Suraya

The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group indigenous to the Middle East, whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia. Suraya was the daughter of an influential Assyrian scholar.

 

In the years 1914-1923, she helped many of her people escape to safety and evade being slaughtered by the armies of the Ottoman Empire during the Assyrian Genocide of World War One when hundreds of thousands of civilians were massacred.

 

Although she made the ultimate sacrifice and gave her life to help her people, her name is never mentioned in the history books. 


Even the Assyrian executions are rarely reported but are lost in the context of the much more widespread Armenian Genocide where around 3 million people were murdered. To this day, the Turkish government deny the events took place and little is known of Suraya other than the stories handed down through the families of those she helped. She is reputed to have been a great beauty with immense courage and personal vision. She made the ultimate sacrifice for the benefit of the people she loved, but like many great heroines in history, her name has been lost in the mists of time.


 

SURAYA 

 

Suraya, you are my guiding star

Suraya, as I watch from afar

Suraya, you are all that I need

And I'm travelling to be where you are

 

Suraya, can it really be you?

Suraya, can your heart still be true?

Suraya, you can show me the light

Lead me out of the night

Out of the dark

 

 

Suraya, could you ever forgive?

Does the fire still burn?

Does the spirit still live?

Suraya, are you here to reveal

All the love that you feel in your heart?

 

Suraya, I'll do all that you say

Suraya, just allow me to stay

Where you are

I'll do what you command

Won't you reach out your hand?

Suraya


Suraya Copyright (c) Steve Nielson All Rights Reserved