Patriarch commends WCA and Member Federation in Germany for extraordinary accomplishment
Damascus, Syria - On August 16, 2014, His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, sent the WCA and its member federation in Germany a letter of appreciation regarding their efforts to ensure humanitarian aid to the Arameans of Syria. It is not the first time the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East expressed his support for the WCA and its Member Federations. Last April, His Holiness blessed the WCA's mission and endeavours (view the statement).
300 DAYS ABDUCTED: NO SIGN OF LIFE YET FROM ARCHBISHOPS IN SYRIA!
Click here to download the Press Release in PDF
On Monday 22 April 2013, today 300 days ago, two prominent Archbishops from the Syriac and Melkite (Greek) Orthodox Churches were abducted between Kafer Dael and Mansura, in one of the most dangerous areas in Syria known as the frontline between the Free Syrian Army and the regular army. Their car was intercepted and the driver, Mr Fatha’ Allah Kabboud, was cold-bloodedly shot dead, either during or shortly after the assault. The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) asks the international community for urgent help.
Syria's Maaloula Again Besieged: Nuns Kidnapped
Press Release
After the recent attacks by militant Islamic forces against the ancient Aramean towns of Maaloula and al-Raqqa, the world recently witnessed another organized assault against the Biblical towns of Sadad and Hafar. Sadly Maaloula is again the target of the Syrian rebel forces as they aim fire at innocent indigenous Christians and their lands, seemingly with the goal of expunging Syria’s Christian population from their homeland.
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On 4 September, Jubhat al-Nusra, a terrorist group associated with Al-Qaeda in Syria, had violently entered Maaloula, killing a number of innocent Christians and destroying the town’s historic buildings. At the time, many of the Christians of Maaloula were told by the rebels that they had to convert to Islam or face death, thereby forcing some 3,000 civilians to escape from Maaloula in order to save their lives and those of their families. A month later, seven militant rebel groups joined forces in laying siege on the Biblical town of Sadad. Before the Syrian Army liberated Sadad, Jubhat al-Nusra and the Katibat al-Mahawer brigade of the Free Syrian Army held 1,500 Aramean Christian families hostage for a full week and used them as human shields. Hostages included defenceless women and children and many deaths of the innocent resulted.
"Christians are peace makers and bridge builders among conflicting parties"
Geneva, 8 May 2014 - Joint Communiqué by Syria's Christian leaders - Click here to download the communiqué in PDF
Christians are peace makers and bridge builders among conflicting parties
We, representatives of Christian Churches in Syria, send with one voice to the civil and spiritual leaders of the world up to their highest level this joint message: Christians speaking with one voice and joining their efforts can do a lot to restore the wounds that are bleeding and exhaust Syria and its people.
Dutch MP asks Representation of Syria's Christians during Peace Talks in Geneva
On 17 January 2014, Dr. Pieter Omtzigt, the Dutch MP and Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, has requested all countries - in writing - to support an equal representation of Syrians by including the Christians during the Syria peace talks which is scheduled to take place in Montreux, Switzerland on Wednesday, 22 January. In his letter, endorsed by the WCA, Mr. Omtzigt describes an historic event which negatively affected the Aramean people of Turkey by referring to the peace conference in Lausanne of 1922 where the native Arameans (Syriacs) were not recognized as an indigenous ethno-religious people and therefore have not been able, until today, to benefit from the protection the treaty offers.
200 DAYS ABDUCTED: NO SIGN OF LIFE YET FROM ARCHBISHOPS IN SYRIA!
Press Release
On Monday 22 April 2013, today 200 days ago, two prominent Archbishops from the Syriac and Melkite (Greek) Orthodox Churches were abducted between Kafer Dael and Mansura, in one of the most dangerous areas in Syria known as the frontline between the Free Syrian Army and the regular army. Their car was intercepted and the driver, Mr Fatha’ Allah Kabboud, was cold-bloodedly shot dead, either during or shortly after the assault. The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) asks the international community for urgent help.
Click here to download the Press Release
200 days have passed, and the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, H.E. Gregorius Hanna Ibrahim, and H.E. Boulos al-Yazigi, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo and Iskenderun, are still missing. Despite contradictory reports and rumours which have been circulating since their abduction, the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) affirms that there is still no clear information about the identity of the kidnappers, their motivation and demands, their whereabouts or, most importantly, the condition of the two Bishops.
Federation of Alevi Foundations in Turkey, express support for Conference on Syria's Christians
One day before the start of the conference, titled: "Christians: The Challenge of Speaking with One Voice," the WCA has been receiving many supportive messages from different civil society and religious organisations in and outside of Syria. One of them came from the President of the Federation of Alevi Foundations ("AVF") in Turkey, Mr. Dogan Bermek, who expressed his solidarity and support to the historic conference which is taking place in Geneva today. Follow this link, to view the details of the conference or this link to read the Press Release on the conference (7 May 2014).
Turkey's Alevi community during prayers
Brief aan de Vaste Commissie voor Buitenlandse Zaken betreft de Situatie van Christenen in Syrië
Hengelo, 13 december 2013
ETNISCHE ZUIVERINGEN CHRISTENEN IN SYRIË: OPROEP TOT HULP EN INFORMATIEVERGARING BZ?
Klik hier om de brief te downloaden in PDF
Geachte leden van de Vaste Commissie voor Buitenlandse Zaken,
Namens de World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) en onze dochterorganisatie de Suryoye Aramese Federatie Nederland (“SAFN”) vragen wij wederom uw dringende aandacht voor de aanhoudende etnische zuiveringen, de sluimerende genocide en de massale exodus van de inheemse christelijke bevolking van Syrië, waar wij hetzelfde ervaren als eerder in Zuidoost-Turkije en Irak.
1. Op 9 juli 2013 was er een Aramese delegatie naar Den Haag afgereisd om het ministerie van Buitenlandse zaken (vertegenwoordigd door dhr. H. Quarles van Ufford, plaatsvervangend directeur Noord-Afrika en Midden-Oosten) in te lichten over de voornoemde punten.
2. Op 17 oktober jl. vond hetzelfde plaats. In samenwerking met Kerk in Actie werd ditmaal de Syrisch-orthodoxe bisschop Z.E. Dionysius Jean Kawak uit Damascus uitgenodigd om de Vaste Commissie (voorgezeten door CDA-Kamerlid dhr. P. Omtzigt) alsmede de Directie Stabiliteit en Humanitaire Hulp (onder leiding van mw. M. Jansen) hierover te informeren. Zie: Syriac Orthodox Bishop from Damascus asks Dutch and German Parliaments, Media and Christian NGOs for Help
3. Tijdens deze ontmoetingen en in de daaropvolgende periode hebben wij, evenals onze zusterorganisatie de Aramese Beweging voor Mensenrechten (ABM), u allen en Z.E. dhr. F. Timmermans (Minister van BZ) afdoende documentatie doen toekomen via onze websites en mailinglijsten over de hachelijke positie van de Aramese christenen in en rondom Syrië.
Edesa Mutlu (SAFN) overhandigt de petitie betreffende de situatie van christenen in Syrië aan de Vaste Commissie voor Buitenlandse Zaken
JIHADISTS AGAIN ATTACK CHRISTIAN TOWNS IN SYRIA: THE DEAFENING SILENCE AND INDIFFERENCE CONTINUES
Press Release
London, 1 November 2013
Click here to download the PR
Click here to view the images of the Sadad attacks
After the recent attacks by militant Muslims against Maaloula and al-Raqqa, the world has witnessed another organized assault against two Christian places in Syria. The Biblical town of Sadad and Hafar were besieged and destroyed. While 3,000 Christian families managed to escape, 1,500 families were held hostage and used as human shields from 21 to 28 October. Syria’s Christians, who are increasingly yet silently fleeing their homeland, continue to be appalled by the deafening silence of the world on such unpunished crimes against humanity.
On 21 October, seven militant Muslim groups joined forces in laying siege on the Biblical town of Sadad (see Numbers 34:8 and Ezekiel 15:47). Before the Syrian Army liberated it on 28 October, Jubhat al-Nusra (blacklisted as a terrorist organization) and the Katibat al-Mahawer brigade of the Free Syrian Army (recognized and supported by Western and Muslim nations) who formed part of this diabolic alliance, held 1,500 Aramean Christian families for a full week hostage and used them shamelessly as human shields, including women, children and elderly civilians.
