Syriac MP in Turkey George Aslan challenges government on Sayfo Genocide: “What happened to three million Christians in 1915?”

ANKARA — In a powerful address to Turkey’s Parliament, George Aslan, a Syriac MP from the Peoples’ Equality and Democratic Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party), posed a poignant and provocative question: “What happened to the three million Christians who lived in Turkey in 1915?” Aslan highlighted the stark contrast between the thriving Christian population of the early 20th century and today’s figure of approximately 50,000.

Aslan’s remarks marked the 110th anniversary of the Sayfo Genocide, during which the Ottoman Empire systematically targeted Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans), Armenians, and Greeks in a campaign of ethnic cleansing that claimed millions of lives. His address was met with repeated interruptions from Ünal Karaman, an MP from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), who repeatedly dismissed the question with, “Ask the historians.”

The DEM Party’s central executive committee issued a statement following the session, emphasizing the critical need for truth-telling and restorative justice to achieve social harmony. “Christian peoples in these lands have paid a heavy human price and suffered massacres due to these policies and practices,” the statement declared. It called for confronting historical truths, apologizing to victimized communities, and pursuing justice as essential steps toward a shared and peaceful future.

Separately, the Human Rights Association’s (Insan Halklar Dernegi, İHD) Committee Against Racism and Discrimination released a statement condemning policies of denial, asserting that such practices perpetuate the consequences of genocide. The committee warned, “Denying genocide does not only erase the past but also amounts to complicity in the present, perpetuating hostility between peoples.”

Aslan’s bold intervention and the accompanying statements underscore the ongoing struggle to confront the historical legacy of the Sayfo Genocide. They highlight the enduring challenges in advocating for accountability and reconciliation within a political climate resistant to confronting its past.