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The Syrian Armenian Dilemma: Community Preservation or Out-Migration
by Nanore Barsoumian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/27/the-syrian-armenian-dilemma-community-preservation-or-out-migration/
July 27, 2012
In recent days, as violence continues to rage in Syria, various steps
have been taken in Armenia to address the rather tenuous situation of
the Armenian community there. After much controversy over Armavia's
rising airfare prices, which prompted critics to accuse the company
of taking advantage of the Syrian Armenians' marked vulnerability,
Armavia announced that it would provide low-cost flights from Aleppo
to Yerevan, reported Armenian news sources. The Armenian government,
meanwhile, introduced an amendment to existing citizenship laws on
July 26 that will allow Syrian and Lebanese citizens of Armenian
descent to receive passports from consulates and embassies.
Taken on July 22, 2012, this citizen journalism image provided by
Shaam News Network SNN, claims to capture a fireball in Homs, Syria.
(Anonymous/AP Photo) Syrian Armenian journalist Harout Ekmanian, who
is currently working for CivilNet in Yerevan, believes such steps
are a matter of duty-not choice. "I won't thank Armavia because of
this. They must do this," he told the Armenian Weekly, although he
has reservations about how the national conversation on emigration
and aid is conducted.
The issue of immigrating to Armenia is not as simple as one might
imagine. First, many in the community are not willing to abandon
the country-Syria-that they have called home for decades. Even if
the will is there, abandoning homes and properties-temporarily or
otherwise-has proven to be an impediment. The real estate market in
Syria at the moment is suffering, and without financial security,
surviving in Armenia will have its share of challenges.
"Do most Syrian Armenians want to leave the country? Can they? Is
it right to leave?" asked Ekmanian. "In many cases, those who left
their homes saw them looted and burned. We have the example of what
happened to an Armenian photographer's home in Damascus. Of course
lives are more important than property, but most Armenians are below
middle class..." he told the Armenian Weekly.
Armenia and the Diaspora
Historian Ara Sanjian at the University of Michigan-Dearborn believes
Armenians worldwide must provide moral and financial support to the
Armenians in Syria, "especially if and when schools reopen in the
fall." Already, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) has set up a fund
to assist Syrian Armenian Schools.
Armenia and Armenians worldwide should "use every moment of peace to
send writers and artistic groups to Aleppo and elsewhere to raise the
morale of the people as much as possible," said Sanjian. "[Some might]
remember how [during the civil war] in Lebanon, artists and scholars
used to come from Armenia and elsewhere and their events used to change
the mood within the Lebanese-Armenian community, at least for a while."
As to the efforts of the Armenian government, Sanjian believes that
while they are well intentioned, the officials' poor understanding
of diasporan communities has handicapped them to some extent. "The
Armenian government can do very little because of the situation on the
ground in Syria, the poor economy in Armenia, and more importantly,
because there is very little hard knowledge among the government
officials and pundits in the media about the realities of diasporan
life. The persistent lack of serious interest in analyzing the
diaspora in the past has now shown its consequences. I hope that,
in the aftermath of the Syrian crisis, more effort will be spent in
academia and the media in Armenia to study the diaspora in depth and
with realism," he said.
Ekmanian, too, is critical of the Armenian government's stance, and
considers their efforts-"declaring some special treatments for Syrian
Armenians, reducing flight costs, a few sentimental announcements
by a minister or an administrative [official]"-insufficient. He
believes that the government should instead be engaged in "serious
dialogue with all the parties involved...to guarantee the wellbeing
of Syrian-Armenians inside Syria... The Armenian government must
include this issue in its foreign affairs priorities. None of this is
happening and the Armenians are left to the mercy of the conflicting
sides. Luckily, so far the Armenians haven't been targeted, but are
we waiting for that to happen to start acting?" he told the Weekly.
In an opinion piece published in Hetq, Ekmanian questioned the
figures tossed around when talking about Syrian Armenian immigration
to Armenia. He argued that many Syrian Armenians are not immigrating;
rather, they're seeking alternate destinations for tourism, because
vacationing in Syrian summer spots, such as Kessab, may no longer be
an option. He also argued that Syrian Armenians residing outside of
Syria are more likely to vacation in Armenia rather than in Syria.
"For the government of Armenia, it remains that they provide aid to
only those who ask for it-be they Armenians from Syria or elsewhere.
After all, Armenia must figure out whether it will be home to all
Armenians, or just their tourism destination."
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) is also cautious on the
matter of immigration, arguing that Armenians must not be encouraged
to abandon Syria. "People willing to come here must be helped, but
we must not initiate their relocation," ARF spokesperson Giro Manoyan
told reporters in Yerevan.
In an interview with Yerkir Media, ARF Bureau representative Hrant
Markarian noted that Armenians are an integral part of Syrian society,
and as such it's expected that instead of fleeing, Armenians remain
and weather these difficult times with their neighbors. He stressed,
however, that in no way does he blame those Syrian Armenians who
wish to immigrate to Armenia. Markarian, too, was skeptical about
reports of a large influx of Syrian Armenian immigrants, considering
it a temporary move or tourism, not permanent out-migration. He also
criticized media reports of Syrian Armenian immigration, and warned
against inadvertently encouraging it or creating panic.
"Let's be fair and recognize that unfortunately our country is not
the sort of country that can handle a large number of refugees,"
said Markarian, adding that currently Armenia is not able to house
or support financially needy refugees, given that the current poorer
segments of Armenia are not receiving such treatment.
On the ground
Since the beginning of the current crisis in the spring of 2011, Iran,
Russia, and China have consistently maintained their support of the
Assad government; the Gulf States, along with Turkey, the U.S., and
Western European governments like France and the U.K., have sided
with the opposition. Most members of the small Armenian community,
including the leadership, seem to be hoping for victory for Assad's
government, weary of the uncertainty the alternative might bring
in the future, said Sanjian. He characterized the situation on the
ground as "fluid." "Nobody really knows who has the upper hand,"
he said. The government, however, seems to still have control in
Damascus, where it squashed an uprising last week after the bombing
of security headquarters.
There is a minority within the Armenian community in Syria that is
increasingly critical of the government's handling of the crisis,
although these Armenians are still not as vocal in their criticism as
are opposition supporters in other communities, Sanjian said. "The
current opposition and its various backers are united only because
Assad is still in power in Damascus. If he gets out of the picture,
the opposition and its backers may fall out amongst themselves for
the spoils. However, this is still a hypothetical situation," he added.
Sanjian believes foreign powers will have a major influence on how the
crisis ends, which is now almost at the point of a full-blown civil
war. "The stakes are high internationally, and that's why there is so
much foreign involvement. Perhaps, the outcome is no longer in the
hands of Syrians... At the moment, Assad has no readiness to go. He
probably still believes that he can crush his opponents. I do not
think there are serious negotiations on the international level to
secure a peaceful solution. Both Assad and his Syrian opponents are
still for an 'either-or' outcome," he explained.
Between 60,000-70,000 Armenians call Syria home, constituting less
than 0.5 percent of the country's total population. More than half of
them live in Aleppo, with the other half scattered in such cities as
Latakia, Homs, Qamishli, Hasakeh, Yaqubiye, Raqqa, Kessab, and the
capital Damascus.
From: Baghdasarian
by Nanore Barsoumian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/27/the-syrian-armenian-dilemma-community-preservation-or-out-migration/
July 27, 2012
In recent days, as violence continues to rage in Syria, various steps
have been taken in Armenia to address the rather tenuous situation of
the Armenian community there. After much controversy over Armavia's
rising airfare prices, which prompted critics to accuse the company
of taking advantage of the Syrian Armenians' marked vulnerability,
Armavia announced that it would provide low-cost flights from Aleppo
to Yerevan, reported Armenian news sources. The Armenian government,
meanwhile, introduced an amendment to existing citizenship laws on
July 26 that will allow Syrian and Lebanese citizens of Armenian
descent to receive passports from consulates and embassies.
Taken on July 22, 2012, this citizen journalism image provided by
Shaam News Network SNN, claims to capture a fireball in Homs, Syria.
(Anonymous/AP Photo) Syrian Armenian journalist Harout Ekmanian, who
is currently working for CivilNet in Yerevan, believes such steps
are a matter of duty-not choice. "I won't thank Armavia because of
this. They must do this," he told the Armenian Weekly, although he
has reservations about how the national conversation on emigration
and aid is conducted.
The issue of immigrating to Armenia is not as simple as one might
imagine. First, many in the community are not willing to abandon
the country-Syria-that they have called home for decades. Even if
the will is there, abandoning homes and properties-temporarily or
otherwise-has proven to be an impediment. The real estate market in
Syria at the moment is suffering, and without financial security,
surviving in Armenia will have its share of challenges.
"Do most Syrian Armenians want to leave the country? Can they? Is
it right to leave?" asked Ekmanian. "In many cases, those who left
their homes saw them looted and burned. We have the example of what
happened to an Armenian photographer's home in Damascus. Of course
lives are more important than property, but most Armenians are below
middle class..." he told the Armenian Weekly.
Armenia and the Diaspora
Historian Ara Sanjian at the University of Michigan-Dearborn believes
Armenians worldwide must provide moral and financial support to the
Armenians in Syria, "especially if and when schools reopen in the
fall." Already, the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) has set up a fund
to assist Syrian Armenian Schools.
Armenia and Armenians worldwide should "use every moment of peace to
send writers and artistic groups to Aleppo and elsewhere to raise the
morale of the people as much as possible," said Sanjian. "[Some might]
remember how [during the civil war] in Lebanon, artists and scholars
used to come from Armenia and elsewhere and their events used to change
the mood within the Lebanese-Armenian community, at least for a while."
As to the efforts of the Armenian government, Sanjian believes that
while they are well intentioned, the officials' poor understanding
of diasporan communities has handicapped them to some extent. "The
Armenian government can do very little because of the situation on the
ground in Syria, the poor economy in Armenia, and more importantly,
because there is very little hard knowledge among the government
officials and pundits in the media about the realities of diasporan
life. The persistent lack of serious interest in analyzing the
diaspora in the past has now shown its consequences. I hope that,
in the aftermath of the Syrian crisis, more effort will be spent in
academia and the media in Armenia to study the diaspora in depth and
with realism," he said.
Ekmanian, too, is critical of the Armenian government's stance, and
considers their efforts-"declaring some special treatments for Syrian
Armenians, reducing flight costs, a few sentimental announcements
by a minister or an administrative [official]"-insufficient. He
believes that the government should instead be engaged in "serious
dialogue with all the parties involved...to guarantee the wellbeing
of Syrian-Armenians inside Syria... The Armenian government must
include this issue in its foreign affairs priorities. None of this is
happening and the Armenians are left to the mercy of the conflicting
sides. Luckily, so far the Armenians haven't been targeted, but are
we waiting for that to happen to start acting?" he told the Weekly.
In an opinion piece published in Hetq, Ekmanian questioned the
figures tossed around when talking about Syrian Armenian immigration
to Armenia. He argued that many Syrian Armenians are not immigrating;
rather, they're seeking alternate destinations for tourism, because
vacationing in Syrian summer spots, such as Kessab, may no longer be
an option. He also argued that Syrian Armenians residing outside of
Syria are more likely to vacation in Armenia rather than in Syria.
"For the government of Armenia, it remains that they provide aid to
only those who ask for it-be they Armenians from Syria or elsewhere.
After all, Armenia must figure out whether it will be home to all
Armenians, or just their tourism destination."
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) is also cautious on the
matter of immigration, arguing that Armenians must not be encouraged
to abandon Syria. "People willing to come here must be helped, but
we must not initiate their relocation," ARF spokesperson Giro Manoyan
told reporters in Yerevan.
In an interview with Yerkir Media, ARF Bureau representative Hrant
Markarian noted that Armenians are an integral part of Syrian society,
and as such it's expected that instead of fleeing, Armenians remain
and weather these difficult times with their neighbors. He stressed,
however, that in no way does he blame those Syrian Armenians who
wish to immigrate to Armenia. Markarian, too, was skeptical about
reports of a large influx of Syrian Armenian immigrants, considering
it a temporary move or tourism, not permanent out-migration. He also
criticized media reports of Syrian Armenian immigration, and warned
against inadvertently encouraging it or creating panic.
"Let's be fair and recognize that unfortunately our country is not
the sort of country that can handle a large number of refugees,"
said Markarian, adding that currently Armenia is not able to house
or support financially needy refugees, given that the current poorer
segments of Armenia are not receiving such treatment.
On the ground
Since the beginning of the current crisis in the spring of 2011, Iran,
Russia, and China have consistently maintained their support of the
Assad government; the Gulf States, along with Turkey, the U.S., and
Western European governments like France and the U.K., have sided
with the opposition. Most members of the small Armenian community,
including the leadership, seem to be hoping for victory for Assad's
government, weary of the uncertainty the alternative might bring
in the future, said Sanjian. He characterized the situation on the
ground as "fluid." "Nobody really knows who has the upper hand,"
he said. The government, however, seems to still have control in
Damascus, where it squashed an uprising last week after the bombing
of security headquarters.
There is a minority within the Armenian community in Syria that is
increasingly critical of the government's handling of the crisis,
although these Armenians are still not as vocal in their criticism as
are opposition supporters in other communities, Sanjian said. "The
current opposition and its various backers are united only because
Assad is still in power in Damascus. If he gets out of the picture,
the opposition and its backers may fall out amongst themselves for
the spoils. However, this is still a hypothetical situation," he added.
Sanjian believes foreign powers will have a major influence on how the
crisis ends, which is now almost at the point of a full-blown civil
war. "The stakes are high internationally, and that's why there is so
much foreign involvement. Perhaps, the outcome is no longer in the
hands of Syrians... At the moment, Assad has no readiness to go. He
probably still believes that he can crush his opponents. I do not
think there are serious negotiations on the international level to
secure a peaceful solution. Both Assad and his Syrian opponents are
still for an 'either-or' outcome," he explained.
Between 60,000-70,000 Armenians call Syria home, constituting less
than 0.5 percent of the country's total population. More than half of
them live in Aleppo, with the other half scattered in such cities as
Latakia, Homs, Qamishli, Hasakeh, Yaqubiye, Raqqa, Kessab, and the
capital Damascus.
From: Baghdasarian