Syriac Member of Parliament in Turkey in response to Genocide denial in National Assembly: How did the number of Armenians and Syriacs fall to tens of thousands from millions? Where did they go?
ANKARA — During a speech before the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Syriac MP George Aryo of the Peoples’ Equality and Democratic Party (DEM Party), whose state-imposed surname is Aslan, challenged remarks made by Turhan Çömez of the Good Party (İYİ Parti), who had described the victims of the 1915 Sayfo Genocide and Armenian Genocide as terrorists.
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Speaking during the parliament’s 87th session, Çömez stated, “The Ottoman Empire was forced to take this decision against armed terrorist organizations backed by imperialists, and this decision was not a genocide.” He added that efforts to commemorate the events of 24 April as genocide — both domestically and internationally — misrepresent what he described as a historical process.
In response, Aryo posed a pointed question: “Under Ottoman rule, the population stood at 13 million, including 3 million Armenians, Syriacs, and other Christian peoples. What happened for only a small number of them to remain today?”
Çömez replied that some people died during relocation but insisted that the Ottoman authorities had taken necessary precautions, describing the events as decisions made within the empire’s own territory. He further accused Armenian groups of forming armed organizations allegedly backed by foreign powers, claiming these groups contributed to unrest and violence during World War I.
He argued that the Ottoman government’s actions in 1915 — such as dissolving Armenian political organizations and relocating populations — were driven by wartime conditions, as the empire was fighting on multiple fronts, including Gallipoli, the Caucasus, and Syria.
Aryo repeated his question, noting that while the population of Armenians, Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans)
Çömez reiterated his earlier claims, again attributing deaths to wartime conditions and relocation, without directly addressing the demographic collapse raised by Aryo.
Aryo then shifted focus, asking, “Let us leave the Armenians aside. What did the Syriacs do? What was their crime?”
In response, Çömez argued that Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) had emigrated from the region for various reasons and suggested that raising the issue in parliament could be linked to political agendas. He also accused certain groups of supporting what he described as terrorist organizations, reiterating his position that the historical narrative is being distorted.
Following the exchange, Sezai Temelli, also of the DEM Party, intervened, criticizing Çömez’s interpretation of history. He argued that Ottoman-era archives have not been fully opened and challenged claims about Armenian political groups, noting that some had legal status within the empire at the time. Temelli emphasized that preserving history requires acknowledging the experiences of all peoples who lived in Anatolia and warned against reducing complex historical events to accusations of terrorism.
Despite the passage of 111 years since those tragic events, the same rhetoric still persists from the perpetrator who has turned the victim into the accused. By insisting on denying his crime, he adds a new wound to the memory of peoples who continue to seek recognition and justice.
