Subj: ZENDA (Vol II,#16; 5/19/96) Date: 96-05-20 02:36:59 EDT From: zenda@ix.netcom.com (Zenda) To: zenda@ix.netcom.com Yaar 20, 6746 May 20, 1996 ***** ***** * * **** ** * * ** * * * * * * *** * * * * * ****** * * * ** * * * * ***** ***** * * **** * * Volume II, Issue 16 A Weekly Online Newsletter Serving the Assyrian Communities Around the World ===================================================== THE L I G H T H O U S E ===================================================== [The following article was written 60 years ago by Livinsgtone Porter, Ph.D., of California State Dept of Education, in Pasadena, California.] THE ASSYRIAN HERITAGE Assyrian played a leading part in the civilization of the ancient world. The Assyrians displayed truly remarkable creative ability and originality. Excavations have been carried on continuously now for more than a century and for this reason Assyria has become well known to the modern world. Fresh discoveries have served to keep alive and extend the general interest. The Assyrians of 2500 years ago were imbued with a strong feeling of dependence upon the past, they were keenly interested in it, they revered their ancestors for what they have accomplished, and they sought to follow their example, to complete that which they had commenced. they appreciated the value of preserving the monuments and the literature which transmitted to them the deeds and thoughts of their forebears. Special pains were taken to make full records of contemporary events. These were recorded in their chronological order with unrivaled exactness and wealth of detail and they were illustrated by magnificent reliefs hewn out upon the walls of the palaces. Our information concerning the activities of the ancient Assyrians is rich and fairly complete. We know that they were a people of highly developed intelligence, of fine sensibilities, and that they were filled with energy and enthusiasm. Their art proves that their reactions to life were genuine. They were continuously making progress. The centralized system of government which they developed became the model which was followed by succeeding empires. The culture of the modern world has been greatly enriched by its knowledge of ancient Assyria. Amongst the educated there is a sincere appreciation of the contributions which the Assyrians made to the world. When the discovery wa made that Nineveh fell in the year 612 B.C. instead of in 606 B.C., this news was disseminated all over the world and was received with much interest. Although it is nowhere so recorded, most people still seem to think that the Assyrians vanished from the surface of the earth when Nineveh was destroyed. Few knew of their glorious history since that time, of their adherence to such ideals and practices as have made them continue to be the aristocrats of the Near East. "A History of the Assyrian People From 612 B.C. to 1936 A.D." is sorely needed. Such a book would amaze the world. Assyrians have every reason to be proud of their heritage. They should keep it in remembrance and should pass it on their descendants. Its value is priceless. Their worth to themselves and to the land of their adoption will be in proportion to the effect their precious and unique inheritance has upon them. Their heritage is so rich that it will require effort and time to know it. The reward will be an immense enrichment of one's life. The perpetuation of the Assyrian Heritage will make for a better world. ===================================================== G O O D M O R N I N G B E T - N A H R A I N ===================================================== ASSYRIAN STUDENTS KILLED IN ARBELLA (ZNSC: Arbella) According to an Assyrian Democratic Movement Press Release last Sunday a few members of the Assyrian Student Association in Ankawa, Arbella were attacked by a group of Kurdish students. After verbally and physically attacking the Assyrian students, the Kurdish attackers open fire and kill two unarmed Assyrians, Samir Moshe, Assistant Director of the ADM headquarters, and Peras Mirza Sliyyoo, a guard at the Assyrian television studio. Samir Moshe was killed instantly; Peras Mirza Sliyyoo was wounded critically and died two days later. An unidentified Assyrian woman was shot in the leg. Another Assyrian student was severely beaten with steel bars and wooden clubs. Both remain in critical condition. No further information was provided on the condition of other wounded Assyrian students. IRAQ AGREES TO UN'S HANDLING OF AID (ZNRU) Iraq has agreed to allow the United Nations to distribute food and medicine in northern Bet-Nahrain purchased through the sale of its oil. Iraq has also agreed to offer diplomatic immunity to those in charge of distributing the aid, but differences remain over the extent of this immunity. Iraqi and U.N. negotiators sent a draft agreement to Saddam this week for his approval. The U.N. Security Council offered to let Baghdad sell $2 billion worth of oil over six months to buy food and medicine to ease the impact of the economic embargo imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. SEVERAL KURDISH REBELS KILLED IN FIERCE FIGHTING (ZNRU: Diyarbakir) Turkish troops kill 60 rebel Kurds in northern Bet-Nahrain in the biggest recent losses for the rebels in a single clash, according to a Turkish governor of the Batman District. Last month Turkish troops killed more than 100 PKK rebels in a week of clashes in the eastern province of Bingol, losing more than 30 of their own in some of the fiercest recent clashes with the guerrillas. ===================================================== S U R F S U P ! ===================================================== NO EMAIL MESSAGES WERE RECEIVED LAST WEEK! ===================================================== S U R F E R S C O R N E R ===================================================== The Assyrian Community Networking Conference will be a great opportunity to meet the faces behind ZENDA, eBabylon, Nineveh.Com, soc.culture.assyrian, Assyria Link, and many other Assyrian internet services. Be sure to attend this meeting on Saturday May 25, at the Fairmont Hotel, 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Mr. Wilfred Alkhas of ZENDA will speak on the topic of the establishment of a worldwide Assyrian news agency. Please note that ZENDA will not be published next week. We will be back the following Monday on June 3. ZENDA WISHES THE ORGANIZERS OF THE 30TH ASSYRIAN STATE CONVENTION OF CALIFORNIA A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME. ===================================================== N E W S D I G E S T ===================================================== (ZNRU: Tehran) Last Sunday thousands of paramilitary volunteers launched a crackdown on un-Islamic values in Iran offering advice on adhering to Islamic rules and norms. The 230,000 members of the Basij force have set up 72 tents in Tehran to offer 'verbal advice' to those who do not observe Islamic code of dress. Islamic literature would also be handed out at the tents. In recent months Islamic militants have increased their activity and attacked cinemas showing films deemed un-Islamic as well as a Tehran park used by women for cycling. Meanwhile, last week, Egypt's Higher Constitutional court upheld a ruling by the Education Ministry barring schoolgirls from wearing the Islamic veil over their faces. According to ZENDA sources in Tehran Assyrian women may refrain from wearing the Islamic veil or Chador as required of all Moslem women in Iran. ===================================================== D I R E C T O R Y OF THE N E W S S O U R C E S ===================================================== ZNNQ (Nabu Quarterly) ZNRU (Reuters): ClariNet Communications Corp. ZNSC (soc.culture.assyrian) newsgroup ZNUP (United Press International) ZNDA (Zenda: zenda@ix.netcom.com) ===================================================== C A L E N D A R OF E V E N T S ===================================================== New Dates & Updates No New Activities ----------------------------------------------------- May 24-27 Assyrian State Convention of California Fairmont Hotel San Jose, U.S.A. May 24-25 Memorial Weekend Games Chicago, U.S.A. May 25-26 2nd Assyrian Community Networking Conference Fairmont Hotel San Jose, U.S.A. June 1 Nineveh Choral Concert Conducted by Maestro Nebu Issabey Santa Teresa High School Auditorium San Jose, U.S.A. 8:00 pm June 9-11 The ARAM Conference Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A July 1-5 RENCONTRE ASSYRIOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONALE Praque, Czech Republic July 2-7 10th Annual Assyrian Youth Convention of the Assyrian Church of the East Chicago, Illinois July 4-7 Assyrian Olympics of California San Diego, California Thru Aug 15 "Beirut: Uncovering the Past" Profiles recent UNESCO archeology efforts The British Museum London, England August 12-14 SyrCOM-96: Second International Forum on Syrian Computing Symposium Syriacum Uppsala University Dept of Asian and African Studies Box 513 S-751 20 Uppsala Sweden Fax: +46 18 181094 Witold.Witakowski@afro.uu.se Aug 29-Sept 2 AANF National Convention Red Lion Inn Hotel Modesto, U.S.A. ----------------------------------------------------- ENTERTAINMENT ----------------------------------------------------- May 20 Dinner Banquet Urhai Entertainment Committee of The Church of the East Crystal Palace Banquet Hall 1811 Albion Road Entertainer: Linda George. June 1 Dance Party United Assyrian Youth of Canada & AUA Political Arm Crystal Palace Banquet Hall 1811 Albion Road Entertainer: Linda George ----------------------------------------------------- REGULAR CLASSES & MEETINGS ----------------------------------------------------- Mondays Assyrian History Class "Assyrian History: 18th Century thru Present Instructor: Wilfred Alkhas BETA on 20000 Almaden Rd, San Jose, Calif Class begins on June 3 Thursdays Nineveh Choir: Maestro Nebu Issabey BETA: AAA of San Jose, U.S.A. 7:30-9:00 pm Fridays Assyrian Educational & Cultural Club at Modesto Junior College 1:00 pm Founders Hall 108 Modesto, U.S.A. Saturdays Nisibis School 10:30-1:30 The Church of the East The United Assyrian Youth of Canada Toronto, Canada Nisibin School Ages 4 thru 14 Assyrian Language, History, & Arts 9:00 am - 12:00 pm BETA on 20000 Almaden Rd, San Joe, Calif Classes begin on June 15 ===================================================== A S S Y R I A N S U R F I N G P O S T S ===================================================== New Site(s) NEMO: An Assyrian Commentary Page http://www.nineveh.com/~agabrial/nemo.htm Assyrian Vision TV station Web site http://www.nineveh.com/~agrbrial/kbsv.htm Iraq Research & Documentation Project http://fas-www.harvard.edu/~irdp ===================================================== P U M P U P T H E V O L U M E ===================================================== ENGLISH ASSYRIAN Migrane bsaar-tda [M] Cancer sir-tdaa-naa [M] Pneumonia raat-yaa-noota [F] Note: pronounce td as in tdlaa (number three) ____________________________________________________ F = Feminine M = Masculine P = Plural ===================================================== B A C K T O T H E F U T U R E ===================================================== B.C. (1157) Babylonian prince, Enlil-nadin-ahhe, is defeated by the Elamites (southwestern Iran). The statue of god Marduk is taken in captivity by the Elamites and so ends the Kassite Dynesty- the longest dynasty in the history of Babylon. << Ancient Iraq, Roux >> A.D. (7th Century) Ishak al-Ninevehi was born in Yemen and is ordained a priest of the Assyrian Church of the East in Rabban Shapoor (modern Ahwaz, Iran). A prolific writer Ishak wrote several philosophical and religious treatises in Assyrian. << The Assyrian Star, Vol 43, #1 >> ====================================================== L I T E R A T U S ====================================================== *** An Assyrian Saying *** When the Kurdish fellow could not steal the grapes from the vineyard, he claimed that they must be sour. ====================================================== T H I S W E E K I N H I S T O R Y ====================================================== May 20, 1956: The Assyrian Soccer Team of Baghdad vs Iran's National Soccer Team; 25,000 spectators were gathered to watch this historic game. May 22, 1918: 180 Assyrian fighters who attempted to transport ammunition via Lake Urmie are taken captive by their Moslem enemies and immediately executed. ====================================================== B R A V O ====================================================== The Assyrian residents of the city of San Jose, California have successfully implemented a monthly donation program to assist in the purchase/construction of an Assyrian Hall. Nearly 120 individuals and families continue to send a monthly contribution to the Assyrian American Association of San Jose, whereas to date, over $30,000 have been collected in a little less than a year. The Rescue Project, as it is called, is thought by some to be the foundation of a more comprehensive "voluntary taxation" program to collect revenue for the Assyrian National Fund. ====================================================== W E L C O M E T O Z E N D A ====================================================== Zenda welcomes our new on-line subscribers from: CORPORATE ACCOUNTS UNIVERSITY ACCOUNTS Franklin and Marshall College PERSONAL ACCOUNTS San Jose, California 3 Unidentifiable Accounts ====================================================== A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S ====================================================== Zenda wishes to thank the following individuals & organizations whose contributions appear in this issue: Albert Gabrial Hollister, California Peter Jasim Chicago, Illinois Assyrian Democratic Movement, U.S.A. ____________________________________________________ ZENDA will continue to print your comments and suggestions free of editing, as they appear in our mailbox. All letters will be printed in our SURFS UP! section unless directed otherwise. We urge you to submit your community and church activities, personal accomplishments, and meeting/ school events to Zenda no later than Sunday, 12:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time. ----------------------------------------------------- Our Next Issue will appear on Monday, June 3, 1996. PLEASE NOTE THAT ZENDA WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED NEXT WEEK. ----------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- Headers -------------------------------- From zenda@ix.netcom.com Mon May 20 02:36:40 1996 Return-Path: zenda@ix.netcom.com Received: from dfw-ix11.ix.netcom.com (dfw-ix11.ix.netcom.com [206.214.98.11]) by emin21.mail.aol.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id CAA21873; Mon, 20 May 1996 02:36:37 -0400 Received: from sjx-ca13-07.ix.netcom.com (zenda@sjx-ca13-07.ix.netcom.com [199.182.128.167]) by dfw-ix11.ix.netcom.com (8.6.13/8.6.12) with SMTP id XAA22814; Sun, 19 May 1996 23:25:42 -0700 Message-Id: <2.2.16.19960520063033.43a75360@popd.ix.netcom.com> X-Sender: zenda@popd.ix.netcom.com X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.2 (16) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Sun, 19 May 1996 23:30:33 -0700 To: zenda@ix.netcom.com From: Zenda Subject: ZENDA (Vol II,#16; 5/19/96)