Parliamentary candidates for the Liberals Metin Hawsho and Anna Starbrink: “Make April 24 the national day of remembrance for the Sayfo Genocide”

SÖDERTALJE, Sweden – The genocide against the Christian ethnic groups in the Ottoman Empire began on April 24, 1915. It resulted in the almost extermination of Syriacs, Maronites, Greeks and Armenians through massacres, executions, forced deportations, and induced famines. Despite the recognition by Swedish parliament (2010) of this genocide, the Swedish government has still not acknowledged it. This is a great disappointment for the peoples concerned, write Liberalerna politicians and candidates in the upcoming Swedish parliamentary elections, Metin Hawsho and Anna Starbrink. Especially, considering that some 200,000 Syriacs (Arameans-Assyrians-Chaldeans) call Sweden home.

Hawsho and Starbrink reject the official government position of former Prime Minister Stefan Löfven (2014-2021, Social Democrat) that the Swedish government has no intention of recognizing the Sayfo Genocide. The two Liberalerna parliamentary candidates think it is high time the government – normally a staunch defender of democracy and human rights – does recognize the Sayfo and that it introduces education about the Sayfo Genocide as a natural part of education in Swedish schools. The two also argue that April 24 should be established as a national day of Sayfo remembrance. “Only in this way can one honor the memory of the Martyrs and remind us of the terrible events that have affected the peoples for so long,” they conclude.

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— Metin hawsho (@Metinhawsho) April 23, 2022