Oral Statement: Human Rights Council, 18th Session - Agenda Item 4

The “Arab Spring” vis-à-vis Freedom, Democracy and Equality: What of Springtime for the Indigenous Peoples of the Near East?

The Syriac Universal Alliance wants to draw the attention of the Human Rights Council to the worsening situation of the already decimated native Aramean (otherwise known as Syriac) people of Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

The Arameans and their Aramaic language exist for more than 3,000 years. Today however their presence in their homeland is in great danger of extinction. No more than 3,000 Aramean Christians have survived in Southeast Turkey, while their numbers have halved down to 500,000 in Iraq since 2003. In Syria, the remaining hundreds of thousands of Arameans are afraid of their future.

• This year, the world has witnessed an unprecedented interest in the so-called “Arab spring”. The world has rightly shown great enthusiasm for freedom and democracy in the Near East. But while assisting the dominant majorities in this region, the world continues to ignore the remnants of minority groups like the native Aramean, Coptic, Armenian and Greek Christians who lack international support in their struggle for freedom, equality and justice in the Near East.
• This week, world leaders are paying full attention to the Palestinian people and their desire for independence, self-determination and statehood. But why is it that these same world leaders remain indifferent to the ongoing uprooting, oppression and discrimination of the Christian minorities of the Near East? When will world leaders cease to turn a deaf ear to their constant cries? 
• Two days ago, the Syriac Universal Alliance brought the deteriorating situation of the defenseless Aramean people in Turkey, Syria and Iraq to the notice of the Human Rights Council. This was not the first time and neither will it be the last.
• Today, national governments can no longer remain ignorant of the continuing disappearance of the Aramean people and their Aramaic cultural heritage from their ancestral lands. Today they still survive in their homeland, but tomorrow they silently may have vanished altogether from their birthplace, particularly in Turkey and Iraq. In order to prevent this imminent tragedy from happening, the United Nations and the international community must act now, not tomorrow. 

Especially the Government of Turkey can play a substantial role in this respect. Turkey seems to care much about minority groups in other sovereign states, both neighboring and distant ones. Hence the Syriac Universal Alliance requests Turkey’s Government to equally start appreciating and supporting its threatened indigenous Aramean, Armenian and Greek peoples at home. 

For further information on the internationally neglected Aramean struggle for freedom, democracy, equality and justice, we refer to our earlier submitted UN reports and statements on Turkey and Iraq.

Thank you Mr. President!

Basil Oezkaya,
Syriac Universal Alliance