Aramaic Relations in Syria Strain Further

"Syria is according to information received by the Society for Threatened Peoples -STP (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV) increasing pressure on the Assyrian Aramaic language and culture. The international human rights organisation with its centre in Göttingen stated on Tuesday that the Syrian secret service has forbidden a performance of the popular Assyrian Aramaic musician, Habib Mousa, at a concert of another artist in the city of Kamishli in the north-east of the country. For the Assyrian Aramaic Christians this ban is a sign that the totalitarian Baath Party, which has ruled since 1963, is still pursuing its goal of forcible Arabicisation of the Assyrian Chaldaic and Kurdish ethnic groups", criticised the chair of the German section of the STP, Tilman Zülch. "The intention is to ensure that the Christians give up among other things their New Aramaic language in favour of Arabic." The opposition Assyrian Democratic Organisation ADO also sharply condemned the ban on the performance by the Syrian authorities."

http://www.aina.org/news/20100415195933.htm

Peace,
-Steve

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