Save Maaloula: Urgent Action Needed to Protect the Survival of Aramean Christians in Syria
- Post 24 December 2024
We urgently sound the alarm over the critical situation in Maaloula, 56 km from Damascus, and the escalating threats to Christians across Syria. Recent events, including the murder of a Christian family, the burning of a Christmas tree, and numerous threats from largely foreign Jihadists, have sparked protests by Syria’s indigenous, unarmed Christians. Courageously, they have taken to the streets in large numbers in ancient Aramean cities such as Damascus, where Saint Paul once walked, to demand protection and justice.
When al-Nusra Front fiercely attacked it in 2013 and kidnapped 12 nuns, Maaloula was home to 3,000 Arameans. Its population has since dropped from 1,000 just two weeks ago to fewer than 200 today, as ongoing violence, intimidation, and property confiscations force families to flee. Since 8 December, armed men have terrorized the remaining residents on a daily basis, firing shots into the air and shouting “Allahu Akbar.” Despite appeals to HTS leaders in Damascus, no action has been taken, and victims are being told to negotiate directly with their perpetrators.
Maaloula is one of Syria’s last three villages preserving the Aramaic language that was once spoken across the country. This unique legacy should be a source of pride and a powerful symbol for showcasing a new Syria under HTS – not a target for renewed violence and displacement.
We call for immediate and decisive measures to restore security and law in Maaloula by deploying a representative police force that includes the town’s majority Aramean population. This is essential to prevent further violence and halt the demographic transformation of this historic village. Swift action is also needed to facilitate the return of 800 displaced residents who, in recent weeks, have been burdened with renting accommodation in Damascus.
We implore the media and politicians to break their silence regarding the reality on the ground. We urge patriarchs and beatitudes to heed the cries of the faithful who have taken to the streets. We call on Muslim leaders to raise their voices. HTS must act immediately to ensure law and order in Syria before more innocent blood is shed and the situation spirals out of control.
Johny Messo, president of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs), asserts: “The UN, the EU, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation must act now to protect this vulnerable people and safeguard an irreplaceable part of Syria’s heritage before it’s too late. Each day without action risks the end of Maaloula’s millennia-long Aramean presence. We urgently call upon them all to stand with us in preventing this looming tragedy.”
In addition to restoring security, we demand a fair political process that establishes a new Syrian constitution guaranteeing equality, justice, and protection for all citizens under the law. This constitution ought also to recognize and support Syria’s endangered indigenous Aramean population and their Aramaic language, which prevailed in this region until the 12th century. The Greek name Syria is recorded in the Bible by its original ancient Semitic name, Aram.
The Arameans, native to Southeast Türkiye, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, remain a testament to resilience and faith in their ancestral homeland. Their documented history in Syria spans over 3,000 years. In 2011, the predominantly Arabicized Christians comprised 8–10% of Syria’s 21 million population. Today, however, fewer than 400,000 Christians may remain in the country.
Each day without action brings Maaloula closer to losing its people, and its unique cultural and spiritual legacy. We call on the international community to act now, before it is too late. Failing to halt this ethnic cleansing leaves a stain on humanity and the credibility of the United Nations.
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