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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Aug 13 2013
ARMENIANS IN TURKEY ASK FOR HELP FROM STATE TO DETERMINE POPULATION SIZE
13 August 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
An Armenian foundation in Turkey has requested the state's list of
Armenians, who, it was recently revealed, were given a code designation
of the number two by the state in a confidential coding system, so
that the exact number of Armenian voters can be determined for the
foundation's upcoming general election.
A recent scandal rose to the top of the national agenda when an
official response to a query accidentally revealed that the state
has been classifying and assigning official codes to its non-Muslim
citizens. Earlier this month it became evident from the Education
Ministry response to a query that non-Muslim minorities in Turkey
were being monitored and categorized based on their ethnicity. They
were also assigned a code number based on their identity in a practice
that dates back to the establishment of the republic.
According to an Agos daily report published in early August, since
1923, Armenians, Greeks and Jews have been given code numbers in
official correspondence between government institutions. A letter sent
by the Ä°stanbul Directorate of National Education to its Å~^iÅ~_li
branch indicates that Armenian citizens are given the code number
two. Greeks are given the number one and Jews the number three in
the system.
The Boyacıköy Surp Yerits Mangants Armenian Church Foundation has
requested that the state share its demographic data regarding Armenians
in Ä°stanbul in order to be able to determine the exact number of
voters for the foundation's upcoming election. Speaking to the Taraf
daily, Nazaret Ozsahakyan, head of foundation, said that the Armenian
community is not well informed of the exact demographic data on the
Armenian population, but it has recently been proven that the state
has detailed information about the Armenian people living in Turkey.
Ozsahakyan said that her foundation recently filed a petition with the
Ä°stanbul Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs
asking that the state share the data regarding its citizens given
the two code -- Armenians. Stating that they need the state figures
for their election, Ozsahakyan said: "When we hold an election in a
certain region, it is very easy because we know most of the Armenians
living in that region. We can easily register them on voter lists.
However, when we hold a general election across Ä°stanbul, it is
impossible to know every Armenian living in the city. Therefore, we
need the information that the state has about Armenians in Ä°stanbul."
Highlighting that the data that the Ä°stanbul directorate has been
asked to share has sociological value for them, Ozsahakyan says:
"We will have an important database for our demographic research. For
example, we can research what percentage of Armenians is young or old
and how many of them are married or single, thanks to this database."
The response to the coding scandal has been immense, with community
leaders and intellectuals condemning the numbering system. Despite
the outrage, however, not a single government member made a statement
denouncing the system. There were also reports on Aug. 2 that other
groups were similarly categorized. Radikal reported on Aug. 2 on its
website that Syriacs were assigned the number four and there was a
fifth category for "Other."
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-323416-armenians-in-turkey-ask-for-help-from-state-to-determine-population-size.html
Aug 13 2013
ARMENIANS IN TURKEY ASK FOR HELP FROM STATE TO DETERMINE POPULATION SIZE
13 August 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, Ä°STANBUL
An Armenian foundation in Turkey has requested the state's list of
Armenians, who, it was recently revealed, were given a code designation
of the number two by the state in a confidential coding system, so
that the exact number of Armenian voters can be determined for the
foundation's upcoming general election.
A recent scandal rose to the top of the national agenda when an
official response to a query accidentally revealed that the state
has been classifying and assigning official codes to its non-Muslim
citizens. Earlier this month it became evident from the Education
Ministry response to a query that non-Muslim minorities in Turkey
were being monitored and categorized based on their ethnicity. They
were also assigned a code number based on their identity in a practice
that dates back to the establishment of the republic.
According to an Agos daily report published in early August, since
1923, Armenians, Greeks and Jews have been given code numbers in
official correspondence between government institutions. A letter sent
by the Ä°stanbul Directorate of National Education to its Å~^iÅ~_li
branch indicates that Armenian citizens are given the code number
two. Greeks are given the number one and Jews the number three in
the system.
The Boyacıköy Surp Yerits Mangants Armenian Church Foundation has
requested that the state share its demographic data regarding Armenians
in Ä°stanbul in order to be able to determine the exact number of
voters for the foundation's upcoming election. Speaking to the Taraf
daily, Nazaret Ozsahakyan, head of foundation, said that the Armenian
community is not well informed of the exact demographic data on the
Armenian population, but it has recently been proven that the state
has detailed information about the Armenian people living in Turkey.
Ozsahakyan said that her foundation recently filed a petition with the
Ä°stanbul Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs
asking that the state share the data regarding its citizens given
the two code -- Armenians. Stating that they need the state figures
for their election, Ozsahakyan said: "When we hold an election in a
certain region, it is very easy because we know most of the Armenians
living in that region. We can easily register them on voter lists.
However, when we hold a general election across Ä°stanbul, it is
impossible to know every Armenian living in the city. Therefore, we
need the information that the state has about Armenians in Ä°stanbul."
Highlighting that the data that the Ä°stanbul directorate has been
asked to share has sociological value for them, Ozsahakyan says:
"We will have an important database for our demographic research. For
example, we can research what percentage of Armenians is young or old
and how many of them are married or single, thanks to this database."
The response to the coding scandal has been immense, with community
leaders and intellectuals condemning the numbering system. Despite
the outrage, however, not a single government member made a statement
denouncing the system. There were also reports on Aug. 2 that other
groups were similarly categorized. Radikal reported on Aug. 2 on its
website that Syriacs were assigned the number four and there was a
fifth category for "Other."
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-323416-armenians-in-turkey-ask-for-help-from-state-to-determine-population-size.html