SEYFO 1915 – 2005: The 90th Commemoration of a Denied and Occulted Genocide!

For the right of Memory and the duty of History :

SEYFO 1915 – 2005 The 90th Commemoration of a Denied and Occulted Genocide !

Each Nation has the right to claim with insistence the recognition of the crimes and injustices made on its detriment. The bigger the injustice and the longer the dissimulation of the facts, the more intense remains the aspiration for such recognition.

The Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriacs are the indigenous inhabitants of Mesopotamia, present day Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. These people have an enriched history and just recently celebrated their New Year on April 1, 2005 (6755). Since the 1st century, they have mainly adhered to Christianity and still speak Aramaic (Syriac), the language of their four fathers.

During the 20th Century, their cultural and ethnic identities were neglected and subject to repressions, massacres, genocides, deportations and mass exodus.

In Turkey, their population is estimated to be around 30,000 as opposed to the one million in the year 1914. Their number is diminishing year by year and since 1975, more than 350,000 of them came to find refuge in the countries of the European Community.

This year, the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac communities around the world will commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Genocide/Seyfo (1915). In October of 2005 the European Community will open the negotiations of admission for Turkey to the Union. In view of this, the 90th Anniversary of the Genocide will constitute an essential step in the process of the recognition of the crimes against humanity that Turkey committed.

The memory of our martyrs of this Genocide causes not only sadness and sorrow, but also anger and bitterness towards this injustice. The extermination and massacres have never been recognized. Since 1915 Turkey has rejected all claims and has made a concerted effort at preventing recognition or investigation into the Genocide.

In addition, and contrary to common knowledge, those premeditated and systematic massacres were not only made solely against the Armenians, but also against other Christian national minorities including Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriacs and Pontic Greeks of the Ottoman Empire. The misconception that the Genocide was perpetrated solely against Armenians, marginalizes the genocide in its own right, thus making the genocide easier to deny by Turkish officials.

For the past 90 years, Turkey has rejected all responsibilities and denies the Genocide of 1915 had even existed. Today, beyond the moral repair or recognition of the historical facts, the big question remains : Should a country, which in no way has condemned nor recognized their role in the Genocide, a State which, in return, continue to practises the policy of denial, be accepted into the respected European Union ?

The recognition of the Genocide by the Turkish government is necessary to prevent Turkey from committing future injustices against humanity. This way, Turkey can put this issue to rest and the groups involved can finally be in peace.

We call upon the public opinion, the governments of the European Union as well as the Turkish civil society to show their solidarity with the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac people in their legitimate struggle for the recognition of this crime against humanity.

Demonstration on Saturday 23rd of April 2005 13h30 – 16h30

The European Parliament – Brussels

Assembling : Square Ambriorix – Meeting : Place Jean Rey

SEYFO CENTRE

 Assyrian Democratic Organisation (ADO) – Abroad sections

 Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM) – Europe

 Assyrian Liberation Party (GFA)

 Assyrian American National Federation (AANF)

 Assyrian Federation in Sweden (ARS)

 Assyrian Federation in Europe (ZAVD)

 Tur Abdin Federation in Holland

 Assyrische Jongeren Federatie in Holland

 Fédération des Assyro-chaldéens de France

 Assyrian Society of the United Kingdom

 Institut Assyrien d’Europe (INASE) – Bruxelles

 Diِzesanrat der Syrisch – Orthodoxen Kirche von Antiochien in Deutschland

 Centre Culturel de la Tour de Babel – Bruxelles

 Assyrische Gemeenschap – Mechelen

 Ninive Kultureel sportief ontmoetingscentrum- Antwerpen

For more information :

SEYFO CENTRE – Belgian office

Georges Chachan : 0486 / 98 24 22   –  Fax : 010 45 21 84

E-mail georges_chachan@yahoo.fr