Bashir Saadi: The absence of Newroz and Akito is “an attempt to deny the country’s national and cultural diversity.”

Yekiti Media

On Sunday, the Syrian transitional authorities issued a decree specifying official holidays and national holidays, and the list did not include the Kurdish national day “Newroz,” the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year “Akitu,” and the Yazidi New Year.

In this regard, Bashir Saadi, a leader in the Assyrian Democratic Organization, said in a statement to Yekiti Media: “Everyone was surprised that the list did not include three national holidays in the law issued today, namely the Kurdish national holiday ”Nowruz,” the national holiday of the Assyrian Syriacs/the Assyrian Babylonian New Year “Akitu,” and the Yazidi New Year for the Yazidi community.

Saadi emphasized that this omission reflects a policy of uniformity and an attempt to deny the national, cultural, and linguistic diversity that characterizes the Syrian people.

Saadi expressed his regret over the law and the absence of the three holidays, pointing out that the omission of these holidays contradicts the constitutional declaration issued on March 13, Article 7, Clause 3 of which states: The constitution guarantees cultural diversity in Syrian society and guarantees the cultural and linguistic rights of the Syrian components.

Saadi said: “Ignoring the three holidays is a clear contradiction of Article 7 of the Constitutional Declaration.” Saadi noted that the Assyrian Democratic Organization is in the process of issuing a statement on this matter.

Saadi concluded his remarks by expressing his hope that this law will be redrafted and that national holidays will be recognized.