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ISTANBUL PATRIARCHATE DOES NOT ACCEPT DISGUISED ARMENIANS
Karine Ionesyan
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/society/view/28185
The assassinated editor-in-chief of the Agos Newspaper Hrant Dink's
cause to achieve freedom to utter the phrase "Armenian genocide"
partly came true after his death when 200,000 people went on protest
on the day of Dink's funeral.
The editor-in-chief of the Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Robert
Koptas says formerly Article 301 of the Turkish criminal code penalized
utterance of the word "genocide" (Turkish identity). Now people have
more freedom to express their opinion because now the order of the
minister of justice is required to hold a person responsible.
"There was pressure when Hrant Dink was alive because he had been the
target since 2004. A campaign started against him that he is anti-Turk
but in the past 4-5 years we have not undergone pressure. There are
nationalistic newspapers which publish nihilistic articles on our
activities but these newspapers are published for a small percentage
of people. However, I should say that nationalism in Turkey is strong,
there is always pressure on the Armenians. However, we will continue
to tell about the past history and life of the Armenians, and all
the Armenians want today is peace," Koptas says.
It is not easy to run an Armenian newspaper in Turkey. Other newspapers
survive on commercials of big companies, whereas only small companies
work with the Agos. Big companies confess that publishing commercials
in the Agos is beneficial but they do not want their name to feature
in the newspaper to avoid further trouble. Despite endless financial
problems the Agos is published in 4500 copies, the audience is both
Armenians and Turks.
"Turks read it because the newspaper presents an independent opinion
on the affairs in Turkey. As regards the freedom of press, there are
about 60 reporters in Turkish prisons. There are pro-Armenian Turks
who recognize the history of Armenians. There are people who are not
nationalistic and like and respect the Agos. The Armenians living in
Tigranakert, Malatia and other remote towns are looking forward to
the fresh newspaper because we report on the Armenians, the Armenian
issue, the Armenians living among Turks, the Diaspora," Koptas says.
The purpose of the newspaper is to have Turkey succeed in democratic
transition and recognize the Armenian genocide.
"An average Turk grows up on propaganda and is used to thinking that
Turks are not criminals, there was no genocide, the Armenians were
traitors and were punished for that. If you use a tough style, they
will not listen to you because you are an Armenian traitor to them.
Therefore our strategy is a softer language intended to create question
marks in their heads," he says.
Koptas says no negative change has been noticed in Turkey since the
halt in the Armenian-Turkish talks. "It is important to have schools
open, the conditions of public bodies should be better, and the
issue of the obtained national possessions is important the number of
which is 1500 which must be returned to ensure that the community gets
income. The community must be healthy and strong, Turkish Armenians are
not Diaspora Armenians like Iranian or Tbilisi Armenians. We are not
immigrants, we are the continuation of the great past," Koptas says.
Koptas says about 15,000 Armenians have moved to Turkey from Armenia.
Politicians tend to exaggerate this number to 100,000, the
editor-in-chief of the Agos says. Koptas notes that Turks need the
Armenians from Armenia, and the police has been instructed not to
mix with the affairs of Armenians to use them for political ends
when necessary. However, Koptas is sorry to confess that the local
Armenians cannot come to terms with Armenians who have moved from
Armenia. The main reason is language and cultural differences.
"The Armenians who have moved from Armenia are perceived as thieves,
and we are trying to change this perception. We often publish reports
on Armenians living in Istanbul but the community does not have
special connections to promote the solutions of issues of Armenians.
Last year about 80 Armenian children were allowed to attend an
Armenian school with Turkish methods of teaching. We also studied in
such schools," Koptas says.
Armenians from Armenia are mainly employed in trade, care for the
elderly, children and sick people, as well as prostitution.
They mostly do low-pay jobs, earning about 600-700 dollars a month. As
to public service, there is an unwritten law not to recruit Armenians.
There is a possibility for growth only in universities, Koptas says.
The editor of the Armenian section of the Agos Bagrat Yestukyan says
the Azeris and Armenians living in Turkey are treated in the same way,
sometimes they may even prefer Armenian employees to Azeris.
"The local Armenians are not quite enthusiastic about the Armenians,
Turks dislike Kurds, Kurds dislike other nationalities, and so on.
They dislike one another but live side by side. The picture is
controversial," he says.
The newspaper often criticizes the Armenian patriarchate for not
allowing disguised Armenians to convert to Christianity and get an
Armenian name and surname.
"Sometimes they are baptized in an Assyrian church and become
Assyrians because our church creates trouble for them. Meanwhile,
the Assyrian church accepts anyone, and the person who goes there does
not care for Armenians or Assyrians, all he wants is to be Christian,"
Yestukyan says.
The Agos will soon have a weekly program on the radio which will
be broadcast on one of the Turkish radio stations. During half an
hour their points of view on the Turkish issues will be presented,
and ten minutes will be provided for teaching Armenian.
Karine Ionesyan
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/society/view/28185
The assassinated editor-in-chief of the Agos Newspaper Hrant Dink's
cause to achieve freedom to utter the phrase "Armenian genocide"
partly came true after his death when 200,000 people went on protest
on the day of Dink's funeral.
The editor-in-chief of the Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Robert
Koptas says formerly Article 301 of the Turkish criminal code penalized
utterance of the word "genocide" (Turkish identity). Now people have
more freedom to express their opinion because now the order of the
minister of justice is required to hold a person responsible.
"There was pressure when Hrant Dink was alive because he had been the
target since 2004. A campaign started against him that he is anti-Turk
but in the past 4-5 years we have not undergone pressure. There are
nationalistic newspapers which publish nihilistic articles on our
activities but these newspapers are published for a small percentage
of people. However, I should say that nationalism in Turkey is strong,
there is always pressure on the Armenians. However, we will continue
to tell about the past history and life of the Armenians, and all
the Armenians want today is peace," Koptas says.
It is not easy to run an Armenian newspaper in Turkey. Other newspapers
survive on commercials of big companies, whereas only small companies
work with the Agos. Big companies confess that publishing commercials
in the Agos is beneficial but they do not want their name to feature
in the newspaper to avoid further trouble. Despite endless financial
problems the Agos is published in 4500 copies, the audience is both
Armenians and Turks.
"Turks read it because the newspaper presents an independent opinion
on the affairs in Turkey. As regards the freedom of press, there are
about 60 reporters in Turkish prisons. There are pro-Armenian Turks
who recognize the history of Armenians. There are people who are not
nationalistic and like and respect the Agos. The Armenians living in
Tigranakert, Malatia and other remote towns are looking forward to
the fresh newspaper because we report on the Armenians, the Armenian
issue, the Armenians living among Turks, the Diaspora," Koptas says.
The purpose of the newspaper is to have Turkey succeed in democratic
transition and recognize the Armenian genocide.
"An average Turk grows up on propaganda and is used to thinking that
Turks are not criminals, there was no genocide, the Armenians were
traitors and were punished for that. If you use a tough style, they
will not listen to you because you are an Armenian traitor to them.
Therefore our strategy is a softer language intended to create question
marks in their heads," he says.
Koptas says no negative change has been noticed in Turkey since the
halt in the Armenian-Turkish talks. "It is important to have schools
open, the conditions of public bodies should be better, and the
issue of the obtained national possessions is important the number of
which is 1500 which must be returned to ensure that the community gets
income. The community must be healthy and strong, Turkish Armenians are
not Diaspora Armenians like Iranian or Tbilisi Armenians. We are not
immigrants, we are the continuation of the great past," Koptas says.
Koptas says about 15,000 Armenians have moved to Turkey from Armenia.
Politicians tend to exaggerate this number to 100,000, the
editor-in-chief of the Agos says. Koptas notes that Turks need the
Armenians from Armenia, and the police has been instructed not to
mix with the affairs of Armenians to use them for political ends
when necessary. However, Koptas is sorry to confess that the local
Armenians cannot come to terms with Armenians who have moved from
Armenia. The main reason is language and cultural differences.
"The Armenians who have moved from Armenia are perceived as thieves,
and we are trying to change this perception. We often publish reports
on Armenians living in Istanbul but the community does not have
special connections to promote the solutions of issues of Armenians.
Last year about 80 Armenian children were allowed to attend an
Armenian school with Turkish methods of teaching. We also studied in
such schools," Koptas says.
Armenians from Armenia are mainly employed in trade, care for the
elderly, children and sick people, as well as prostitution.
They mostly do low-pay jobs, earning about 600-700 dollars a month. As
to public service, there is an unwritten law not to recruit Armenians.
There is a possibility for growth only in universities, Koptas says.
The editor of the Armenian section of the Agos Bagrat Yestukyan says
the Azeris and Armenians living in Turkey are treated in the same way,
sometimes they may even prefer Armenian employees to Azeris.
"The local Armenians are not quite enthusiastic about the Armenians,
Turks dislike Kurds, Kurds dislike other nationalities, and so on.
They dislike one another but live side by side. The picture is
controversial," he says.
The newspaper often criticizes the Armenian patriarchate for not
allowing disguised Armenians to convert to Christianity and get an
Armenian name and surname.
"Sometimes they are baptized in an Assyrian church and become
Assyrians because our church creates trouble for them. Meanwhile,
the Assyrian church accepts anyone, and the person who goes there does
not care for Armenians or Assyrians, all he wants is to be Christian,"
Yestukyan says.
The Agos will soon have a weekly program on the radio which will
be broadcast on one of the Turkish radio stations. During half an
hour their points of view on the Turkish issues will be presented,
and ten minutes will be provided for teaching Armenian.