Draft:Assyrian identity crisis

The Assyrian identity crisis comprises continuous debate over the most appropriate name for contemporary Assyrians. The movements are divided into two distinct phenomena depending on who is proclaiming the separatism. While Chaldean separatism claims that the Chaldean Catholics of today are indigenous to southern Iraq, Syriac-Aramean separatism claims that Assyrians indigenous to Turkey and Syria share ancestry to the Semitic-speaking Arameans, as the region geographically correlates with the land of Aram.

Where the two movements are most active depend on the geographic origins of Assyrians. Chaldean separatism is a phenomenon developed by the history of Iraq, and as such, the movement is most prominent among Iraqi Assyrian communities. Meanwhile, Syriac-Aramean separatism is concurrent with Turkish and Syrian history, so the movement is most prominent among Turkish Assyrians and Syrian Assyrians.

Chaldean and Syriac-Aramean separatists fall on common ground when claiming separatism from Assyrians, including linguistic differences between dialects of Neo-Aramaic (Sureth/Turoyo), religious beliefs of the Chaldean and Syriac Orthodox/Catholic churches with the Assyrian Church of the East, and cultural differences due to the effects of Turkification and Arabization. Additional infighting has occurred from specific arguments, such as Saddam Hussein's differing treatment of Chaldean Catholics compared to Assyrians.

The historical implications for claiming Chaldean and Syriac-Aramean separatism are met with disagreement and heavily debated. While religious leaders and diaspora activists may advocate for separation of these identities into distinct ethnicities, Chaldeans and Syriac-Arameans are regarded by international organizations and historians to be ethnically the same as their Assyrian counterparts, owing to shared geography, history, and linguistics. Additionally, these separatist movements are minimally present in the Assyrian homeland, and are tied to larger human rights violations against Assyrians in Iraq, Turkey, and the Kurdistan Region.

Origins

Although there is no specific terminology for the phenomenon, many writers in modern Assyrian studies have noted the present issue regarding the Assyrian people and their ethnic identity, as well as the best name that suits them.

Much of the history of Assyrian separatism stems alongside the history of Assyrians at large, starting with separation of the Church of the East into distinct churches due to ecclesiastical differences over time.

The modern Assyrian separatist movements had begun by the time the Ottoman Empire had committed the Assyrian genocide.

Chaldean separatism

Many flaws have been observed with the Chaldean separatist argument, and as such, the notions asserted by it are widely discredited by historians and academics.

Currently, Chaldean separatism is most prominent in the English-speaking Assyrian diaspora, including Michigan and California in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Chaldean flag

The creation of a separate Chaldean flag to designate the Chaldean Catholics has amplified the impact of the separatist movement. The flag, created by Shendaj, was first created in 1998, and has been criticized since it's inception.

Additional criticism has been levied towards the copyright of the flag, having been registered under a legal trademark since October 1997 and reregistered since March 2000.

Consequences

The Assyrian separatist movements have resulted in consequences for the progress and aspirations of the Assyrian people at large.

Additionally, continuous recognition of previous Assyrian history with different nomenclature has contributed to the hindrance of larger global awareness of events such as the Assyrian genocide and the Simele massacre.

See also

• Aramean flag
• Chaldean flag
• Simele massacre
• Ottoman millet
• Assyrian genocide