Related: The Assyrian Genocide
In a formal letter addressed to MPs dated 29 June and signed by ESU official Tony Vergili, the European Syriac Union makes an urgent appeal for parliamentary backing of the resolution. Such recognition would mark an important step toward historical justice and equal recognition for all Christian peoples that were subjected to genocide during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
The Assyrian advocacy organization states that "approximately 750,000 thousand Assyrian and one million thousand Pontic Greeks, suffered systematic massacres, forced deportations, starvation, and policies of extermination. These events are collectively known among Assyrians as Sayfo (Sword). These facts have been extensively documented by historians, legal experts, and genocide scholars."
In his appeal, ESU official Tony Vergili notes that Belgium "took a historic step in 2015 by officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The resolution currently before Parliament would complement that decision by extending official recognition to the other Christian peoples who were persecuted under the same authorities and in the same historical context."
ESU also emphasized the significance of the vote for Belgium's Assyrian community, estimated at around 25 thousand people. The organization said the Assyrian community is anxiously following the upcoming parliamentary deliberations and vote. Official recognition by Belgian Parliament would be a powerful affirmation of justice, dignity, and historical truth.
The campaign reflects broader international efforts by Assyrian organizations to secure official recognition of the Assyrian Genocide and Pontic Greek genocides, alongside the Armenian Genocide, arguing that recognition is an essential step toward preserving historical memory and preventing future atrocities. The suffering of these Christian peoples formed part of the broader campaign of mass violence by the Ottoman Turks directed against Assyrians, Pontic Greeks, and Armenian.
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