Innocent Elderly Arameans Brutally Attacked By Kurdish Nomads in Southeast Türkiye
- Post 12 May 2023
In the early hours of this morning, a shocking act of violence took place in the village of Sederi (Üçyol), Southeast Türkiye. Two elderly Arameans were brutally assaulted by a group of Kurdish nomads, resulting in severe injuries. This assault not only disrupts the peace and stability of the region but also poses a threat to the way of life and presence of the Aramean community, which has flourished in these lands for over 3,000 years.
Photo of the victims: left Shao Tastekin and right Mayor Hanne Akbaba
At approximately 5 a.m., four Kurdish nomads (koçer) and their animals trespassed onto the farmlands of Sederi, a major source of livelihood for the Arameans. A confrontation arose when Mayor Hanne Akbaba and Shao Tastekin appealed to them for peaceful passage. Despite their pleas, the nomads adamantly refused and engaged in a heated argument that escalated into the vicious attack. Fortunately, the two innocent villagers survived the battering.
According to our local sources, these nomads have settled in the nearby village of Qupte and have long desired these lands. It is believed that they were aware of the mayor’s opposition to their grazing activities in Sederi and that their provocation aimed at intimidating and instilling fear in the remaining Aramean population of Sederi and the wider Turabdin region.
The World Council of Arameans (Syriacs) strongly condemns this violent act against vulnerable Arameans and urges the authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation to ensure that justice is served. Johny Messo, President of the WCA, states, “We call upon the state to promptly implement measures to safeguard the security and well-being of the Arameans in Sederi and its surrounding areas, protecting their rights and ensuring their continued existence, while fostering peaceful coexistence with neighboring communities.”
Having been evacuated in the mid-1990s due to the insurgency of the Kurdish PKK, Sederi was one of many villages cleared to secure the infiltrated region from terrorist activities. Despite their displacement from their ancestral lands, these two elderly Arameans, along with eight others, have courageously returned from Germany in recent years to rebuild their homes. Every year, about 20 families from the diaspora come back to spend their summers in their homeland. The village of Sederi is part of Tur Izlo (Mount Izla), a region renowned for its wine-rich lands, as mentioned in the Bible (Ezekiel 27:19) and other ancient sources.
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