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ON POLITICAL VIEW OF THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN SYRIA
06.05.2013
Vahram Hovyan
Expert, Center for Armenian Studies, "Noravank" Foundation
Events in Syria are of some interest for the Armenian academic and
analytical circles not only in the aspect of regional and geopolitical
changes which will also influence Armenia, but also for the reasons
of safety of the Armenian community in Syria.
According to the official data the number of the Armenian community
before the Syrian crisis was 100 thousand people. According to
non-official data its number was more modest - 60-70 thousand.
Despite its size the Armenian community in Syria is one of the
most organized and established communities in the Diaspora. It is
considered to be the central community of the Diaspora due to its
early formation and geographic proximity to the motherland. Being
one of the oldest ethnic groups in Syria, Armenian community could
not but express its attitude towards the current crisis. Its stance
has two plains of manifestation - practical and theoretical.
1. Political stance of the Armenian community in Syria regarding the
Syrian domestic political conflict in practical plain is reduced to
the positive neutrality;
2. In the theoretical plain the issue is reduced to the political
affiliations of the Armenian community.
Political affiliations of the Armenian community in Syria under the
current Syrian crisis throw light on challenges it faces.
Positive neutrality
The managing organizations of the Armenian community till now try to
hold it away from the direct involvement in the Syrian crisis. But
being the citizens of Syria and inseparable part of the society of
this country, the Armenians could not stay indifferent to the events.
Correspondingly, the positive neutrality was the optimal approach.
Officially this approach was manifested in the joint statement made
by the heads of three Armenian confession communities - head of the
Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Shahan Sarkisian, head of the Berian
Dioceses of the Armenian Catholic Church Archbishop Petros Mariatian
and head of the Armenian Evangelical community in Syria Rev.
Haroutioun Selimian.
The peculiarity of the positive neutrality is that it supposes
not only rejection of support of any side in this conflict but
it also implies contribution to the settlement of the conflict and
setting peace. According to the content of the joint statement of the
representatives of the three Armenian churches, the positive neutrality
of the Armenian community is Syria under the current Syrian crisis
is reduced to the following four points:
1. Staying off the armed conflict. For the Syrian Armenians it is
obvious that involvement in the armed conflict on one of the sides
will prejudice against them the other side, thus stirring their
hostility. And this imperils the security of the Armenian community.
Thus, being against the bloodshed and terror, the Armenian community
supports neither authorities, nor opposition in this domestic war1.
So, "... all the attempts to mire the Syrian Armenians in the combat
actions in Syria are doomed to failure"2.
2. Denial of violence. For the Armenian community in Syria the violence
in political struggle is unacceptable, especially when it leads to the
fratricidal wars and mass distructions and victims. Such an approach
is also based on the interests of the Syrian Armenians.
Even not being directly mired in the conflict the Armenians in Syria
still continue to feel its negative effects. Under the constant
fights, explosions, bombardments, anarchy and chaos the Armenian
community has suffered considerable losses for recent two years -
about 60 people were killed, many wounded, much harm is done to the
private (house, stores, etc.) and community (church, school, etc.)
property of the Syrian Armenians. Thousands of Armenians (according
to some figures about one third of them) left the country.
Therefore, under the current Syrian crisis, "the Armenian community
is totally against any atrocity and bloodshed and, undoubtedly,
it will continue to deny any violence and military encounters"3.
3. Protection of peace. The Armenians in Syria stand for the protection
of the peace and peaceful co-existence of different strata in the
Syrian society, which differs in its ethnic, religious and other
varieties. Consequently, "...today the Syrian Armenians support the
peaceful existence, which had been obtained in Syria for decades"4.
4. Supporting dialogue and resolution of the problems by peaceful
means. The Armenian community considers dialogue and negotiations
as the only key for setting the domestic conflict in Syria. The
Syrian Armenians believe that "peace and reconciliation can be set
in the country only by means of the dialogue; only dialogue can prove
peaceful co-existence of all the communities, based on the principles
of tolerance, respect and love"5.
On political affiliations of the Armenians in Syria
No matter how hard the managing organizations try to detain the
community from being drawn into confrontation and maintain its
positive neutrality, it is impossible to fully avoid expression of
some political affiliations towards on of the conflicting sides.
The opinion that the Armenian community is of pro-governmental
orientation is widespread. This point of view is also based on the
fact of the support rendered by the Syrian Armenians to Bashar al
Assad at an early stage of the crisis. In 2011 the Syrian Armenians
organized a demonstration in support of the ruling regime in Syria.
The circumstance that under the Assads6 Syria carried out friendly
policy in regard to the national and religious minorities, particularly
in regard to the local Armenian community, is mentioned in the media
and analytical terrain. Here, besides the appreciation, two other
factors are important:
1. Prosperity in the past. Under the Assads the Armenian community in
Syria, just like the rest of the Syrian society, lived in stability
and prosperity. The Syrian Armenians had security guarantees, exercised
civil rights and liberties as well as some privileges of the community
life. The Armenian community was the only national minority in Syria
which had a right to teach history of Armenia and religion in their
native language. Tolerant policy of the Syrian authorities also
served as a ground for the economic prosperity and well-being of the
Armenian community because in a result of this tolerance "...it has
been wonderfully integrated into the Syrian society"7.
As a result, the Armenians there saw the main guarantee of their
living in that country in preserving the ruling regime8.
2. Vague prospects. In case of overthrowing the Assad regime the
Syrian Armenians will face the prospect of a vague future which is
conditioned by the following factors:
- A possibility of accession to power of the radical Islamists.
According to many viewpoints, the "Arab spring" in the Middle East is
a result of the rise of the radical Islam. In this case "...the main
peculiarity of the processes going on in the Arab world are that the
ruling for a long time powers, which had a nationalist orientation, now
make room for the Islamist powers, which have very negative attitude
towards all the Christian communities living in those countries,
including the Armenians"9.
As for Syria, according to the expert assessments, political conflict
here is gradually transforming into a religious one. It is not excluded
that after a possible overthrowing of Bashar al Assad in Syria the
radical Islamists may come to power too, because "the powers fighting
today against Bashar Assad's regime in Syria are mostly of radical
Islamist orientation"10.
At this juncture the security of the Armenian community in Syria
is menaced because, according to one of the Syrian Armenians who
arrived to Armenia, "...all the Christians will be obliged to leave
the country"11.
- Turkish factor. Unfolding of the revolution wave in Syria had been
accompanied by the permanent deterioration of the Turkish-Syrian
relations. The level of tension in the Turkish-Syrian relations
allows saying that both countries are on the threshold of war which
is, among other facts, also proved by the dislocation of the NATO's
"Patriot" anti-missile defense system at the Turkish-Syrian border.
Ð' Ñ~MÑ~Bом конÑ~BекÑ~AÑ~Bе Ñ~AамÑ~Kм
Ñ~AÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~BвеннÑ~Kм Ñ~OвÐ"Ñ~OеÑ~BÑ~AÑ~O Ñ~Bо,
Ñ~GÑ~Bо во внÑ~CÑ~BÑ~@еннем Ñ~AиÑ~@ийÑ~Aком
кÑ~@изиÑ~Aе ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~FиÑ~O (вмеÑ~AÑ~Bе Ñ~A
СаÑ~CдовÑ~Aкой Ð~PÑ~@авией и Ð~ZаÑ~BаÑ~@ом)
поддеÑ~@живаеÑ~B мÑ~OÑ~Bежников. ÐÑ~Bа
поддеÑ~@жка пÑ~@оÑ~OвÐ"Ñ~OеÑ~BÑ~AÑ~O:
In this context the most crucial is the fact that in the domestic
Syrian crisis Turkey (alongside with Saudi Arabia and Qatar) support
the rebels. This support manifests itself in:
1.Armament of the rebels
2.Their financing
3.Their training
According to some data the headquarters of the Free Syrian Army was
established in Adana12.
The victory of the rebels will cause the raise of the political
influence of Turkey in both Syria and region in general, because
"official Ankara managed to take advantage of the processes going on
in the world and in a result the regime, which have warmer relations
with Turkey, come to power"13, and this is fraught with serious
consequences for both Armenia and Armenian community in Syria.
Thus a possible growth of the political influence of Turkey in the
Middle East automatically conditions the sympathies of the Armenian
community towards Bashar al Assad.
- Experience of other Arab countries. The experience came to prove
that the regimes which substituted the old ones in Egypt and Tunisia
are no less despotic. As it is said overthrowing of despotism by force
brings to a new despotism. And this, as the experience of Egypt proves,
is fraught with drawing county into a sustainable instability, because
the masses, which overthrew one despot, will have to fight with another
one. Prospects of such a scenario in Syria hint that the Assad regime
with all of its shortcomings is more preferable than the sustainable
instability and disturbance.
Thus, the Armenian community in Syria under the Assad regime had
definite guarantees of security and community autonomy, which is
more preferable than uncertainty and vague future prospects. At the
same time drawing into a military conflict is a serious threat to the
security of the Armenian community in Syria. This is the circumstance,
which conditions the sympathies of the Syrian Armenians towards the
ruling regime in the theoretical plain and positive neutrality in
the practical plain.
1 The Armenian Clergy in Syria Stated that Their Stance in the
War is Neutral and they would support neither authorities not the
opposition,http://www.aravot.am/2012/09/18/110608/.
2 Heads of the Armenian Churches in Syria made a joint statement,
06.05.2013
Vahram Hovyan
Expert, Center for Armenian Studies, "Noravank" Foundation
Events in Syria are of some interest for the Armenian academic and
analytical circles not only in the aspect of regional and geopolitical
changes which will also influence Armenia, but also for the reasons
of safety of the Armenian community in Syria.
According to the official data the number of the Armenian community
before the Syrian crisis was 100 thousand people. According to
non-official data its number was more modest - 60-70 thousand.
Despite its size the Armenian community in Syria is one of the
most organized and established communities in the Diaspora. It is
considered to be the central community of the Diaspora due to its
early formation and geographic proximity to the motherland. Being
one of the oldest ethnic groups in Syria, Armenian community could
not but express its attitude towards the current crisis. Its stance
has two plains of manifestation - practical and theoretical.
1. Political stance of the Armenian community in Syria regarding the
Syrian domestic political conflict in practical plain is reduced to
the positive neutrality;
2. In the theoretical plain the issue is reduced to the political
affiliations of the Armenian community.
Political affiliations of the Armenian community in Syria under the
current Syrian crisis throw light on challenges it faces.
Positive neutrality
The managing organizations of the Armenian community till now try to
hold it away from the direct involvement in the Syrian crisis. But
being the citizens of Syria and inseparable part of the society of
this country, the Armenians could not stay indifferent to the events.
Correspondingly, the positive neutrality was the optimal approach.
Officially this approach was manifested in the joint statement made
by the heads of three Armenian confession communities - head of the
Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Shahan Sarkisian, head of the Berian
Dioceses of the Armenian Catholic Church Archbishop Petros Mariatian
and head of the Armenian Evangelical community in Syria Rev.
Haroutioun Selimian.
The peculiarity of the positive neutrality is that it supposes
not only rejection of support of any side in this conflict but
it also implies contribution to the settlement of the conflict and
setting peace. According to the content of the joint statement of the
representatives of the three Armenian churches, the positive neutrality
of the Armenian community is Syria under the current Syrian crisis
is reduced to the following four points:
1. Staying off the armed conflict. For the Syrian Armenians it is
obvious that involvement in the armed conflict on one of the sides
will prejudice against them the other side, thus stirring their
hostility. And this imperils the security of the Armenian community.
Thus, being against the bloodshed and terror, the Armenian community
supports neither authorities, nor opposition in this domestic war1.
So, "... all the attempts to mire the Syrian Armenians in the combat
actions in Syria are doomed to failure"2.
2. Denial of violence. For the Armenian community in Syria the violence
in political struggle is unacceptable, especially when it leads to the
fratricidal wars and mass distructions and victims. Such an approach
is also based on the interests of the Syrian Armenians.
Even not being directly mired in the conflict the Armenians in Syria
still continue to feel its negative effects. Under the constant
fights, explosions, bombardments, anarchy and chaos the Armenian
community has suffered considerable losses for recent two years -
about 60 people were killed, many wounded, much harm is done to the
private (house, stores, etc.) and community (church, school, etc.)
property of the Syrian Armenians. Thousands of Armenians (according
to some figures about one third of them) left the country.
Therefore, under the current Syrian crisis, "the Armenian community
is totally against any atrocity and bloodshed and, undoubtedly,
it will continue to deny any violence and military encounters"3.
3. Protection of peace. The Armenians in Syria stand for the protection
of the peace and peaceful co-existence of different strata in the
Syrian society, which differs in its ethnic, religious and other
varieties. Consequently, "...today the Syrian Armenians support the
peaceful existence, which had been obtained in Syria for decades"4.
4. Supporting dialogue and resolution of the problems by peaceful
means. The Armenian community considers dialogue and negotiations
as the only key for setting the domestic conflict in Syria. The
Syrian Armenians believe that "peace and reconciliation can be set
in the country only by means of the dialogue; only dialogue can prove
peaceful co-existence of all the communities, based on the principles
of tolerance, respect and love"5.
On political affiliations of the Armenians in Syria
No matter how hard the managing organizations try to detain the
community from being drawn into confrontation and maintain its
positive neutrality, it is impossible to fully avoid expression of
some political affiliations towards on of the conflicting sides.
The opinion that the Armenian community is of pro-governmental
orientation is widespread. This point of view is also based on the
fact of the support rendered by the Syrian Armenians to Bashar al
Assad at an early stage of the crisis. In 2011 the Syrian Armenians
organized a demonstration in support of the ruling regime in Syria.
The circumstance that under the Assads6 Syria carried out friendly
policy in regard to the national and religious minorities, particularly
in regard to the local Armenian community, is mentioned in the media
and analytical terrain. Here, besides the appreciation, two other
factors are important:
1. Prosperity in the past. Under the Assads the Armenian community in
Syria, just like the rest of the Syrian society, lived in stability
and prosperity. The Syrian Armenians had security guarantees, exercised
civil rights and liberties as well as some privileges of the community
life. The Armenian community was the only national minority in Syria
which had a right to teach history of Armenia and religion in their
native language. Tolerant policy of the Syrian authorities also
served as a ground for the economic prosperity and well-being of the
Armenian community because in a result of this tolerance "...it has
been wonderfully integrated into the Syrian society"7.
As a result, the Armenians there saw the main guarantee of their
living in that country in preserving the ruling regime8.
2. Vague prospects. In case of overthrowing the Assad regime the
Syrian Armenians will face the prospect of a vague future which is
conditioned by the following factors:
- A possibility of accession to power of the radical Islamists.
According to many viewpoints, the "Arab spring" in the Middle East is
a result of the rise of the radical Islam. In this case "...the main
peculiarity of the processes going on in the Arab world are that the
ruling for a long time powers, which had a nationalist orientation, now
make room for the Islamist powers, which have very negative attitude
towards all the Christian communities living in those countries,
including the Armenians"9.
As for Syria, according to the expert assessments, political conflict
here is gradually transforming into a religious one. It is not excluded
that after a possible overthrowing of Bashar al Assad in Syria the
radical Islamists may come to power too, because "the powers fighting
today against Bashar Assad's regime in Syria are mostly of radical
Islamist orientation"10.
At this juncture the security of the Armenian community in Syria
is menaced because, according to one of the Syrian Armenians who
arrived to Armenia, "...all the Christians will be obliged to leave
the country"11.
- Turkish factor. Unfolding of the revolution wave in Syria had been
accompanied by the permanent deterioration of the Turkish-Syrian
relations. The level of tension in the Turkish-Syrian relations
allows saying that both countries are on the threshold of war which
is, among other facts, also proved by the dislocation of the NATO's
"Patriot" anti-missile defense system at the Turkish-Syrian border.
Ð' Ñ~MÑ~Bом конÑ~BекÑ~AÑ~Bе Ñ~AамÑ~Kм
Ñ~AÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~BвеннÑ~Kм Ñ~OвÐ"Ñ~OеÑ~BÑ~AÑ~O Ñ~Bо,
Ñ~GÑ~Bо во внÑ~CÑ~BÑ~@еннем Ñ~AиÑ~@ийÑ~Aком
кÑ~@изиÑ~Aе ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~FиÑ~O (вмеÑ~AÑ~Bе Ñ~A
СаÑ~CдовÑ~Aкой Ð~PÑ~@авией и Ð~ZаÑ~BаÑ~@ом)
поддеÑ~@живаеÑ~B мÑ~OÑ~Bежников. ÐÑ~Bа
поддеÑ~@жка пÑ~@оÑ~OвÐ"Ñ~OеÑ~BÑ~AÑ~O:
In this context the most crucial is the fact that in the domestic
Syrian crisis Turkey (alongside with Saudi Arabia and Qatar) support
the rebels. This support manifests itself in:
1.Armament of the rebels
2.Their financing
3.Their training
According to some data the headquarters of the Free Syrian Army was
established in Adana12.
The victory of the rebels will cause the raise of the political
influence of Turkey in both Syria and region in general, because
"official Ankara managed to take advantage of the processes going on
in the world and in a result the regime, which have warmer relations
with Turkey, come to power"13, and this is fraught with serious
consequences for both Armenia and Armenian community in Syria.
Thus a possible growth of the political influence of Turkey in the
Middle East automatically conditions the sympathies of the Armenian
community towards Bashar al Assad.
- Experience of other Arab countries. The experience came to prove
that the regimes which substituted the old ones in Egypt and Tunisia
are no less despotic. As it is said overthrowing of despotism by force
brings to a new despotism. And this, as the experience of Egypt proves,
is fraught with drawing county into a sustainable instability, because
the masses, which overthrew one despot, will have to fight with another
one. Prospects of such a scenario in Syria hint that the Assad regime
with all of its shortcomings is more preferable than the sustainable
instability and disturbance.
Thus, the Armenian community in Syria under the Assad regime had
definite guarantees of security and community autonomy, which is
more preferable than uncertainty and vague future prospects. At the
same time drawing into a military conflict is a serious threat to the
security of the Armenian community in Syria. This is the circumstance,
which conditions the sympathies of the Syrian Armenians towards the
ruling regime in the theoretical plain and positive neutrality in
the practical plain.
1 The Armenian Clergy in Syria Stated that Their Stance in the
War is Neutral and they would support neither authorities not the
opposition,http://www.aravot.am/2012/09/18/110608/.
2 Heads of the Armenian Churches in Syria made a joint statement,