Syriac organizations hold sit-in against Turkish attacks on North and East Syria

ZALIN, Syria — Under the slogan “Stop the Aggressive Turkish Policies against Peoples of North and East Syria,” the Syriac Union Party (SUP), Syriac Women’s Union (SWU), and the Syriac Progressive Youth Union organized a public protest in Zalin (Qamishli), North and East Syria, to denounce the continued Turkish attacks on the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) villages of the Khabur River Valley, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), and other regions in Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia).

Member of the Executive Body of the SUP Afram Ishak told SyriacPress that, “On Thursday and Friday, a sit-in will be held, based on the national and patriotic goals of the Syriac Union Party, the Syriac Women’s Union, and the Syriac Progressive Youth Union.”

Ishak stated that the regions of North and East Syria have witnessed many Turkish violations, especially in the villages of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in the Khabur River Valley.

Thus, he said, Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) institutions decided to take a stand against the Turkish violations to increase international awareness and demand the rights of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people to live in dignity on their historical homeland in Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia).

“The sit-in demands ending all Turkish encroachments on regions of North and East Syria and that the ethnic groups of the region live in freedom and peace with the support of the international community,” Ishak concluded.

Officials and members of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) organizations, representatives of institutions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA), and political representatives from parties of various backgrounds participated in the protest.

The protest began with a minute of silence for the souls of martyrs. SUP Co-Chair Sanharib Barsoum then delivered a speech in which he stated that the Turkish attacks on North and East Syria and Iraq are dangerous.

“Turkey seeks to divide Syrian territory and destroy the social pluralism and coexistence among the ethnic and religious groups in the region,” he added.

Head of the SWU’s Zalin branch Georgette Barsomo denounced Turkey’s fueling, escalating, and exacerbating the crisis in Syria.

“Turkey took control of Syrian territory in implementation of its expansionist projects and ambitions,” she declared.

Co-Chair of the Syriac Progressive Youth Union Subhi Malke also delivered a speech in which he affirmed the support of the Syriac youth for resistance to the Turkish attacks.

Malke called on the international community to pressure Turkey to stop its attacks and its pursuit of demographic change.

Head of the National Democratic Development and Change Party Ibrahim Juma Khalil called on all ethnic and religious groups of North and East Syria to adhere to their land and stand strong in the face of Turkish aggression. He also stressed that his party stands alongside others in denouncing Turkish policies.

Banners carrying slogans condemning Turkish policies were placed inside the sit-in tent which read:

“We Support the Safe Return of the Indigenous People to Their Areas”

“We Reject Turkish Policies of Demographic Change”

“We Support the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria”

“We Reject Displacement of the Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian people from Kurdistan Region of Iraq”