Volume I - Issue 5 The Voice of the Syriacs Volume 1 - Issue 5 page 4 ESU is scrutinized. ple. The campaign will continue in the coming May 2006 The Voice of the months in other countries of Europe too. Syriacs The ESU, with this campaign, aims to enlighten the Syriacs in these two areas and to inform them about the institution of ESU. This campaign is supervised IMPRINT by the members of the Executive Board Mr. Fikri Aygur (the Vice Chairman) and Mr. Evgil Turker. Information bulletin about the Each of the two subjects is covered in a session of social position of the Syriacs in five hours; and at the end of these sessions in order and outside the Middle East. to further enlighten the attendees their questions are It appears periodically, published answered. by the European Syriac Union Chairman’s message (ESU) in Brussels-Belgium. The first sessions of the campaign were held in ESU MEETS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TURKISH Brussels. Nearly, 80 people attended the courses given in Brussels. Thereafter, the educational pro- Today 91 years passed after PARLIAMENT Contact: grams were held in Wiesbaden, Giessen, the genocide (Seyfo), which th In order to solve these disputes the local Phone: 0032 2 523 4181 Tauberbisschofsheim, Göppingen, Bietigheim, has been made in 1915 against On 9 May 2006, the Syriac delegation, com- Feudal Aghas acting as intermediaries and Fax: 0032 2 523 6201 Heilbron and Augsburg towns of Germany. Also, the Syriacs by the Ottoman prising the ESU, Suroyo TV representatives that they take big sums of money in bribes Internet: www.esu.cc each of these sessions was attended by 45-60 peo- Empire and the Kurdish forces. and the Swedish MP Yilmaz Kerimo met the e-mail: [email protected] Through murders around Chairman of the Turkish Parliament Mr. from the Syriacs 500.000 Syriacs have died, Bulent Arinc, who was accompanied by a That the effect of the cartoon incidents that FIRST APRIL FESTIVAL IN ISTANBUL including the victims caused by Turkish delegation on an official visit to were originated in Denmark were felt in Address: hunger and diseases. Sweden, in Stockholm. Midyat, that an association called the The First April Spring festival, which is also known This year it was for the first time that the festivity of “Selahaddin Eyyubi Thoughts Association” European Syriac Union as “Akitu” is a festival that the Syriacs bequeathed the First April was being organized by the ESU and During the last 15 years the Syriacs became In the Syriac delegation, Fikri Aygur (Vice organized a march against the Syriacs in Rue Bara 152 to the world; today it is celebrated under different MEZODER and was being viewed around the world active in the struggle for the political and social Chairman of the European Syriac Union Midyat, thus spreading fear among them 1070 Brussels names and customas. This festival that symbolizes when it was broadcasted life from the Suroyo Tv. issues of their people. Also the genocide issue (ESU), Jacob Mirza (Member of the The Priest of the Diyarbakir town Parish of Belgium the re-birth of the nature, transformation and the As this event was being celebrated for the first time appears on the international agenda of the Governing Board of the European Syriac Mother Mary being threatened to be killed. new life is celebrated by the Syriacs, who are its Syriacs. Through the last 10 years protests and Union), Yilmaz Kerimo (a Syriac MP in the native inventors, in various countries and places hunger strikes took place in different metropolis- Swedish Parliament), Yusuf Kangus (Suroyo The ESU representatives stated that these Chairman: Mr. Iskender Alptekin every year. The spring festival that we inherited es of Europe, thus the Syriac people recognize TV News General Director), Ninorta Haddad problems are making the Syriacs who are e-mail: [email protected] from the Sumerian, Acadian, Assyrian and the meaning of Seyfo and at the same time they (Member of the Executive Board of Suroyo planing to return to Turkey anxious and that Deputy. Chairm: Mr. Fikri Aygur Babylonian civilization has been celebrated by the could draw the attention of the West on them- TV) and Nail Yoken were present. they make the Syriacs who live in the region e-mail: [email protected] Syriacs sometimes discreetly and sometimes with selves. Today the Syriac people carry out the afraid. Accordingly, the most appropriate solu- Secretary: Mrs. Rima Tüzün small commemorations, for thousands of years. duty for the Seyfo and accept it as part of their During the meeting, the Chairman of the tion would be to establish an enhanced state e-mail: [email protected] identity. Turkish Parliament Mr. Bulent Arinc was control, replacing the system of the Feudal Treasurer: Mr. Tuma Çelik The changes that took place around the world and informed about the institutions of the Aghas in the district of Mardin-Midyat and e-mail: [email protected] especially in the Middle East have contributed to The Syriacs reached a professional approach European Syriac Union (ESU), Suroyo TV their surrounding region. Also, that should the some major developments. One of the countries for their issue, as well as the Seyfo case. This and their activities. It was emphasized that bribes given to the Aghas for solving the prob- Members of the Union that have seen some of these changes is Turkey. year with the guidance of ESU in Switzerland, in the ESU is a Union that was founded two lems are used as economic investments, they Therefore, the Syriacs have had an opportunity to Sweden and in Germany 3 conferences have years ago, following the initiative of many could serve greatly to the prosperity of the celebrate their national festival Akitu for the last two been held about the Seyfo, where academics Syriac institutions and that it currently has region. Union der Suryoye Vereine in der years in Turkey. The spring festival that was cele- and scientists of our people and the Europeans regular meetings with the European Union. It Schweiz brated for the first time in Turabdin, this year was participated, i.e. Martin Tamcke, Gabriela was stated that one of the main issues of Also in the meeting, the Syriac delegation Switzerland celebrated in the multicultural city Istanbul. Yonan, etc. Altogether about 1000 Syriacs have these meetings is the relations of the Turkish answered the questions of Mr. Bulent Arinc. participated to these conferences. This proofs Republic with the EU and that the ESU annu- When Mr. Arinc asked about the reasons for Bethnahrin Informations Netz The First April festival that had been celebrated by in Istanbul, it drew the attention of many private per- that the Syriac people notice their duty for the ally reports to the European Commission the emigration of the Syriacs, the Chairman of Switzerland the civil organizations, in the last two years has sons and institutions. Seyfo. about the Syriacs, also that it clearly supports ESU Mr. Fikri Aygur underlined the following been celebrated by the Patriarch of the Syriac the Turkish Republic in the process of joining three points: Union der Assyrer-Suryoye As the Syriacs do not have Constitutional Vereinigungen in Deutschland Orthodox Church, with conveyance of the celebrat- In the event that started in the afternoon hours with To strengthen this fact and reinforce the Seyfo’s the EU. Germany ing messages of his Holiness. By doing so, it was a life music program, the Association of Diyarbakir status, today a new Academic Institution has to It was stated that Suroyo Tv was founded two Security they cannot develop their culture and shown that not only the civil institutions should par- and many people attended to show their support be established by the Syriacs together with the years ago in Sweden, that it serves as a due to the fact that they are Christians they Union der Freien Frauen Bethnahrin and collaboration. Singers from Europe as well as Europeans, to serve that aim. bridge between the Syriacs and the countries are being discriminated against. UFFB other singers from Turkey participated and support- of the Middle East. That the aim of Suroyo TV The area being financially not prosperous Germany ed the festival. Another topic, that is of importance for the is to promote the Syriac culture and language, As a result of the PKK’s activities that started in 1984, a fear being spread in the region and Syriac people, is the 1st April, the National and accordingly, it broadcasts via the satellite Syrianska-Assyriska Riksförbundet i consequently nearly 50 Syriacs being killed, Sverige The event that was held in the Florya Council cultural New Year celebration. This has been throughout Europe and the Middle East, in are some of the reasons for the emigration Sweden Facility Halls was attended as a guest by the Vice celebrated in different places. For the first time, Syriac, Arabic, Turkish and English. It was fter receiving this information, Mr. Arinc stated President of the Association of the Human Rights last year, the festival’s celebrations have been also mentioned that it previously made a spe- Renyo Hiro Magazine that he was pleased to have acquired such Mr. Akin Birdal. The Secretary of the President of organized in TurAbdin by ESU and the Syriac cial interview with the Foreign Affairs Minister Sweden information and that he would undertake the the Republic of Turkey, the Interior Minister, and the institutions at place. This year ESU organized of the Turkish Republic Mr. Abdullah Gul. necessary exertion to eliminate the problems towns officially appointed and elected Mayors send this celebration with a Festival in Turkey, Further, it was stated that the Syriacs see Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Union their celebrating messages to the First April Spring faced by the Syriacs in Turkey.