Assyrian Democratic Organization condemns Assad’s speech
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Assyrian Democratic Organization stated on Wednesday that the speech of Syrian President Bashar Assad at the meeting of the Minister of Religious Endowments (Awqaf) is a clear denial of the diverse Syrian situation.
Daoud Daoud, the Assyrian organization official, said in an exclusive statement to North Press that Assad gave a historically and intellectually incorrect speech, and that the organization condemns this approach and behavior from the head of the Syrian regime.
The Syrian President said in a speech he gave during his participation in the periodic meeting of the Ministry of Religious Endowments at al-Othman Mosque in Damascus on December 7 that the Arabs of the region used to speak and write the Aramaic language.
He added in his speech that those who market the “non-Arabism” of Syria “they are naive and out of bad faith.”
Daoud said that Assad’s speech contained a clear denial of the Assyrian people, and a clear disregard for the Assyrian presence and the long history of Assyrian in Syria.
He added that Assad denied the national diversity in Syria, which is a multi-national country in which there are Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians, Kurds, Circassians and others.
On Sunday, the Assyrian Democratic Organization issued a statement condemning the statements of the Syrian president, and stated that he continues to shirk his responsibilities to cover up the deficit and isolation he suffers from.
Daoud declared that Assad is adopting an approach based on manipulating national and religious sentiments by using the official religious establishment in order to serve his goal of staying in power against the will of the people.
He told North Press that the Syrian regime was playing the card of having protected minorities in the past, but his speech proved the falsehood of his slogans.
In a statement last Friday, the Syriac Union Party accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of not recognizing the Syriac identity.
The statement explained that assigning the character of identity and one religion to Syria is a consecration of the exclusivist chauvinism of the regime, which led the country to the current tragic situation.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) stated on Sunday, that the Syrian president’s comment does not express the openness that should be provided by all parties that claim their concern for the interest of Syria and its people.