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Twentieth century, particularly the first half of it, is remembered by every Assyrian as 'the terrible century'. Assyrians in Middle East especially those in Iran encountered the worst kind of barbarism that one can imagine. During the First World War more than half of the Assyrian people were wiped out; this also included thousands and thousands of Assyrian young men whose death was the tragic consequence of their joinig the allies and fighting in first world war. For what? For whom? The Assyriians were fooled by Britain's false promises that they, the Assyrians, would be given a 'place', homeland, if they would join the allies. At the end of the war the Allies turned their backs on them and let them down cruelly; but it was the British, the so-called friend and ally, who bitterly betrayed the Assyrians.
Today Assyrians, the builders of the 'Cradle of Civilization', are stateless and live in every part of the world; they had never been so scattered as they are at present. The nearly 3.5 million Assyrians live in 30, perhaps more, countries of the world. More than two-thirds of them live in Iraq, Syria and the USA, and the rest live mostly in European countries. Despite all the plights (the atrocities, hostilities, the indiscriminate killings and even the massacres perpetrated against the Assyrians during past centuries), these inherently cultured and instinctively courageous people have kept, very faithfully, their religion and have preserved, very dearly, their language (Aramaic) and have upheld, very firmly, their culture and traditions.
Assyrians, wherever they are, they usually find one another. This 'community feeling' and the 'feeling of togetherness' is somehow spiritually rooted among them. Perhaps it is beause their Lord and Saviour, Christ Jesus, spoke their language, Aramaic. This linguistically Blessed Link, perhaps more than any other factor, has made them feel close to The Lord. His cry on the Cross 'Eli Eli L'Mana Shweqtani' (My God My God Why you have left me?) is not an uncommon cry among the Assyrians, especially in their present situation. The Assyrian Church, the first (the oldest) Church, is The Holy and Apostolic Church of The East (also referred to as The Assyrian Church of The East), whose present Patriarch is His Holiness Mar Dinkha. He is the 120th Patriarch of the Church of the East, The Successor to Shimun Keepa (Simon Peter).
Once the most influential Nation on Earth with greatest Empire in the World, Assyrians today are a forgotten people; despite all these, they have not given up Hope. Assyrians are Survivors; they will not perish but will go on surviving, even will succeed in surmounting their seemingly insurmountable problems. This is not a personal opinion but a 'truth' based on historical facts.