Assyrian Democratic Organization ADO
Sweden – AINA — The Swedish social democratic party finally presented a written apology to the Assyrians of Sweden for having demanded from them to take down a banner calling for the acknowledgment for the genocide on Assyrians during a political rally.
Assyrians were subjected to a systematic genocide by the hands of the Turkish authorities and Kurdish tribes between 1914-1918. The Social democrats demanded the banner be taken down because of threats made by Turkish participants in the rally. The leader of the social democrats in the municipality of Botkyrka, where the event took place writes: “…I regret and apologize for what happened and realize it shouldn’t have been handled the way it was handled.”
The letter goes on and states that; “We have mutual respect for each other and for the issues both of us are working to improve. Dialog and discussions on the issue of the genocide, called Seyfo, and other questions will be continuously discussed between us in mutual understanding and in a close relationship.”
The apology of the Social democratic party comes after a media uproar on the unjust behavior the Assyrians were subjected to. On the 15th of October members of the Assyrian community in Sweden provided members of the social democrats with information about Seyfo, as they call the genocide perpetuated against their nation some 90 years ago.
The Assyrian community seeks a formal acknowledgment on the genocide from the Swedish government.
