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EXIT PLAN: ARMENIANS OF SYRIA MAY NEED ESCAPE IF ASSAD REGIME COLLAPSES
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
13.02.12
Photo: www.wikipedia.org
The anti-government uprising in Syria that has taken more than 6,000
lives has become an issue of serious concerns for the 80,000-Armenian
community residing in various parts of the country.
Enlarge Photo
Last week in Aleppo, where the Armenian community is mainly centered,
25-year old soldier Vigen Hayrapetian was among the 28 victims of
explosions. More than ten days ago an Armenian youth from a wealthy
family was kidnapped and was released last Friday in exchange for
ransom money. (The Armenian community, however, does not view that
kidnapping incident as an ethnic issue directed against Armenians).
These incidents have raised concerns among Armenians of Syria, although
in the cities with large Armenian communities, namely in Aleppo,
Damascus, Latakia, Kesab and Kamishli, the situation is reported to
be stable and manageable; nonetheless, the overall instability in
the country, naturally affects the Armenian community as well.
During the Wednesday parliament session in Armenia, Premier
Tigran Sargsyan said answering Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun party leader Vahan Hovhannisyan's question on
what measures the government has taken for worst-case-scenario
developments: "We will take all necessary steps to show full support
to our compatriots".
The Armenian community of Syria is one of the biggest in the Middle
East, and has lead a well-off and safe life during the three decades
of the Assads' reign (father and son), and in case of power turnover
dangerous changes cannot be ruled out.
Experts believe that a change of power may have unpredictable
consequences for Armenians, considering two facts: first of all that
the majority of opposition are Islamists with al-Qaeda representatives
among them and anti-Christian sentiments, and second, that their
transition/national council was formed in Turkey.
Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at RA
National Academy of Sciences (NAA), does not rule out a possibility
of "violence against Christians, and especially against Armenians",
should chaos rule in the country.
Armenia's strategic partner Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov
denied the accusations of supporting Assad: "We are neither friends,
nor allies with President Assad."
However, Russia and China again vetoed on Monday the UN Security
Council's resolution criticizing the Syrian authorities and calling
for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation; on Tuesday Lavrov met
Al-Assad urging to start negotiations with the opposition and refused
the international appeal to try to convince Assad to resign.
Many in Armenia hope that Russia would be able to resist international
pressure and not go against Syria; some Armenia-based politicians,
nonetheless, have called upon Armenians of Syria to take a neutral
stance.
That, however, is not easy for Armenians.
"It is natural that the majority of Armenians would support Bashar
al-Assad, since they led safe and prosperous lives under his
leadership, ethnic rights were fully protected, they have schools,
churches, and it is under that regime Armenians see the chance for
ethnic survival," says Arax Pashamyan, senior specialist of Arab
studies at NAA.
As representatives of the Syrian-Armenian community say, there isn't
specific ethno-motivated encroachment upon Armenians or any other
ethnic minorities, however, the overall instability in the country
has triggered a tangible rise in crime.
"Of course it's rather quiet in the cities where Armenians reside,
however, there are social issues, energy crisis, for some 6 hours a
day electricity is cut off; it's not dangerous, but gives ground for
worries," Nairi Lazarian, 43, told ArmeniaNow. Lazarian moved to
Armenia a decade ago from Kamishli but his family, his parents are
still there.
Armenia states its readiness to accept Syrian Armenians, but head of
RA Migration Agency Gagik Yeganyan does not anticipate a big flow of
emigrants from Syria.
"Judging from the inflow of emigrants from Iraq to Armenia, I don't
believe there will be mass inflow from Syria either, because our state
cannot offer substantial help and support. That's why they'll try to
move to more developed countries," says Yeganyan.
Syrian Armenian Petros Gasparian, who recently bought an apartment
in Yerevan, doesn't share this opinion.
"Maybe they are not informed and don't know how difficult it is
for citizens of Syria to be issued a visa to other countries. To us
Armenia remains the only salvation. At present many of our friends
who managed to sell their apartments in time, are buying a house in
Yerevan," Gasparyan told ArmeniaNow, adding that many people are now
deprived of that opportunity as well, because it has become impossible
to sell real estate since the clashes started.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
13.02.12
Photo: www.wikipedia.org
The anti-government uprising in Syria that has taken more than 6,000
lives has become an issue of serious concerns for the 80,000-Armenian
community residing in various parts of the country.
Enlarge Photo
Last week in Aleppo, where the Armenian community is mainly centered,
25-year old soldier Vigen Hayrapetian was among the 28 victims of
explosions. More than ten days ago an Armenian youth from a wealthy
family was kidnapped and was released last Friday in exchange for
ransom money. (The Armenian community, however, does not view that
kidnapping incident as an ethnic issue directed against Armenians).
These incidents have raised concerns among Armenians of Syria, although
in the cities with large Armenian communities, namely in Aleppo,
Damascus, Latakia, Kesab and Kamishli, the situation is reported to
be stable and manageable; nonetheless, the overall instability in
the country, naturally affects the Armenian community as well.
During the Wednesday parliament session in Armenia, Premier
Tigran Sargsyan said answering Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun party leader Vahan Hovhannisyan's question on
what measures the government has taken for worst-case-scenario
developments: "We will take all necessary steps to show full support
to our compatriots".
The Armenian community of Syria is one of the biggest in the Middle
East, and has lead a well-off and safe life during the three decades
of the Assads' reign (father and son), and in case of power turnover
dangerous changes cannot be ruled out.
Experts believe that a change of power may have unpredictable
consequences for Armenians, considering two facts: first of all that
the majority of opposition are Islamists with al-Qaeda representatives
among them and anti-Christian sentiments, and second, that their
transition/national council was formed in Turkey.
Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at RA
National Academy of Sciences (NAA), does not rule out a possibility
of "violence against Christians, and especially against Armenians",
should chaos rule in the country.
Armenia's strategic partner Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov
denied the accusations of supporting Assad: "We are neither friends,
nor allies with President Assad."
However, Russia and China again vetoed on Monday the UN Security
Council's resolution criticizing the Syrian authorities and calling
for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation; on Tuesday Lavrov met
Al-Assad urging to start negotiations with the opposition and refused
the international appeal to try to convince Assad to resign.
Many in Armenia hope that Russia would be able to resist international
pressure and not go against Syria; some Armenia-based politicians,
nonetheless, have called upon Armenians of Syria to take a neutral
stance.
That, however, is not easy for Armenians.
"It is natural that the majority of Armenians would support Bashar
al-Assad, since they led safe and prosperous lives under his
leadership, ethnic rights were fully protected, they have schools,
churches, and it is under that regime Armenians see the chance for
ethnic survival," says Arax Pashamyan, senior specialist of Arab
studies at NAA.
As representatives of the Syrian-Armenian community say, there isn't
specific ethno-motivated encroachment upon Armenians or any other
ethnic minorities, however, the overall instability in the country
has triggered a tangible rise in crime.
"Of course it's rather quiet in the cities where Armenians reside,
however, there are social issues, energy crisis, for some 6 hours a
day electricity is cut off; it's not dangerous, but gives ground for
worries," Nairi Lazarian, 43, told ArmeniaNow. Lazarian moved to
Armenia a decade ago from Kamishli but his family, his parents are
still there.
Armenia states its readiness to accept Syrian Armenians, but head of
RA Migration Agency Gagik Yeganyan does not anticipate a big flow of
emigrants from Syria.
"Judging from the inflow of emigrants from Iraq to Armenia, I don't
believe there will be mass inflow from Syria either, because our state
cannot offer substantial help and support. That's why they'll try to
move to more developed countries," says Yeganyan.
Syrian Armenian Petros Gasparian, who recently bought an apartment
in Yerevan, doesn't share this opinion.
"Maybe they are not informed and don't know how difficult it is
for citizens of Syria to be issued a visa to other countries. To us
Armenia remains the only salvation. At present many of our friends
who managed to sell their apartments in time, are buying a house in
Yerevan," Gasparyan told ArmeniaNow, adding that many people are now
deprived of that opportunity as well, because it has become impossible
to sell real estate since the clashes started.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress