ARMENIA’S ASSYRIAN COMMUNITY DEMANDS RECOGNITION OF ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 23, 2010 – 16:02 AMT 11:02 GMT
1.5 million Armenians and 750 thousand Assyrians were exterminated
in 1915 Genocide; still Assyrian Genocide is hardly even mentioned,
Armenia’s Assyrian community leader Razmik Khosroyev stated.
As he told April 23 news conference, Assyrian Genocide continues to
this day, with Iraq’s war claiming lives of Assyrian population in
the country and destroying their cultural heritage.
Lack of statehood prevents Assyrians form implementing their plans,
Razmik Khosroyev noted. Still, community leader presented Assyrian
nation’s demand for recognition of Assyrian Genocide, also urging
international structures to condemn Turkey. "We demand reimbursement
of our property and territories in accordance with international
legislation," the statement emphasized.
"Assyrians commemorate the Genocide on April 24 and August 7 – Sumeil
massacre day.
Close to 3,000 Assyrians died during the 1933 massacre, most of
them in the village of Sumail located in the Iraqi province of
Dohuk," Armenia’s Assyrian community representative, the author of
4 documentaries on Assyrian Genocide Lina Yakubova stated.
As she noted, according to official data, largest Assyrian community
of 1 million currently resides in Iraq; second and third largest
communities are found in US and Russia respectively.
In conclusion, Razmik Khorsroyev stated that Assyrian community has no
political issues in any country but Iraq; while in Armenia, Assyrians
are given more freedom and possibilities than in many other countries.