From zenda@ix.netcom.com Tue Apr 22 04:00:37 1997 Return-Path: Received: from dfw-ix13.ix.netcom.com (dfw-ix13.ix.netcom.com [206.214.98.13]) by emin22.mail.aol.com (8.8.5/8.8.5/AOL-2.0.0) with ESMTP id EAA23443; Tue, 22 Apr 1997 04:00:35 -0400 (EDT) Received: (from smap@localhost) by dfw-ix13.ix.netcom.com (8.8.4/8.8.4) id AAA04589; Tue, 22 Apr 1997 00:55:30 -0500 (CDT) Received: from sjx-ca77-06.ix.netcom.com(205.186.122.198) by dfw-ix13.ix.netcom.com via smap (V1.3) id sma004256; Tue Apr 22 00:55:04 1997 Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19970421225405.006ba6dc@popd.ix.netcom.com> X-Sender: zenda@popd.ix.netcom.com X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Mon, 21 Apr 1997 22:54:05 -0700 To: zenda@ix.netcom.com From: ZENDA Subject: ZENDA I (Vol III,#10 ; 4/21/97) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Neesan 21, 6747 April 21, 1997 zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz zz z zzzzzzzzz z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z zzzzzzz z z z z z zzzzzzz z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz z zz zzzzzzz z z Volume III, Issue 10 A Weekly Online Publication of ZENDA Assyrian Newsagency -Section 1 of 2- =========================================================================== T H I S W E E K I N Z E N D A =========================================================================== -Section One- The Lighthouse...................... Empire Struggles Back Good Morning Bet-Nahrain............ US Lawmakers, Saddam Must be Punished Surfs Up............................ "You have proven me wrong." Surfers Corner...................... New Assyrian/Chaldean Radio Program News Digest......................... Jan Toma, Assyrian Artist Passes On Kha b'Neesan Celebrations in Germany Islamists' Attack on Egypt's Copts Shamasha Namato Lectures in Canada Last of Assyrians & Kurds Leave Guam -Section Two- Ziggurat............................ No New Entry Calendar of Events.................. No New Entry Entracte............................ No New Entry Intelligentsia...................... Classes and Seminars Assyrian Surfing Posts.............. Aramaic Bible Society Pump up the Volume.................. Joint and Cartilage Back to the Future.................. Ashurbelkala and Isaac of Nineveh Literatus........................... St. Ephraim's Evening Prayer This Week in History................ Dr.Grant, American Missionary Bravo............................... Shamasha Namato The Directory....................... News Sources Bshena.............................. San Jose & Sweden Salute.............................. Emanuel, Adrin, Firas, Ninus, Odet, & Rita =========================================================================== THE L I G H T H O U S E =========================================================================== EMPIRE STRUGGLES BACK ASSYRIANS CONQUERED ANCIENT WORLD, NOW FIGHT TO BE HEARD An L.A. Times Article: 26 February, 1997; B4 Madlen Zango carries the weight of a nation on her shoulders. her new Year's resolution is to increase the exposure of a 7,000-year-old ethnic group that few in Los Angeles realize live among them. It is an ambitious goal, she knows, about as easy as rebuilding the Tower of Babel. "People ask me, 'You Assyrians still exist?" said the 39-year-old Granada Hills woman. "I tell them we are the ones left over from the Babylonians." Since her inauguration last year as president of the Southern California Assyrian American Association, Zango's efforts have earned her the affectionate title "Queen of Assyria," after the legendary Queen Shamiran who reigned around 800 B.C. She has organized fundraising efforts to remodel the group's 32-year-old cultural center and has hosted local and nationally known Assyrian poets, artists, composers, and choirs. She has invited local officials, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, to tour the center and meet members of the Assyrian community. Yet like many leaders of immigrant groups, Zango seeks a balance between protecting traditions and integrating her community into the mainstream. Her ancestors, fierce conquerors of the ancient world, have left behind only fragments of their past: the sundial, for example, and the carved stone images of winged lion, a symbol of royalty. A reminder of their influence can be seen on the walls of the Citadel factory outlet mall in the City of Commerce, a landmark off the Santa Ana Freeway [I-5]. The former Firestone tire factory site is a replica of the palace of King Sargon II who ruled the Assyrian empire from 721 to 705 B.C. Largely ignored because of their small numbers, Assyrians have been in America since the late 19th century, said Zango. But theirs has remained a fragile community, one with no home country to call their own, and only an ancient language left to define them. Once the most feared nation in the Biblical world- forcing others to adopt their customs- the Assyrians of Southern California now struggle to preserve what is left of their identity. Many still hold Dokhrana, a religious gathering that includes a sacrificial offering of lamb stew. At church-sponsored picnics in the summer, youth perform Shekhanni, the dance of their forefathers. Assyrians celebrate their New Year on April 1, the day they say "when nature wears new clothes." In her office near the Assyrian Cultural Center on Cahuenga Boulevard, piles of the organization's newsletter Shotapouta, meaning association, are ready to be mailed. A small wooden plaque that reads "The Boss" rests at the edge of her desk. The title is unusual, said Zango, the first woman to lead an Assyrian American association in the U.S. "In the Assyrian community, in the Middle Eastern community, a woman is on the second step," she said. Yet Zango is quick to add that there was little opposition to her election as president, earned after several years as treasurer for St. Mary's Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East in North Hollywood. She is an accountant who, like many Assyrians, fled Iran 19 years ago in the wake of the Ayatollah Khomeini's rise to power. So far her gender has not been a handicap... Differences in religion and nationality have often divided them in the past. In Los Angeles County, where the 1990 U.S. Census reports that 3,000 of the nation's 51,765 Assyrians reside, there are three main churches serving the community: Apostolic, Roman Catholic, and Church of the East. Their nomadic lifestyle has produced a community of people with different nationalities, language backgrounds and ideologies, said Zango. As a result, Zango said, "It's very hard to please people with different thoughts, religions; the Assyrians from Iran, and the Assyrians from Iraq." ...Mehdi Bozorgmehr, a sociology professor at City College, City University of New York, who has edited a book titled "Middle Eastern Diaspora Communities in America," said Assyrians are not as widely known because the population is scattered and small. There remains a confusion in the minds of many between Syrians and Assyrians. Bozorgmehr said most Westerners don't distinguish among different Middle Eastern groups, making it "complicated to know who Assyrians are." Anthropologist Arian Ishaya, who teaches California history at UC Santa Cruz, said fear of discrimination, as well as a history of persecution, makes Assyrians hesitant to reveal their community to outsiders...During research on her dissertation at UCLA, Ishaya traced the migration patterns of Assyrians throughout Northern California and discovered at least five generations had settled in the U.S. since the late 19th century. During that time, Assyrian families moved to Northern California and bought small farms and vineyards. Others worked in San Francisco hotels. Since settling in the U.S. many fear losing their most important cultural distinction, which is their language, Ishaya said. The Assyrian language, derived from Aramaic, was spoken in the time of Christ. The lack of Assyrian schools is "causing a degeneration among the new generation," said Ishaya, who is of Assyrian descent. "It creates this poverty of knowledge in our community, especially our language. We are losing our language because it is not studied." The prospect is especially chilling, she said: "We've lost our country, our nation. Our language is the only thing left that identifies us as Assyrians." ...In California, Assyrian communities are thriving in Stanislaus County where about 5,000 reside. The community there has its own local television programs, said Zango. Elsewhere in the U.S., Assyrian neighborhoods can be found in Michigan and Illinois. Rep. Anna G. Eshoo(D-Palo Alto), who is of Assyrian descent, has made several requests to the Clinton Administration for the security of Assyrians still left in Iraq who continue to suffer under Saddam Hussein's regime, said Zango... There are also plans to build an Assyrian library in memory of Paul Alex Youhanian, an 11-year-old Valencia boy who was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting in North Hollywood last October. After her term ends, Zango hopes more Assyrian women will take an active leadership role in their community. "A woman president is like a woman in the house," she said. "When there is a woman in the house, there is a sense of warmth in that house." Susan Abram Los Angeles Times Staff Writer =========================================================================== G O O D M O R N I N G B E T - N A H R A I N =========================================================================== US LAWMAKERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR GENOCIDES COMMITTED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN Voice of America 16-Apr-97 8:25 PM EDT (0025 UTC) A group of prominent US lawmakers and human rights activists have launched a campaign to bring Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to justice. They believe the Iraqi leader and his associated should be held accountable for genocide committed before and after the 1991 Gulf War. Voice of America's Maxim Kniazkov has details: The campaign follows last month's remarks by US Secretary of State Madeliene Albright, in which she made clear the Clinton Administration intentions to keep pressure on Baghdad as long as Saddam Hussein remains in power. On Wednesday, the Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Benjamin Gilman, displayed Congressional solidarity on the issue by making this remark: "The Congressional Human Rights Caucus, of which I am proud to be a member, will soon introduce a resolution calling for the establishment of an international tribunal to hold Saddam and his regime responsible for war crimes and related offenses." US lawmakers and human rights activists say Saddam Hussein and his associates bear direct responsibility for the disappearance of more than 180-thousand Iraqi Kurds. They say Iraqi forces used chemical weapons against civilians and destroyed at least 45-hundred villages in their effort to stamp out the Kurdish national movement in the late 1980's. Representative Gilman says the United States has tons of Iraqi documents detailing Baghdad's atrocities not only in Iraqi Kurdistan but also in other regions. The evidence to indict Saddam Hussein and its his top aides for war crimes and crimes against humanity is overwhelming. Reports from victims, from eyewitnesses indicate willful killings, torture, rape, pillage, hostage taking and associated crimes not only against the Kurds in the North but also against the Shia Arabs of the southern marshes and, of course, against the people of Kuwait. The Clinton Administration was quick to applaud the effort to expose Iraqi crimes against humanity. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott sent the initiators of the campaign a letter, which was read by his representative, Steve Coffey, at a new conference Wednesday. The United States government supports the efforts of "indict" and others to document Iraqi war crimes and to establish an internationally recognized record of them. An international record of Iraq's violations of international humanitarian law can be part of an overall effort to help the victims of repression find solace and to prevent the recurrence of these abuses in the future. However, the carefully-worded letter sidestepped a delicate question of whether the Clinton Administration will actually adopt demands for the indictment of Saddam Hussein. Some members of the UN Security Council, France, Russia and China, have already made clear they are against escalating confrontation with Iraq, as did some Arab countries. =========================================================================== S U R F S U P ! =========================================================================== "Many thanks for depicting the Assyrian Parade through vivid imagery and thoughtful prose. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to see the parade this year, but I can say that I caught glimpses of it as I read your visionary article. Keep up the good work, I am VERY PROUD of you." Nadia E. Joseph Chicago, Illinois [We look forward to proudly waving the banner of ZENDA on a float in the upcoming Kha b'Neesan Parade in Chicago!] *************** "Correction! The Assyrian Community Networking Conference will be held on Sunday , May 25 at the Red Lion Hotel. All participants will receive a free T Shirt and a free Assyrian fonts disk-a gift from Nineveh On Line. The T shirts are donated by a supporter, George Harrier of Chicago. Vxtreme ( Live audio and Video ) from Sunnyvale and Hollister Internet will also participate in this event. Looking forward to meeting you all." Albert Gabrial ACNC 97 Organizing committee Turlock, California *************** "Avveetoon baseeme, I don't know any German, but it's great to try reading it and seeing how many words are distinguishable. In the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you posted the fact that the Chicago Historical Society, located at North Avenue and Clark Streets on the north Side of Chicago, have two recently published books that deal with early Assyrian settlers in Chicago. I have purchased and read one of them that sells for about $17 called "ETHNIC CHICAGO" 'a complete guide to the many faces and cultures of Chicago, 2nd edition, by: Richard Lindberg. published by "Passport Books, Lincolnwood, IL." I was a bit disappointed that the author, who I know, did not consult with me except telling me that he was commissioned by the city to write the book; for if he had allowed me to read his manuscript before publication, I would have been able to correct some of the necessary errors he has made in describing the Assyrians and their history and get the Assyrian New Year word "Kha'b'neesan) correctly spelled. I suggest that anyone purchasing and reading the book should write and refer Mr. Lindburg to some of our scholars at the JAAS to give him a better perspective on our civilization and culture." Paul D. Newey, Esquire Chicago *************** "Mr. Ben Samuel's comments regarding the failure of ZOWAA's representatives outside occupied Assyria, is not totally true. The reason I say this is due to the fact that it is the leadership of ZOWAA, that chose to have members and representatives in the West when all the Assyrian Political Parties requested that they abstain from such action and allow the other Assyrian organizations to be their voice and support in the West. It is also a fact that it is ZOWAA's leadership that chose their representatives in the West. These representatives reflect the policies and mentality of ZOWAA's leadership as well as follow their orders. ZOWAA, or the movement in its re-emergence during the Gulf War not only pumped new blood in the bodies of the Assyrian activists and the nationalists that had lost hope, it also did a great job in protecting our brethren in the homeland as well as organizing them. The sad part that followed, in my opinion, is the megalomania that overtook the ranking file of ZOWAA, perhaps their upbringing in the dictatorship atmosphere is the reason, but in my opinion they slowly sought after the sole representation of our people and anyone that portrayed a challenge they labeled as a traitor, or an agent. The second mistake was the Assyrian Aid Society being the charitable arm of ZOWAA. I say it was a mistake for many reasons. The contribution of our people in support of their brethren in the homeland through this organization is limited to their views of ZOWAA. When dealing with finances, as we all know, we are fast to believe rumors of theft, and misappropriation of funds even if all evidence points to otherwise, and any such rumor reflects directly on ZOWAA. Also AAS, being the visible representative of ZOWAA, turned the movement into a pure charitable organization, somewhat of a beggar, and our people in the West have grown tired of being solicited for donations, especially if the results are not visible or touchable. I found ZOWAA's representatives to be using the divide and conquer, belittle the others and ascend, tactics which has caused the loss of trust in ZOWAA. After all these representatives are mostly the failures of other organizations, or the escapees to the west for a better personal life, chasing status within the community by tagging on the tailcoats of the new political wave after a dormancy that followed the destruction of AUA in the mid 80's. In conclusion, ZOWAA re-emerged as the hope of the Assyrians, in a very short time, and in two situations humans lose grip on reality is in the process of ascending or descending at a fast pace. Unfortunately, those so called politicians sitting on the table with it, for their own selfish reasons are blinding ZOWAA, to the sad reality therefore depriving them from seeing the necessity for badly needed changes." Nenus Younan Canada *************** "When Nineveh collapsed in 625B.C. at the hands of our enemies, we lost our empire however we never lost our hope nor did we lose our ambition to keep our culture and language alive. Historians, educated and lay people with different levels of familiarity of Middle Eastern history believed that Assyria and Assyrians vanished from the face of the earth. After losing our country, our history shows us that we searched and hoped for a party to unite us and to get our rights back. In 1979, something small, something hidden away in peoples mind and heart became alive. It started among friends, behind close doors and in darkness. Today, 18 years after planting this small seedling, we see it has grown to a strong, powerful and shining tree of hope. Zowaa is that Tree, it gives our people hope for unity and freedom. Zowaa is an answer to the prayers of generations of our people. Zowaa is what our ancestors tried to achieve and gave their life for. Last Sunday, April 13, a small group of people gathered at the Assyrian American Association of San Jose to celebrate the birth of this hope. Even though the number of attendees was small, the love and devotion of those present created a warm atmosphere. The meeting started half an hour late while everyone was waiting for Jackie Bejan, VP of AAA and Sargon Yalda, president of AAA, of which neither showed up. Their lack of interest and respect for the celebration was disappointing to everyone present in the meeting. The mediator asked Mr. Ator Paul, a member of AAA to step in and represent AAA. Rabi Tobia Giwargis, a well known Assyrian writer was the next to speak on this event. He was followed by Mr. Carlo Ganjeh representative of Assyrian United Organizations of California(AUOC)?. He expressed that he always thought that Zowaa started a new page in our history in the 70's and has completed the goal that our people started in 50's and 60's. Mr. Ganjeh also mentioned that Zowaa as a party in Northern Iraq has worked hard and is the true reason of the survival of our nation. He also mentioned that Zowaa is the way to help us to regain our country and we should all work for Zowaa and not to become an obstacle to prevent Zowaa from achieving its goal. Mr. Daniel Benjamin from Assyrian Around the World T.V, Rabita Evelyn, Rabi Micheal Younan, Mr. Ben Samuel were others who spoke on different issues and their hope for future. I, representing the Assyrian Aid Society, Santa Clara County Chapter also expressed the needs of our people in the homeland "Bet Nahrain" and stressed that it is our duty to support them. Mr. Edward Chalaby, the representative of Zowaa in San Jose after he spoke, invited Mr. Viladimir Betlachin, Zowaa's representative in the Central Valley (Modesto, Turlock...)CA to speak. Mr. Betlachin in his presentation stated that last year was a difficult one for our people. He denied the rumors that Zowaa is dead and that it's forces have ran away to other countries by announcing the participation of more than 12000 people in 1 Nissan in North of Iraq. Mr. Betlachin also talked about Ain-Kawa. As some of you may know, this city has a large population of our Chaldean brothers. In 1992, they refused to get involved with Zowaa. Today after 5 years, 6000 people went to the streets to celebrate 1 Nissan. When Saddam attacked Arbil, they were the ones who sheltered our Zowaa members in their homes and kept them safe. He mentioned that in Northern Iraq there are no divisions among our people due to their political interest or tribalism. They have achieved the level of political understanding which unfortunately, we, those who live in west, have not been able to achieve. He also talked about the Audio tape that was distributed in CA by a group who are asking Mr. Clinton to get our nation's right from Saddam. He continued by brining examples from our history and how never in history no country has shown any compassion for us. Mr. Betlachin also denied the allegation that Zowaa is asking Kurds to help them with our fight for Assyrian nation. "Zowaa is not connected to any country or group or anybody, Zowaa is relying on our own people. We never take sides. We have learned our lessons from history". In response to those who question "what has Zowaa done?", Mr. BetLachin said: " We are human, and like all other human beings we make mistakes, but we will not sell our goal and our nation. Zowaa works only for SHOSHATA OF OMTA ATORETA (progress of the Assyrian nation) No matter if Saddam takes over Northern Iraq or not. Most of our people are residing in cities, They work under cover. If it is necessary we will work under cover again. They can kill us, Jail us and torture us as they have been doing, but they can not take our KHYORTA TAKHMANTA (freedom of thought). The presentation ended with refreshments. Lena Mushell San Jose, California *************** "A gathering at the AAA of San Jose took place on Sunday , April 13th. @ 7:00PM , to celebrate the 18 th. anniversary of the birth of ZOWAA and I am glad I went. It gave me a chance to hear all the facts from Mr. Ladimer Lachin ( Representative of ZOWAA in CA.) and to those of you who are interested to know , ZOWAA is alive, it always was and it always will be. Because principles , faith and true love of this nation will not be sold by these true Assyrians. Some issues I have to mention : - This event was hosted by AAA of San Jose , where were Sargon Yalda (President) or Jackie ( vice president) of the club ? - ?@?@? , and if I am not mistaken Mr. Carlo Ganjeh a very short time ago wrote so badly about ZOWAA and Dr. Lincoln Malik , stood today unshameful praising ZOWAA and it's leadership!! I feel sorry for you Carlo . God bless our nation. Frederick Aprim San Jose, California [As we have repeatedly noted in the past it is our policy to print all material as received in our mailbox, unless it contains personal attacks to an individual. We have replaced Mr. Aprim's derogatory comments of Mr. Ganjeh, president of the Assyrian United Organizations of California, with ?@?@?. Our reader was asked to retract his comments and re-write his message. As one reader put it eloquently: "May ZENDA never become the "Jenny Jones" of the Middle Eastern news media." We thank Mr. Aprim for the following comments received after our sincere request.] "I am very concerned and distressed about your respond to my article which I sent to you on April 14 th. regarding the zowaa's 18 th. anniversary, in refusing to print my point of view unless certain changes are made to it. I thought that zenda was the only Assyrian independent voice we had ,well sir you have proven me wrong. I do not think that I was that rough on Carlo Ganjeh , I only mentioned the facts. And if you are not bias as you are trying to tell me when you say that you will not print anything that is sort of an insult to any other zenda reader , I wonder how Mr. Carlo Ganjeh's article was printed in your zenda vol. III , # 7 on March 31 , 1997 and in it he called Dr. Lincoln Malik a dictator, is this how you are going to use zenda as one of your associates Ramin Daniels put it in zenda III , # 6 and I quote " Forum for Accountability" . I just wonder." [The term "dictatorship" as used by Mr. Ganjeh is made in reference to Dr. Lincoln Malik's leadership style. On the contrary, Mr. Aprim's naming of an animal in reference to Mr. Ganjeh (not printed in ZENDA), is simply injurious and a personal attack on Mr. Ganjeh's character. We apologize to Dr. Lincoln Malik and Mr. Carlo Ganjeh if our attempt to justify our position brings disservice upon their roles in the local and national arena of the Assyrian politics.] *************** "Frederick, I regret I was not able to attend, but thanks for a true and accurate report. I can personally attest to the fact that those two men (from The Club) you mentioned have been known for years to very politely politically correct, and I have concluded, that the younger one emulating the older one however I am surprised how at least one of those two men you mentioned behaved, and I don't believe it was a change of heart or that he is finally seeing the light!" Esha Tamras San Jose, California [Mr. Tamras had read Mr. Frederick's "pre-ZENDAnized" message on the AssyrianLink service]. *************** "I like Zenda very much. It's very informative and wonderful Electronic News Service. I'm very proud of you. Can you tell me why I am getting ZENDA II over and over. This is the third time I'm receiving it. please don't send it again. I can't even read or understand the language. thanks. Janine Jacoby Phoenix, Arizona *************** Thanks for sending part 2 again. It's really a shame it did not succeed again this time ! I guess I just have to live without part 2 !!! Thanks for trying it over and over again anyway !! Peter de Rooij Almere, Holland [Last week most of our readers received Part I of ZENDA only. We submitted Part II several times of which only a small portion of ZIGGURAT was received. If you are still not in receipt of last week's Part II please contact us immediately. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience.] *************** "There is something I would like to say to Mr. Bashir M. from Michigan: According to Prof. Martin van Brunissen, FU-Berlin, there was a Kurdish State in 1946 in Iran just for a year, but nothing more in the history!! On the other hand we can find written documents as late as Pliny (06.30.117): 'The whole of Mesopotamia once belong to the Assyrians.'" Adrin Takhsh Berlin, Germany =========================================================================== S U R F E R S C O R N E R =========================================================================== ZENDA readers are invited to respond to the following request(s) by either directly writing to the author or sending a reply to ZENDA. *************************************************************************** On April 11 1997 " Ishtar Voice From Detroit" started broadcasting in Assyrian & Chaldean every Friday From 7:00 TO 9:00 P.M. local time on 560 AM radio. Alexander Yousif Michigan =========================================================================== N E W S D I G E S T =========================================================================== ASSYRIAN ARTIST, JAN TOMA, PASSES AWAY IN SAN JOSE (ZNDA: San Jose) Jan Toma, a prominent Assyrian painter, passed on to immortality on Friday, April 18, in San Jose, California. Jan began his art training in the form of an apprenticeship with Andre Gualievich, in Leningrad Academy of Art. Jan often applied the ideas of the academic schools of Europe to the oriental motifs and aesthetic expressions. He traveled extensively to Europe and later moved to Argentina where he lived for five years and painted the primitive lives of the indigenous people of the north. In 1955 Jan Toma moved to the United States where his work has been exhibited in several one-man shows and galleries. Among some of Jan's other artistic projects are his design of the late William Daniel's monument in San Jose and the illustrations used in Mr. Daniel's "Tapestry." Fred Parhad, the famous Assyrian artist and sculptor, is Mr. Toma's nephew. KHA B'NEESAN & EASTER CELEBRATIONS IN GERMANY (ZNDA: Berlin) On Sunday, 30 March, nearly 1000 Assyrian-Germans and their guests from other European countries, celebrated Kha b'Neesan in Wiesbaden, Germany. The event was organized by the Assyrian Aid Society (Assyrische Hilfverband Deutschland e.V.) The Babylon Band and Evin Aghassi provided the entertainment. Mr. Zaya of Munich and Ms. Adrin Takhsh of Berlin, a ZENDA staff member, were the Masters of Ceremony. A traditional Easter egg-fight for the enjoyment of the youngsters and a raffle were organized for the evening. This evening's guests of honor bestowed the winners' cups to the six Assyrian teams who had won in the annual Kha b'Neesan Games. At midnight the leaders of the Bet-Nahrain Society and Assyrian Aid Society wished the attendees a happy Assyrian New Year. Music and Assyrian folk dances continued until 2:00 am. On April, 5th, another New Year Party was organized by Bet-Nahrain Society in Wiesbaden. Entertainers, Gaudi Hanna of Sweden and Nahrin from Wiesbaden, celebrated Kha b'Neesan with nearly 500 Assyrian guests. As usual the celebrations included Assyrian Folk music and dances. Bet-Nahrain children's choir recited a few Assyrian songs and the Bet-Nahrain Youth Dance Group presented a dance number. The next day, ABGAD society in Wiesbaden invited it's members to celebrate both Assyrian New Year and Easter. About 50 Assyrians from Wiesbaden and the vicinity attended this event. Ms. Adrin Takhsh's informative lecture on "The New Year Ceremonies in Ancient Assyria" was followed by a reception. ISLAMISTS IN EGYPT DEMAND GIZYA, TAX ON NON-MOSLEMS (ZNRU: Egypt) Amgad, a Christian from a village in middle Egypt, has been in hiding in Cairo for more than a year, another victim of a protection racket that is tearing apart the social fabric of his birthplace. What did the trick for Amgad was the third threatening letter from the Gama'a al-Islamiya (Islamic Group), Egypt's largest Islamist militant organization. The Islamists, starved of funds for their campaign of violence against the government, had picked on him as a source of finance on the pretext that Egypt's Christians should all be paying gizya, the ancient Islamic tax on non-Moslem subjects. Copts, members of the Christian minority that has survived centuries of Moslem domination, say the police are doing nothing about it. The practice appears to be confined mainly to the central provinces of Minya and Assiut, where the proportion of Copts is especially high and where the Gama'a is most active in fighting the government. In the bishopric of Qusiya, a Nile Valley town 300 km (185 miles) south of Cairo, the gizya racket has become routine for many of the 100,000 Coptic residents, says Bishop Thomas. The bishop, who has kept track of more than 100 villagers forced to pay, suggested that extortion by local bosses was now more pervasive than that by the Islamists. There have been two massacres this year -- one of 10 young Copts in a church near Abu Qurqas and one of 13 people, eight of them Copts, in a rampage through the streets of a village near the southern town of Nag Hammadi. SHAMASHA NAMATO'S CD A HIT IN CANADA (ZNDA: Ontario) The Assyrian Society of Canada, in Mississauga, Ontario hosted a presentation on Shamasha Lawrence Namato's "Teach Yourself Assyrian" Compact Disc. Mr. Youel Sarkis' opening remarks includes his gratitude, on behalf of the Society's members, for Shamasha Namato's diligence in creating a new medium of learning of the Assyrian language. Dr. Guliat Nissan, who introduced the main speaker, and Dr. Amir Harrak, a professor at the University of Toronto were among the honored guests. Dr. Harrak suggested that a similar project be undertaken to teach Classical Assyrian. To date over 700 copied of Shamasha Namato's CD's have been sold. OPERATION PACIFIC HAVEN ENDS IN GUAM (ZNUP: Washington) The last of 6,600 Assyrian and Kurdish refugees who were brought to Guam from Iraq for political asylum are leaving the island. The Pentagon says it's wrapping up the 218-day Operation Pacific Haven, which began September 16. The humanitarian effort gave the refugees shelter, food, clothing, medical care and classes aimed at helping them adjust to life in the United States. Some Assyrian families have already been moved to Texas. David Johnston, who ran the INS aspect of the operation, said a streamlined asylum process allowed the refugees access to the United States in 90 to 120 days. The usual procedure, which includes background checks, medical exams and designation of mainland sponsors, can take as long as two years. Washington spent more than $10 million in the local communities to support the operation. All people and gear assigned specifically for Pacific Haven are expected to be off Guam by the end of the month. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -End of Section 1 of 2