By Raffi Bedrosyan
Some came by chartered bus from Diyarbakir, Sasun, and
Urfa, others by public transport from Dersim through Tbilisi. A few came by
rail from Artvin in the Hamshen region via Batumi, others drove their own cars
from Hopa. The destination for all? Yerevan, Armenia. Following the success of the historic first trip of 50
“hidden” Islamicized Armenians from Diyarbakir, Turkey, to Armenia last August
to re-discover their roots, culture, and language, the project was repeated
again this year in an expanded fashion.
(Following the success of the historic first trip of 50
“hidden” Islamicized Armenians from Diyarbakir, Turkey, to Armenia last August
to re-discover their roots, culture, and language, the project was repeated
again this year in an expanded fashion.)
The trip, now formally named Project REBIRTH:
VERADZNOUNT, was part of a wide range of activities supporting Islamicized
Armenians. This year, 80 selected Islamicized Armenians were brought from
Turkey to the homeland, to participate in the Ari-Tun event organized by the
Ministry of Diaspora.
After several months of planning, fundraising,
organizing, and negotiating with government officials and hotels in Armenia,
the trip was set for the first week of August.
The participants were met in Yerevan by the organizer of
the tour, who flew in from Toronto, Canada. The timing of the trip was made to
coincide with the Pan-Armenian Games, which brought more than 6,200 Armenian
athletes from all over the world to Armenia, including 450 from Turkey,
representing the historic Armenian homeland teams from Van, Bitlis, Mush,
Dersim, Diyarbakir, and Musa Ler.
This year, more emphasis was placed on having the younger
generation participate in the trip; as a result, several children of those who
came last year were now part of the group. The age of the participants ranged
from 11 to 87. The Islamicized Armenians come from all walks of life; they are
teachers, lawyers, artists, writers, poets, high school and university
students, business people, housewives, and retired pensioners. They may have
different perspectives about almost every subject, but they all share one
common goal: to search for and find their Armenian roots. Their life stories
and quest for their roots are as different as themselves.
They are all descendants of the “living victims” of the
1915 Armenian Genocide—orphaned Armenian boys and girls who were captured,
protected, hidden, or bought by Turks and Kurds, and who became Islamicized,
Turkified and Kurdified.
As the grandchildren of these assimilated orphans, they
became aware of their Armenian roots during different stages of their lives.
Some found out about their Armenian origins at an early age, while others
discovered it in their adulthood, on their parents’ or grandparents’ deathbed.
During this trip, they eagerly participated in
Armenian-language classes every morning, followed by expeditions to significant
historic sites during the day, and cultural events in the evenings.
Interestingly, the participants from the Hamshen region already spoke a dialect
of Armenian, and could easily understand or be understood by Armenians in the
street.
The full-house concert and the activities of the group
were followed widely by the Armenian media and TV.
One of the Armenian cultural events the entire group
attended was a concert I gave, performing the works of Komitas, Khatchaturian,
Alan Hovhaness, and Edgar Hovanissian. The full-house concert and the
activities of the group were followed widely by the Armenian media and TV.
As a result of this trip, the participants will no longer
be hidden Armenians when they return to Turkey, as their real identities have
been revealed at considerable risk to themselves and their families. They may
be discriminated against by their employers, lose their jobs if working in the public
sector, lose their Muslim friends, neighbors, and even the rest of their
families who prefer to remain Muslim Turks or Kurds. But they are all willing
to take the risk.
Throughout the trip, the expectations, short- and
long-term goals of Project Rebirth and the needs of the hidden Armenians were
discussed. As courageous people willing to take the risk of revealing their
Armenian identities, they need support mechanisms related to Armenian-language
instruction, increased interaction and exchanges with cultural groups to and
from Armenia, and technical and professional help related to restoration
projects for abandoned or destroyed Armenian churches, cemeteries, and other
monuments in their cities and villages.
More importantly, on a personal level, they may need
financial, legal, and social services help for family and employment problems
triggered from revealing their Armenian identities.
The Project Rebirth organizers hope to engender a
willingness in these new Armenians to learn the Armenian language and history,
organize among themselves the planning and implementation of the restoration of
Armenian churches and buildings, arrange regular social and cultural activities
to encourage others to “come out,” and more critically, pass along their desire
to return to their Armenian roots to their children and the next generation.
Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan (L), Raffi
Bedrosyan (R)
The goals and objectives of Project Rebirth are now well
defined, and a few of the short-term goals have already been achieved. One
example was the agreement negotiated between the organizer and the Ministry of
Diaspora last year to have two university students from Diyarbakir, who had
participated in last years’ trip, continue their studies in Armenia with free
tuition. After a year of intensive Armenian language instruction in Yerevan
University, we watched with great pride and satisfaction as one of these students
acted as a guide and translator to the participants of this year’s trip.
The ultimate goal of Project Rebirth is nothing short of
creating an Armenian presence again on historic Armenian lands within Turkey,
in terms of people, culture, and architecture.
Although there is support and appreciation by certain
influential leaders in Armenia, the significance and potential of Project
Rebirth is not yet fully understood by some diasporan leaders and
organizations. It is our hope that with increased understanding of the new
realities related to the hidden Armenians in Turkey, Armenians within the
diaspora and Armenia will be able to undo some of the damages of the past
through Project Rebirth.
The trip was organized and sponsored by Raffi Bedrosyan,
with additional contributions from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, AGBU
Asbeds, and a few individuals.
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