Assyrian leader: I wpt with jpt at Mor Gabriel

Murat Uzel, Spiritual Leader of the Assyrian Community in Berlin, expressed his appreciation of the recent reform package unveiled by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday. "As a citizen and the spiritual leader of the Assyrians, I watched Mr Prime Minister speaking and wept with joy when I heard of the restitution of Mor Gabriel monastery land," Uzel said, noting that the monastery has belonged to Assyrian people for 1,600 years. Uzel also pointed to other reforms such as the right of education in mother tongue and the restoration of village names and described them as the "second and third good news." Uzel noted that the name of his village dating back to 1,600 years had been changed in 1930 and expressed his hope that they would restore the original village names and start education in Assyrian language very soon. Uzel also said they were encouraging Assyrians to do business with Turkey, suggesting that Assyrians living in various countries would go back to Turkey and Assyrian businessmen would invest in Mardin and surrounding areas. "Diversity is richness," was Uzel’s last message.