EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Dear Friends, 

 

This Thanksgiving, we count ourselves blessed to have the steadfast support of the IDC community.  Your support makes IDC’s sacred mission possible.  

 

Apart from eating Turkey, the IDC team spent November engaged with Congress to address a variety of issues, including the continued ethnic cleansing of Armenian Christians in Artsakh, and the urgent need to bolster U.S. sanctions on Iran.  Following several months of IDC’s focused advocacy, we were pleased that the U.S. Senate unanimous passed IDC-backed legislation which prohibits continued U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan.  We were also pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives passed two IDC-backed pieces of legislation which enforce greater, more forceful restrictions on Iran’s ability to proliferate regional terror.

 

On November 29, I published an opinion piece in Newsweek which exposes the parallels between the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians and the Azerbaijani attack on Armenian Christians in Artsakh.  Spoiler alert: All roads lead to the NATO ally-in-name-only, Turkey.

 

On November 1, IDC’s “In the Middle” podcast, episode #8 was released.  I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Michael Wingert of Agora University, and Dr. Sofia Mutlu-Numansen of the University of Twente (Netherlands) to look beyond “Sayfo” (the Syriac Genocide).

 

Finally, I’d like to invite you to join us for dinner and discussion on December 7 in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).  At the dinner, we’ll have the opportunity to hear the reflections and insights of the world’s foremost experts on human rights and the Christian intellectual tradition.  Please find full details in the flier included below.  We hope you can join us!

 

 As we enter the Christmas season, we ask that you continue to pray for our Christian brothers and sisters who face ever-growing persecution and violence around the world.  Also, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to IDC's efforts in advocating for persecuted Christian communities in the Middle East and around the world.  Our work is dependent on your generosity!

 

Best,

Richard Ghazal, 

Executive Director

 

IDC ON THE HILL

 

IDC worked with the Armenian National Committee of America to hold Azerbaijan accountable for the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian Christians of Artsakh.  The Senate's unanimous passage of S.3000 effectively prohibits U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan for the next two years, holding Azerbaijan accountable for the atrocities committed.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed IDC-backed legislation, H.R.3774 and H.Res.599, both of which bolster U.S. measures combatting Iran's sponsorship of international terrorism.  IDC continues to advocate for these policies in the Senate. 

Several members have also recently cosponsored legislation as a result of IDC’s advocacy efforts. Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) co-sponsored H.R.5686 (Preventing Ethnic Cleansing and Atrocities in Nagorno-Karabakh Act of 2023) after participating in IDC's Capitol Hill Advocacy Day.  Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) co-sponsored H.Res.82 (to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and appoint a Special Envoy).  Congressman Michael Lawler (R-NY) cosponsored H.Res.5868 and H.Res.82 after participating in IDC's Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. 

 

This November, IDC met with the following Congressional offices: 

  • Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04)
  • Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA-33)
  • Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02)
  • Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN-04)
  • Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN-03)
  • Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11)
  • Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA-26)
  • Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06)
  • Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09)
  • Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC-06)
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09)
  • Rep. Elijah Crane (R-AZ-02)
  • Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)
  • Senator Steve Daines (R-MT)
  • Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06)
  • Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-16)
  • Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI-06)
  • Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
  • Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-02)
  • Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-06)
  • Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07)
  • Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI-11)
 

In November, IDC welcomed Mr. Farid Yacoub Eliya, a Christian member of Parliament in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.  IDC hosted him at a series of meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss the demographic decline of Christians in Iraq.  We met with Congresswoman Haley Stevens, Congressman Robert Aderholt, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, in addition to staff from five other congressional offices and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Based on these discussions, we anticipate further congressional action to strengthen U.S. pressure on Iran and demonstrate support for Christians in Iraq.

 

IDC MEDIA

Time to Rethink Turkey, the Sick Man of NATO 

Richard Ghazal

 

"In the dying days of the Ottoman Empire, due to internal rot and the decay of its international stature, Turkey was known as the "sick man of Europe." In recent decades, for the same reasons, Turkey has become the "sick man of NATO." By mutating into a democracy-in-name-only, presenting an afront to Western values, and by fomenting mayhem in its region, Turkey has become more of a menace than ally to NATO. It should be called out and put out."

 

On November 1, IDC’s “In the Middle” podcast, episode #8 was released.  IDC's Richard Ghazal sat down with Dr. Michael Wingert of Agora University, and Dr. Sofia Mutlu-Numansen of the University of Twente (Netherlands) to look beyond “Sayfo” (the Syriac Genocide).

 

IDC Executive Director Richard Ghazal accepts a token of appreciation from Mr. Farid Yacoub Eliya, Christian member of parliament in Iraq, in recognition of IDC’s strong advocacy in support of his Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Christian constituents.

 

EVENTS

 
 

 Our work is made possible by your support and generosity! 

Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to IDC's efforts in advocating for persecuted Christian communities in the Middle East and around the world.

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