On the occasion of the first of April, the beginning of the New Assyrian Babylonian Year 6774, which coincides this year with the celebration of Easter, we extend our warmest congratulations and best wishes to the sons and daughters of our Chaldean Assyrian Syriac people, wishing them a year of goodness, blessings, and peace, filled with joy and happiness. Assyrians celebration on the first of April every year of the New Year reaffirms the renewal of life with the arrival of spring, as we mark Akito, the head of the Assyrian Babylonian New Year 6774. This great occasion in our Assyrian Babylonian national heritage, with all the historical and cultural significance it carries, reaffirms our genuine national belonging to our ancient ancestors in Assyria and Babylon for thousands of years. It affirms the historical and national identity that embodies the existence of our civilized people throughout different times, persisting in their homeland despite all the difficult circumstances, trials, massacres, killings, and displacements they have endured and continue to endure to this day. On the Assyrian Babylonian new year, our people renew their covenant with nature, life, and hope, affirming their ability to continue and confront challenges on the same path charted by our early ancestors and immortal martyrs. They affirm their ongoing aspirations and continuous struggle for their legitimate and just rights, to live in peace and dignity in their historical homeland. Dear sons and daughters of our noble people, both in the homeland and the diaspora, we renew, on our national day, our commitment to further struggle and make the necessary sacrifices for existence, freedom, and dignified living, enjoying constitutional rights alongside all components of the Iraqi people. Our movement has accomplished a significant task internally, resolving a longstanding issue and unifying the organizational ranks, culminating in the unity of efforts of the past and current leadership of our movement and the Abnaa Al-Nahrain Party, which recently dissolved itself, in a historic step reflecting genuine belief in the ideological, organizational, and political principles of our Assyrian democratic movement. This step is highly valued and appreciated by our people and comrades in leadership and the grassroots.
Internally, after the tenth conference, our movement has earnestly and effectively sought to create suitable grounds and formulate a national vision with other parties of our people, aiming to unify political stances towards our people’s issues and rights, and striving to unify demands on both the national and regional levels. Concrete steps in this direction continue, and soon we will announce, along with other national parties, the demands coupled with a clear roadmap for their achievement. Today, as we celebrate Easter and the New Assyrian Babylonian Year, it is incumbent upon us to remember the innocent martyrs of the Baghdad wedding massacre, and demand the unveiling of the tragic incident’s circumstances, justice for the martyrs and the wounded and their families, and the enforcement of the law and punishment of all those responsible for the catastrophe.
Nationally, the situation in the region and Iraq as a whole is still characterized by political tensions, lack of agreement on key issues, and a regression of the concepts upon which the post-2003 political process was established, such as partnership and political consensus. Furthermore, involving the Federal Supreme Court as a party in resolving political disputes between Baghdad and Erbil signals a dangerous trend of imposing the will of the status quo on minorities in the political process, potentially leading to political domination and centralization of power in the hands of a political faction representing only the majority, without regard for partnership and national political consensus. As a result, the seats allocated to our people’s quota have fallen victim to this political conflict, as the Federal Court nullified our people’s seats in the Kurdistan Region Parliament, which constitutes a violation of our people’s right to representation in the legislative authority. Despite our reservations about the quasi-imposed quota, correcting the law’s mistake rather than nullifying it and addressing the error appropriately would have been more just. Regionally, objective developments and political changes are beginning to emerge on the horizon, which will also cast their shadows on our region. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all of us to work sincerely to resolve all disputes on national, ethnic, internal, and regional levels, and rise above trivial matters, as the interests of nations and peoples are paramount over other considerations and differences. In conclusion, we once again extend our warmest congratulations and greetings to our Chaldean Assyrian Syriac people on the occasion of the Babylonian Assyrian New Year and Easter. Likewise, we extend our fraternal greetings to all the sons and daughters of the Iraqi people, our brethren in the homeland and destiny.
Baghdad, March 30, 2024 Political Bureau Assyrian Democratic Movement