Volume I - Issue 3 The Voice of the Syriacs Volume 1 - Issue 3 page 4 November 2005 The Voice of the Patriarch warmly recei- Syriacs Churches in ves ESU Delegation in IMPRINT Turabdin audience Information bulletin about the On Friday, the 4th of November 2005, a delega- social position of the Syriacs in and The area of Turabdin in Southeast Turkey is a tion of the European Syriac Union (ESU) was recei- outside the Middle East. region in which the earliest Christianity was esta- ved by His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I. It appears periodically, published blished. Already in the first centuries there were Iwas, Patriarch of the Syriac-Orthodox Church in the by the European Syriac Union Christian communities in Turabdin. Because of the Mor Ephrem monastery in audience. The delegation consisted of Mr. Iskender Alptekin (Chairman), Mr. (ESU) in Brussels-Belgium. favourable climate in the region, the believers in the Pierre Mirel, director of Fikri Aygur (Deputy Chairman) and Mr. Tuma Celik Chairman`s Message ESU Delegation meets the new religion were able to find security and safety the European commissi- (Treasurer). Contact: there. Despite attacks and persecutions by the Before the 3rd of October European Commission to discuss on for the enlargement of Phone: 0032 2 523 4181 Romans, Persians, Byzantines, Arab-Muslims and 2005 when the European the EU, responsible for Ottomans, the Syriacs were able to survive in this Fax: 0032 2 523 6201 Union (EU) started the dis- the Future of the Syriacs communication and infor- region and defend the Christian culture until today. Internet: www.esu.cc cussions about Turkey joi- mation, and Owen for this period of time up to the end of the e-mail: [email protected] ning EU; a delegation from Parker, member of the Turkey team, told the Through the years, the Syriacs built hundreds of negotiations. In this time Turkey will work for the European Syriac Union delegation of the ESU that the appearing pro- churches and monasteries in Turabdin. Some of the accomplishment of the "Aquis (ESU) held a meeting with blems and difficulties of the Syriacs in the Address: them date to the first century. One can find tree Communautaire", a set of rules of more than the EU-Commission. During Southeast of Turkey are watched critically by distinct architectural styles in these buildings. One 80.000 pages of laws, basis contracts, regula- this meeting, the ESU representatives expres- the EU commission. European Syriac Union particular church is that of the Holy Virgin in the vil- tions and judgements of the EU courts. A con- sed their views about the problems of the At the same time Mirel worried about the Rue Bara 152 lage of Hah. The style of this church is similar to dition, which is obligatory on every member of Syriac people in Turkey and their suggested legal barriers concerning the property entries 1070 Brussels that of the old ziggurats. The churches, which were the EU. Borders are set: the EU commission solutions. They stated that the Syriacs who are and article 87 which explicitly forbids Belgium built until the 4th century, have straight roofs and can apply for the breaking off of the negotiati- willing to return to their ancestral homeland European citizens to register possession and are impressive buildings. Those which were built ons, if Turkey will not follow its obligations and are facing many difficulties; such as the regi- in properties on their name. after the 5th and 6th centuries have a pyramidal goes on ignoring the human rights. stration of their real estates. In spite of the fact Chairman: Mr. Iskender Alptekin roof. Furthermore, dozens of monasteries were e-mail: [email protected] that the Syriacs are one of the oldest people in Furthermore Mirel said that the EU will men- built after the 4th century in Turabdin. Hundreds of Like many other minorities and religious Deputy Chairman: Mr. Fikri Aygur ESU Chairman, Iskender Alptekin (l), Bishop of the area, they do not have legal status accor- tion the existing deficits in terms of rights of thousands of monks and nuns were educated in Aleppo, Mor Grigorios Hanna Ibrahim (m) and His communities the Syriacs in Turkey have many e-mail: [email protected] ding to the Turkish constitution. minorities and human rights as well as the these buildings; they protected the Syriac faith and Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I. Iwas (r) difficulties. They live in a legal vacuum as they Secretary: Mrs. Rima Tüzün freedom of worship in its progress report in science through the centuries. are not recognized in the laicism state a juridi- e-mail: [email protected] The situation of the Syriac people and their November. Mirel guaranteed that the problems The delegation, leaded by ESU Chairman cal personality. In their settlement areas, in the Treasurer: Mr. Tuma Çelik problems are mentioned for the first time cle- of the Syriac Christians will also be discussed. At the end of the 14th century, most of the chur- Iskender Alptekin, greeted first His Holiness and wel- southeast of Turabdin, they are suppressed in e-mail: [email protected] arly in the annual report of the EU- The EU will plead for the compliance of the ches in Turabdin were destroyed by Timurlenk, the comed him into the Netherlands. Afterwards they their vital freedom by partial archaic and obso- Commission about the development and pro- rights of the Syriacs in the daily routine. The Mongolian Khan. Progressively some of these expressed condolences to the Patriarch about the lete order and security structures. So the gress of Turkey. Such positive developments acknowledgment and the guarantee of the churches were reconstructed by the Syriacs. loss of the archbishop of Central Europe, Mor Julius return and resettlement efforts in the abando- Members of the Union strengthened the trust of our people in their rights of the ethnic and religious minorities are Unfortunately, the fact is that many Syriac towns Jeshu Cicek. ned places are accompanied with a lot of bar- political cause. Now that the cause of our central points of the negotiations ", how Mirel and villages in Turabdin lost all or most of their riers. Notices, intimidations, the missing secu- people has reached a turning point, new chal- said. Union der Suryoye Vereine in der populations to the various persecutors; therefore "The Passing of Mor Julius Jeshu Cicek is a diffi- rity and state support, the illegal expropriations lenges and new tasks will stand clear on our Schweiz their churches and monasteries didn't get to be cult rebound for our church and our people in and occupancy of land and possession, indivi- coming agenda. The political voice of our The representatives of the ESU announced Switzerland rebuilt. Nowadays one can find only remnants of Europe, because the archbishop has served his dual and non-binding legal understanding of people finds its echo in different places. The that the previous state treatment and conside- those buildings. whole life long the people. By his indispensable wil- local authorities as well as the influence of the Bethnahrin Informations Netz acknowledgement of minorities in Turkey is an ration of the Syriacs is to be understood as a lingness to make sacrifices and effort he organized village guards and great land owners are facts, Switzerland important step for her to become a truly demo- real cornerstone of the problems. "As long as After the genocide (Sayfo) of 1915 and particu- dozens communities in Europe" stated Alptekin in which not only threaten the life of the remained cratic country according to international law. the state acknowledgment of the Syriacs does Union der Assyrer-Suryoye larly after the 1970`s - because of the emigration regard to the achievements and the commitments of Christians but moreover the plans of Syriacs, The cause of the Syriac people must be a not take place, their rights and obligations will Vereinigungen in Deutschland into European countries - most of the Syriac villa- Mor Julius Jeshu Cicek. who intend to return. point of discussion in the international agenda stay away", so Fikri Aygur towards the com- Germany ges in Turabdin were depopulated. By the year for the next 2 years. mission representatives. 2000, the conditions of dozens of churches deterio- During the consultations His Holiness praised the Against this background a delegation of the Union der Freien Frauen Bethnahrin rated to ruins. Nevertheless, the European Syriacs courageous work of the European Syriac Union and European Syriac Union had met with the UFFB Another important step for the Syriac people After the meeting, which lasted 80-minutes, began, within their means, to rebuild and restore wished it a lot of success for the future. European commission in Brussels on Germany is Suroyo TV. The establishment and develop- the ESU delegation handed out a file of 22 their churches and monasteries in Turabdin. September 9th, 2005. The delegation consi- ment of this project are very important for the pages, which documents the difficulties and Syrianska-Assyriska Riksförbundet i sted of the first chairman, Mr. Iskender country. Nevertheless, Turkey overlooked the resto- progress and integration of the Syriacs among expectations of the Syriacs especially regar- Sverige The restoration of the churches was not without Alptekin, the his deputy, Mr. Fikri Aygur and ration of churches because of its interest in beco- each other and their host countries. Because ding the EU negotiations of accession. Sweden problems: According to the Treaty of Lausanne, the the chief editor of the newspaper Qenneshrin, ming a member of the European Union. The resto- of its successful work, Suroyo TV was honou- The Syriacs in particular formulated the fol- Syriacs do not have the status of a minority in Mr.