needed security and stability as well as establishing
the rule of law throughout Iraq.

We would also like to affirm our full respect and high regard for this
council and wish it all the success in its duty to serve our homeland and
people, especially, since it has among its members a number of highly
respected Iraqi personalities who are well known for their struggle against
the former regime.

Having said that, we on the other hand, would like to protest in the
strongest terms your complete disregard for the Chaldeans as demonstrated in
your failure to include their representatives in your council. That is
despite their honorable history in the service of Iraq and despite their
being the third largest Iraqi ethnic group, as well as despite their making
up more than 80% of Iraqi Christians i.e. being the absolute majority of
Christians.

Your clear failure to acknowledge our existence and refusal to add our
representatives to the council is a direct attack against the democratic
principles which you claim to follow. Those principles that advocate the
rule of the majority and its representation in the making of decisions, all
while taking into consideration the rights of the minority.

Hence, we strongly demand and in the name of justice, rectitude, and
democracy to add a Chaldean representative to your council as well as to all
future committees that will be created. Failure to do that will be
considered a clear violation and outright disregard for the democratic
principles that you claim to follow, as well as a clear breach of your own
public commitments in working towards the full representation of all the
components of the Iraqi population, including the Chaldeans.

Your clear disregard for the Chaldean existence is unjust and tyrannical
which we will not accept and strongly reject, especially, in a country which
you claim to work towards turning into a model of democracy in the area.



Chaldean National Congress                            United Chaldean
Democratic Party

13 July, 2003


 Chaldean News Agency
----------------------------------

The earlier appeal:

http://www.chaldeansonline.net/chaldeanews/iraq_council.html

Chaldean National Congress Demands Inclusion of Chaldeans in

Iraq’s Leadership Council



Click here for ARABIC Version of this press release
http://www.chaldeansonline.net/chaldeanews/iraq_cncl_ar.html


July 9, 2003 Baghdad – Iraq  Following the news that Ambassador Paul Bremer,
will announce in the coming two weeks, a “Leadership Council” to act as an
executive body running governmental duties in Iraq, the General Secretary of
the Chaldean National Congress, Mr. Ghassan Hanna, demanded the inclusion of
Chaldean representatives in that council.

Chaldeans are considered the third largest ethnic group in Iraq and make up
more than 80% of its Christian population, and to exclude them from
membership of that council contravenes the public pledges made by President
George Bush and Primer Tony Blair to work towards the creation of a
representative Iraqi government whereby all of Iraq’s ethnic groups will
“enjoy freedom, prosperity, and equality in a united country”.

The exclusion of Chaldeans is also considered a serious breach of all public
and private commitments made by US officials to Chaldean representatives,
let alone is in direct opposition to US commitment under United Nations
Resolution 1483 which clearly defines its role as encouraging efforts “..to
form a representative (Iraqi) government”.

The exclusion of Chaldeans in the executive body, the “Iraqi Leadership
Council”, renders that council as “unrepresentative”.

Mr. Hanna also stated that Chaldeans reject categorically any claims by any
group to represent them. “Chaldeans must be represented by Chaldeans and no
one else”.

The Chaldean National Congress also called upon the Chaldeans worldwide, and
especially, those in Iraq to make their voices heard and demand the
inclusion of Chaldean representatives in that council, on equal terms with
representatives of Iraq’s other ethnic groups.









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