The European Syriac Union (ESU) strongly condemns the decision to remove the Syriac language from the official signs of public institutions in Hasakah.
Since the beginning of the war in Syria in 2011, the Syriac people have not abandoned their ancestral lands. On the contrary, they have stood together with Kurds and Arabs in the struggle for the future of Syria. Syriacs played an active role in the establishment of the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria and were present at the forefront of both the political and military struggle.
In particular, during the war against the ISIS terrorist organization, the Syriac people paid a heavy price and sacrificed hundreds of martyrs. In this common struggle, the blood of Syriacs, Kurds and Arabs was shed side by side for a shared future.
The decision taken today in Hasakah therefore represents a betrayal of this shared struggle and of the sacrifices that have been made.
For more than fifteen years, Arabic, Kurdish and Syriac have been recognized as official languages in North and East Syria. This multilingual structure has been one of the most important symbols of equality, coexistence and mutual respect among the peoples of the region.
The removal of the Syriac language from official signs by the Kurdish governor appointed to Hasakah is therefore a deeply troubling act that undermines the principles of pluralism and coexistence. It sends a message of disregard toward the Syriac people and toward those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for the region.
Those responsible for this decision should be aware of the following:
Syriac is a thousands-year-old language deeply rooted in the history of these lands. As the language of one of the oldest peoples of Mesopotamia, it cannot be erased by removing it from public signs. Attempts to remove a people’s language from the public sphere ultimately contradict any claim to democracy, pluralism and equality.
It is therefore deeply contradictory that those who once criticized the Baath regime as monolithic and authoritarian now appear to adopt similar practices by attempting to marginalize the Syriac language from public life.
From here, we openly ask the Kurdish governor serving in Hasakah:
How do you intend to face the Syriac people after such a decision?
By what authority do you remove the language of a people who fought alongside you and sacrificed their sons and daughters on the same front lines for years?
No authority can gain legitimacy in these lands by ignoring the Syriac people.
History has repeatedly shown that governments which deny the language and identity of peoples cannot endure. Just as the world has never belonged to dictators, it will never belong to those who attempt to deny the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Syriac people will not accept this decision.
As the European Syriac Union (ESU), we will raise this matter on all relevant international platforms. Until this decision is reversed and the Syriac language is restored on official signs, we will continue our political, legal and diplomatic efforts without hesitation.
The history, language and identity of the Syriac people cannot be denied.
The Syriac people are an indigenous people of these lands, and their existence cannot be erased.
