Syriac foundation says their community is not a guest in Turkey

ANKARA (A.A) - February 20, 2012 - The head of Syriac "Mor Gabriel Monastery Foundation" said on Monday that their community was not a guest in Turkey. Kuryakos Ergun said Syriac people had been living in Anatolia for 6,000 years. "Syriac people are one of the oldest populations in this country, and we are not a guest in this country," Ergun told reporters in Ankara after laying down their proposals for a new constitution to Parliamentary Constitutional Compromise Sub-Committee. Ergun defined the day as historic for Syriac people, and he came to the Turkish Parliament to express requests of all Syriac people in the world.  Also speaking to reporters, deputy chairman of the foundation, Rudi Sumer said Syriac people were not defined as minority in Turkey under the Lausanne Treaty. "We have asked the committee to grant minority status to Syriac people within the scope of the Lausanne Treaty, and keep it under constitutional guarantee," Sumer said. Sumer said their community also asked lawmakers to make a broader and more protective property rights regulation, and requested that Syriac language education be given. Rudi Sumer said they also asked lawmakers to take freedom of religion and conscience under guarantee, and make more general regulations regarding citizenship.