Syrian Armenians and the Turkish Factor by Marcello Mollica & Arsen Hakobyan

Author:Marcello Mollica & Arsen Hakobyan
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783030723194
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Edward Sharmazanow, Deputy-Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, spoke of an “act of cultural Genocide”. He framed it within a “logical continuation of destroying” Armenian cultural heritage, which was already visible in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The latter reference pointing at the medieval Armenian Cemetery of Djugha in Nakhidjevan (Safaryan 2014; A1 Plus.am, 2014; Aysor.am 2014). In a similar fashion, on 24 September 2014, Aztag, the Lebanese-based Armenian Diaspora newspaper, published an editorial written by the chief editor, Shahan Gantaharian. He suggested that the Genocide Memorial Complex in Deir ez-Zor should be included in the centennial commemoration of Armenian Genocide as an “Armenian Auschwitz”, and argued that, the complex will become a major channel for the internationalization of the Armenian Genocide issue. He added, “Analyzing the motivations, everything will point to Ankara, who also gives shelter to those who do such acts, finances, and the penetration path. It was Ankara that gave to the same elements the possibility to carry out unhindered the attack against Kessab” (Gantaharian 2014; see also Chapter 7). The editorial noted that, in 2010, during the rapprochement between Damascus and Ankara, the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, visited Deir ez-Zor. In his speech he highlighted that the internationalization of Deir ez-Zor was programmed before the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide (Gantaharian 2014: 1). Aztag specified that, the Deir ez-Zor attack was a political act against Armenian collective memory that reproduced Genocidial dynamics. However, the editorial insisted, Ankara has changed its behaviour. If in the past, Armenian churches were bombed in Western Armenia (today eastern Turkey) by “Turkish hands”; today, bombs are placed outside Turkey by “others”. Still, the editorial concluded, these actions were “driven by the same inspiration, the same mentality” (quoted in Gantaharian 2014).

It is worth mentioning that, on 19–20 September, while talking at the “Armenia-Diaspora Forum” in Yerevan, Aram I, said that the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House was planning to apply to the Constitutional Court of Turkey to recover extended properties belonging to the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. The properties included the historical headquarter in Sis (Kosan, Adana Province) and all lands around it (Horizon Weekly, 19 September 2014). The property was confiscated by the Turkish government during the Armenian Genocide.

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