Syriacs want say in Syria’s future

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

The Syriac community in Syria is seeking a greater role in the post al-Assad era of the country, with the Syriac National Council of Syria preparing to stage a protest at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva in the coming days.

The Council recently released a statement calling on the U.N. authorities to allow the Syriac representatives to be involved with the ongoing decision making process regarding Syria’s fate.

The statement highlighted “the presence of Syriac people with their own identity in the new Syria and on the international level,” and asks the U.N. and the European Union to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Syriac people as well. Necessary arrangements should be made to “avoid mass exodus,” the statement added. David Vergili, a representative of the European Syrian Union, said the Syriac community wished “to be at the table” as the fate of Syria is being decided.