Assyrian Walk of Remembrance

By Steven Essa

Watch it now on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4LPXf-0Va8

It’s not often enough we stop for a moment in our hectic lives and reflect on why we are here? What is our purpose? And how did we come to manifest in the World?

One thing we don’t often think about is how our ancestors made it through their lives and what they endured so that we have life today.

Rev. Genard Lazar (far right) lead the Remembrance Walk.

Well I am happy to say that on the 9^th of August 2008 a large group of Assyrians living in Sydney Australia paused to remember their ancestors that fled their homes in Assyria in a mass exodus because of the genocide that took place at the hands of the Turks and Kurds.

We set out on a 10km walk to pay tribute and we didn’t drink or eat all the way out of respect for them.

I heard some incredible heart wrenching stories that have been told and they would bring tears to any mother or fathers eyes.  Stories of kids being left behind because they couldn’t be carried, one man leaving his pregnant wife behind as they had to keep moving the enemy was picking them off one at a time.

Image from 1915-1918 period of Exodus of Assyrians

There have been many inhumane genocides through history and it’s a disgrace to see them happening still in the so called advanced civilization we are in today.

The 20^th century presented us with a new way of living life with a lot fancier lifestyle and easier gadgets to use supposedly for our comfort, but we don’t often think about the poor and defenceless innocent victims of genocides this century and how they could have been avoided. Seems like humanity still has a long way to go.

- Assyrian Armenian & Greeks in Turkey: 1915-1918 – 1,500,000 Deaths

- Stalin’s Forced Famine: 1932-1933 – 7,000,000 Deaths

- Rape of Naking: 1937-1938 – 300,000 Deaths

- Nazi Holocaust: 1938-1945 – 6,000,000 Deaths
- Pol Pot in Cambodia: 1975-1979 – 2,000,000 Deaths

- Rwanda: 1994 – 800,000 Deaths

- Bosnia – Herzegovina: 1992-1995 – 200,000 Deaths
 

To the right of Rev Genard Lazar is Mr Arsan Shalalo (AAA Treasurer)

For our Assyrian ancestors that perished and made the great walk, we remember you and you will live in our memory for ever, we will never forget what you endured so that we have life. May God bless you and reward you in every way possible. We are here today because of you.

LEST WE FORGET!

watch it now on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4LPXf-0Va8


The Remembrance walk was organised by Gaby Kiwarkis,

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Posted: 15/08/2008