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Today's Zaman, Turkey
March 28 2015
Armenian villager: `I want to go fishing in Arpaçay; this is my only wish'
March 28, 2015, Saturday/ 17:00:00/
SELAHATTÄ°N SEVÄ° / YEREVAN
Valera, a 65-year old Armenian who lives in the Armenian village of
Bagaran along the Turkish-Armenian border, asks us to place emphasis
upon his wish that he wants to go fishing in Arpaçay, a Turkish
village on the other side of the border.
Amid preparations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1915
incidents, we attended an international media forum in Armenia, where
we also made some observations. Bagaran is one of the best places for
such observations. The village is located along the Turkish border and
is 90 km from Yerevan. It sits on a hill, from which you can have a
magnificent view of the terrain.
If we did not know that Arpaçay separates the two countries, it would
be impossible to figure out that there are two different villages. The
homes are too close; the distance between the last Armenian house and
the first Turkish house is too short. When looking down from the hill,
you first notice the minaret of a mosque. You would have thought that
this is a Turkish village.
After taking some photos, we move into the village, but Armenian
soldiers stop us. Our Armenian guide tells them that we are
journalists attending international media forum. They let us go but
make clear that we should not go to the farthest home in the village.
We want to talk to people in the village, but our first three attempts
fail, most probably because they think they will get into some sort of
trouble if they talk.
People in the village of Bagaran lead a very modest life. The
lifestyle and the general outlook in the village reminds us of a
Turkish village; there is almost no difference. This is why we came
very close to the border without knowing it. We hear a rooster crowing
in the Turkish village across the border. The villages are that close.
While we were wandering around, hoping that somebody would talk to us,
a villager approached. He gave us a lot of information about the
village. He told us that he moved there from Azerbaijan in 1989
because of the growing tension between Azeris and Armenians. The same
was actually observed in Bagaran; some Azeri families left the village
out of concerns. Valera exchanged homes with an Azeri in Bagaran.
Valera invited us to his home. His mother, Gohar, 87, welcomes us;
there is no Turkish product around. This is a pretty modest home; once
again, I feel I am in a Turkish village because of the lifestyle and
hospitality. Gohar says she misses her hometown, adding, `Our home
there was beautiful; we had two swimming pools and two cars.' She gets
angry because now they suffer from poverty. Her remarks tell a lot
about the grievances experienced in the inter-communal clashes.
Before we leave, Valera, speaking in Turkish, though not eloquently,
tells us that he watches the Turkish stations all the time. He says
that he is able to speak Turkish because he lived among
Turkish-speaking Azeris. He adds, `I used to understand what Demirel
was saying; but I do not really understand ErdoÄ?an when he speaks.'
Before we leave, he tells us that he loves fishing but is unable to go
to fishing in Arpaçay and Aras. Referring to this as a problem, he
says: `There is nowhere else where we can go fishing. Make sure that
you publish this. Make our voice count so that this problem is
settled. My greatest wish is to go to fishing in Arpaçay.'
My biggest dream is to have potable water in our village
Koghbayan is another border village; it is located 600-700 meters away
from the Turkish border. 130 people live in the village. Khocharyan
Hovkannes, 53, says that Armenia will benefit if borders are opened
and adds that he would go to Turkey if this happens because he
considers it his own country. He, however, does not find statements by
Turkish authorities on sharing common pains sincere, and he thinks
that it is just about politics.
Poverty is a big problem in the village. Lusine Arigoryan, 30, lives
in a caravan because they do not have money to afford a house. There
is no school in the village. Asked whether he is happy living there,
he says: `I cannot say it is bad or good; we just live the days.' In
response to our question on his biggest dream, he says: `We do not
have potable water in the village. It would be nice if we had water.'
The government supplies water every week with tankers, free of charge.
There are also Yazidis in the village. Khalilyan Ozman, 24, says: `It
would be good if the borders were opened; this would create a peaceful
environment.' Asked about the 1915 incidents and the Turks, he shares
his negative view of what happened. I ask what he feels when looking
at Turkey. He says: `It is not about what I feel; it is a dream. I
dream that someday I will have my land.'
Armenian women's name turned out to be 'Seda'
We move to an outpost in Yerevan to see how people live. Homes reveal
poverty, but people seem happy in the area. We notice some
construction on the ruins; our guide tells us that Muslims used to
live in this area. We realize that some buildings exhibit signs of
Islamic architecture.
We run into an old lady in the narrow streets; when we told her that
we wanted to take a picture, she smiled at us. Then she invited us
over to her home. Although we hesitated because of time constraints,
she insisted. The old lady told us that she was very happy because her
daughter just came back from Germany. While she was making coffee for
us, we asked her name. She said it was Seda. We were surprised because
it is a Turkish name. When she was a child, somebody called her Seda;
nobody knows why. Since then, she has been known by that name. Her
ancestors moved from Van during the 1915 incidents.
Her daughter, Nona, tries to speak in Turkish. It turns out that she
lives with Turks in Germany -- this is why she speaks some Turkish --
and she tells us that she is happy having many Turkish friends. Gagik,
Seda's son, tells us why his mother invited us over: `My mother
recognizes good people from their faces. This is why she invited you.'
http://www.todayszaman.com/life_armenian-villager-i-want-to-go-fishing-in-arpacay-this-is-my-only-wish-_376523.html
March 28 2015
Armenian villager: `I want to go fishing in Arpaçay; this is my only wish'
March 28, 2015, Saturday/ 17:00:00/
SELAHATTÄ°N SEVÄ° / YEREVAN
Valera, a 65-year old Armenian who lives in the Armenian village of
Bagaran along the Turkish-Armenian border, asks us to place emphasis
upon his wish that he wants to go fishing in Arpaçay, a Turkish
village on the other side of the border.
Amid preparations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1915
incidents, we attended an international media forum in Armenia, where
we also made some observations. Bagaran is one of the best places for
such observations. The village is located along the Turkish border and
is 90 km from Yerevan. It sits on a hill, from which you can have a
magnificent view of the terrain.
If we did not know that Arpaçay separates the two countries, it would
be impossible to figure out that there are two different villages. The
homes are too close; the distance between the last Armenian house and
the first Turkish house is too short. When looking down from the hill,
you first notice the minaret of a mosque. You would have thought that
this is a Turkish village.
After taking some photos, we move into the village, but Armenian
soldiers stop us. Our Armenian guide tells them that we are
journalists attending international media forum. They let us go but
make clear that we should not go to the farthest home in the village.
We want to talk to people in the village, but our first three attempts
fail, most probably because they think they will get into some sort of
trouble if they talk.
People in the village of Bagaran lead a very modest life. The
lifestyle and the general outlook in the village reminds us of a
Turkish village; there is almost no difference. This is why we came
very close to the border without knowing it. We hear a rooster crowing
in the Turkish village across the border. The villages are that close.
While we were wandering around, hoping that somebody would talk to us,
a villager approached. He gave us a lot of information about the
village. He told us that he moved there from Azerbaijan in 1989
because of the growing tension between Azeris and Armenians. The same
was actually observed in Bagaran; some Azeri families left the village
out of concerns. Valera exchanged homes with an Azeri in Bagaran.
Valera invited us to his home. His mother, Gohar, 87, welcomes us;
there is no Turkish product around. This is a pretty modest home; once
again, I feel I am in a Turkish village because of the lifestyle and
hospitality. Gohar says she misses her hometown, adding, `Our home
there was beautiful; we had two swimming pools and two cars.' She gets
angry because now they suffer from poverty. Her remarks tell a lot
about the grievances experienced in the inter-communal clashes.
Before we leave, Valera, speaking in Turkish, though not eloquently,
tells us that he watches the Turkish stations all the time. He says
that he is able to speak Turkish because he lived among
Turkish-speaking Azeris. He adds, `I used to understand what Demirel
was saying; but I do not really understand ErdoÄ?an when he speaks.'
Before we leave, he tells us that he loves fishing but is unable to go
to fishing in Arpaçay and Aras. Referring to this as a problem, he
says: `There is nowhere else where we can go fishing. Make sure that
you publish this. Make our voice count so that this problem is
settled. My greatest wish is to go to fishing in Arpaçay.'
My biggest dream is to have potable water in our village
Koghbayan is another border village; it is located 600-700 meters away
from the Turkish border. 130 people live in the village. Khocharyan
Hovkannes, 53, says that Armenia will benefit if borders are opened
and adds that he would go to Turkey if this happens because he
considers it his own country. He, however, does not find statements by
Turkish authorities on sharing common pains sincere, and he thinks
that it is just about politics.
Poverty is a big problem in the village. Lusine Arigoryan, 30, lives
in a caravan because they do not have money to afford a house. There
is no school in the village. Asked whether he is happy living there,
he says: `I cannot say it is bad or good; we just live the days.' In
response to our question on his biggest dream, he says: `We do not
have potable water in the village. It would be nice if we had water.'
The government supplies water every week with tankers, free of charge.
There are also Yazidis in the village. Khalilyan Ozman, 24, says: `It
would be good if the borders were opened; this would create a peaceful
environment.' Asked about the 1915 incidents and the Turks, he shares
his negative view of what happened. I ask what he feels when looking
at Turkey. He says: `It is not about what I feel; it is a dream. I
dream that someday I will have my land.'
Armenian women's name turned out to be 'Seda'
We move to an outpost in Yerevan to see how people live. Homes reveal
poverty, but people seem happy in the area. We notice some
construction on the ruins; our guide tells us that Muslims used to
live in this area. We realize that some buildings exhibit signs of
Islamic architecture.
We run into an old lady in the narrow streets; when we told her that
we wanted to take a picture, she smiled at us. Then she invited us
over to her home. Although we hesitated because of time constraints,
she insisted. The old lady told us that she was very happy because her
daughter just came back from Germany. While she was making coffee for
us, we asked her name. She said it was Seda. We were surprised because
it is a Turkish name. When she was a child, somebody called her Seda;
nobody knows why. Since then, she has been known by that name. Her
ancestors moved from Van during the 1915 incidents.
Her daughter, Nona, tries to speak in Turkish. It turns out that she
lives with Turks in Germany -- this is why she speaks some Turkish --
and she tells us that she is happy having many Turkish friends. Gagik,
Seda's son, tells us why his mother invited us over: `My mother
recognizes good people from their faces. This is why she invited you.'
http://www.todayszaman.com/life_armenian-villager-i-want-to-go-fishing-in-arpacay-this-is-my-only-wish-_376523.html