For over centuries now, Chaldeans have been fleeing their native land – Mesopotamia, for various occasions of persecution and resentment. Perhaps, the very reason for this persecution, and in some cases – Genocide, it is solely due to their Christian faith. Chaldeans come from various denominations of Christianity, however the majority of them are Catholics. In addition, the first load of immigrants to the United States began after the 1915 Chaldean Genocide. Moreover, following this occasion of persecution, many more Chaldeans began immigrating to western nations.
Chaldeans Bishops with King Faisal I (1900’s)
Due to the immense amount of persecution today, and in fact, for the past couple of decades, Chaldeans have been active in raising awareness for the plight of their Christians left behind in the war-torn zones of Iraq and Syria.
However, as Chaldeans raise awareness for their peoples, somehow, their voices are targeted by radicals and become eventually subject to silence.
Following the 2003 War on Terror, Chaldeans launched a campaign worldwide, to get recognition and full minority rights by the American government to protect the Chaldeans in Iraq. However, not only were they abandoned, but additionally, were persecuted more severely by Islamist Extremist.
As it is prevalent today, ISIS has managed to become another persecutor towards the Chaldean people, and still no protection.
In addition to political misrepresentation by the Iraqi government, and the American strategy to protect minorities; corrupt political groups in Iraq, such as ZOWA (Assyrian Democratic Movement) and also a rave of Assyrian nationalist worldwide, seek to make use of the Chaldean term and hijack it for their own political benefits.
Chaldeans make up over 85% of Mesopotamian Christians worldwide, and over 95% of the modern Chaldean population of Iraq today – (300,000). However, the “Assyrian” nationalists seem to try and deceive local politicians, news agencies, and such, and claim that all Chaldeans are ethnic Assyrians from the Chaldean Catholic Church.
Not only is this false claim challenged and rebuked by Chaldean scholars, and in fact, by the Chaldeans as a whole, it also is completely foreign to the community.
Notably, the leader of the ADM, Younadam Kana, a corrupted politician was first to formally introduce this notion, and was deemed as a fascist by the Chaldean leaders. Not only does this political organization inspire hatred and report on dishonest claims, but attempts to trick Western nations to fund all three groups (Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriacs) but to one party – ADM.
Now in addition to the nationalists, formally led by the ADM, there are even hate campaigns presented through social media, by individuals, which are not only racists, fascists and xenophobic, but also are attempts objectively seeking to repress the voice of the Chaldeans from political hearing.
Not to mention, a professor from the University of Melbourne, in the department of Syriac Studies is also responsible for many hate groups targeted against Chaldeans and their ethnic rights, liberties, and integrities.
Due to the rise of discrimination and ethnic hi-jacking, Chaldeans from all around the world, began taking a rise and expressed their content towards these unflattering bigoted groups and campaigns. Hence, in the Winter of 2015, a new campaign was lauched by the Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon, Louis Sako and Chaldeans from all over the world, and formed the Chaldean League.
The worldwide organization sought to unite, solidify and to speak on behalf of the Chaldean people worldwide.
The Chaldean League also seeks to stand independent and as a free unified voice, as the hate-filled Assyrians have been using the Chaldean name for their own benefits, and supplied no support for the native people of Mesopotamia – Chaldeans.
The Chaldeans are looking to raise awareness and support for their brothers and sisters whom are the last remnants of Mesopotamian antiquity. In doing so, Chaldeans seek to withhold their name, culture and language, and rid the corrupted ideologies that seek to gain from divisive politics.
Politics of division are rejected by the Chaldean community as a whole. And Chaldeans seek to promote unity rather than linger on to primitive ideologies.
We need to develop and disseminate an entirely new paradigm and practice of collaboration that supersedes the traditional silos that have divided governments, philanthropies and private enterprises for decades and replace it with networks of partnerships working together to create a globally prosperous society.
Simon Mainwaring
