85 Years have passed by now since that bitter catastrophe of the great genocide against the Assyrians-Suryoye people took place in Asia Minor, the then Ottoman Empire, in 1915 and during the following years of WWI. The wounds however inflicted in those times, which mark one of the darkest epochs of our history and all the pains caused by this, have been passed on from generation to generation and are to be felt and soaring still today. Although the genocide of 1915 and following had such a deep impact on the Assyrians-Suryoye people as to shake it, in its fundaments this tragic fate and these terrible facts have remained largely unknown to the public world hitherto.

In a phase of globalization when boundaries and differences between people and between countries are lifted, past and present genocides have come forth into the sphere of responsibility of all mankind. This applies especially today as the European Union (EU) has extended its boundaries, has widely opened the doors for Turkey and has intensively addressed the Near East and the Middle East. Against this background the genocide of 1915 and following which constitutes a crime against humanity has meanwhile become also a European problem.

Today as we are approaching the 21st century, there is talk everywhere of peace among individual human beings as well as among peoples and nations. In this spirit many powers and forces that have committed and are still committing crimes against humanity, which pose a danger to global peace, are held accountable for their deeds. In the first months of the year 2000 the Holocaust against the Jews was once again set on the agenda of social and political dealings. In this connection many European states have apologized and asked forgiveness according to their guilt and active involvement in those terrible crimes.

However the genocide perpetrated against the Assyrians-Suryoye people remained not addressed and/or simply forgotten. When it comes to this issue there is only dead silence. In order to reveal and to clear up also this genocide, the states and international institutions and bodies as well as the public world have to open their eyes and to responsibly fulfill the task resting upon their shoulders. We demand the recognition of that genocide of 1915 and following during which more than 500,000 innocent people - i.e. TWO THIRD of the Assyrians-Suryoye people - were barbarously murdered, and that there shall be justice done by condemning the responsible Ottoman Turks and the feudal Kurds and furthermore by calling Turkey - being the legal successor of the Ottoman Empire - to account.

Against that background we appeal to the public world to show solidarity with the Assyrians-Suryoye people and its just existence struggle for national survival and to come in active support for our demands below: