Y.T.KANNA: A MAN ON A MISSION
The series C3939/2 item N64/75159 Assyrian Migration from Iraq recently obtained from the National Archives of Australia shows Youaw Toma Kanna's exchange of correspondence with senior officials of the Australian Department of Immigration covering a five year period- June 1964 to July 1969. The documents convey the impression of man on a mission determined to assist his fellow Assyrians in Iraq.
Kanna, an Iraqi Assyrian , acted as an "intermediary" for Assyrians who wanted to migrate to Australia from Iraq. There are 2 documents (Nos 1 and 4) showing Kanna's support for Assyrian migration and his attempts to convince Australian officials that his people would have something positive to offer Australia.
In a letter of June 29, 1964 he states that " there are about 2,600 families willing to come to Australia" and continues that " Of the above: 60% can read and write English language; 30% have served the British R.A.F (as Assyrian Levies) in Habbaniah;..." He was convinced that " they will not be a burden on Australian Government." (see Doc.1)
According to Kanna the Assyrians good English language skills were attributed to them attending private schools rather than public ones. He believed that the Assyrians generally had a "higher standard education than the average population."
He further contends that " the better type positions , such as in banks, have been held by Assyrians. This again lead to a degree of unsettlement because of current programme of nationalization of banks will mean the progressive sacking of Assyrians and their replacement by the native population."
It is evident that Y.T.Kanna did his best to sell the benefits of Assyrian immigration to Australian officials. He made it clear that Assyrians spoke good English and held better type positions in Iraq. Those who had served as Assyrian Levies were to be considered loyal to the British Empire and would make excellent Australian citizens.
Another document written by H.G.Brooks , the Chief Migration Officer -Foreign, provides the Assistant Secretary of Operations Branch with background information on Iraq. The document lists the total population of Iraq including the religious breakdown of the Assyrians into Nestorian, Chaldean, Jacobite and Protestant churches. It further mentions the military coups of 1958 and 1963, the importance of the oil industry for Iraq's economy, an outline of the different levels of the Iraqi education system and the prospects for Assyrian immigration to Australia. On the last point it was envisaged that the Assyrian immigrants would pay their own fares.
The remaining documents outline some of the difficulties encountered by Assyrian Iraqis who wished to migrate to Australia. Firstly, they needed a guarantee of accommodation before being eligible for entry into Australia. Secondly, Assyrians could not travel directly by air to Australia from Iraq. They had to travel to Beirut in Lebanon at great expense, before becoming making the long journey to Australia by ship. In October 1964, the Australian government set up a migration office in Beirut to process Assyrian immigration applications. Finally British Consular officials issued visas on behalf of the Australian Government for Assyrians wishing to leave Iraq. It wasn't until 1976 that Australia established its embassy in Baghdad.
Stavros
T.Stavridis (M.A)
Historical Researcher
National Centre for Hellenic Studies and Research
Latrobe University
Bundoora, Australia