The European Syriac Union (ESU) and Yüksel Mutlu, Deputy Co-Chair responsible for the Peoples and Faiths Commission of the DEM Party, released a written statement on the 111th anniversary of the Sayfo Syriac Genocide on June 15.
Commemorating the Syriacs who were massacred during Sayfo, the European Syriac Union stated: “Sayfo is one of the deepest ruptures in the history of our people.” The statement continued: “During this period, hundreds of thousands of Syriac women, men, children, and elderly people lost their lives. Survivors were forced to convert, exiled, or compelled to migrate. Villages were emptied, churches and monasteries were destroyed, and our millennia-old presence was systematically targeted. Sayfo is not merely a tragedy of the past; it remains a fundamental reality shaping our identity and our search for justice today.”
The ESU statement included the following remarks: “During this process, some local power centers and certain Kurdish tribes also participated in the attacks, thereby expanding the scale of the massacres against the Syriac people. Acknowledgment of this historical responsibility is essential for justice and genuine reckoning.
Although more than a century has passed, Syriacs in the Middle East still face oppression, discrimination, forced migration, and violations of fundamental rights. The failure to confront crimes committed in the past has paved the way for new forms of oppression in different periods. Recognition of Sayfo is of vital importance both for preserving historical truth and preventing similar tragedies.
Sayfo Must Be Recognized Internationally
Despite all the suffering it has endured, our people continue to struggle to preserve their language, culture, and faith in both their homeland and the diaspora. Denial of Sayfo does not lessen the pain; on the contrary, it deepens wounds and delays justice. Recognition of historical truths is a fundamental condition both for honoring the memory of the victims and for preventing future violations. As the European Syriac Union (ESU), we reiterate our call for international recognition of Sayfo. We advocate for the protection of human rights, freedom of religion, and the fundamental rights of the Syriac people, and we demand the protection of our people’s presence, security, and cultural heritage in their homeland.
The positive messages expressed by the Republic of Turkey toward the Syriac community in recent years are noted and appreciated. Nevertheless, genuine reconciliation requires the acknowledgment of Sayfo as a historical fact and the expression of a sincere apology for the suffering inflicted on the Syriac people. Such a step would contribute to healing the wounds of our people while also strengthening Türkiye’s democratic and legal standing internationally. Confronting historical injustices is a sign of institutional maturity and self-confidence.
Failure to recognize Sayfo also means failing to recognize the suffering experienced by the Syriac people. For this reason, the problems faced by our community continue to this day. Property disputes arising from treasury, land registry, and cadastral issues in many Syriac villages in the Tur Abdin region are causing serious concern. Protecting property rights and resolving these issues in a fair and transparent manner are of great importance. We call on the Republic of Turkey to confront Sayfo, recognize historical truths, acknowledge the suffering of the Syriac people, and resolve ongoing property disputes on the basis of justice. Truth, justice, and reconciliation can only be achieved in this way. On the 111th anniversary of Sayfo, we bow respectfully before the cherished memory of our victims and declare our determination to continue the struggle for a future based on truth, justice, equality, and human dignity.”
DEM Party: Hundreds of Thousands Lost Their Lives
In the statement published by Yüksel Mutlu, Deputy Co-Chair responsible for the Peoples and Faiths Commission of the DEM Party, it was said: “June 15, 1915, is one of the starting dates of the great catastrophe and mass extermination process directed against the Syriacs, one of the ancient peoples of Mesopotamia. During this period, remembered in Syriac collective memory as Seyfo, meaning ‘sword,’ hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives or were displaced; the language, culture, faith, and historical existence of a deeply rooted people were targeted.”
The statement noted that, despite the passage of 111 years, the pain caused by Sayfo remains alive in collective memory: “As long as the truth is not confronted, justice is not established, and historical responsibility is not accepted, this pain will continue to be passed down from generation to generation. The Syriac people demand not only recognition of the great destruction they suffered in the past, but also the right to live today as equal citizens with their own language, faith, and culture. This is a requirement of a democratic society and shared coexistence.”
Emphasizing the need to confront Sayfo, the statement continued: “In the lands of Mesopotamia and Anatolia, where peoples, faiths, and cultures have lived side by side for centuries, the path to lasting peace, democratization, and social justice lies in confronting the truth. While denial of the past creates new wounds, reckoning and justice open the door to a shared future. As the DEM Party, we embrace the Syriac people’s demand for justice and reckoning, and we respectfully commemorate those who lost their lives during Seyfo. We once again express that we share the pain and memory of the Syriac people.”
