April 24, 2006
Tsitsernakaberd (Genocide Memorial), Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006Labels: Armenian Genocide
Identifying my roots
Today marks the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which took place from 1915 up until 1923. On April 24, 1915 a brutal campaign designed to eradicate all presence of the Armenian people in Eastern Anatolia erupted, organized by the Ottoman “Young Turk” regime. Mass arrests took place in Constantinople and other cities of the Armenian intelligentsia and organizational leadership, who were presumed to have been killed while in captivity. Soon thereafter, mass deportations ensued from Armenian settlements in an area then referred to as Western Armenia, now comprising all of Eastern Turkey. Millions were uprooted from their centuries old homes, herded out to the deserts of Syria, driven into forced hard labor, or fell under the sword, all the while enduring torture and rape in many instances--men, women, and children alike. The details and time frame of the events as well as the number of recorded deaths have been debated for decades by both Armenian scholars and non-Armenian, including Western historians financially sponsored by the Turkish government to write revisionist documentation discounting the killings as constituting genocide. But the widely accepted number of Armenians killed is 1.5 million. About 18 countries around the world, most of them European, have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide as a crime against humanity. Both world politics and the relentless efforts of Armenian lobbying groups, lead by the Armenian National Committee of America and related organizations working in Europe and the Middle East, especially take credit for international acknowledgement.
I am the sub-offspring of survivors from the Genocide era. Members of both my mother’s and father’s families managed to escape the horrors of those times as well as those lesser known during the years leading up to 1915. My mother, Linda, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and was raised in neighboring Arlington. Both her parents were born near the city of Kharpert, now called Elazig. Her father, born Hagop Russian—later nicknamed Jack—was from the village of Sousoury, inhabited mostly by Armenians where an ancient monastery was situated (the status of both village and monastery is unknown). Not very much is known about the history of the Russian clan other than the fact that many members eventually found their way to the United States and even Buenos Aries, Argentina over the course of the 20th century. My grandfather was under the age of 10 when the massacres began in and around Kharpert. His father was apparently killed by Turkish militia, while his mother died of pneumonia at one point before or after 1915. It is presumed that several brothers, uncles, and cousins—the exact number is unknown as he refused to reveal details about the events—also fell victim. One younger sister, named Sarah (who was considered a young beauty along with many other green-eyed Russians, including my mother) was whisked away by Arab travelers on horseback and never seen again. Hagop and his sister, Louise, managed to survive, she finding her way to an orphanage in Marseilles, France, while my grandfather earned money by collecting bits of metal by the roadside and selling them for insignificant sums of money. They eventually reunited in France then separated again, and Hagop made his way to Cuba, where he lived for about six years, saving money by shining shoes and working other odd jobs before finally sailing to the US. He finally arrived in the Boston area where his father’s brother, Peter, had already settled and was employed in a grocery store. Both worked together, and during the course of a dozen or so years managed to save enough money to open grocery stores of their own.
My grandmother, Clara, was born in the village of Husenig, which apparently still exists today but under a different name. Her father, Nishan Gedchudian, moved to the United States where he worked for a few years to save money before return to his village to marry. Her mother, Haigouhi Echmalian, worked as an English-language teacher in one of the schools that had been operating in Kharpert—many of which incidentally were opened by American missionaries around the turn of the century. In 1915, Nishan was eventually taken away by the Turkish militia and was never seen again. Thus, my grandmother and her mother assumed the last name Movsesyan as a way to disguise themselves as converted Armenian Muslims, then began roaming, eventually finding their way to Aleppo, later on to Cuba. As a young girl Clara contracted typhoid fever and was very close to death. Both of them finally made their way to the US and settled in Providence, Rhode Island, where my great-grandmother’s sister, Terez, had already made a home with her husband and small children. My grandmother lived there for over a decade before she was introduced to my grandfather by mutual friends. They married and settled in Arlington, Massachusetts, then had two children, my mother and her older brother, Arsen. Both Hagop and Clara worked in their grocery store located in neighboring Somerville until my grandfather’s sudden death in 1978. My grandmother is now 91 and still lives in her home in Arlington.
There is less to tell about my father’s family. My grandfather, Garabed, was born in Aleppo and never saw the Genocide. The Adanalians also have roots in Kharpert, and several generations ago they changed their last name from Kurkjian. As one interesting tidbit—apparently the reason for the name change has to do with the fact that the first born son of each subsequent generation was named Khosrof Garabed or Garabed Khosrof. One of them went to Adana at some point to get married and was then known as “Adana” Khosrof (or Garabed—can’t remember which) since there were so many Khosrofs and Garabeds running around. My grandmother, Lucine Mahakian was from the town of Urfa, now called Sanliurfa, located in lower Eastern Turkey. Her father, Krikor, was hanged by the Turks. From what I have been told, she and her several brothers and sisters as well as mother were hiding out in a shelter for quite some time before finally being able to escape. Later they all ended up in Aleppo. She married my grandfather, 14 years his junior, and they had three children—Khosrof—my father, Meline, and Jacques. In the late 1950s they resettled in Beirut, Lebanon. Dad moved to the US in 1968, then married my mother in 1970. They settled just outside of Boston and operate a retail jewelry business. My father was the one who finally broke the chain by naming me Christian Garbis Adanalian, which apparently caused an uproar back in Beirut. My grandfather died in 1997 at the age of 95, but my grandmother, now about 90 years old, lives in a nursing home.
I moved to Armenia mainly because I felt a duty to live in the homeland of my ancestors—Western Armenia or Eastern being insignificant to me as it doesn’t really matter. Despite facing daily frustrations as well as elations, I’m associating myself more and more with the lessor-known history and culture (not to mention genetic personality traits) of my people. It is difficult work staying Armenian—assimilation is very tempting in the US and I am sure in other countries such as those throughout Europe or South America where many Armenians settled. Tens of thousands have succumbed to the cultures of their native homes. In Armenia, many people strive to be anything but Armenian, for by instance refraining from speaking the language cleanly without mixing in foreign jargon, or by simply moving out of the country, mainly to Russia, for a new non-Armenian life in many cases. There are only a few of us repatriates here, but we are doing something that very few in the Armenian Diaspora dare think about.
Calling for Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide is something that must continue by all means. But refraining from understanding what trials and tribulations the Armenian nation will encounter tomorrow is irresponsible. Armenians living in their Diaspora need to rally around the homeland, the one that exists today. Quite simply, they need to repatriate in large numbers, keeping in mind their own roots, despite the countless associated challenges that they will undoubtedly face. And it has to start happening very soon....
I am the sub-offspring of survivors from the Genocide era. Members of both my mother’s and father’s families managed to escape the horrors of those times as well as those lesser known during the years leading up to 1915. My mother, Linda, was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and was raised in neighboring Arlington. Both her parents were born near the city of Kharpert, now called Elazig. Her father, born Hagop Russian—later nicknamed Jack—was from the village of Sousoury, inhabited mostly by Armenians where an ancient monastery was situated (the status of both village and monastery is unknown). Not very much is known about the history of the Russian clan other than the fact that many members eventually found their way to the United States and even Buenos Aries, Argentina over the course of the 20th century. My grandfather was under the age of 10 when the massacres began in and around Kharpert. His father was apparently killed by Turkish militia, while his mother died of pneumonia at one point before or after 1915. It is presumed that several brothers, uncles, and cousins—the exact number is unknown as he refused to reveal details about the events—also fell victim. One younger sister, named Sarah (who was considered a young beauty along with many other green-eyed Russians, including my mother) was whisked away by Arab travelers on horseback and never seen again. Hagop and his sister, Louise, managed to survive, she finding her way to an orphanage in Marseilles, France, while my grandfather earned money by collecting bits of metal by the roadside and selling them for insignificant sums of money. They eventually reunited in France then separated again, and Hagop made his way to Cuba, where he lived for about six years, saving money by shining shoes and working other odd jobs before finally sailing to the US. He finally arrived in the Boston area where his father’s brother, Peter, had already settled and was employed in a grocery store. Both worked together, and during the course of a dozen or so years managed to save enough money to open grocery stores of their own.
My grandmother, Clara, was born in the village of Husenig, which apparently still exists today but under a different name. Her father, Nishan Gedchudian, moved to the United States where he worked for a few years to save money before return to his village to marry. Her mother, Haigouhi Echmalian, worked as an English-language teacher in one of the schools that had been operating in Kharpert—many of which incidentally were opened by American missionaries around the turn of the century. In 1915, Nishan was eventually taken away by the Turkish militia and was never seen again. Thus, my grandmother and her mother assumed the last name Movsesyan as a way to disguise themselves as converted Armenian Muslims, then began roaming, eventually finding their way to Aleppo, later on to Cuba. As a young girl Clara contracted typhoid fever and was very close to death. Both of them finally made their way to the US and settled in Providence, Rhode Island, where my great-grandmother’s sister, Terez, had already made a home with her husband and small children. My grandmother lived there for over a decade before she was introduced to my grandfather by mutual friends. They married and settled in Arlington, Massachusetts, then had two children, my mother and her older brother, Arsen. Both Hagop and Clara worked in their grocery store located in neighboring Somerville until my grandfather’s sudden death in 1978. My grandmother is now 91 and still lives in her home in Arlington.
There is less to tell about my father’s family. My grandfather, Garabed, was born in Aleppo and never saw the Genocide. The Adanalians also have roots in Kharpert, and several generations ago they changed their last name from Kurkjian. As one interesting tidbit—apparently the reason for the name change has to do with the fact that the first born son of each subsequent generation was named Khosrof Garabed or Garabed Khosrof. One of them went to Adana at some point to get married and was then known as “Adana” Khosrof (or Garabed—can’t remember which) since there were so many Khosrofs and Garabeds running around. My grandmother, Lucine Mahakian was from the town of Urfa, now called Sanliurfa, located in lower Eastern Turkey. Her father, Krikor, was hanged by the Turks. From what I have been told, she and her several brothers and sisters as well as mother were hiding out in a shelter for quite some time before finally being able to escape. Later they all ended up in Aleppo. She married my grandfather, 14 years his junior, and they had three children—Khosrof—my father, Meline, and Jacques. In the late 1950s they resettled in Beirut, Lebanon. Dad moved to the US in 1968, then married my mother in 1970. They settled just outside of Boston and operate a retail jewelry business. My father was the one who finally broke the chain by naming me Christian Garbis Adanalian, which apparently caused an uproar back in Beirut. My grandfather died in 1997 at the age of 95, but my grandmother, now about 90 years old, lives in a nursing home.
I moved to Armenia mainly because I felt a duty to live in the homeland of my ancestors—Western Armenia or Eastern being insignificant to me as it doesn’t really matter. Despite facing daily frustrations as well as elations, I’m associating myself more and more with the lessor-known history and culture (not to mention genetic personality traits) of my people. It is difficult work staying Armenian—assimilation is very tempting in the US and I am sure in other countries such as those throughout Europe or South America where many Armenians settled. Tens of thousands have succumbed to the cultures of their native homes. In Armenia, many people strive to be anything but Armenian, for by instance refraining from speaking the language cleanly without mixing in foreign jargon, or by simply moving out of the country, mainly to Russia, for a new non-Armenian life in many cases. There are only a few of us repatriates here, but we are doing something that very few in the Armenian Diaspora dare think about.
Calling for Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide is something that must continue by all means. But refraining from understanding what trials and tribulations the Armenian nation will encounter tomorrow is irresponsible. Armenians living in their Diaspora need to rally around the homeland, the one that exists today. Quite simply, they need to repatriate in large numbers, keeping in mind their own roots, despite the countless associated challenges that they will undoubtedly face. And it has to start happening very soon....
Labels: Armenian Genocide, Personal Experiences, Politics, Social and Cultural
April 22, 2006
How can government corruption be made so obvious?
I just read a news article about a crazy, totally blatant form of government corruption in Armenia. Apparently, a state-run medical institution, named the Medical Genetics Center of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, was privatized as soon as a new adviser to Prime Minister Antranik Markarian was appointed. The shock of this event, the nature of which itself is no surprise by now, is that it was sold to the adviser's daughter. Armenia Liberty reports the following:
...
Yeah, right. I believe you lady.
Look, Armenian citizens are not that stupid to believe her statement. But they are ignorant in that they let this kind of corruption, which is rampant throughout the government, continue on a regular, I would argue weekly basis--I would say daily but don't want to sound too dramatic. Government corruption is by far the most detrimental form in Armenia, and I believe it has long taken away the decisive power from the people regarding how their society should be run. I am still waiting for people to wake up and start protesting actively, instead of waiting around for an opposition "leader" to tell them what to do and how to do it. A lot of opposition leaders are mentioned in the news, but none of them are really acting like true leaders thus far. Then again, that's my opinion.
So citizens need to field their own candidate, they need to mobilize and make decisions on their own. The protests by Indian students in the last two days show the kind of sudden, but highly effective activism that can take place at a moments notice. Armenians need to learn something from this. But it seems like we have a long wait for that to happen....
The government decided on Thursday to sell the Medical Genetics Center of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences to the daughter of a newly appointed adviser to Prime Minister Andranik Markarian for 15.2 million drams ($34 million). No reasons were given for its failure to privatize the facility on a competitive basis and thus raise a less modest sum.
...
The director and now the owner of the Medical Genetics Center, Tamara Sargsian, is the daughter of Fadey Sargsian, who was forced to resign on April 6 as chairman of the National Academy of Sciences amid corruption allegations and calls for radical reform of the moribund Soviet-era institution.
Sargsian, 83, was promptly given a new job, becoming an adviser to the Armenian premier. His daughter insisted on Friday that he played no role in her takeover of the medical facility which has an expensive building in central Yerevan and modern equipment. "Believe me, my father has nothing to do with that," she told RFE/RL.
Yeah, right. I believe you lady.
Look, Armenian citizens are not that stupid to believe her statement. But they are ignorant in that they let this kind of corruption, which is rampant throughout the government, continue on a regular, I would argue weekly basis--I would say daily but don't want to sound too dramatic. Government corruption is by far the most detrimental form in Armenia, and I believe it has long taken away the decisive power from the people regarding how their society should be run. I am still waiting for people to wake up and start protesting actively, instead of waiting around for an opposition "leader" to tell them what to do and how to do it. A lot of opposition leaders are mentioned in the news, but none of them are really acting like true leaders thus far. Then again, that's my opinion.
So citizens need to field their own candidate, they need to mobilize and make decisions on their own. The protests by Indian students in the last two days show the kind of sudden, but highly effective activism that can take place at a moments notice. Armenians need to learn something from this. But it seems like we have a long wait for that to happen....
Labels: Politics, Thoughts and Musings
April 21, 2006
Indian students hold protests in Yerevan
I have some updated information regarding the Indian student who died after falling from his dormitory window and Emergency services failed to show up in a timely manner--over 45 minutes later after the student's fall. It seems that Indian students have been facing continued discrimination by the Medical University Rector. Indian students were walking towards Republic Square, but students had already started gathering in front of the National Assembly building on Marshall Baghramian Avenue. Onnik wrote the following on his blog.
Apparently, an Indian student fell from a dormitory window and the pathetic Armenian emergency services took 45 minutes to arrive.
A few Indian students have been taken in for questioning by police and have not been heard from for the past six hours. Later, the new Rector of Yerevan’s Medical University literally gave them “the finger” when they complained. Indian students are now demanding justice and the removal of the Rector from her position.
Yesterday after finding out what happened when I heard the students marching down Aboyvan Street and calling out demands for justice, I told my coworkers what was going on. After I explained to one of them that discrimination against the students--which undoubtedly exists--may also be a motive for the protesting, he told me that may not necessarily be the case. He added that reverse discrimination occurs in Armenia--outsiders are given special treatment and citizens are secondary.
There is definitely truth in this, but because Indians are dark skinned and are clearly non-Armenian, although probably many speak better Armenian than most Armenians do with all the jargon and Russian words used in conversation, they are discriminiated against. Armenians are prejudice--the same thing happens in other communities. I have an Armenian friend in Boston who was frowned upon by family members, although not necessarily criticized, because he befriended an African American there. Armenians live in ghettos wherever they are in the world, apart from Moscow I believe as they are more spread out and face persecution of their own. They do not like to mingle very much, and I don't understand why. For many years I mostly had non-Armenian friends, and still now in Yerevan I gravitate to non-Armenians so as to get a different world perspective. "Vochinch" is grating on the nerves, especially to someone who has not grown up with that mentality circulating in society.
Photos of yesterday's protests and candlelight vigil held in memory of the student courtesy of Onnik Krikorian.
Labels: Social and Cultural
April 20, 2006
Indian student dies after falling from building
This afternoon an Indian student fell from the six floor of a building—presumably a dormitory—and died shortly thereafter. Fellow students rushed to contact Emergency but they failed to show up until 45 minutes after they were called. No one from Emergency services took responsibility for failing to arrive sooner and attempt to save the kid’s life. Hundreds of Indian students then took to the streets in an organized effort and marched through central Yerevan, specifically down Abovyan Street and through Republic Square. Apparently some students had already collected near the National Assembly building, towards which the students marching along Abovyan Street were presumably heading. I stopped one student who told me what had happened. I know that the majority of students from other countries live in the university dormitories located in the Zeitun district.
The problem is in my opinion it may have little to do with the fact that the student was Indian. Apathy and a general lack of urgency are mostly to blame here. If the student was Armenian I do not think Emergency services would have responded sooner. In fact, probably much later.
Thousands of students from India as well as other countries, such as China and Iran, study at Yerevan State University and have been for years now. Tuition fees in some situations are cheaper, admissions are less competitive, and technically students are studying abroad. Yerevan with its many academic institutions provides an ideal environment for studying.
But I must say that failing to provide services on time to someone who is indeed dying is unacceptable. It doesn’t matter who the person is or where he or she is from. I deal with the Armenian “to hell with it” and “it’s not my fault” attitudes on a daily basis here and it is infuriating. In this case it is utterly revolting.
Onnik Krikorian will undoubtedly be printing photos of the protests very soon on his blog. I will post some of them here as well.
The problem is in my opinion it may have little to do with the fact that the student was Indian. Apathy and a general lack of urgency are mostly to blame here. If the student was Armenian I do not think Emergency services would have responded sooner. In fact, probably much later.
Thousands of students from India as well as other countries, such as China and Iran, study at Yerevan State University and have been for years now. Tuition fees in some situations are cheaper, admissions are less competitive, and technically students are studying abroad. Yerevan with its many academic institutions provides an ideal environment for studying.
But I must say that failing to provide services on time to someone who is indeed dying is unacceptable. It doesn’t matter who the person is or where he or she is from. I deal with the Armenian “to hell with it” and “it’s not my fault” attitudes on a daily basis here and it is infuriating. In this case it is utterly revolting.
Onnik Krikorian will undoubtedly be printing photos of the protests very soon on his blog. I will post some of them here as well.
Labels: Social and Cultural
Insight on culture, history, and tragedy
Although I do not post full articles written by other authors on my blog, the following was brought to my attention by the author and friend, Knarik Meneshian. I first met her in 2002 when she came to Armenia along with her husband as volunteers, and they worked in Gyumri for just over a year. Knarik also worked and lived in Meghri, if memory serves correctly, in the early 1990s. Her goals have been to foster self-sufficiency by Armenians who cannot let go of the fact that their government cannot care for all of their socioeconomic needs. In her own ways she helped some understand that their voices should be heard regarding how their society is run, and that changes can be brought about in their own lives under their own control. This article was written in April 2005 on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
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April 24th and the Ruins of Ani
By Knarik O. Meneshian
A river separates the present from the past. And so I sit here, on a hilltop that overlooks Ani, the ancient, crumbling city of a thousand churches. I look at the ruins before me, so close and yet so far. Unable to touch its stones, I pick some wildflowers and toss them to the sky. It is April 24th--Day of Remembrance for Armenians everywhere. As they solemnly gather, men, women, and children, in churches, centers, and at monuments, with heads bowed in reverence, they pay homage to the 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children--three-quarters of the entire Armenian nation--annihilated in 1915 by the Turkish government in Western or Turkish-occupied Armenia.
Today, here, under the sky of Eastern Armenia, I bow my head in reverence and silent prayer. All around me on this hilltop there is quiet except for the sound of the wind and the gurgling river below. Looking at the ruins and the vast open land before me that leads to Erzerum, Van, Bitlis, Sivas, Kharpert, Diarbekir, Adana and all the other towns and villages that were once Armenian, I think of our martyrs and the horrors they suffered.
I remember looking at reports in the Chicago Daily Tribune—April 29, 1915 - Armenians Flee For Safety ... Turk Soldiers Massacre 800 Christians ... Details From Urmia, Stating Some Were Crucified And Burned Alive ... May 1, 1915 - Recent Massacres In The Whole Region Of Lake Van ... May 6, 1915 - Turks Destroying Villages ... May 8, 1915 - Many Armenian Women Sold As Slaves ... May 18, 1915 - 6,000 In Armenia Slain By Turks—preserved on microfilm, one report after another, describing the slaying of a nation.
And then I remember the times I spoke with some of the survivors who, like my family and I, made Chicago their home: Aristakes of Sepastia, except for a brother, his entire family, including his young bride and unborn child, massacred. Margar of Kharpert, most of his family drowned in the river, like many of the villagers there. Manoushag of Dikranagert, most of her family massacred. Takouhi of Sepastia, her entire family massacred. Vartouhi of Divrig, except for a sister, her entire family massacred…. Even though they came from different towns and villages, they all had the same anguished look in their eyes when they described the atrocities and the brutality of man against man they had witnessed and survived. In rivers, they were drowned. In churches, they were burned. In towns and villages, they were hanged, beheaded, slaughtered, buried alive…. Girls and women were raped and dragged away, forced to worship another god. On parched and dusty roads, of thirst and starvation, they perished. But miraculously, some of them survived.
Today, because of our martyrs and survivors, we Armenians, no matter where we live or who we are, no longer live in fear because of who and what we are--Armenians and Christians. No longer do we hang our heads in servility. Their undying spirit taught us the meaning of courage, determination, perseverance; and the significance of helping one another. For it was in the helping of one another, that enabled those that survived to persevere, whether on the roads and rivers of death, or later in the orphanages.
Looking again at Ani and thinking of the problems here in Armenia and in the Diaspora Armenian communities, I wonder: Are these ancient ruins a symbol of the great culture that once was and can be again, or a harbinger of things to come if we do not take care and nurture what we now have, not only here in Armenia, but in Armenian communities everywhere?
Not far from where I sit, down a meandering, dirt road, a few old houses stand. It is quiet there today, but tomorrow the children will resume their play and the adults their work in this little place beyond the hill where time keeps beat to the rhythm of the land. And like their fathers before them, the people in this remote hamlet observe the old ways like the gyughatsees or villagers before them. For they are the keepers of our traditions, dialects, cuisine, art, folk songs, and dances. They are the key to what makes our heart sing with longing. Their songs are the ones the great Gomidas—celibate priest, composer, vocalist, musicologist, and Genocide survivor—collected as he traveled from village to village.
In the cities and towns, however, the old ways are discarded and forgotten as the new are fervently and quickly embraced. Both are good and both are needed, just like grandparents and grandchildren. But in the cities, the people call the villager geghatsee, an unkind way of saying gyughatsee--forgetting that at one time many of them also came from villages, some even from beyond Ani, where there too time kept beat to the rhythm of the land and the people observed the old ways. And in the Diaspora, where time keeps beat to the rhythm of swift change, new ways and things, there too is a lack of kindness towards one.
This April 24th, whether we live in Armenia or the Diaspora, as we gather to honor our martyrs either through a church service, a moment of remembrance, a memorial program, a bouquet of flowers, a lit candle, or a solitary, silent prayer, let us honor them even more by treating each other with kindness. This year, on the occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Genocide of the Armenians, let us begin to strengthen Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora, and let it begin with kindness, embraced with compassion, charity, and unity, so that we too can become the keepers of our traditions, forever merging the old with the new.
----
April 24th and the Ruins of Ani
By Knarik O. Meneshian
A river separates the present from the past. And so I sit here, on a hilltop that overlooks Ani, the ancient, crumbling city of a thousand churches. I look at the ruins before me, so close and yet so far. Unable to touch its stones, I pick some wildflowers and toss them to the sky. It is April 24th--Day of Remembrance for Armenians everywhere. As they solemnly gather, men, women, and children, in churches, centers, and at monuments, with heads bowed in reverence, they pay homage to the 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children--three-quarters of the entire Armenian nation--annihilated in 1915 by the Turkish government in Western or Turkish-occupied Armenia.
Today, here, under the sky of Eastern Armenia, I bow my head in reverence and silent prayer. All around me on this hilltop there is quiet except for the sound of the wind and the gurgling river below. Looking at the ruins and the vast open land before me that leads to Erzerum, Van, Bitlis, Sivas, Kharpert, Diarbekir, Adana and all the other towns and villages that were once Armenian, I think of our martyrs and the horrors they suffered.
I remember looking at reports in the Chicago Daily Tribune—April 29, 1915 - Armenians Flee For Safety ... Turk Soldiers Massacre 800 Christians ... Details From Urmia, Stating Some Were Crucified And Burned Alive ... May 1, 1915 - Recent Massacres In The Whole Region Of Lake Van ... May 6, 1915 - Turks Destroying Villages ... May 8, 1915 - Many Armenian Women Sold As Slaves ... May 18, 1915 - 6,000 In Armenia Slain By Turks—preserved on microfilm, one report after another, describing the slaying of a nation.
And then I remember the times I spoke with some of the survivors who, like my family and I, made Chicago their home: Aristakes of Sepastia, except for a brother, his entire family, including his young bride and unborn child, massacred. Margar of Kharpert, most of his family drowned in the river, like many of the villagers there. Manoushag of Dikranagert, most of her family massacred. Takouhi of Sepastia, her entire family massacred. Vartouhi of Divrig, except for a sister, her entire family massacred…. Even though they came from different towns and villages, they all had the same anguished look in their eyes when they described the atrocities and the brutality of man against man they had witnessed and survived. In rivers, they were drowned. In churches, they were burned. In towns and villages, they were hanged, beheaded, slaughtered, buried alive…. Girls and women were raped and dragged away, forced to worship another god. On parched and dusty roads, of thirst and starvation, they perished. But miraculously, some of them survived.
Today, because of our martyrs and survivors, we Armenians, no matter where we live or who we are, no longer live in fear because of who and what we are--Armenians and Christians. No longer do we hang our heads in servility. Their undying spirit taught us the meaning of courage, determination, perseverance; and the significance of helping one another. For it was in the helping of one another, that enabled those that survived to persevere, whether on the roads and rivers of death, or later in the orphanages.
Looking again at Ani and thinking of the problems here in Armenia and in the Diaspora Armenian communities, I wonder: Are these ancient ruins a symbol of the great culture that once was and can be again, or a harbinger of things to come if we do not take care and nurture what we now have, not only here in Armenia, but in Armenian communities everywhere?
Not far from where I sit, down a meandering, dirt road, a few old houses stand. It is quiet there today, but tomorrow the children will resume their play and the adults their work in this little place beyond the hill where time keeps beat to the rhythm of the land. And like their fathers before them, the people in this remote hamlet observe the old ways like the gyughatsees or villagers before them. For they are the keepers of our traditions, dialects, cuisine, art, folk songs, and dances. They are the key to what makes our heart sing with longing. Their songs are the ones the great Gomidas—celibate priest, composer, vocalist, musicologist, and Genocide survivor—collected as he traveled from village to village.
In the cities and towns, however, the old ways are discarded and forgotten as the new are fervently and quickly embraced. Both are good and both are needed, just like grandparents and grandchildren. But in the cities, the people call the villager geghatsee, an unkind way of saying gyughatsee--forgetting that at one time many of them also came from villages, some even from beyond Ani, where there too time kept beat to the rhythm of the land and the people observed the old ways. And in the Diaspora, where time keeps beat to the rhythm of swift change, new ways and things, there too is a lack of kindness towards one.
This April 24th, whether we live in Armenia or the Diaspora, as we gather to honor our martyrs either through a church service, a moment of remembrance, a memorial program, a bouquet of flowers, a lit candle, or a solitary, silent prayer, let us honor them even more by treating each other with kindness. This year, on the occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Genocide of the Armenians, let us begin to strengthen Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora, and let it begin with kindness, embraced with compassion, charity, and unity, so that we too can become the keepers of our traditions, forever merging the old with the new.
Labels: Social and Cultural, Thoughts and Musings
April 13, 2006
Living in the past
As we approach the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I want to discuss a few points regarding the views Armenians have regarding their own history, and where they expect to go in the future.
Millions of people from what is today considered Eastern Turkey were driven to the four corners of the globe from 1915 until just after the Ottoman Empire’s collapse. The reason why the Armenian Diaspora exists in such magnitude today is a direct result of the Genocide. There are only a handful of Armenians living in the world who were not affected by the Genocide in one way or another. Most lost family members who fell under the sword or from disease and starvation, while thousands others simply fled to Russian-occupied or Eastern Armenia—now the Republic of Armenia—as well as to the Middle East, the United States, and Iran. The Genocide was followed by decades of silence about the tragedy, then gradual discussion, calls for recognition and reparations, and now simply worldwide public acknowledgement, the latter having become an absolute obsession.
The Genocide is now an event for the Armenians. It is the main attraction regarding the Armenians’ identity and legacy. They strive so hard to promote the horrors of their past that they aim to be identified first by their claim to being victims of the “first genocide of the 20th century,” rather than being known for their distinctive culture or, more importantly, their struggle to foster democracy in a new world free from Soviet rule for over 15 years. A search on the Internet reveals that over 2,180,000 results appear for Web sites or Web pages that mention something related to the Armenian Genocide. About 140 such sites are available for near immediate viewing, depending on the Internet connection speed. One popular online Web site, which sells Armenian music, books, gifts, videos, among other things stocks 106 items related to the Genocide, 65 of them being books. There are dozens of titles in the English language alone written by scholars proving the existence of the Genocide with references to detailed memorandums drafted by Ottoman government leaders, official documents, archived photographs, testimonies from survivors, analyses of the intentions for further Turkish expansion or pan-Turanism, surveys of Ottoman domestic as well as foreign policies, and so forth. Notable Armenian writers as well as novices—both in fiction and non-fiction—have begun to capitalize on the Genocide as a revenue generator, publishing books about how the Genocide allegedly affected them psychologically as sons and daughters of survivors. Still others have become historians in their own right, obsessed with finding more and more previously undiscovered (by them) information in any printed or other recorded form related to the Genocide and cataloging it. I have met people who spend all their spare time on such projects. There are countless recordings of music dedicated to the memory of the victims. Art has also been affected, with paintings reflecting impressions the atrocities have left on the artists—most notably shown in Arshile Gorky’s work “The Artist and His Mother.” For the last five years an annual graphic design contest has been held each year for the campaign poster that would best visualize the promotion of Armenian Genocide recognition. Clearly the Genocide is incorporated into various aspects of daily life for many Armenians who are incapable of separating the event from their personas.
In the Boston area alone, where I am from, at least a dozen commemorative events will be held during the next 14 days, including lectures by prominent historians who specialize in the Armenian Genocide, documentary film screenings, a “candlelight march,” solemn ceremonies, art exhibits, and discussion forums, as listed in an emailed calendar of events service to which I subscribe. I daresay that the list is incomplete
Recognition of the Genocide by the US and Turkey long ago became a political movement uniting Armenians around the world in a common struggle, indeed as a way to maintain a sense of identity in environments that invite assimilation, even more so a vehicle than the Armenian Church. Monuments can be found in Armenian communities most everywhere by now. The pilgrimage to the Tsitserakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial every year on April 24 can be compared to that made by thousands of Muslims making their way to the Mecca during Dhu al-Hijjah.
Thus the acceptance of the Armenian Genocide has become a kind of religion, worshiped by attesters and deniers alike. Its acceptance is worshipped in the sense that people still struggle in coming to terms with the understanding that a tragedy occurred of some magnitude and search for limitless knowledge to prove that it did or did not exist. Attesters have unwavering faith in what they are convinced is truth, while deniers seek faith in their convictions that the Genocide is a farce.
New future goals to be accomplished by the Armenians must be defined now so that undertakings can begin, whether or not the Genocide is recognized by the US and Turkey. The Armenians claim that the present-day Turkish government must acknowledge the horrors for which the Ottoman “Young Turk” government was held accountable. But what else do they expect? Talks of mass reparations in the form of financial reimbursement and reclaiming of lands are just that. No nation in the world community fully accepts those claims seriously, including ironically the Armenians. They are not vigilant about pushing other issues—yet to be determined—forward, seemingly resolute only to hear the Turkish government admit to the committal of Genocide by its preceding government. But then? What do the Armenians desire to achieve after that acceptance, and why do they not begin rallying around those goals now? Who is to decide what those goals must be, and who will be responsible for bringing Armenians together to realize them, once again collectively?
The Armenians are so blinded by their past they cannot seem to comprehend that a free, independent republic was founded that needs their undivided attention. Although it may comprise a fraction of the historic Armenian lands, most of which are now part of Turkey and are where most Genocide survivors are from, the Republic of Armenia nevertheless exists. Armenians in their Diaspora use the occupation of their ancestral lands as one of several excuses to ignore Armenia. They protest, albeit validly, that the Armenian government does not grant them the right to citizenship, but they fail to understand that community building as well as civil society development can be carried out by individuals who have the capabilities as well as the resources alongside Armenia’s native citizens. Political divisions, communication barriers, governmental corruption, and ideological differences are also excuses for failing to become actively involved in the proactive development of Armenia, where promoting individual self-sufficiency is perhaps most important. I have long written on these pages that change comes from within, from the bottom up. Not only are the citizens of Armenia responsible for instilling change in their own societies, the entire Armenian society must work towards nation building. It is only natural to do so.
Indeed the past should not be forgotten. But the Armenians have always managed to overcome past tragedies, including loss of statehood, natural disasters of centuries or the recent past, and other devastating atrocities committed against them during the course of their over 2,000 year history. But eventually, the Armenians have to move on to perpetuate their legacy. They need to decide very soon how they want to continue as nation still searching for its identity in the 21st century.
Millions of people from what is today considered Eastern Turkey were driven to the four corners of the globe from 1915 until just after the Ottoman Empire’s collapse. The reason why the Armenian Diaspora exists in such magnitude today is a direct result of the Genocide. There are only a handful of Armenians living in the world who were not affected by the Genocide in one way or another. Most lost family members who fell under the sword or from disease and starvation, while thousands others simply fled to Russian-occupied or Eastern Armenia—now the Republic of Armenia—as well as to the Middle East, the United States, and Iran. The Genocide was followed by decades of silence about the tragedy, then gradual discussion, calls for recognition and reparations, and now simply worldwide public acknowledgement, the latter having become an absolute obsession.
The Genocide is now an event for the Armenians. It is the main attraction regarding the Armenians’ identity and legacy. They strive so hard to promote the horrors of their past that they aim to be identified first by their claim to being victims of the “first genocide of the 20th century,” rather than being known for their distinctive culture or, more importantly, their struggle to foster democracy in a new world free from Soviet rule for over 15 years. A search on the Internet reveals that over 2,180,000 results appear for Web sites or Web pages that mention something related to the Armenian Genocide. About 140 such sites are available for near immediate viewing, depending on the Internet connection speed. One popular online Web site, which sells Armenian music, books, gifts, videos, among other things stocks 106 items related to the Genocide, 65 of them being books. There are dozens of titles in the English language alone written by scholars proving the existence of the Genocide with references to detailed memorandums drafted by Ottoman government leaders, official documents, archived photographs, testimonies from survivors, analyses of the intentions for further Turkish expansion or pan-Turanism, surveys of Ottoman domestic as well as foreign policies, and so forth. Notable Armenian writers as well as novices—both in fiction and non-fiction—have begun to capitalize on the Genocide as a revenue generator, publishing books about how the Genocide allegedly affected them psychologically as sons and daughters of survivors. Still others have become historians in their own right, obsessed with finding more and more previously undiscovered (by them) information in any printed or other recorded form related to the Genocide and cataloging it. I have met people who spend all their spare time on such projects. There are countless recordings of music dedicated to the memory of the victims. Art has also been affected, with paintings reflecting impressions the atrocities have left on the artists—most notably shown in Arshile Gorky’s work “The Artist and His Mother.” For the last five years an annual graphic design contest has been held each year for the campaign poster that would best visualize the promotion of Armenian Genocide recognition. Clearly the Genocide is incorporated into various aspects of daily life for many Armenians who are incapable of separating the event from their personas.
In the Boston area alone, where I am from, at least a dozen commemorative events will be held during the next 14 days, including lectures by prominent historians who specialize in the Armenian Genocide, documentary film screenings, a “candlelight march,” solemn ceremonies, art exhibits, and discussion forums, as listed in an emailed calendar of events service to which I subscribe. I daresay that the list is incomplete
Recognition of the Genocide by the US and Turkey long ago became a political movement uniting Armenians around the world in a common struggle, indeed as a way to maintain a sense of identity in environments that invite assimilation, even more so a vehicle than the Armenian Church. Monuments can be found in Armenian communities most everywhere by now. The pilgrimage to the Tsitserakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial every year on April 24 can be compared to that made by thousands of Muslims making their way to the Mecca during Dhu al-Hijjah.
Thus the acceptance of the Armenian Genocide has become a kind of religion, worshiped by attesters and deniers alike. Its acceptance is worshipped in the sense that people still struggle in coming to terms with the understanding that a tragedy occurred of some magnitude and search for limitless knowledge to prove that it did or did not exist. Attesters have unwavering faith in what they are convinced is truth, while deniers seek faith in their convictions that the Genocide is a farce.
New future goals to be accomplished by the Armenians must be defined now so that undertakings can begin, whether or not the Genocide is recognized by the US and Turkey. The Armenians claim that the present-day Turkish government must acknowledge the horrors for which the Ottoman “Young Turk” government was held accountable. But what else do they expect? Talks of mass reparations in the form of financial reimbursement and reclaiming of lands are just that. No nation in the world community fully accepts those claims seriously, including ironically the Armenians. They are not vigilant about pushing other issues—yet to be determined—forward, seemingly resolute only to hear the Turkish government admit to the committal of Genocide by its preceding government. But then? What do the Armenians desire to achieve after that acceptance, and why do they not begin rallying around those goals now? Who is to decide what those goals must be, and who will be responsible for bringing Armenians together to realize them, once again collectively?
The Armenians are so blinded by their past they cannot seem to comprehend that a free, independent republic was founded that needs their undivided attention. Although it may comprise a fraction of the historic Armenian lands, most of which are now part of Turkey and are where most Genocide survivors are from, the Republic of Armenia nevertheless exists. Armenians in their Diaspora use the occupation of their ancestral lands as one of several excuses to ignore Armenia. They protest, albeit validly, that the Armenian government does not grant them the right to citizenship, but they fail to understand that community building as well as civil society development can be carried out by individuals who have the capabilities as well as the resources alongside Armenia’s native citizens. Political divisions, communication barriers, governmental corruption, and ideological differences are also excuses for failing to become actively involved in the proactive development of Armenia, where promoting individual self-sufficiency is perhaps most important. I have long written on these pages that change comes from within, from the bottom up. Not only are the citizens of Armenia responsible for instilling change in their own societies, the entire Armenian society must work towards nation building. It is only natural to do so.
Indeed the past should not be forgotten. But the Armenians have always managed to overcome past tragedies, including loss of statehood, natural disasters of centuries or the recent past, and other devastating atrocities committed against them during the course of their over 2,000 year history. But eventually, the Armenians have to move on to perpetuate their legacy. They need to decide very soon how they want to continue as nation still searching for its identity in the 21st century.
Labels: Social and Cultural, Thoughts and Musings
April 7, 2006
What could happen when the border opens
There have been many discussions on the Armenian blogsphere recently as well as some information revealed in news reports regarding the reopening of the Turkish Armenian border, which has been closed since 1993. The basic arguments for opening the border are that it will open Armenia’s marketplace fully to that of Europe, it will further develop Armenia’s economy since a direct link for the import of Turkish goods will be created rather than an indirect, yet efficient route through Georgia, and that exports from Armenia will increase once investors from other countries start opening factories there. Although I do believe that Armenia will become better integrated with European markets, I am very skeptical about Turkish-Armenian long-term relations—economic and, more importantly, cultural. Nevertheless, the border eventually opening is a reality, whether sooner or later no one knows. I have expressed concerns about the border issue on this blog and as comments on others, but I have not been able to generate as much debate on the topic as I hoped. When the Turkish-Armenian border opens, most likely within the next three years (by 2010 the very latest in my opinion), I imagine the following future scenario for Armenia:
After five years: The Armenian economy seems to be developing at a significantly faster pace than it was when the border was still closed, but not as much as many predicted. Turkish goods, including foodstuffs, construction materials, domestic goods, and clothing—which were all in plentiful supply before the border opened—are available in every shop throughout the capital city and in every region of Armenia with virtually no shortages. In regional towns spacious modern markets have been built, selling exclusively Turkish products at low costs, lower than they have ever been. The prestige surrounding anything produced or designed by German ingenuity has been replaced by Turkish import power as well as consumer confidence. Most consumers regard Turkish goods as being of exceptionally high quality, although they are still inferior to European products, now in short supply due to their higher prices.
After seven years: Armenian companies producing foodstuffs are rapidly shutting down. Those that stay open only produce goods for export to primarily to Russia and countries in the West as highly affordable Turkish goods have now completely saturated the domestic marketplace. Armenian companies simply cannot compete with the costs of goods produced by their Turkish counterparts. Even bread is being produced just over the border, as manufacturers understand that they can save up to five drams or more per piece regardless of transportation costs.
After 10 years: Turkish foodstuffs are found in all Armenian homes, and occasionally European delicacies like biscuits and chocolate are also consumed. As many Turkish goods as well as those coming through Turkey from the West are laden with artificial ingredients, fillers, and chemicals, an unprecedented amount of serious health problems including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even cancer can be found throughout the Armenian population. Although extreme poverty has decreased because extremely cheap foodstuffs are everywhere, such medical problems are appearing in remote places where they didn’t occur before. No food products are made in Armenia any longer aside from processed sunflower seeds.
After 15 years: The costs of inflation are hurting consumers. Prices have increased sharply over the last few years, as much as 10 percent, and in some cases even more. Most everything that Armenians need for basic survival—food, clothing, and construction materials—is coming from or through Turkey. Armenians who still smoke enjoy Turkish cigarettes, as Armenia’s tobacco companies were long ago bought out by Turkish investors and their operations were either shut down or converted to produce Turkish brands. Anything made in other European countries—Turkey by now is a member of the European Union—costs nearly twice as much as Turkish, or rather domestically produced goods. There is a considerably large working class, and they toil in newly constructed Turkish-financed factories producing similar goods Armenians can buy at market but made for export only.
After 25 years: By now Turks and Armenians have thoroughly integrated with one another in society. Turks once again after being away from their native homes in Yerevan for well over 100 years have returned and have bought homes throughout Central and Greater Yerevan for virtually the same price or in some cases far less than their Armenian owners paid for them in 2005 to 2008 (between $60,000-300,000).
There is little to no distinction between Armenian and Turkish music aside from the language in which songs are sung. Occasionally debates arise as to what constitutes pure Armenian or Turkish music, but no one can really decide. Sayat Nova has been proven by historians to be of Georgian descent. The duduk is widely accepted to have ancient Azeri Turkish roots, although Armenians still hold wavering claim to the instrument. Several mosques have been built throughout the country—at least one in all major cities and towns including Gyumri (highly populated by Turks), Vanadzor, Alaverdi, Ararat, Kapan, and even Meghri. Mosques are commonplace in Nagorno Karabagh as it is inhabited primarily by Azeris, most Armenians having left long ago. St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral was sold and converted into a mosque a few years after the border was opened—the Catholicos of All Armenians purportedly made millions in the deal.
It is not uncommon or unnatural for Armenian woman to marry Turkish men and become Muslim, as it has become the fashion to do so. The second language taught in most schools nationwide is Turkish, preceded by Russian. Armenian schools still exist but are not common. Most people, especially the youth, speak a mixture of Russian and Turkish, although many people considered purists and who are occasionally mocked by society still speak Armenian (although sprinkled with Russian words—some habits die hard).
Few Armenians have resettled in their historic “Western Armenian” lands, aside from in Trebizond and along the Mediterranean coastline, as they have become prestigious hot spots for living and vacationing. Some Armenian businessmen are making millions in those areas in real estate and by selling used German or French automobiles. Yachts are also being sold in high numbers.
Turkey has total influence on the government of Armenia, now considered to be a puppet state. Armenia long ago abandoned economic and military dependence on the old, matted-furred Russian bear. The Russians have sold their interests in Armenia’s energy sector to the Turks. Many parliament members are of Turkish decent—some claim to be ethnically Armenian as their ancestors supposedly were born in Eastern Turkey centuries ago. Armenian political parties are very few in number. The ones that had endured decades or even more than a century in leading their dedicated life-long supporters have long ago died out, when the Armenian Genocide was finally officially acknowledged by the Turkish government just days before the border opened, and their party members no longer had anything else to do.
After 50 years: Turkish troops occupy Yerevan. Armenia is under complete, strict Turkish military control. The Armenian government is forced to succumb to Ankara’s pressure to fall. Armenians nationwide are ecstatic, praying that the day would come. Pro-Turkey fanatics begin to burn the Armenian tri-color flag on the streets of Yerevan, predominantly in Republic Square (now called Ataturk Square). The Republic of Armenia is no longer.
After 75 years: The Turkish Federation stretches from just beyond the Bosporus Straits to the Caspian Sea. Most South Caucasian regions, including Armenia, Nakhichevan, Karabagh, and Azerbaijan, have united to become a part of the great emerging power (Georgia had already become a commonwealth of the United States after a decades-long power struggle with Russia). Armenians are a predominantly Muslim people who speak fluent Turkish, some also speak Russian and English, while older generations still remember how to read and write Armenian. Most Armenian churches have become converted into luxury homes and barbeque restaurants, but freedom of religion exists and some still attend the few churches that remain. Armenians and Turks live very happily and peacefully together, like centuries-old allies. Everyone is thankful that the border between Armenia and Turkey opened 75 years beforehand, and their lives are much better now that they are Turkish citizens. Opening the border paved the way for that to happen.
After 100 years: The words “Armenian” and “Armenia” are chiefly found in history textbooks in schools and universities throughout Europe as well as around the world, not to mention on the Internet. The Armenian language has become defunct, although it remains spoken in a few sects and obscure villages. However, Armenian culture still thrives in parts of Georgia, notably Tbilisi, where it has undergone a renaissance, although Armenians speak English there. To distinguish between various Turkish peoples, there are now Armenian Turks and Azeri Turks, although those classifications are becoming obsolete. There is no such thing as an “Armenian Diaspora.”
This may sound like a demented fantasy to most readers, but there is a chance that a few of these things I described may happen at the rate things are going in world politics. I am especially concerned about the current trend in the melting of cultures and that Armenians run a great risk of loosing their own identities, the same they have been fostering for centuries. I doubt that Armenians really weigh scenarios about what could occur in their future very much, probably because it doesn’t matter to them per se. They generally do not have a long-term vision as a nation about where they should go in terms of achieving a lasting statehood. The focus has been on the present, and not on finding the means to face the difficult challenges that lay ahead.
But come on, really, why oppose the border with Turkey being opened? There is plenty of money to be made. Let it open. A free, open border will be good for Armenia’s economy, as a common land link will be established for trade, imported stuff will be cheaper, tourism will increase, etc., etc. It will be wonderful, just wonderful. At last Armenians will truly be able to call Mount Ararat their own….
Labels: Thoughts and Musings
April 5, 2006
Armenian logic loses out
In an unexpected turn of events, it seems that logic beat out Armenian logic when the speaker of parliament, Artur Bagdasaryan, announced that Channel 1 will continue to broadcast sessions of parliament despite a bid from the station's management to stop doing so. Armenia Liberty reports that:
This is good news. People need to be informed about what issues lawmakers are deliberating on. They need continue to see, not hear about or read, what is actually going on when parliament is in session. And then next year just before the parliamentary elections they can decide with confidence who to vote for and why. Here's hoping that their elections will be free and fair.
In a separate development, speaker Baghdasarian announced that leaders of the Armenian parliament’s pro-Kocharian majority have decided to reject state television’s calls for an end to the prime-time broadcasts of some of the parliament sessions regularly featuring opposition attacks on the government. The chairman of the Kocharian-controlled Armenian Public Television and Radio, Aleksan Harutiunian, said recently that legal provisions mandating those broadcasts counter to European standards for press freedom.
But according to Baghdasarian, the parliament majority thinks otherwise. “Considering that this is a pre-election year and that various kinds of speculations, whether justified or unjustified, could be made, we unanimously decided to keep things unchanged,” the speaker told a news conference.
This is good news. People need to be informed about what issues lawmakers are deliberating on. They need continue to see, not hear about or read, what is actually going on when parliament is in session. And then next year just before the parliamentary elections they can decide with confidence who to vote for and why. Here's hoping that their elections will be free and fair.
Labels: Politics
April 3, 2006
Still looking for a home
Although I began to think it was a silly notion to consider purchasing a home given today’s obscenely inflated real estate market in Yerevan, my wife and I are still looking around. On Friday we saw a home located on Marshal Baghramyan Avenue that has huge potential. The apartment is situated in a Stalin-era building, set on a hill and inwards from the street so that traffic noise is subdued. It has two balconies, front and rear, the front having a spectacular view of the city, the rear having enough room to set up a barbeque grill and a small picnic table. It is considered a two-room apartment, although there is a possibility to make it a four-room flat. The reason being is that the roof is pitched. Just below the rear portion of the roof lies a small storage attic-like area, which can apparently be fairly easily squared off without much fuss to make it functional. The same apparently can be done with the front of the apartment--assuming that Yerevan’s architectural department approves the construction after a close, hopefully very brief and mutually beneficial consultation with them, as confirmed by my real estate broker. It is difficult, sometimes impossible to do anything related to real estate without “making a donation” to someone, putting it mildly. In fact if the donation is sizable, you can do virtually anything you want. The owner of the fifth-floor apartment in the section of the building where the apartment I rent is situated is making a sixth floor, and will supposedly install a private elevator on one of the building's exterior walls.
Anyway, the building containing the apartment we are interested in is situated in an area void of curb-to-curb asphalt and wall-to-wall apartment projects. Grass actually grows in areas around the building, as well as trees that have not undergone pollarding as of yet. There’s also a small park with a gazebo-type structure and benches where people can play chess or eat lunch. The building is about 50 years old but it is solid, with no evidence of cracked foundations or crumbing cement as can be seen on most post Stalin-era buildings.
But like all the apartments I have looked at, much renovation has to be done. This place can be considered retro—the bathroom has all the original fixtures intact but in remarkably good condition compared to others I have seen. Both the kitchen and bathroom have an odd rectangular porcelain coated basin for a sink with a single faucet. The stove and refrigerator are relatively new—only about 20 years old. But the apartment’s hardwood floors need to be replaced completely, as the short, narrow planks that meet in triangular vertical rows are all dried out and are wobbling in their grooves. The electrical wiring is intact but does not seem to have been altered in anyway—in each room two intertwined plastic-coated wires come out from the base of the wall and climb up the side in a straight vertical line to meet an antique light switch, or else curve at a perfect 90 degree angle to continue towards the mid-point of a room’s ceiling and join with an overhanging lamp. The wallpaper in each room seems to be original, and all of it has to be peeled, then the walls washed down to remove decades of dirt and dust. Yet the place has great potential.
The problem is I’m having problems coming up with the money to make an offer on the place. Banks in Armenia do offer home loans, with a 7-10 year payment plan and an annual percentage rate of 12-15%, depending on the bank. The minimum required down payment is 30 percent. Needless to say, obtaining a mortgage with these conditions is in no way an option. Unfortunately I have never understood nor embraced the pleasures of capitalism from when I was in my mid-20s up until now, so there are no Internet or other technology-related stocks and no fixed assets to sell off.
Basically I am exploring as many options as possible in order to sit at the table and make an offer. There are offshore banks out there but I doubt they will be able to help me out, since you need capital in order to obtain more capital. The banks in the US laughed at me a couple of years ago when I asked about a personal loan for more than $1,000, despite my excellent credit history. And although I have heard a rumor about a special plan offered for people who wish to invest in real estate in Armenia with US interest rates, I don’t have the details thus far.
If anyone knows of some kind of fund or trust out there for young diasporan Armenians who made the sacrifice to work and live in the homeland and want to buy a home, I’d love to hear about it.
Anyway, the building containing the apartment we are interested in is situated in an area void of curb-to-curb asphalt and wall-to-wall apartment projects. Grass actually grows in areas around the building, as well as trees that have not undergone pollarding as of yet. There’s also a small park with a gazebo-type structure and benches where people can play chess or eat lunch. The building is about 50 years old but it is solid, with no evidence of cracked foundations or crumbing cement as can be seen on most post Stalin-era buildings.
But like all the apartments I have looked at, much renovation has to be done. This place can be considered retro—the bathroom has all the original fixtures intact but in remarkably good condition compared to others I have seen. Both the kitchen and bathroom have an odd rectangular porcelain coated basin for a sink with a single faucet. The stove and refrigerator are relatively new—only about 20 years old. But the apartment’s hardwood floors need to be replaced completely, as the short, narrow planks that meet in triangular vertical rows are all dried out and are wobbling in their grooves. The electrical wiring is intact but does not seem to have been altered in anyway—in each room two intertwined plastic-coated wires come out from the base of the wall and climb up the side in a straight vertical line to meet an antique light switch, or else curve at a perfect 90 degree angle to continue towards the mid-point of a room’s ceiling and join with an overhanging lamp. The wallpaper in each room seems to be original, and all of it has to be peeled, then the walls washed down to remove decades of dirt and dust. Yet the place has great potential.
The problem is I’m having problems coming up with the money to make an offer on the place. Banks in Armenia do offer home loans, with a 7-10 year payment plan and an annual percentage rate of 12-15%, depending on the bank. The minimum required down payment is 30 percent. Needless to say, obtaining a mortgage with these conditions is in no way an option. Unfortunately I have never understood nor embraced the pleasures of capitalism from when I was in my mid-20s up until now, so there are no Internet or other technology-related stocks and no fixed assets to sell off.
Basically I am exploring as many options as possible in order to sit at the table and make an offer. There are offshore banks out there but I doubt they will be able to help me out, since you need capital in order to obtain more capital. The banks in the US laughed at me a couple of years ago when I asked about a personal loan for more than $1,000, despite my excellent credit history. And although I have heard a rumor about a special plan offered for people who wish to invest in real estate in Armenia with US interest rates, I don’t have the details thus far.
If anyone knows of some kind of fund or trust out there for young diasporan Armenians who made the sacrifice to work and live in the homeland and want to buy a home, I’d love to hear about it.
Labels: Personal Experiences
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