Returning Home: The Ambivalent Assyrian Experience in Turkey

Discrimination and precarious living conditions in Tur Abdin, southeastern Turkey, prompted Assyrians, indigenous Christian ethnic people to the country, leave their homeland for Europe early 1960s. The process of migration continued several decades intensified with militarization eastern provinces during fight against Kurdish PKK. Many Assyrian villages had be abandoned. With an appeal formulated a circular letter by Turkey’s then Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit 2001, Turkish government encouraged Assyrians abroad return former homeland, assuring them that security rights as citizens would guaranteed state. At beginning new millennium, situation Abdin seemed noticeably improved. end state emergency application rule law wake reforms context EU accession contributed this. who emigrated re-visited villages, but also tried rebuild churches mostly dilapidated houses. Clarification ownership land properties after occupation changes legal basis became key issue.