SYRIA: Syriac Union Party holds symposium on 1915 Sayfo Genocide, candlelight marches held in Zalin and Hasakah

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — With the advent of the 107th anniversary of the 1915 Sayfo Genocide, the Syriac Union Party (SUP) in Syria held a symposium discussing various aspects of the Sayfo on Monday at Mart Shmuni Church in Dayrik (Al-Malikiyah), North and East Syria.

The Sayfo Genocide was committed by the Ottoman Empire and allied Kurdish, Arab, and Circassian forces in the early 20th century against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people and occurred parallel to the genocides of Armenians, Greeks, and Yezidis. Upwards of 300,000 of the region’s estimated 700,000 Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) were massacred. More than 200,000 were forcefully displaced or deported south.

The symposium was attended by the pastor Bishara Shamoun of Mart Shmuni Church, representatives of political parties and various Christian denominations in Dayrik, members of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) organizations, and members of the Syriac Military Council (Mawtbo Fulḥoyo Suryoyo, MFS) and Syriac Internal Security Forces (Sutoro), among others

The event began with a minute of silence for the souls of martyrs. Member of the SUP Executive Body Afram Ishak delivered a speech in which he spoke about the horrific atrocities committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek peoples.

He also referred to the new Turkish atrocities against peoples of Syria in general and North and East Syria in particular, emphasizing that violations occur almost daily in the Syriac–Assyrian villages of the Khabur River Valley.

A program about the Sayfo prepared by Suroyo TV was screened for attendees, who then lit candles in front of Mart Shmuni Church in honor of the Sayfo martyrs.

On Tuesday and Wednesday in Zalin (Qamishli) and Hasakah in North and East Syria, commemorative events took place.

Carrying candles and singing melancholic songs about the events of the Sayfo, crowds marched through the streets, placing candles at roundabouts as they passed by. 

A special prayer was held on Wednesday afternoon for the souls of the Sayfo martyrs in churches across North and East Syria. The SUP will also hold remembrance events in Mor Gabriel’s Hall in Zalin and in the hall of Virgin Mary Church in Nasira in Hasakah.