Syriac Monastery in Turkey Appeals Proceeding Status (December 2008)
The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the acknowledged voice of the Syriac/Aramean people, informs you that the first appeals proceeding held today on Friday, December 19 2008, in Midyat, Turkey, has once again been postponed.
Monastery boundary cases declared null and void in Ankara court battle: Back to the drawing board for the monastery
The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the recognised United Nations NGO representing the Aramean (Syriac) people worldwide, reports that the Supreme Court in Ankara handed down its long awaited decision regarding the St Gabriel Monastery (“Monastery”) land boundary battle with neighbouring villages of Yayvantepe (Qartmin) and Eğlence (Zinol) in southeast Turkey.
Call for Recognition and Support of the Endangered Aramean (Syriac) People in Turkey
Stockholm, 7 November 2013
Today, 7 November 2013, Mr. Kenan Anter and Mr. Gabriel Bozyel, respectively the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Syriac Federation of Sweden, met in Stockholm with the Turkish Prime Minister Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, Mr. Egemen Bağış. On behalf of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) and the Syriac Federation of Sweden, Mr. Anter discussed the Aramean question in Turkey and submitted a letter to Mr. Erdogan. The writing encourages the Turkish Government to continue developing its democratization efforts, and also calls upon the Government to recognize and support the endangered Aramean people in Turkey.
Click here to download the letter
The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) and the Syriac Federation of Sweden (SRF) appeal to you on behalf of the endangered Aramean (Syriac; Süryani in Turkish) people, who are indigenous to, but not yet officially recognized and supported by, Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.
In May 2009, Your Excellency boldly declared that in the past century the non-Muslim minorities have suffered a lot and in many ways in Turkey, stating: “This mindset has seemingly not changed. It has been the same for many years in this country. They have chased members of different ethnicities out of this country. Have we won? This was the result of a fascist mentality.” Today, four years later, one is compelled to review the onground reality with Your Excellency’s comment.
The first major step in burying this attitude of the “old Turkey” with its denialist and assimilation policies was the latest democratization package, which you called a “historic moment for Turkey.” We encourage and support you to continue your reform efforts in shaping the “new Turkey.” We consider the package a first major initiative in preserving the endangered ethno-religious minorities in Turkey. It contains dozens of promising points, although we regret to announce that it also had shortcomings, including (but not limited to) the following important cases:
New postponement of Syriac monastery case and clear pattern of Turkish delay in court proceedings
The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the recognized United Nations NGO representing the Aramean (Syriac) people worldwide, reports that the court trial held in relation to one of the several Mor Gabriel Monastery trials, on Wednesday, 17 February 2010, in Midyat, Turkey, has once again been postponed.
Request to reverse Turkification of ancient Aramaic (Syriac) place‐names
Honorable Minister Atalay,
We appeal to you on behalf of the Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the worldwide umbrella organization of all the national Federations of the Aramean/Syriac people (Turk.: Süryaniler).
WCA sends EU Turkey Rapporteur recommendations regarding Resolution
Stockholm, 4 November 2013
Click here to download the letter
On Friday, 1 November 2013 the European Parliament's Turkey Rapporteur, Ms. Ria Oomen-Ruijten, and her delegation visited the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Istanbul and Ankara to review the situation of Turkey's native Arameans. Ms. Oomen-Ruijten was in the country to prepare a Motion for a Resolution on Turkey's 2013 Progress Report, which the European Commission published last month. This meeting had been arranged by the WCA, which also sent a letter to the Turkey Rapporteur that included the below recommendations concerning the future presence of the native Arameans in Turkey.
The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) refers to the European Commission’s Turkey 2013 Progress Report (“Progress Report”) released on 16 October 2013.
As an NGO in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, we are grateful for this Progress Report. We have carefully reviewed it and commend all efforts dealing with minority rights in Turkey. However, much remains to be done in this respect for Turkey to align its forthcoming Constitution, the implementation of its laws and the promotion of its core values with those of the European community.
In view of your Motion for a Resolution on the Progress Report on Turkey and your visit to our diocese in Istanbul, we are compelled to bring two crucial recommendations to your immediate attention pertinent for the survival of the native Arameans (Syriacs) in Turkey, particularly in the Southeastern part of our country.
New postponement of Aramean (Syriac) monastery case
The Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the recognized United Nations NGO representing the Aramean (Syriac) people worldwide, reports that the court trial held in relation to one of the several Mor Gabriel Monastery trials on Wednesday 14 July 2010 in Midyat, Turkey, has once again been postponed to 3 November 2010.
Letter to Erdoğan: The Future of the Mor Gabriel Monastery and Aramean (Syriac) villages
Dear Prime Minister Erdoğan,
We write you on behalf of the Syriac Universal Alliance (SUA), the worldwide umbrella organization of all the national Federations of the Aramean (Syriac) people.
Sweden to recognize Aramean (Syriac) Genocide
The Swedish parliament passed on Thursday a historic resolution recognizing the 1915 mass killings of 2,5 million Armenians, Pontian Greeks and Arameans (Syriacs) as genocide. Sweden is the first and only nation that has officially accepted the Aramean genocide.
