Head of Swedish Left Party calls on government to act on parliament’s recognition of Armenian, Greek, and Syriac genocides

STOCKHOLM — In a video published in the Swedish media, the head of the Swedish Left Party party Mehrnoosh Dadgostar called on the Swedish government to act on the 2010 decision of the Swedish Parliament to acknowledge the Armenian, Greek, and Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) genocides, referred to in Syriac as the Sayfo.

The bill recognizing the genocides was passed by a single vote.

Dadgostar noted that the parliament’s decision was necessary, meaningful, and acceptable but unfortunately the Swedish government has not yet activated in a meaningful way that reflects the decision. Turkish authorities still deny the atrocities, said Dadgostar, adding that the Swedish saying that every wound healed over time was wrong, as recognition is a prerequisite for healing the wound, so we must recognize the massacres of 1915.

Dadgostar noted the importance of the government acting on the parliament’s decision, as it is the least that can be done to show respect to all the victims who died in these massacres. Foreign recognition is the first step towards the eventual recognition of the Turkish government. She concluded by saying that we cannot go back to the past to prevent such massacres, but we can draw lessons from them to start a new phase and move towards progress and development.

The Left Party (Vänsterpartiet) holds 27 seats in Swedish parliament, and Syriac Tony Haddou is a member of parliament for the Left Party since 2018.

Earlier this month, MP for the Christian Democratic Party (Kristdemokraterna) Pia Steensland also asked for the Swedish government to recognize the Sayfo Genocide of 1915. In written questions to Foreign Affairs Minister Ann Linde, Steensland asks whether “the Minister considers it important that the Swedish government officially recognizes the Seyfo genocide in order to prevent history from repeating itself. If so, when does she and the government intend to implement the 2010 Riksdag’s notice on the issue?”

Also Read: Swedish Christian Democratic MP Lars Adaktusson: when will the Swedish government recognize the Sayfo Genocide of 1915?