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TURKEY'S HIDDEN ARMENIANS SEARCH FOR STOLEN IDENTITY
France 24
April 17 2015
In 1915, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire ordered the
extermination of the Armenian people. One and a half million were
killed in the first genocide of the 20th century. But up to 200,000
women and children survived, converting to Islam and being integrated
into the Kurdish and Turkish communities. Today, their descendants are
discovering their Armenian roots that had lain hidden for generations.
Our reporters followed them on their difficult search for identity.
We meet Armenak and his friends, who thought they were Turkish or even
Kurdish until a few years ago. After discovering their Armenian roots,
they decided to travel through their ancestral lands in eastern Turkey.
We also meet Armen, who discovered his origins while rummaging through
some old family photos. Raised as a Muslim, he now plans to convert
to Christianity. It's a decision that his wife, a devout Muslim,
has difficulty accepting.
Their stories are typical of descendants of Armenians who survived
the genocide. Many of those who managed to escape forcibly erased
all traces of their identity, adopting Turkish or Kurdish names. A
century later, their descendants have opened a Pandora's box that
was locked by previous generations.
By Johan BODIN , Achren VERDIAN
http://www.france24.com/en/20150418-reporters-turkey-armenians-genocide-stolen-identity-video/
France 24
April 17 2015
In 1915, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire ordered the
extermination of the Armenian people. One and a half million were
killed in the first genocide of the 20th century. But up to 200,000
women and children survived, converting to Islam and being integrated
into the Kurdish and Turkish communities. Today, their descendants are
discovering their Armenian roots that had lain hidden for generations.
Our reporters followed them on their difficult search for identity.
We meet Armenak and his friends, who thought they were Turkish or even
Kurdish until a few years ago. After discovering their Armenian roots,
they decided to travel through their ancestral lands in eastern Turkey.
We also meet Armen, who discovered his origins while rummaging through
some old family photos. Raised as a Muslim, he now plans to convert
to Christianity. It's a decision that his wife, a devout Muslim,
has difficulty accepting.
Their stories are typical of descendants of Armenians who survived
the genocide. Many of those who managed to escape forcibly erased
all traces of their identity, adopting Turkish or Kurdish names. A
century later, their descendants have opened a Pandora's box that
was locked by previous generations.
By Johan BODIN , Achren VERDIAN
http://www.france24.com/en/20150418-reporters-turkey-armenians-genocide-stolen-identity-video/