WASHINGTON (ANS) -- "Operation Assyria" volunteers from throughout the United States and overseas have been flooding American Congressman and Senators and The White House with calls demanding the passage of a Congressional Resolution supporting the "Formal Request For An Assyrian Province" presented to the Iraqi Government on September 19. The Assyrian International Good News Agency (AIGNA) has reported that these demands have not only come from within the United States, but Assyrians from other countries have been joining together in an unprecedented movement to follow up on the offer from the Iraqi Government for an Assyrian Province.

The AIGNA story said, "Based on the public statements of both the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister [of Iraq] who said, 'The Assyrians are the original people of Iraq. They are entitled to a province of their own and should request it,' the move towards the Province is spreading from Washington to other countries with a similar resolution being prepared for presentation to the EU [European Union] Parliament.

"In addition to calls, teams of volunteers are visiting every member of Congress, the White House, State Department and other Agencies, delivering a copy of `The Congressional Resolution for the Assyrian Province` and asking them to sponsor the bills introduction into Congress and implementation."

The Congressional Resolution supports "The Formal Request For An Assyrian Province," presented at the request of the Iraqi Government on September 19 and asks the US Government to require the Iraqi Government to quickly approve the request for an Assyrian Province in Northern Iraq in the homeland of Assyria.

"We have been surprised at the wonderful responses of support from Members of Congress and Washington in general," said one volunteer. "We are really making progress !"

In addition, nearly daily meetings with Iraqi Government officials have solidified the movement towards the dream of generations - an Assyrian Province in the homeland.

Faxes and emails to each member, an "all stops" effort to implement the Province to allow the nearly 500,000 Assyrian Christians currently suffering as refugees so that they do not leave the area, but return to "Assyria" are completing the program.

The AIGNA story went on to say, "Much concern is being expressed by the danger of offering special status to Iraqis allowing them to emigrate to the United States which would defeat the whole concept of an Assyrian Province.

"The Assyrian Christian community is being urged to keep the pressure and contact friends to join in continuing to contact their Senators and House Members and others to urge them to support the Congressional Resolution while being careful to make clear that any offer to provide special visas for Iraqis will be strongly opposed.

"Being done in conjunction with a major shift in US, Iraqi Policy and the shift in power from a Republican to Democratic Congress the timing is seen by experts as crucial as the movement towards regional administration grows."

Another volunteer said, "It is critical that the Assyrian Christian community participate. As hard as we work in Washington to get the word out, even one telephone call from a constituent changes everything."

According to the volunteers participating in the push, email is generally not read, but telephone calls are carefully recorded and play a critical role in the program.

Callers are being asked to give simple messages such as :

"I am an Assyrian Christian and would like to ask you to pass on to Congress member x that we would like him or her to support the Congressional Resolution for the Assyrian Province which will not only help the Assyrian Christians who are 10% of the population in Iraq and the original people, but help to bring stability to Iraq and help our people return home. In addition, we are against any special emigration offers which will discourage our people from returning to the Province."

The Senate can be reached at (202) 224 3121

The House of Representatives at (202) 225 3121

In addition The White House can be reached at : (202) 456 1414

The State Department can be reached at : 202 647 4000

"Callers are asked to be courteous and clear and to make a note of the day, time called and the name of the person spoken with and send a short description of the call," concluded the AIGNA story.

For contact information and updates please go to www.nineveh.com

By Dan Wooding
www.spcm.org