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APRIM SHAPERA |
In 1971, he left the College of Arts to enroll in the College of Law and Political Science at Al - Mustansiriyah University in Baghdad. Attended evening classes and financed his education with a daytime job. In 1975, he graduated with high honors, receiving a BA in Political Science, ranking first in his college. In 1976, by reasons of his outstanding achievement at the BA degree level, was admitted in the College of Law and Political Science at Baghdad University for higher education (Master degree program) and on full time basis. In December 1979, completed M.A. requirements and submitted his thesis for master degree in political science. After five hours of oral argument, attended by a crowd of more that 200 attendants, half of them from Assyrian Cultural Club, four political science professors termed his thesis ”Excellent”. The title of the thesis was “ The Role of Intellectuals in Social Changes”, and the professors recommended its publication in a book form by Baghdad University. He was the first student of political science in Iraq to be awarded the M.A. degree “with excellent standing”. This occasioned news coverage of the event, alongside with his photo in local newspapers (See Baghdad Observer issue No. 3673 dated 10.03.1980 in the attached file: ads18 jpg) Contrary to the recommendation of the highest academic
body in Baghdad University, Iraqi censors banned the publication of
Aprim’s thesis. It was said in support of the rejection that“ The
thesis advances consequences and ideas not supportive of Ba’ath Party
ideology and Iraqi policies”. The thesis, which had been praised by
the said professors and considered worthy as Ph.D. material, consisted
of a detailed comparative study of Capitalism and Marxism philosophies
on concept of intellectuals and their status & relationship to
social Refusing to become member of the Iraqi Ba’ath Party, which was the main condition of appointment as teacher in a collage, also refused to comply with the fascist policy of the Iraqi regime and to threats from security and Party apparatus, as a result, Aprim was thwarted in his hope for an academic career. He was deprived of any academic position, even though this ran counter to the High Education Law, which guaranteed appointment of anyone graduating with high honors to the position of Lecturer Teacher in the same university. While he met all academic requirements to pursue
advanced studies, i.e., the Ph.D. program, his applications for Doctoral
candidacy were consistently denied, in addition, he not permitted to
leave Iraq to pursue his studies at his own expense. Such tyrannical
policy was always explained to him very simply: “You are not Ba’athi”. Due to heavy- handed Iraqi policies and in order to earn a living, he was forced to work with a foreign company in a field outside his academic background. In 1981 he was employed as Administrator by a British/International major company involved in civil construction, and he would be then rise to the position of Iraq Branch Manger. In early 1992, he and his immediate family departed Iraq for London. He continues to be employed with the same company, where he is now Marketing Manager. Professional affiliations include The British Chartered
Institute of Marketing and the EC Institute of Marketing. In Iraq, although employed on a full time basis, he has
devoted a huge amount of time in support of cultural activities. His
copious writings on Assyrians have caused him to be summoned,
interrogated and questioned by the Iraqi security police, Ba’ath party
apparatus and censorship authorities. He has been arraigned by them as a The Ba’ath regime in Iraq succeeded in thwarting his academic dream but failed to dampen his national beliefs and his determination. He has withstood relentless pressure and has persisted in his writings, most of which appear in the “Assyrian Intellectual - Mordinah Atoraya” of Shotapotah. He was a member of the Assyrian Cultural Club, from its inception until its closure; he was also a member of its executive committee and vice chairman. He participated in editing and managing the above mentioned publication. Aprim was also an Executive member of the “Syriac” Writers Federation and editorial member of its Magazine “Khuyadah”. His other affiliations have included; the Iraqi Writers Federation; the Iraqi Juristic Association; the Political Sciences Society; and the Human Right Organization - Iraq. In London, where the democratic environments fueled his determination, he pursued his writings and nationalistic activities with added zeal. He joined Assyrian Club of the UK in London, and participated in most of its cultural activities including its publication, The Assyrian. His incisive writings on Assyrians have appeared in
nearly all Assyrian publications and in a number of Arab newspapers and
magazines worldwide. It has been said that Aprim’s writings have
altered the Arab attitude concerning the Assyrians, whether it is their
claims, their rights, or their history. This is especially perceptible
in the London community. Along these lines, Aprim has given three live
interviews on air about Assyrians (each two hours in duration) at London
broadcasting stations. In April 1994, on the occasion of the Assyrian Aprim maintains good relations with Assyrian political parties and national organizations, and in particular, with those who are active in the Homeland. For that reason he paid several visits to Syria and North of Iraq, and while there he has attended meetings, delivered lectures, visited Assyrian Schools and participated in national events. In the UK, he is member of the Amnesty International-UK
section and a longtime correspondent with the U.N. Commission for Human
Rights in Geneva. He maintains contacts with Minority Rights Group in
London and other international and academic organizations concerned with
human & minorities rights. In London, while holding time-consuming employment and committed to family obligations, Aprim has continued to write a number of articles, research papers and books on Assyrian issues. In addition to his aforementioned thesis (580 pages) has been published along with several others of his books:
In addition to these books, Aprim has written dozens of
articles published in nearly all Assyrian publications and Arab
worldwide daily newspapers, such as Asharq Al Awsat, Al Hayat, Al Kudis
(London base), Al Diyar (Lebanese) and Al Khaleej(UAE). The most recent
of these articles, published in the 30th, August 2000 edition of Al
Hayat, appears under the title “Assyrian is nationality, Chaldean is
Religion and Syriac is Language”
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