European Syriac Union: “Recognition of Genocide is Vital for a Peaceful Future”

BRUSSELS – The European Syriac Union (ESU) published a written statement on the occasion of 24 April, 1915 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. With the title ‘Recognition of Genocide is Vital to a Peaceful Future’, ESU reiterated its call for recognition of the Genocide in its 106th year and expresses its condolences to the Armenian people for the one and a half million Armenians who lost their lives.

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April 24 is Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day, for the Armenian people and the world paying tribute and remembering one and half million innocent souls martyred during the 1915 genocide under Ottoman-Turkish rule and their allies in this period. One century later, the Armenian people and native Christian communities of Mesopotamia and the Black Sea region continue to remember, commemorate, and ask for the recognition of genocide perpetrated against Christian communities during 1915.

From the year 1914, Ottoman-Turkish authorities under the leadership of the Committee of Union and Progress carried out their systematic plan of the Christian genocide against the native communities amid criticism, disapproval, and calls various calls of the international community of the time. During the genocide of 1915 more than 3 million Christians have been killed. They were forced into death marches, exile, and into conversion to Islam while hundreds of religious places, churches, monasteries, cultural, social, and economic assets were confiscated, seized, and changed hands. [statement continues below the Tweet]*”

On this day of #ArmenianGenocide Remembrance Day, we have joined with our Co-chair @TonyVergili Armenian community of Belgium commemoration ceremony. It’s an honor to stand with Armenians for the same cause along with political, communal and religious figures. pic.twitter.com/l4rkeVniXv

— EuropeanSyriacUnion (@esu_int) April 24, 2021

“Recognition of genocide and past massacres and atrocities is essential for a peaceful future, establishing long-term relations, and leaving a rightful heritage for future generations. While recognition of the genocide is a step toward establishing the truth, it is also a path forward for a better future. States and the international community have a moral obligation to recognize the 1915 genocide against the Armenian, Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian-Aramean, and Pontic Greek peoples and to force Turkey to stop its attacks against the native peoples of the Middle East and Armenia. From the beginning of the Syrian uprising until now, Turkey has been harboring and supporting jihadist elements and forces in Syria while occupying cities notably Afrin and in the Gozarto Region. And its continued attacks in Iraq and the Sinjar region cause suffering to the local populations.

On this day of April 24, the European Syriac Union remembers all martyrs of the Armenian Genocide and pays tribute to their memories. ESU asks from the European Union, the US administration, and the international community to stand with the truth and justice, and calls on our Syriac people to support activities, works, conferences, and other events in regard of the Genocide of 1915.”

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*For the ESU Statement in Turkish see Gazete Sabro