Syriac Member of Turkish Parliament George Aslan in response to backlash for extending Christmas greetings in Syriac during parliamentary session: “Look, we didn’t come here from another planet, we are the indigenous people of this land”

ANKARA — Syriac Member of Turkish Parliament George Aslan faced criticism for extending heartfelt Christmas greetings to the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in Turkey and the diaspora in their native Syriac language during a recent address in the Turkish parliament.

Aslan, an MP from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) representing Mardin and the sole Christian member of Turkey’s Parliament, declared that it would be his final speech in 2023 and preemptively extended his Christmas greetings.

“I extend my congratulations to all Christians, particularly to our fellow citizens of Greek, Armenian, and Syriac [Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean] descent living in Turkey,” he stated.

Later, addressing Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder, also a member of the DEM Party, Aslan requested, “Mr. Speaker, if you allow, I would like to convey Christmas wishes in the Syriac language to my Syriac people who do not know Turkish.” His request was granted.

As Aslan began speaking in Syriac, objections arose from İYİ Party members, with MP Lütfü Türkkan urging Aslan to speak in Turkish and provide a translation of his remarks. Türkkan asserted, “This is the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and Turkish is the official language of Turkey. You must speak Turkish here!”

In response, Aslan defended, “Look, we didn’t come here from another planet; we are the indigenous people of this land.”

Deputy Speaker Önder intervened in the dispute, recalling a recent Arabic prayer recited for a deceased MP and remarked, “Verses from Baqara [a section of the Quran] were being recited here; did any of you ask, ‘What’s the translation?’” This statement received applause from DEM Party members. When Türkkan identified it as a Quranic verse, Önder retorted, “Mr. Türkkan, let me read another verse: ‘Your languages are also the signs of Allah’.”

Meanwhile, in the parliamentary records, Aslan’s remarks in Syriac were documented as “…”

In response to the controversy, Aslan released a statement, emphasizing that the Syriac people have deep roots in the region, dating back 12,000 years to the times of the Sumerian, Babylonian, and Akkadian empires. He criticized the Turkish Constitution for not adequately recognizing the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people’s contributions to Turkish culture and its diverse ethnic makeup.

The incident sparked discussions within the Turkish Parliament and gained widespread attention in public opinion, press, and media circles. Representatives and officials from DEM Party expressed their rejection and condemnation of the discriminatory behavior, firmly standing in support of Aslan’s right to express himself in the Syriac language.