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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 12 2013
My mother was Armenian, journalist group chair reveals
by Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu
ISTANBUL ` Hürriyet Daily News
The chair of a journalist association in Turkey revealed in his latest
book that his mother, HoÅ?ana, was an Armenian raised by an Alevi
family, receiving reactions from some of his relatives
The head of a journalists' association in Turkey, has revealed that
his mother was an Armenian, who was left `in front of an Alevi
family's door' by Armenians during the 1915 incidents in his recently
published book, adding that his relatives had reacted strongly to this
revelation.
Ahmet Abakay, a journalist and the head of the Contemporary
Journalists' Association, told his mother HoÅ?ana's story in his book
entitled `HoÅ?ana's last words,' (HoÅ?ana'nın son Sözü) in which he said
that he was told by his mother that she was an Armenian only weeks
before she died.
`My mother told me about her story 13 years ago and soon after, she
died. I could write this only 10 years later, because I hesitated. I
hardly wrote it, bursting into tears when writing all of the chapters
and I was stuck. I did not imagine that it could get that sentimental
for me to write it. My mother was left at some people's door like an
innocent kitten and that idea filled me with grief,' Abakay told the
Hürriyet Daily News yesterday, adding that his mother was one of the
Armenian babies left to the Turkish families, with fears for their
lives due to the saddening 1915 incidents.
Secret for 82 years
Abakay said his mother HoÅ?ana told him her story, which she kept
secret for her entire 82-year-long life, with one condition; that he
should not tell it to anyone as long as she was alive.
`My mother made me promise not to tell her story to my wife, daughter
or her sisters, as long as she was alive. I told this issue to my
inner circle after I lost my mother, to learn whether there are other
secrets that we are not told. But my sister told me not to reveal this
on the grounds that I am a journalist and she recalled what happened
to Hrant Dink [Armenian-Turkish journalist murdered by a gunman in
broad daylight in 2007 in Istanbul]. A majority of my relatives could
not accept their [new] identity,' Abakay said. Some relatives denied
the story, while others claimed that his mother was too old to be
aware of what she was saying. Abakay said he received fierce reactions
from some of his family members over his revelation in his book.
`My uncle's children told me `how dare you call our aunt Armenian and
insult our family's honor. You will remove the Armenian part from your
book, otherwise we will pull it off the shelves,'' said Abakay.
Abakay said his mother used to talk about one of her sisters left with
Armenians in the past, but she had never talked about it in detail.
Later on he learnt that she was from the southeastern province of
Erzurum's AÅ?kale district. `I want to research my identity but I doubt
whether I can go any further.
Now, I am content that I have received my identity back.'
October/12/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/my-mother-was-armenian-journalist-group-chair-reveals.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56125&NewsCatID=339
Oct 12 2013
My mother was Armenian, journalist group chair reveals
by Vercihan ZiflioÄ?lu
ISTANBUL ` Hürriyet Daily News
The chair of a journalist association in Turkey revealed in his latest
book that his mother, HoÅ?ana, was an Armenian raised by an Alevi
family, receiving reactions from some of his relatives
The head of a journalists' association in Turkey, has revealed that
his mother was an Armenian, who was left `in front of an Alevi
family's door' by Armenians during the 1915 incidents in his recently
published book, adding that his relatives had reacted strongly to this
revelation.
Ahmet Abakay, a journalist and the head of the Contemporary
Journalists' Association, told his mother HoÅ?ana's story in his book
entitled `HoÅ?ana's last words,' (HoÅ?ana'nın son Sözü) in which he said
that he was told by his mother that she was an Armenian only weeks
before she died.
`My mother told me about her story 13 years ago and soon after, she
died. I could write this only 10 years later, because I hesitated. I
hardly wrote it, bursting into tears when writing all of the chapters
and I was stuck. I did not imagine that it could get that sentimental
for me to write it. My mother was left at some people's door like an
innocent kitten and that idea filled me with grief,' Abakay told the
Hürriyet Daily News yesterday, adding that his mother was one of the
Armenian babies left to the Turkish families, with fears for their
lives due to the saddening 1915 incidents.
Secret for 82 years
Abakay said his mother HoÅ?ana told him her story, which she kept
secret for her entire 82-year-long life, with one condition; that he
should not tell it to anyone as long as she was alive.
`My mother made me promise not to tell her story to my wife, daughter
or her sisters, as long as she was alive. I told this issue to my
inner circle after I lost my mother, to learn whether there are other
secrets that we are not told. But my sister told me not to reveal this
on the grounds that I am a journalist and she recalled what happened
to Hrant Dink [Armenian-Turkish journalist murdered by a gunman in
broad daylight in 2007 in Istanbul]. A majority of my relatives could
not accept their [new] identity,' Abakay said. Some relatives denied
the story, while others claimed that his mother was too old to be
aware of what she was saying. Abakay said he received fierce reactions
from some of his family members over his revelation in his book.
`My uncle's children told me `how dare you call our aunt Armenian and
insult our family's honor. You will remove the Armenian part from your
book, otherwise we will pull it off the shelves,'' said Abakay.
Abakay said his mother used to talk about one of her sisters left with
Armenians in the past, but she had never talked about it in detail.
Later on he learnt that she was from the southeastern province of
Erzurum's AÅ?kale district. `I want to research my identity but I doubt
whether I can go any further.
Now, I am content that I have received my identity back.'
October/12/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/my-mother-was-armenian-journalist-group-chair-reveals.aspx?pageID=238&nID=56125&NewsCatID=339