Leaders of the Christian churches in the Al-Jazeera and the Euphrates areas in northeastern Syria stressed that the repressive actions of the militia of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) pose a serious threat to the Christian presence in the region as they condemned the PYD’s violations against their schools, property and areas.
The remarks were made in a statement that was issued following a meeting of the Christian clerics at the Syriac Orthodox Church in the town of Qamishli on Saturday.
The statement pointed out that the meeting was held in response to the PYD’s series of attacks on followers of the Syriac Orthodox Church and their property, lands and villages. The meeting also protested the PYD militia’s imposition of restrictions on Christian schools and its adoption of a school curriculum serving its political line.
Leaders of the Church also expressed their categorical rejection of all forms of interference and violations of the rights of Christian community in the area. They also rejected the PYD’s decision to require Christian schools to obtain licenses as well as the PYD’s interference in the design of the school curricula. They stressed that those schools meet all legal requirements as many generations from all components of the Syrian society graduated from these schools which provided a lot for the people of Hasaka province and Syria in general.
They emphasized that schools are no less important to Christians than churches, pointing out that the shutting down of schools as sending a very dangerous message and affecting the Christian presence in the region.
Participants in the meeting also stressed the need to respect the rights of the Christian community in the region. They underscored that this property and land were owned only by their original owners who made sacrifices to preserve them but who were forced to move away from their motherland because of the harsh conditions of war over the past several years. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
