PRESS RELEASE

House of Commons, Committee Room 14: Tuesday 24th January 6:00-8:00 pm

The genocide of over 750,000 Assyrian Christians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1915 has largely been forgotten by the world. The pain of this genocide is still a dark shadow over the Assyrian people. This pain and suffering continues in the collective conscience of the Assyrian Christians as Turkey continues to deny and publicly denounce their responsibility for this largely forgotten genocide during the First World War.

The Assyrian community have organised a prestigious speaking event at the House of Commons for Parliamentarians, journalists and members of the Assyrian Christians to remember and honour those who were massacred at the hands of the Turks. At this gathering the Assyrian community and their supporters will call upon the British government and Parliamentarians to apply diplomatic pressure upon the government of Turkey, to publicly recognise their responsibility for this genocide as a precondition to membership of the EU.

At this meeting there will be four leading experts speaking at this event to educate and inform the audience about this forgotten genocide:

Ara Sarafian: Armenian and an Archive Historian and editor of the new edition of the Blue Book seen as the official book on this genocide.

Sabri Atman: Author and Journalist specialising in the Assyrian Genocide.

Lina Yacubova: Film maker who has produced award winning documentaries on the genocide.

Recep Marasli: Turkish journalist who writes on the Assyrian genocide and the rights of non Turkish nationals in Turkey.

The main organiser of this event for the Assyrian Community Nineb Lamassu, said, ?We are delighted that MP Stephen Pound has sponsored this event. It is our hope that this event will bring public awareness to this largely forgotten genocide of the Assyrian Christians. It is our collective desire to see diplomatic pressure brought to bear on Turkey to publicly recognise their historical responsibility for this genocide.?

Stephen Pound Labour MP for Ealing North:

"The twin tragedies of the Assyrian Genocide are firstly the slaughter of almost one million men, women and children and, secondly the continued refusal of the Turkish Government to acknowledge the actions of its Ottoman predecessors. This denial adds to the pain and agony felt by the relatives of those who perished in the genocide."