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Chris Salem

Nineveh Rising Calls on Michigan Congressional Committee for Urgent Aid to Qaraqosh/Bakhdida After Devastating Fire 02/07/24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE





Lansing, MI – Nineveh Rising, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Chaldean Assyrian Syriac community, has taken a significant step forward in advocating for the victims of a tragic fire in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida, Iraq. In a heartfelt testimony before the Michigan House Committee of Government Operations, Chris Salem, Chairman of the Board, alongside key members of the organization, urged the passage of HR 148. This critical resolution seeks international aid and medical assistance for the affected community, highlighting a desperate need for support following the calamity that struck on September 26, 2023.


"In the wake of such an unprecedented disaster, our commitment to the people of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida has never been stronger," stated Chris Salem. "HR 148 is not just a resolution; it's a bold move in the right direction for hundreds of families still reeling from the aftermath of the fire."


The session, marked by poignant testimonies from Nineveh Rising's President Ranna Salem, Executive Committee Member Joseph Arabbo, and President of the Assyrian American Bar Association Alex Karana, shed light on the dire situation in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida. The committee heard the harrowing account of Haitham Behnam, who lost his son in the tragedy, with his testimony read by Joe Tinpan, emphasizing the profound loss and urgent need for assistance.


The Chaldean Assyrian Syriac community in Michigan, deeply intertwined with the heritage and legacy of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida, has been devastated by this tragedy. This community's rich history and contributions to the state's cultural and economic fabric underscore the profound connection between Michigan and the ancestral lands in Iraq.


"Every single person in Bakhdeda was impacted by this tragedy. While no amount of funding will ever replace the lives lost, there is a great deal we can do for the healing process," noted Ranna Salem, President of Nineveh Rising. "We recently received blueprints for a much needed mental health facility."


Joseph Arabbo and Alex Karana, key figures in both the legal and Chaldean Assyrian communities, emphasized the critical role of international support in the recovery efforts. "The extinction of our people would silence stories, lessons, and perspectives that are irreplaceable," Arabbo stated.


The session also highlighted the economic impact of the Chaldean Assyrian Syriac community in Metro Detroit, which, according to a recent study by Walsh College, contributed $17.9 billion to the Michigan economy. This economic footprint underscores the community's integral role in the state's prosperity.


In the wake of the fire, Nineveh Rising swiftly mobilized to provide immediate aid, delivering essential medical supplies and support to the victims. "Our response in the aftermath was driven by an urgent need to alleviate the suffering of those impacted," Salem reflected. "They were going through hell. We had to act."


The heart-wrenching personal stories shared during the testimony brought to light the human aspect of the disaster, emphasizing the profound impact on individual lives. The account of a family who lost loved ones in the fire, narrated with palpable sorrow, underscored the urgent need for psychological and medical support for survivors bearing physical and emotional scars.


The wider consequences of the tragedy extend beyond immediate losses, affecting the socio-economic fabric of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida. The disruption of local businesses and the displacement of families have compounded the challenges in a community still recovering from past conflicts.


Nineveh Rising's initiatives, such as "Nineveh Jobs" and "Nineveh Finance," aim to provide sustainable support, facilitating economic recovery and resilience.


In this time of need, Nineveh Rising calls upon the global community to stand in solidarity with Qaraqosh/Bakhdida. Contributions, whether financial, medical, or in the form of volunteer support, can make a significant difference in the lives of those affected.


For more information on how to contribute to Nineveh Rising's relief efforts, please visit www.ninevehrising.org.


Detailed Transcript of Nineveh Rising's Testimony:

Many Chaldean Assyrian Syriac people from our community in Michigan served in the US military either in an official capacity or as contractors, primarily serving with intelligence communities like the CIA during interrogations when translations were required. Michigan has been an incredible home for us. It’s been a sanctuary of refuge for the Chaldean Assyrian Syriac community every year since the 70s due to endless conflicts in Iraq. A new study completed by Walsh college shows that Chaldean Americans in Metro Detroit contributed $17.6 Billion last year to the Michigan economy. This state has one of the largest populations of Chaldean Assyrian Syriac people in the entire world, estimated to be at 187,000. We are asking all of you for help. 

 

Bakhdeda, also called Qaraqosh or Hamdaniya, is an extremely important town in Iraq. 15% of all the indigenous minority Iraqi Christians live in Bakhdeda. Not only has the United States invested tens of millions of dollars rehabilitating it post-ISIS, but our own small community nonprofits and other nations have also heavily invested in this town. They came a long way, having the largest return rate post-ISIS, until tragedy rattled the entire town to its core yet again. On September 26, 2023, a wedding hall of nearly 1000 guests burned to the ground. The fire received widespread international news coverage, but sparse international aid. It was reported by the BBC, The New York Times, Al Jazeera, CNN, AP, Catholic News Agency, Al Monitor, Reuters, Washington Post, NBC, Jerusalem Post, the Guardian, and even TMZ. Yet, there was no aid. Our local community organizations were only able to support urgent medical needs at the time of the fire with burn medications and other medical supplies, but much more help is needed.

 

We’re going to describe what happened that day. A fire sparkler set the ceiling on fire. The owner cut the electricity off, the building went dark and flames consumed the entire building within minutes. In a pitch black and rapidly spreading fire, little kids and the elderly had no chance. 132 people died and hundreds more disfigured with permanent scars and injuries.

 

The people who died didn’t die a normal death. They all suffocated from smoke and burned alive in pitch black darkness, where many tripped and fell over each other in total fear trying to escape. 

 

Every single one of us knows what it’s like to get burned by something, whether it’s hot soup, a sunburn, embers sparking from a bonfire, etc. We’ve all experienced low level burns like that, and it hurts. 

 

Now imagine high level burns—unrelenting—and excruciatingly painful across every single inch of your body. Right next to you are your parents, kids, siblings, and your entire extended family going through the same torture. We understand this is difficult to listen to, but just imagine how difficult it is to actually go through it, and that’s why we owe it to them to share their story, no matter how challenging the details are.

 

We were in Iraq at the time, and had firsthand experience during the aftermath of this tragedy. We were one town over with a group of 21 Americans. We were sightseeing, traveling the country and reconnecting with our roots, some of us for the very first time. We had an incredible time visiting the country, seeing sites that are thousands of years old. When this tragedy struck, our group shifted gears from tourism to activism, immediately responding with medical aid to several different hospitals. We cleaned out several pharmacies and delivered as much burn cream as we could.

 

The day after the fire, we went into the town, Bakhdeda. We went to the site of the tragedy at the wedding hall, and also the local hospital. Then, we attended the largest funeral any of us have ever seen. 

 

Most if not all of us in this room have been to a funeral for one person. Any funeral is difficult. Relatives are sad, family members contemplate their futures without a loved one, and sometimes it gets hysterical. Now multiply that by 47 in the blazing hot conditions of a war torn country like Iraq. We attended a funeral for 47 people. 47 in one day. 47 caskets carried, one by one, surrounded by 47 different families. 47 names were read aloud, and 47 burials were performed. Since this was a wedding, everyone in attendance was either a relative, friend, and neighbor. Again, it’s hard enough to grieve one loss. Imagine 47. We saw it all. Eventually, 47 burials turned into 132 over the next few days. 

 

Families held up photos of their dead children. So many people were mourning. A few ladies collapsed. I remember just how hot it was outside and how agonizing the cries were for their dead children. People frantically distributed water to prevent people from dehydrating and fainting in the midst of all this grief. I personally witnessed a woman beside me who fainted. It seemed as if nobody could comfort anyone because everyone needed comforting. 

 

Again, the 47 burials were just on the first day after the fire. 85 others would later be buried. Our organization turned to the leaders of the town to see if there was anything we could do, but the mayor himself lost 11 family members. All we could do was give medicine as quickly as possible based on what we could afford. This all just happened a little over 4 months ago. The wounds are still open, literally and psychologically. The pain is great. Many express feeling numbness, especially those who faced losses due to ISIS ten years ago. We want them to know that we acknowledge their pain and that we are here to help.

 

After nearly 7,000 years of living in Mesopotamia, we represent the first generation in our families who are born in America. Without a doubt, this country is the greatest in the world, but our parents didn’t come here just for its greatness. They came because they had no choice. We were hunted in our own indigenous lands, and there are only a few million of us left in the world, so we are trying to resist extinction. That’s why we created Nineveh Rising, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing exactly that. 

 

We trace our roots to antiquity, with the origin of the wheel, the rule of law, and the concept of civilization itself. Our land is the land of kings and saints, the birthplace of Abraham, and the resting place of Prophets like Jonah, Nahum, Daniel from the Lion’s Den, and dozens of others. The extinction of our people would silence stories, lessons, and perspectives that are irreplaceable.

 

We have a lot of needs in our ancestral land, most notably security and economic opportunity. Our people are financially disadvantaged and unsafe. During rare times of peace, the best that the Chaldean Assyrian Syriac community can expect is Jim Crow treatment. There aren’t necessarily separate bathrooms and drinking fountains, but when you drive down the street to the grocery store and pass through checkpoints, you must identify yourself by your religion. If you are Chaldean, Assyrian, Syriac, Yazidi, Mandean or some other religious minority in Iraq, your odds of getting pulled over at a checkpoint and getting harassed are much higher. It’s been this way for 1400 years, and somehow we’re still here, hanging on by a thread. But if we don’t take action now, then the only way you’ll see people like us three or four generations from now will be in a museum. 

 

Two American citizens died, one from Michigan and another from Arizona. His father, Haitham Behnam, is here today, and his testimony will be read by Joe Tinpan.

 

Every single person in Bakhdeda was impacted by this tragedy. While no amount of funding will ever replace the lives lost, there is a great deal we can do for the healing process. We recently received blueprints for a much needed mental health facility. Counselors in the town have been operating out of makeshift therapy centers since the start of ISIS recovery. We are also partners with a nonprofit that conducts many youth activities for mental health that could benefit from recreational facilities. There were many children lost in the fire, and there were children who lost one or both parents. We discussed the possibility of starting a day care center with the mayor of the town, and there are still people with burn injuries who need medical aid. Last but not least, the town needs emergency preparedness programs at schools, hospitals and other community places. 

 

If we don’t address these challenges, it will be the final nail in our collective coffin of extinction. Not only that, but it will be a significant blow to United States national security. Bakhdeda is home to 35,000, competing interests have pushed for demographic change in the town since the fall of ISIS. In short, US national security implications are substantial.

 

We want to emphasize to all of you, from the left side of the political spectrum to the right, along with everyone in between, that this is not a political issue, but a humanitarian one.

 

The Chaldean society there and the one here are very closely linked. Why else would we go to a place like Iraq? There is an obvious link between our community here and there, so passing this resolution would help Chaldean Americans who are all very connected to their relatives in Iraq.

 

Thank you for taking the time to review this resolution, and it would certainly mean a lot if you decide to pass it.

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.148

Reps. Aragona, Kuhn, McFall, Shannon, Wozniak, Bezotte, Steele, St. Germaine and Roth offered the following resolution:
A resolution to urge the President of the United States to provide assistance and medical aid to the community of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida, Iraq, following a devastating fire at a local wedding.
Whereas, On September 26, 2023, an unthinkable tragedy struck the city of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida in the Nineveh governorate of northern Iraq. As a newlywed couple celebrated their union surrounded by friends and family, fireworks erupted on the dance floor and ignited the banquet hall, engulfing the venue in a blaze. In an instant, what should have been the happiest moment in a young couple’s life became a horrifying nightmare. In the ensuing chaos, attendees struggled to escape the building. It was later discovered that the venue was constructed of highly flammable material, had no emergency exits, and was filled far beyond its capacity – a perfect storm for tragedy. While it is reported that the bride and groom thankfully survived, Iraqi officials have indicated that at least 107 attendees lost their lives while an additional 82 were injured. Surviving victims suffered extreme burns and other physical and psychological injuries that will necessitate specialized care – care that the local medical community in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida may be unequipped to sufficiently provide; and
Whereas, Medical facilities in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida are insufficiently equipped to provide the necessary medical care for the survivors of this tragic fire. It has been reported that local hospitals in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida – a city home to only 35,000 people – have been overwhelmed with the sudden influx of victims needing comprehensive and intense medical intervention. Unable to cope with the stress, medical professionals in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida have already begun transferring their patients to burn facilities in other countries, desperately attempting to ensure that the victims of this fire receive the best care possible given the dire circumstances; and
Whereas, The United States has a proven track record indicating our commitment to offering humanitarian assistance to those in need across the world. Our status as a world leader places us in the fortunate position to be able to demonstrate that commitment once more by providing aid to the victims of the fire in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida. There are few ways in which the vast resources at the disposal of our federal government can be better spent than by offering support to communities in need. By offering medical assistance and other desperately needed resources to the victims of the Qaraqosh/Bakhdida fire and the medical professionals working tirelessly on their behalf, the federal government would demonstrate the compassion of the American people and our commitment to promoting peace, stability, and well-being in Iraq and the world beyond; and
Whereas, The state of Michigan has particularly strong ties to the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac people, the primary ethnic demographic of the city of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida. The Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac diaspora has established deep roots in our state, which hosts the largest population of this people in the nation. The contributions made by this community to our state’s rich culture and robust economy cannot be quantified. Therefore, we recognize that Michigan maintains a vested interest in supporting our friends and neighbors in Qaraqosh/Bakhdida, further strengthening ties long established between our distant communities; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the President of the United States to provide assistance and medical aid to the community of Qaraqosh/Bakhdida, Iraq, following a devastating fire at a local wedding; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States.

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