Preservation of Syriac Aramaic Language Urged Amidst Syrian Turmoil
As Syria continues to grapple with the aftermath of its prolonged civil war, efforts to safeguard the Syriac Aramaic language have taken center stage. Activists emphasize the need to protect this ancient language, seen as vital to the identity and heritage of Syria’s indigenous Syriac community.
The Syrian Civil War, which erupted in 2011, has fragmented the country, with various armed factions emerging from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The Syriac community, predominantly Christian, has not been spared from this upheaval.
During the conflict, the Syriac Military Council (MFS), a component of the Syrian Democratic Forces, engaged in operations against ISIS. Today, the group and its political allies are working with the transitional government, spearheaded by the Islamist group HTS, to draft a new constitution for Syria.
Integral to this constitutional endeavor, Syriac activists have advocated for the formal recognition of the Syriac Aramaic language. Human rights advocate Sardar Sharif, in an article for Syriac Press, emphasized that recognizing this language is crucial for “protecting this ancient cultural heritage and ensuring its continuity for future generations.” Syriac Aramaic is a descendant of the language historically spoken by Jesus Christ.
Sharif further articulated that acknowledging and safeguarding the language is “an important step toward preserving one of the oldest linguistic and civilizational heritages in the region and toward strengthening coexistence among the various communities of the Syrian people.”
In a similar vein, the activist organization A Demand For Action (ADFA) has appealed to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to help prevent what they describe as the “erasure” of the Syriac people.
ADFA pointed out the removal of the Syriac language from public building signs in Hassakeh, Northeastern Syria, where only Arabic and Kurdish remain. “Some call it a minor administrative adjustment,” the group remarked, but for the country’s indigenous population, it signifies “grief” and “anger” as they experience a gradual erasure of their identity.
Highlighting the historical roots of the Syriacs as the descendants of those present in biblical times, ADFA addressed von der Leyen directly: “Ursula von der Leyen, you are the most powerful politician in Europe. You speak of reform and a new path forward for Syria. But there can be no true progress in the quiet disappearance of a people’s identity. To erase a culture is not reform. It is loss. We call on you to stop the erasure of the indigenous people of Syria.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
