An Urgent Message from Syriacs-Assyrians: do not allow another Genocide!
Rhawi: the Syriac People must stand up, whereever they are in the world, to preserve theit Identity and to make their voice heard in their Homeland Bethnahrin
Shleymun Rhawi, representative of the European Syriac Union (ESU), and Sabri Atman, president of Seyfo Center, the Syriac Genocide and Research Center, make it very clear, the Turkish state targets Syriac-Assyrian people with its invasion of Northeast Syria.
Murat Mang / Bielefeld
Not only the Kurds but also the Armenians and Syriacs-Assyrians are under the threat of genocide because of the attacks of the Turkish state and its gangs on North East Syria. Some Syriac villages have been evacuated because of the attacks, while the people of the region, shoulder by shoulder, are resisting the invaders. The Syriac Military Council and the Syriac Women’s Defense Forces of Bethnahrin recently announced in a joint statement that Syriacs-Assyrians living in Tel Tamer are in danger, while Syriac representatives in Europe continuously make urgent appeals to the international community. Shleymun Rhawi (ESU) “the Turkish state carries out a deliberate demographic change and ethnic cleansing campaign with this attack. It commits crimes against humanity”. The Syriac people (Assyrians-Chaldeans-Aramaeans) who suffered genocide in 1915 know that today’s attacks will endanger their very existence and Rhawi says it very clear, the future, identity and the historical and cultural values of the Syriac people face extinction.
Syriac people must stand up
Shleymun Rhawi calls on the Syriac people to stand up and take a stance against the attacks; “The Syriac people must stand up, wherever they are in the world, to preserve their identity and to make their voice heard in their homeland Bethnahrin.”
Stop the massacre by Turkey
ESU’s Rhawi makes a call on international powers and the public to act and to stop the Turkish massacres. The EU, US, Russia, the European Union, the Arab League and the United Nations need to react immediately against the current situation and preserve Christians’ ethnic and religious presence in Syria. It is their historical responsibility. To save humanity from a bloody and black stain, is to stop this genocide.”
Sabri Atman, president of the Seyfo Center, also stresses the danger of genocide and underlines that genocide is a crime against humanity. Atman emphasizes the damage done by only looking after one’s own national interests in international relations: “As always, the great powers limit their policies to a simple add and subtract equation. Each of these forces says, “what can I benefit and what can I get out of it”. They are obviously only working in their own interests. The Kurdish, Assyrian and other peoples in the region are left vulnerable and alone.” Pointing to the actions taken and activities attended by tens of thousands of people around the world, especially in European countries, to denounce the invasion and occupation, Sabri Atman says that it is important that the Kurdish people with their high potential and profile can draw on and mobilize diplomatic channels.
49 of 50 states recognized genocide
Recalling the fact that California is now also added to the list of US states which recognize the 1915 genocide of the Syriacs-Assyrians, Atman said: on 8 September, the State of California recognized the 1915 genocide on Assyrians (Syriacs) perpetrated in Ottoman Turkey and officially recognized the 1933 Simele massacre by the Iraqi army in the village of Simele and its surroundings. 49 out of the 50 states of America accepted the Armenian genocide. In earlier Resolutions, only the Armenian genocide was mentioned. Now however, the Assyrian (Syriac) and Greek genocides were also recognized in three other states, including California.
We are facing a new genocide
Seyfo Center talks and appeals to many politicians to take a stand against the ethnic cleansing by Turkey. Atman, “Armenians, Assyrians and Kurds are facing a new genocide before the eyes of the whole world.” Together with Congressman Adam Shiff and Tulsi Gabbard, we conveyed our concerns to many US congressmen. We request all the politicians we talk with to make their stance known against Turkey’s ethnic cleansing initiatives. Most of them followed up on our requests.”
Originally published in Turkish on: https://yeniozgurpolitika.net/asuri-suryanilerden-mesaj-soykirima-izin-vermeyin/