First Congress of Armenian Women in North and East Syria establishes Armenian Women’s Union

HASAKAH, Syria — The First Congress of Armenian Women held by the Armenian Social Council announced the establishment of the Armenian Women’s Union in North and East Syria. Anhid Qasbian was elected as the Union’s first president.

In its final statement, the Union called on the United Nations, the international community, and human rights organizations to recognize the massacres committed by the Ottoman authorities against the Armenian people as crimes against humanity, to hold the perpetrators accountable, and to compensate the Armenian community for the catastrophic and long-term effects of these crimes.

The statement also denounced the behavior of the Turkish state and its ambitions to re-establish its control over territory formerly part of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey has repeatedly committed acts of aggression against the peoples of the region and all components should stand side-by-side to repel any invasion, said the Union, which also called for a “No-Fly Zone” to be established over North and East Syria.