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During the “Syriac genocide,” or “SAYFO,” in 1915, over half a million Syriac-Aramaic Christians were estimated to have lost their lives. “Though taking place in the same historical and political context, these events are understood as distinct and separate from the Armenian genocide” on which the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan issued a minute.
“Alongside the Armenian genocide, the upheavals of that historical period were marked by genocidal acts against several – mostly Christian – communities of Aramean, Chaldean, Syrian, Assyrian and Greek descent, which have blighted history at the beginning of the 20th century,” reads the minute. “We acknowledge that these tragic events occurred, and that they must be named by their right name.”
The text requests that the general secretary "provide information to WCC member churches on this matter and to continue to pursue it in appropriate contexts,”
Minute on Syriac-Aramaic genocide “SAYFO”
Livestream of the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany
