Assyrian Leader in Iraq Assassinated for Advocating Assyrian Autonomy

Stockholm -- November 23, 2006, was the last day of 52 years old Yeshoh Majid Hedaya's life.

Hedaya was the leader of the Syriac Independent Unified Movement (SIUM). He had dedicated most of his life to fight for and to unify his people. He tried to protect Assyrians from both the assaults by the central government and from the terror and murders by the Kurdish clans.

In accordance with article 121 of the Iraqi constitution, on October 31, 2006 Hedaya presented a demand for autonomy for the Assyrians in four districts of the Nineveh plain. The demand was presented to the central government in Baghdad.

According to several Iraqi sources, who wish to remain anonymous for fear for their lives, such a political murder serves only the interests of the KDP, the party of the Barzani clan. The motivation is that the KDP tries with all means to annex the four Assyrian districts to the Kurdish autonomous region, in order to extend it's geographic boundaries. These four districts are demographically dominated by Assyrians. According to the Iraqi constitution, these four districts are entitled to self-government and shall not be controlled or governed by any other autonomous region within the Iraqi state.

EasternStar News Agency