2020

As the conflict continues in Syria on various fronts while the Syrian people suffering from the war, destruction and deprivation, Syrian authorities and Presidency statements indicate clearly their position and intentions for future of Syria.

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Since the start of the conflict over Artsakh, Nagorno-Karabakh, we are following the ongoing hostilities between Armenian and Azeri forces in Artsakh with great concern. The war has brought many civilian casualties and the regional and international powers and community have stayed too cautious in the matter.

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Mgr. Najeeb Michaeel, the Syriac Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul in Iraq, with his nomination and him being shortlisted for the prestigious European Sakharov Prize 2020 and many other Syriacs.

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Turkey – The trial against Syriac Orthodox monk Sefer Bileçen -  monk Aho - of the Mor Yahqoub monastery in the Tur Abdin region in southeast Turkey continued at the end of September in the fourth Heavy Penal Court in Mardin. Monk Aho is accused of membership of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for giving bread and water to PKK fighters. The PKK is designated a terrorist organization in Turkey.

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On 7 August 1933, Iraqi state military forces and local allied Kurds and Arabs massacred hundreds of Suraye (Suraye) in the village of Simele. During that whole month of August 1933 more than 60 Suraye villages in Amadiya, Zakho, Nohadra (Dohuk), Sheikhan and Mosul, northern Iraq, were destroyed and burned.

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The European Syriac Union and five other Syriac organizations held a joint fundraising in June 2020, to raise money for fire extinguishers for Syriac villages and monasteries. The fire extinguishers were much needed as every summer Tur Abdin is plagued by fires devouring Syriac farmland, orchards and vineyards costing the Syriacs (part of) their livelihoods.

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On the occasion of the annual Sayfo Remembrance Day on June 15th, the European Syriac Union has started a petition to urge the European Parliament to recognize the Sayfo Genocide of 1915 and side with historical truth. ESU asks the European Parliament to choose for peace and justice according to its founding pillars and ideals.
Help us achieve Sayfo Genocide of 1915 recognition by the European Parliament. Help us reach the necessary 5.000 signatures.

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

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Brussels - European Syriac Union, ESU shares its annual report of 2019 regarding situation of Syriac people in Turkey to European Commission.

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Following various media reports and on the ground sources, with great inquietude, we monitor situation in Nineveh Plain and Sinjar regarding government initiative to build camps for Iraq detainees in Syria which majority of the them are ISIS families and relatives. This development is a real concern and worrying for the remaining Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrians and Yazidi people in Iraq. The Iraqi government and local authorities have constitutional obligation to protect local populations and their well being.

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On January 9, during a security operation by Turkish forces, Syriac monk of Saint Jacob Monastery Sefer (Aho) Bilecen, chief of the Arkah (Üçköy) village Josef Yar and Syriac citizen Musa Taştekin, which returned from Europe, had been detained with 10 other civilians. Following detention investigation Musa Taşdemir have been released quickly. On the other hand, detention of Josef Yar continues and with an unprecedented move Monk Aho have been arrested by Turkish forces. Based on the secret witness statements, arrest of Monk Aho shocked Syriac Christians around the world and particularly tiny Syriac community of Turabdin.

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