Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs receives historic letter regarding Aramean survival in the Middle East
Geneva, 2 March 2015
During the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council, the International Conference on the Situation of Christians in the Middle East took place. The conference was convened by the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society and UN Member States Russia, Lebanon and Armenia.
UN Geneva | Christians in the Middle East: Citizenship, Human Rights and their Future
27th Session of the UN Human Rights Council: Side Event
Geneva, 15 September 2014
In the face of the deteriorating situation of Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria, the WCA is co-organizing the following side event during the 27th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva:
Christians in the Middle East:
Citizenship & Human Rights and their Future
Tuesday, 16 September 2014
14:00 – 16:00h
Palais des Nations, Geneva, Room XXI
Summary of speeches during Turkey event at United Nations in Geneva
On Monday, 26 January 2015, the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) held a side event at the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) about “Turkey’s Native Aramean People: The Case of an Unrecognized Minority.” It took place one day before the Universal Periodic Review of Turkey, which is held every four years and which the WCA attended again. Below is a summary of the contributions by the distinguished guest speakers.
As the moderator of this event, the WCA President, Mr. Johny Messo, welcomed the missions, NGOs and media. He stressed that “the Arameans are more than merely a religious group. In fact, they are a people with a distinct identity of more than 3,000 years in Southeast Turkey, where their presence is currently threatened with extinction. They face a number of problems, but the million dollar question is: “Is there a future for the Arameans in Tur-Abdin who, unlike the Arameans from Israel since September 2013, are still not recognized as a distinct ethno-religious group?”
WCA’s Speech in Geneva at UN Special Session on Iraq: Enough is Enough!
On Monday 1 September 2014, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva held its 22nd Special Session regarding “the human rights situation in Iraq in light of abuses committed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and associated groups.” A number of states and NGOs, among which the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”), raised their concerns about the escalating human rights abuses in the region.
Mr. Basil Özkaya, WCA Main Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, speaks during the 22nd HRC Special Session on Iraq
WCA submits key document to Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister at United Nations in Geneva
On Tuesday, 27 January 2015, the WCA met with Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Bülent Arınç, at the United Nations Office in Geneva immediately after the Universal Periodic Review of Turkey by the UN Member States, which takes place every four years. On behalf of the six-headed WCA Delegation, Mr. Johny Messo (WCA President) and Mr. Melki Toprak (Chairman Federation of Arameans in Switzerland) presented this important document to him and his high-level delegation.
UN Commission on Syria listens again to Arameans in Geneva
The United Nations Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Syria informed the international community on its report of March 2014 and on its latest findings at the Human RIghts Council's 26th Session in Geneva, this Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 June 2014. Followed by the Interactive Dialogue with the CoI, governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were invited to share their thoughts and concerns.
The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) was among the few NGOs that were granted the opportunity to speak. The WCA reiterated its concerns about the whereabouts of the two abducted bishops. It called again upon the CoI and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to condemn this case and investigate it, considering its huge impact on Syria's endangered Christian population that continues to suffers from other issues that were addressed in the statement.
UN EVENT ON TURKEY AND ITS UNRECOGNIZED ARAMEAN PEOPLE
We have the pleasure of inviting you to yet another significant side event at the UN Office in Geneva this Monday, 26 January 2015, one day before Turkey’s Universal Periodic Review by the United Nations:
Turkey’s Native Aramean People: The Case of an Unrecognised Minority
Monday 26 January 2015
12:00 – 14:00 hours
Room XXII, Palais des Nations
United Nations Office in Geneva
The event, which has attracted the attention of a number of UN Missions, NGOs and media, will highlight why the recognition of the Aramean people is of critical importance for their survival in Turkey (and the broader Middle East). Thus, the WCA and our prominent guest speakers will offer recommendations to the UN regarding the recognition of the Aramean people. This ancient Semitic people is native to Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, where their presence is currently endangered.
For further information, you can contact Sarah Bakir, the WCA’s Main Delegate to the UN Office Geneva (UNOG), at sarah.bakir [at] wca-ngo.org.
see below for the program
PROGRAM
12:00 – 12:10 Opening by Moderator Johny Messo, President World Council of Arameans (Syriacs)
12:10 – 12:15 Video clip: 3,000-year-old Aramean Cultural Heritage
12:15 – 12:45 Guest speakers
- Ms. Susanne Güsten, Foreign correspondent in Turkey & Mercator-IPC Fellow at Istanbul Policy Center
- Mr. Gregor Puppinck, General Director of European Centre for Law and Justice
- Ms. Nurcan Kaya, Turkey coordinator of Minority Rights Group
12:45 – 13:00 Interventions by UN Member States
13:00 – 13:45 Q & A
13:45 – 14:00 Closing remarks Moderator Johny Messo, President World Council of Arameans (Syriacs)
WCA speaks at UN in Geneva: Help Christians in Syria and Turkey
On Tuesday, 18 May 2014, the WCA delivered its second statement during the 25th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) of the United Nations in Geneva. In the morning, the WCA had addressed the HRC regarding the crisis in Syria (click here). In the afternoon, during the General Debate, the WCA reminded the international community of the ongoing struggle for survival by the Aramean people in Turkey and Syria. The WCA reiterated its grave concerns concerning the gloomy future of the Christians in Syria, and once again asked the UN for support in the case of the abducted bishops of Aleppo.
Click here to download the statement in PDF or click here to watch the statement given by the WCA President (Mr. Johny Messo) on the UN Webcast (under number 32).
Historic Statement: Arameans Seek Statehood at UN Forum in Geneva
The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) (“WCA”) invited one of the first registered Arameans from Israel to present the momentous statement below on behalf of the Arameans worldwide at the United Nations Office in Geneva. On Wednesday, 26 November, the WCA addressed the Seventh Session of the Forum on Minority Issues on “Preventing and addressing violence and atrocity crimes targeted against minorities.” The video will be uploaded soon.
Click here to download the statement in PDF | Click here to watch the video.
My name is Shadi Khaloul, I am an Aramean Christian from Israel.
I am a member of the Syriac Maronite Church, but the Aramean people also consist of the Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, Chaldean, ‘Nestorian’ and Melkite churches.
On behalf of the Aramean people, who are the natives of Southeast Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, our NGO comes once again to this distinguished forum to ask the United Nations and its Member States for recognition in three significant ways.
1. Recognition of violence and crimes of the last 100 years
Allow me to remind the world of some chilling facts regarding the Aramean Christians:
- In Turkey, more than half a million were murdered and expelled since 1895.
- From Lebanon, more than 1,5 million were killed and expelled since 1860.
- In Iraq, more than 1 million were forced to leave since 2003.
- In Syria, almost a million have escaped their homeland since 2011.
All this happened largely at the hands of Turkish, Kurdish and Arab armed forces. This resulted in the near total destruction of the Aramean people and its rich cultural heritage.
2. Recognition and action in relation to ongoing crimes
History is repeating itself and it appears that it never really stopped.
In Syria and Iraq, we see a continuation of the crimes by Muslim militants against the Aramean Christians such as killings, tortures, beheadings, crucifixions and kidnappings.
The barbarism of these terrorist groups, who receive major funding from certain UN Member States, has caused a new mass exodus.
3. Recognition of our people by Israel and beyond
Mr. President, my own democratic country of Israel recently recognized the Arameans as an ethnic minority. This has enabled me and my children to correct our identity cards and to register ourselves as “Aramean Christians,” because until recently we were incorrectly identified as “Arab Christians.”
Not only is this historic decision by Israel and the Jewish people in accord with international law, we are also delighted that finally a state has heard our plea.
Now we expect other UN Members and NGOs to equally recognize our people and thus ensure our human rights, especially Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority.
In conclusion: three recommendations
Mr. President, we are re-living the nightmares of the Ottoman Genocide of 1915.
As we are struggling for survival, we ask the international community to guarantee UN charters and international law by recognizing:
- the ongoing atrocity crimes suffered by the Arameans;
- the Arameans as a distinct people; and
- the need for a debate about self-determination of the Aramean people.
In light of the inability or unwillingness of the governments in our home countries to protect the Arameans from total annihilation and to help them preserve their endangered cultural heritage, we appeal to the conscience of this distinguished forum and stress:
It is about time to grant the native Aramean people also their own democratic state in the land of their ancestors.
Thank you Mr. President.
