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FRENCH FORCED ARMENIANS OUT OF CILICIA IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY - HABERTURK
news.am, Armenia
Oct 10 2011
ANKARA. - Head of Armenian Studies Desk at Turkish Historical Society
Professor Kemal Cicek published a letter in Haberturk drawn from U.S.
archives and dated on October 4, 1920. The document contains
description of violence exerted on Armenians by French military troops
after the Treaty of Sevres.
According to the publication, the President of American Committee for
Armenian Independence Arshag Mahdesian wrote to U.S. President Woodrow
Wilson, attaching a letter of an Armenian priest from Izmir. American
Armenians complained that after the Treaty of Sevres the French have
deported 100 thousand Armenians from Cilicia and resettling Turks on
their lands.
"The French forced 14 thousand Armenians out of the refugee camps.
When the Armenian refugees refused to comply with the demand, French
officers threatened to turn machine guns on them. The Armenian
National Union intervened and the French postponed the execution of
their orders," reads the letter.
The Turkish professor says Armenians and Frenchmen conquered Cilicia
together with the aim of creating an Armenian kingdom, however the
French turned their weapons against Armenians, forcing them disarm
and leave.
"In the course of history France used Armenians for its own ends. This
is true even for today," said Cicek.
photo of document at http://news.am/eng/news/77362.html
news.am, Armenia
Oct 10 2011
ANKARA. - Head of Armenian Studies Desk at Turkish Historical Society
Professor Kemal Cicek published a letter in Haberturk drawn from U.S.
archives and dated on October 4, 1920. The document contains
description of violence exerted on Armenians by French military troops
after the Treaty of Sevres.
According to the publication, the President of American Committee for
Armenian Independence Arshag Mahdesian wrote to U.S. President Woodrow
Wilson, attaching a letter of an Armenian priest from Izmir. American
Armenians complained that after the Treaty of Sevres the French have
deported 100 thousand Armenians from Cilicia and resettling Turks on
their lands.
"The French forced 14 thousand Armenians out of the refugee camps.
When the Armenian refugees refused to comply with the demand, French
officers threatened to turn machine guns on them. The Armenian
National Union intervened and the French postponed the execution of
their orders," reads the letter.
The Turkish professor says Armenians and Frenchmen conquered Cilicia
together with the aim of creating an Armenian kingdom, however the
French turned their weapons against Armenians, forcing them disarm
and leave.
"In the course of history France used Armenians for its own ends. This
is true even for today," said Cicek.
photo of document at http://news.am/eng/news/77362.html