Executive Council of Gozarto (Jazira) Region in North and East Syria holds annual meeting in Tel Tamr

TEL TAMR, Syria — With the aim of overcoming mistakes and looking into the conditions of civilians, the Executive Council in Gozarto (Jazira) Region in North and East Syria met with civil institutions and civilians at the Martyrs’ Families Foundation in the town of Tel Tamr.

The meeting included reading the annual report of the council’s work and then allowing civilians who attended the meeting to present their opinions, suggestions, and criticisms.

Our correspondent in the town of Tal Tamr covered the meeting and gave us the following report.

The Executive Council began the meeting by observing a minute of silence to commemorate the souls of martyrs.

The annual report was then read, which included an overview of the work carried out during the past year. The floor was opened for attendees and civilians to put forward and discuss their views and proposals on the Council’s work. 

Syriacs (Arameans–Chaldeans–Assyrians) from the Khabur River Valley, at the heart of which lies Tel Tamr, participated in the meeting. Some of those present demanded an improvement of services and the living situation in Khabur. Elias Antar Elias, a member of the Assyrian People’s Assembly, called for finding solutions to the tragedies afflicting Syriac–Assyrian villages in the region which have become a refuge for thousands of people displaced by the Turkish invasion of October 2019 and ongoing attacks by Turkey and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).

In a statement to Suroyo TV, Elias said that he persisted in asking for help to solve these tragedies and end the suffering of the displaced and the pressure they put on the Syriac–Assyrian villages and their residents. So far, he has not received a response.

Limar Hasno, Co-Chair of the Gozarto Region Economic and Agriculture Authority, also made a statement to Suroyo TV saying that this meeting, which included a number of political, economic, social, and service bodies, is the third of its kind. She added that the council listened to the views of the attendees and will respond to them in the coming days. Hasno stressed that other meetings will be held in the future to find out the problems and obstacles faced by the residents of the region.

Hasno noted that resolving the issue of the displaced in the Syriac–Assyrian villages will be among the priorities of the Council’s work during this year. The Council will study approaches to the establishment of shelters for the displaced in order to relieve pressure on the host villages, she added.