SYRIA: Syriac Union Party rallies in Zalin, vow to continue fight for rights, demand answers on missing leader

ZALIN, North and East Syria — The city of Zalin (Qamishli), North and East Syria, witnessed a large-scale rally organized by the Syriac Union Party (SUP), advocating for the national and religious rights of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people within the framework of Syria’s new constitution.

Gabriel Shamoun, a member of the SUP Executive Council and Co-Chair of the Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of the Region of North and East Syria (DAARNES), reaffirmed the party’s commitment to securing the rights of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) and Christians in Syria.

“We have gathered here to claim our rights, which are as legitimate for us as they are for any other people,” Shamoun stated to Syriac Press. “We will not stand idly by during this critical period and will continue our struggle to safeguard these rights.”

Nazira Goreya, a member of the Presidential Committee of the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo D’Bethnahrin, MUB), also addressed the gathering. She emphasized the need for fair representation of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in Syria’s evolving political structure. Goreya reiterated their call for a democratic and decentralized Syria, demanding urgent action to uncover the fate of missing Syriac leader Saeed Malke and the two abducted bishops from Holeb (Aleppo).

Goreya described the rally as a pivotal step toward securing constitutional guarantees for the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community, including protections for religious, national, and women’s rights in the upcoming legal framework. She urged all stakeholders to learn from past mistakes to ensure a future where these rights are enshrined in Syria’s constitution.

The rally underscores the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community’s ongoing struggle for justice, equality, and representation in post-conflict Syria. It highlights their resolve to play an active role in shaping the country’s future while preserving their cultural and historical identity.