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The Voice of the Syriacs Volume 1, Issue 2, page 4 Volume I, Issue 2 August 2005 The Voice of the Syriacs IMPRINT Information bulletin about the social position of the Syriacs in and outside the Middle East. It appears periodically, published by the European Syriac Union (ESU) in Brussels-Belgium. Chairman’s Message Annual Conference in Brussels Contact: Hello and Welcome to the second On July 10th 2005, the In the second part of his speech activities with regard to the 90th Phone: 0032 2 523 4181 issue of our newsletter! European Syriac Union (ESU) Alptekin looked back on the last anniversary of the genocide Fax: 0032 2 523 6201 met for the annual general mee- year. The first chairman showed against the Syriac people, which Internet: www.esu.cc On behalf of the directorial board of ting. Therefore 56 delegates of his satisfaction with the develop- were also very successful. the European Syriac Union (ESU) I e-mail: [email protected] the member organization came ment of the ESU at the end of Summarizing everything, the would like to express my cordially together in the rooms of the the first year. He concluded: “We second chairman said: “In May greetings to you! “Centre de Peuple de even met with more general 2005 the ESU published the first Address: In the future I will have the joy to share Mesopotamie” in the European acclaim than we ever dared to edition of the newsletter called Kafro: A village performs pioneer working the ideas and views of the ESU con- capital Brussels. The meeting think of.” Moreover he apprecia- ‘The Voice of the Syriacs ‘ in European Syriac Union cerning world-political and social sub- was opened by the first chair- ted the untiring successful reali- English. This paper will come Rue Bara 152 jects with you. man of the Union, Mr. Iskender zation of the planning on the part out once in a three-month-period At the beginning of the 20th cen- homes. Many others are visiting military to leave the area. With 1070 Brussels Further we will deal with the questions Alptekin, with a one minute’s of the members of the ESU. and will be send out to European tury more than half million their homeland. They inquire the emigration of these families Belgium and results standing in this connecti- silence in memory of the martyrs Alptekin said: “In the last year parties, ministers and parlia- Syriacs lived in Turabdin, a regi- about the situation, make resto- Kafro became a ghost village. on, and report on the different activi- of the Syriac people and the vic- one main emphasis was especi- ments. on located in the South East of ration and structural repairs. Today about 180 families are ties of the ESU. tims of the terror attacks in ally put on the realization of the Then, the representative for Turkey. Particularly the persecu- Projects and concepts are prepa- living in Europe, whose origin is Chairman: Mr. Iskender Alptekin Central London after the official articles of the Union inside the financial matters of the Union, tions, numerous massacres and red, which consider a migration from Kafro . They mainly built a e-mail: [email protected] The ideas and motives of our organi- greeting. association, as well as on the Mr. Tuma Celik, said something the genocide at the end of the from the Diaspora to Turabdin. new existence in Germany (134 Deputy Chairman: Mr. Fikri Aygur zation which emerged more than 1 vitalization of the structures of about the financial situation. 19th century and at the begin- One of these projects is the families), in Switzerland (31 fami- e-mail: [email protected] year ago as an union of different insti- In the following Mr. Alptekin pre- the Union. In addition to that one Correspondingly the income and ning of the 20th century reduced resettlement of the village of lies) and in Sweden (15 families). Secretary: Mrs. Rima Tüzün tutions from Europe, have found in the sented the agenda which went also concentrated on the expan- expense were announced in his considerably the number of Kafro. In the frame of the Resettlement e-mail: [email protected] public of the Syriacs wide agreement. on like this: dation and on the improvement report. Questions from the dele- Syriacs. As a result of the mass project, 15 families will try to sett- Treasurer: Mr. Tuma Çelik At the same time we want to search - Speech of the first chairman of the working methods.” gates according to that were migration, that took place during The village Kafro is located 15 le back in their village. This Kafro e-mail: [email protected] increasingly the dialogue with the about the reasons and motives answered, of course. the last 40 years, to mainly km southeast of Midyat and is development Association is to be European organizations, personalities of the foundation of the organi- After that the second chairman, western countries, only about lying on an easy elevation. It is prepared a concept that can gua- and politicians. zation and feedback of one year Mr. Fikri Aygur said something Among the participants also two Members of the Union 4,000 Syriacs live nowadays in surrounded by the adjoining villa- rantee the return on a domestic internal work in the organization about the activities of the Union, guests could be found: Firstly, Turabdin. The villages of ges of Enhil, Harabale and Arbo. and international economical Dear friends, - Presentation of the activity- which were altogether presented Prof. Dr. Herman Teule, head of Turabdin are now unhabitated The past of Kafro is still base. That buildings, constructed Union der Suryoye Vereine in der We live in a time in which much effort and financial reports in a booklet. In this context, to the Institute for Eastern and decayed. unknown. Until today the village in an European style, raises just Schweiz is taken to speed up a process for the - Speeches of some guests everybody’s delight, Mr. Aygur Christianity at the University of of Kafro is not examined in the like palaces out of the dreamy Switzerland purposes of freedom, democracy and - Questions and suggestions especially referred to one main Radboud in the Netherlands and Important factors that that cau- usual archaeological way and all panorama of Mountains of Izlo. human rights, so that the people and concerning work in the organiza- aspect. He said: “We mainly secondly, Mr. Ayad Mossad, Bethnahrin Informations Netz sed the migration were particu- the books and documents refer- An important step is done! cultures can establish coexistence. tion concentrated on the diplomatic politician from the Netherlands. Switzerland larly the social discrimination ring to the history were destroyed relations. Regarding this, I can Both made informative spee- based on ethnic or religious during the uncountable tragic The families who return back will In order that we can take our place The first part of Alptekin’s tell you after one year that the ches about the Syriac people Union der Assyrer-Suryoye viewpoints and differences, politi- fates of the past. There are some certainly perform pioneer wor- Vereinigungen in Deutschland also as people in this new order, ESU speech concentrated on the ESU was appreciated and hono- and their role in the Middle East cal persecution through direct or ruins and buildings of churches king and set a sign encouraging Germany made it its business to broach the foundation of the ESU against red widely beyond each and also about the work of the structural acts of repression and and little commemorative houses other Syriacs living overseas to issues of problems of the Syriacs the background of the historical European national boundary. European Syriac Union. force, the violation of fundamen- th return home. Despite all the set- Union der Freien Frauen Bethnahrin in Kafro: Mor Yahkup (5 centu- internationally. events of the 20th century. This especially applies to the UFFB tal human right, the lack of funda- backs of the last decades, now it ry), Mor Barsavmo (5th century), In particular we strive for one goal: to Alptekin said: “In the course of diplomatic relations with the Later on, Mr. Teule gave a talk Germany mental freedom, a failed deve- is a positive step. But in order to the commemorative house Mary further the institutionalisation and the 20th century our population European parliaments and par- on the part Syriac people played lopment and economic policy acquire a comprehensive con- Mother of God (the year is unity of the Syriacs. was suppressed in their original ties.” in the past and in the future of Syrianska-Assyriska Riksförbundet i and the civil war in the region. cept, important prerequisites Sverige unknown), the church Mor home area by different powers in the Middle East: “Above all the Today the Syriacs live scattered must be considered. Sweden Bosuss (the year is unknown) The difficulties, which Syriacs are con- religious and political ways. Concerning the cultural activi- creative characteristics of the in Europe, North America, and and the commemorative house fronted with in their homeland and in Hundreds of thousands were ties, Mr. Aygur mentioned two Syriac nature will give them the Renyo Hiro Magazine Australia and in the countries of Turkey has to create legal and Kadisto (the year is unknown). the Diaspora, are watched carefully to massacred and persecuted in festivals: One took place in the possibility to have an influence Sweden the Middle East. In Europe are democratic standards to become In the year 1900 the village was work out and realize concepts and the process of the genocide in Netherlands last year and the on forming the new time in their living more than 200,000 Syriacs a state of law in conformity with inhabited by 30 families.