Human Rights Council
21st session
Agenda item 4
Submitted by Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA)1
Written Statement
24 August 2012
The Indigenous Aramean (Syriac) Christians of Iraq, Turkey and Syria: The Final Solution?
We are now witnessing a turning point in the history of the Middle East. The so-called “Arab Spring” may soon result in a gigantic disaster for the indigenous Christians of the Middle East who continue to face discrimination, persecution, kidnappings, threats, death, loss of land and property. As original inhabitants of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, the Arameans (Syriacs) are increasingly fleeing from their ancient homelands. The vast majority have already left their home countries.
The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA) believes that unless the international community acts now, vulnerable minorities like the Arameans will soon disappear from their homelands in which they have lived for more than 3,000 years. The international community has watched this tragedy for too long without intervening. Most recently the “Arab Spring” has seen Arabs taking to the streets to demand freedom and democracy, whereas the Christians in countries like Egypt, Iraq, Turkey and Syria have seen once again how the world ignores the clear signs of their imminent destruction. It is these indigenous peoples who must be protected by the United Nations under its own standards.
In order to stop the ongoing disappearance of the Arameans and solve the plight of the neglected Christians of the Near East, the SUA submits the following requests and recommendations:
1. IRAQ
In Iraq, more than half of the Aramean population has fled the country due to fear and violence from Islamists. The SUA requests that the International community, spearheaded by the U.S. Government, supports the Arameans not only with words, but with real security and safety measures. Security and safety are critical to the survival of the Aramean (Syriac) Christian people in Iraq.
Despite the lip service that is often paid to the Arameans, we constantly hear of more tragedy and the people on the ground have not much hope left. Regarding a stabilized Iraq, we refer to the recommendations made in the SUA document submitted to the 18th session of the UN Human Rights Council (A/HRC/18/NGO/79). We reiterate only two of them:
2. TURKEY
Recently, the 2012 Annual Report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended the Secretary of State to mark Turkey as one of the 10 “countries of particular concern” for egregious violations of religious freedom. The Aramean (Syriac) Christians are indigenous to Southeast Turkey, yet they struggle with a number of issues which Turkey can readily resolve, if it is sincerely committed to it. They include:
3. SYRIA
The current situation in Syria is very difficult. The Christians represent 10% of the total population and have lived in relative harmony for many years with other ethno-religious groups. For that reason, and remembering the case of Lebanon for instance, the different branches of the Syrian tree have thus far refrained from disintegrating their country into a civil war. However, one cannot exclude the possibility that sooner or later the various Syrian constituents can rise up against each other.
What can be done to protect the Aramean Christians and other vulnerable minorities in Syria?
3. Prevent the Imminent Final Solution of the Christians of the Near East
The SUA reiterates the aforementioned points two and three regarding Syria, which are also stressed in the “Agreed Principles and Guide-lines for a Syrian-led transition” of 30 June 2012, which states that “Effective steps [have to be taken in order] to ensure that vulnerable groups are protected and immediate action is taken to address humanitarian issues in areas of need.”2
The SUA urges the international community to break the screaming silence and stop the conspicuous indifference regarding the ongoing destruction of ancient indigenous civilizations in the Middle East. A policy of indifference when in fact ethnic and religious cleansing are taking place in front of the world community flies in the face of the highest principles of humanity. It leads to a decline of moral standards, a lack of trust and the loss of credibility of certain countries.
The “Arab Spring” and the call for democracy do not take into account the needs and the security of the Christians. As in the beginning of the twentieth century, the native Christians of the Middle East feel abandoned by contemporary superpowers. If the United Nations supports democratic change in the Arab world, it should invest especially in saving the weakest communities in certain countries. To fight for democracy entails a special demand for the security and freedoms of minorities.
To our regret, we have not seen the International community fulfilling this goal in Iraq. If Syria turns into a second Iraq, it would be a huge shame for all parties that allege to promote democracy but instead wreak death and destruction by sponsoring violence rather than peace and human rights.
1. The SUA has changed its name into “World Council of Arameans (Syriacs)” and will soon submit a request to the ECOSOC for an update of the UN Database.
2. See p. 4 of http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/Syria/FinalCommuniqueActionGroupforSyria.pdf.