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FEAR AMONG TURKEY'S ARMENIANS, AMID ANGER AT GERMANY OVER ATROCITIES
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
March 31, 2015 Tuesday 12:05 PM EST
By Can Merey, dpa
They were sent on death marches into the desert, beaten to death or
shot: 100 years ago, Turkey's atrocities against the Armenians began.
Some descendants of the survivors are now living in Turkey in fear,
but they are also angry - and want Germany to apologize for its role.
Diyarbakir, Turkey (dpa) - Hardly any of his ancestors survived the
massacre of the Armenians during the Ottoman Empire a century ago.
Gafur Turkay's grandfather was one of the lucky few.
The grandson, now 50 years old, sits in the courtyard of St Giragos
Armenian Church in the south-east Turkish city of Diyarbakir, now a
Kurdish stronghold, in the spring sunshine.
When asked what life is like for the descendants of the massacre's
survivors, he says: "If you consider that the word 'Armenian' is
still used as an insult, you can imagine how hard it is."
Turkay alludes to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said during
his election campaign in August that although he is a Turk, he was
often called a Georgian as an insult, or "even uglier things" like
an Armenian.
Turkay harbours a barely concealed grudge, aimed also at Germany.
He is the chairman of the local foundation for the church, which is
the largest Armenian place of worship in the Middle East, but which
was a ruin until it was restored in 2010 with donations from Armenians
in Turkey and in the diaspora.
St Giragos Church, which German soldiers used as a barracks during
World War I, is shining with renewed splendour, although there are
very few services held there as the Armenian community in Diyarbakir
numbers a mere handful of believers.
On the most important religious days, a priest flies in from Istanbul,
where there are an estimated 60,000 Armenians, making it the largest
community in Turkey.
Diyarbakir was an Armenian stronghold until the expulsions during
World War I. "At the beginning of the 20th century, 60 per cent of
the population was Christian," Turkay says.
"Three groups survived the genocide: children, pretty girls and master
craftsmen." Turkay's grandfather belonged to the first group.
Nearly all the survivors converted to Islam either because they were
forced to or because they hoped it would offer them protection.
The grandfather was raised as a Muslim by a Kurdish family, and even
Turkay's father went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Turkay was himself
raised as a Muslim, but he says he always knew of his Armenian
background.
Five years ago, he returned to his roots, and was even baptized.
An increasing number of Turkish Armenians are acknowledging their
background, but very few are brave enough to turn their backs on Islam.
"Some are ashamed," Turkay says. "They grew up as Muslims." Added
to the fact that Armenians have been "murdered and repressed" for a
hundred years it is not surprising that "they are really afraid."
In 2004, just one single married couple in Diyarbakir admitted to
the fact that they were Armenian. Today there are between 300 and
400 people who are willing to do so, according to the Kurdish former
mayor of Diyarbakir old city, Abdullah Demirbas.
The majority have remained Muslim, he says, adding that the real figure
for the number of people with Armenian roots must be much, much higher.
Ergun Ayik, the chairman of the Armenian Church Foundation living
in Istanbul, said that only 10 or 20 people had been baptized in
Diyarbakir, but he said that the reconstruction of the local church
had encouraged people to acknowledge their Armenian roots.
"But many remain Muslim. They have families, they have a life. It is
very difficult for them," Ayik says.
Armenians in Turkey are still very cautious about revealing their
background to their fellow citizens, Ayik says. "If it is not
necessary, we don't say it."
Demirbas, who is a candidate in June's parliamentary elections for
the pro-Kurdish party HDP, supported the reconstruction of the church
when he was mayor.
His work for the Armenians and other minorities caused him a lot of
trouble with the Turkish state, which to this day does not recognize
any genocide against the Armenians, nor does Germany, Demirbas says.
"For me, it was genocide and a crime against humanity," he says. "I
have personally apologized for it."
Turkay thinks the issue of classifying the atrocities of a century ago,
when Armenians say 1.5 million people were killed, is unreasonable.
"We shouldn't even be discussing it," he says, visibly angered. "Even
my grandmother said that the cows in the field know it was genocide."
The Germans, whose empire was allied with the Ottomans in World War I,
are just as responsible for it as the Turks, he says.
"The Germans bear the responsibility for every drop of Armenian blood,"
Turkay says. "In my opinion, the Armenians have the right to hate the
Germans for the next 100 years. If they hadn't supported the Ottoman
Empire, it would all not have happened."
Ayik puts it a little more diplomatically, saying that he does not
care if the German government recognizes the massacre of his people
as genocide. "An apology would be enough."
From: Baghdasarian
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
March 31, 2015 Tuesday 12:05 PM EST
By Can Merey, dpa
They were sent on death marches into the desert, beaten to death or
shot: 100 years ago, Turkey's atrocities against the Armenians began.
Some descendants of the survivors are now living in Turkey in fear,
but they are also angry - and want Germany to apologize for its role.
Diyarbakir, Turkey (dpa) - Hardly any of his ancestors survived the
massacre of the Armenians during the Ottoman Empire a century ago.
Gafur Turkay's grandfather was one of the lucky few.
The grandson, now 50 years old, sits in the courtyard of St Giragos
Armenian Church in the south-east Turkish city of Diyarbakir, now a
Kurdish stronghold, in the spring sunshine.
When asked what life is like for the descendants of the massacre's
survivors, he says: "If you consider that the word 'Armenian' is
still used as an insult, you can imagine how hard it is."
Turkay alludes to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said during
his election campaign in August that although he is a Turk, he was
often called a Georgian as an insult, or "even uglier things" like
an Armenian.
Turkay harbours a barely concealed grudge, aimed also at Germany.
He is the chairman of the local foundation for the church, which is
the largest Armenian place of worship in the Middle East, but which
was a ruin until it was restored in 2010 with donations from Armenians
in Turkey and in the diaspora.
St Giragos Church, which German soldiers used as a barracks during
World War I, is shining with renewed splendour, although there are
very few services held there as the Armenian community in Diyarbakir
numbers a mere handful of believers.
On the most important religious days, a priest flies in from Istanbul,
where there are an estimated 60,000 Armenians, making it the largest
community in Turkey.
Diyarbakir was an Armenian stronghold until the expulsions during
World War I. "At the beginning of the 20th century, 60 per cent of
the population was Christian," Turkay says.
"Three groups survived the genocide: children, pretty girls and master
craftsmen." Turkay's grandfather belonged to the first group.
Nearly all the survivors converted to Islam either because they were
forced to or because they hoped it would offer them protection.
The grandfather was raised as a Muslim by a Kurdish family, and even
Turkay's father went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Turkay was himself
raised as a Muslim, but he says he always knew of his Armenian
background.
Five years ago, he returned to his roots, and was even baptized.
An increasing number of Turkish Armenians are acknowledging their
background, but very few are brave enough to turn their backs on Islam.
"Some are ashamed," Turkay says. "They grew up as Muslims." Added
to the fact that Armenians have been "murdered and repressed" for a
hundred years it is not surprising that "they are really afraid."
In 2004, just one single married couple in Diyarbakir admitted to
the fact that they were Armenian. Today there are between 300 and
400 people who are willing to do so, according to the Kurdish former
mayor of Diyarbakir old city, Abdullah Demirbas.
The majority have remained Muslim, he says, adding that the real figure
for the number of people with Armenian roots must be much, much higher.
Ergun Ayik, the chairman of the Armenian Church Foundation living
in Istanbul, said that only 10 or 20 people had been baptized in
Diyarbakir, but he said that the reconstruction of the local church
had encouraged people to acknowledge their Armenian roots.
"But many remain Muslim. They have families, they have a life. It is
very difficult for them," Ayik says.
Armenians in Turkey are still very cautious about revealing their
background to their fellow citizens, Ayik says. "If it is not
necessary, we don't say it."
Demirbas, who is a candidate in June's parliamentary elections for
the pro-Kurdish party HDP, supported the reconstruction of the church
when he was mayor.
His work for the Armenians and other minorities caused him a lot of
trouble with the Turkish state, which to this day does not recognize
any genocide against the Armenians, nor does Germany, Demirbas says.
"For me, it was genocide and a crime against humanity," he says. "I
have personally apologized for it."
Turkay thinks the issue of classifying the atrocities of a century ago,
when Armenians say 1.5 million people were killed, is unreasonable.
"We shouldn't even be discussing it," he says, visibly angered. "Even
my grandmother said that the cows in the field know it was genocide."
The Germans, whose empire was allied with the Ottomans in World War I,
are just as responsible for it as the Turks, he says.
"The Germans bear the responsibility for every drop of Armenian blood,"
Turkay says. "In my opinion, the Armenians have the right to hate the
Germans for the next 100 years. If they hadn't supported the Ottoman
Empire, it would all not have happened."
Ayik puts it a little more diplomatically, saying that he does not
care if the German government recognizes the massacre of his people
as genocide. "An apology would be enough."
From: Baghdasarian