We spoke to researcher and expert in the affairs of minorities and the rights of indigenous peoples, Mr. Mikhael Benjamin, about the sufferings of the Assyrians as an indigenous people, particularly in Iraq. He said that the 2017 Indigenous Peoples' Rights Declaration has many points to clarify the rights of the indigenous . He added, unfortunately, that we, as indigenous people do not care much to work to claim our rights. Although the people in which we live among, do not care and do not want to remember our rights , yet, we are required to work to change this perception. The original people, regardless of their number, have the right to claim their rights in areas which they live in, and one of the most important claims, is their right to the land in which they were born and lived in. They are its owners before it was taken from them by force and by other peoples, and through the land they can protect their customs, traditions, heritage, culture and language. Mr. Benjamin affirmed that we lost our lands because of various practices and attacks.
He said that more than 500 representatives from more than fifty countries met in Mexico last year to lay down a ten-year plan for the years 2022-2032 for all countries and peoples to establish activities for the protection and development of indigenous peoples' languages, adding that we must from now on, work to take advantage of this opportunity and develop a curriculum for the next ten years, In order to protect and develop our language.
Source: SBS
