Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

[CatWoman]

Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

Over the years, as various Armenian Church leaders in Turkey, under pressure from Turkish officials, made disparaging remarks about the Diaspora’s efforts for the recognition for the Armenian Genocide, I never hesitated to criticize them. Therefore, it is only fair that these Church leaders are to be commended whenever they bravely speak out on the Armenian Genocide, jeopardizing their own position and personal safety.

Patriarch Mesrob II, in his New Year message to the Armenian community of Turkey, made such a bold statement last week. Surprisingly, a portion of his lengthy message is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. That segment of the statement, issued in three languages, is entitled "The Great Disaster," in English, "Medz Yegherni Hishadage," in Armenian; and "Buyuk Felaket," in Turkish. The Patriarch’s statement appeared on the Patriarchate’s web site and in the Armenian press of Istanbul. It is understandable that under the repressive conditions in Turkey, the Patriarch is forced to use substitutes for the word genocide. For the benefit of non-Armenian speaking readers, we should point out that "Medz Yeghern" was used by Armenians to describe the Armenian Genocide before the word genocide existed. "Medz Yeghern" could be translated alternatively as " Great Disaster," "Great Calamity," or "Great Cataclysm." Armenians sometimes still refer to the Armenian Genocide as "Medz Yeghern," just as the Jews use the Hebrew word "Shoah" for the Holocaust.

Here is the English version of that segment of the Patriarch’s Message:

"Beloved Church members: one of the painful historical events ... has become known in Armenian literature as Medz Yeghern (The Great Disaster). The Ottoman government of that time of the Committee for Union and Progress, citing security reasons in the circumstances of the First World War, exiled Armenian citizens living in the Ottoman Empire to the deserts of Syria. However, because the necessary precautions were not taken, hundreds of thousands of Armenian citizens lost their lives either near their own homes, or on the journey, or in the desert, or were the victims of inhuman attacks by opportunists. Of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire, only a small proportion was saved from annihilation. Whatever the given justification, this great unconscionable disaster has passed into history as a human drama that took place at the beginning of the 20th century. Wherever on the globe, every Armenian still feels the imprint of this Great Disaster in his or her identity and still lives with the trauma, in some way or another.

Throughout the year 2005, on the 90th anniversary of this event, Armenians will offer to God their prayers and incense for the souls of their martyrs."

While the Patriarch is careful not to use the word "Genocide," – it is a crime to do so in Turkey -- his statement makes it amply clear that the government of the Ottoman Empire was the organizer of the deportations that led to the deaths of "hundreds of thousands" of Armenians. In addition to outright murder, the United Nations defines as genocide the act of "deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part."

We should point out that the Patriarch, in his statement, uses the term "annihilation," meaning extermination or total destruction, which is another way of saying genocide.

The Patriarch Mesrob II who is fluent in Armenian, Turkish and English, has probably written the statement himself in all three languages. A careful comparison of the three versions reveals subtle differences in the words used to describe the Armenian Genocide. Even though it is practically impossible to translate verbatim a text from one language to another, it is noteworthy that the Armenian version contains the strongest words.

Finally, it is significant that the Patriarch made his bold remarks on the Genocide less than a week after the Prime Minister of Turkey, Abdullah Gul, announced that the Turkish government would do everything in its power to counter the Armenian efforts, particularly in view of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

For the first time, and on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Patriarch is properly and bravely suggesting that Armenians in Turkey would be joining their compatriots around the globe in remembering the "annihilation" of their ancestors. While Armenians might not be able to hold any public commemorative events in Turkey on that date, the Patriarch is certain that they carry in their souls the trauma of the Genocide and the memory of their martyrs!


ArmeniaDiaspora

It's gonna be big this year, the 90th anniversary!
I always wondered how Armenians in Turkey commemorate the genocide on April 24th. Are they even allowed to do something? It must be hard and risky...

[Hayq]

Ah, Armenians are lucky they live in Istanbul. As long as they are in Istanbul, they are preety much safe due to the overwhelmingly large amount of European tourists. They can celebrate it, but obviously nothing as big as what we in Southern California or france do.

[Dave]

If Turkey becomes more Westernized, and the law condemning the mention of the word 'genocide' is removed, I would count for them to raise the Armenian question there...

[Armenian]

I would count for them to raise the Armenian question there...

Don't count on it.

Most Turkish Armenians are more Turkish than Armenian. Of course there are good Armenians within them as well, but they are very few. Don't believe me? Just go and spend some time within a "Bolsahai" setting and you will see what I mean. These Christian Turks are by far the most anti-Armenia and anti-Hayastantsi group I have ever encountered throughout the past fifteen years of my active dealings within the Armenian community of New York City.

Moreover, throughout the past few years I have come to know the Patriarch of Istanbul very well through my close association with the Eastern Diocese.

In my humble opinion, Patriarch Mutafian needs to be flogged in public, tarred and feathered (I only say this because I can't wish his murder). That self-hating Mutafian filth is a willing slave for Turks and his filthy Patriarchate is essentially a propaganda tool for the Turkish foreign ministry.

The Istanbul Patriarchate has way out-lived its intended purpose. Its time to move the Patriarchate to France, Russia or even America.

Recently, he has tried to give the Armenian Diaspora some lip service. However, this was done only to off-set various news paper articles, that saw light recently, in which Mutafian's real character was displayed in public.

Like I said, I know Mutafian well. If anyone is interested, I have detailed information about him.

[Armenian]

I have posted what "liberal" RAMGAVARS (not Dashnaks) are now saying about this filth in Istanbul.

Archbishop Mutafian - Full of Turkish Mischief

Ever since exterminating 1.5 million Armenians and depopulating historic Armenia, successive regimes in Turkey have been hard at work, in an obsessive determination, to wipe out all traces of Armenian heritage in our ancestral land.

However, since Ataturk's Europeanization drive, the traditional Turkish scimitar has been replaced by more sophisticated methods with the very same ultimate goal - to drive the original inhabitants of the land into oblivion.

Recognizing the role of the Armenian Church in preserving the Armenian culture and identity, the Turks have turned it into a prime target of destruction. Thousands of houses of worship have been reduced to ruins. Additionally, the Turks have resorted to every ruse, any kind of Byzantine law to emasculate the remaining Armenian community in Istanbul, especially decapitating its spiritual leadership.

Contrary to the Lausanne Treaty (1923) provisions, the Turkish government has shut down the Holy Cross Armenian Seminary, the only center where young generations of clergy could be trained. When Armenians resorted to other creative means to replenish the dwindling pool of clergymen by enrolling aspiring clergymen at the Jerusalem Seminary, the Turkish government acted swiftly to ban that route as well, accusing Armenians of training terrorists (sic!) in that seminary. One of those returning seminarians, Father Manuel Yergatian, ended up in jail with ludicrous accusations and he suffered most of his 14 years verdict in the Turkish dungeons.

While denying all venues to train young clergy, the Turkish government has devised another trap: thus the Turkish law prohibits anyone from being elected as the Armenian Patriarch who is not born in Turkey. These restrictions severely curtail the number of potential candidates, only to eliminate all the candidates in a matter of several years. Under these devilish Turkish schemes, clergymen of dubious reputation will ascend the patriarchal throne by default. The current patriarch, Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, is the product of that default.

His predecessors, Archbishop Karekin Khachadourian, Archbishop Shnork Kalousdian, and even Archbishop Kazanjian, have served the Patriarchate with extreme prudence, cognizant of the limitations and restrictions imposed by the Turkish government. Thanks to their prudence, wisdom and inspiring personalities, the great traditions of the Istanbul Armenian community have been preserved, the creative impulse of the intellectual life has remained productive and the institutions have survived.

The emergence of Archbishop Mutafian has altered the scene dramatically. Traditionally united, the Istanbul Armenian community has been severely divided. He has bullied intellectuals, journalists and benefactors by his unorthodox behavior; however, thanks to the wisdom of the injured parties not to react, eccentric behavior of this young clergyman continues its damage.

Since Archbishop Mutafian was easily elected to the Patriarchal throne, with Turkish government crutches, he was intoxicated with his instant success and he used the patriarchal throne as a launching pad to try his luck as the supreme head of the Armenian Church - where he discovered that Turkish tentacles were not long enough to help him in his outlandish design.

He was frustrated and he turned against the Holy See at Echmiadzin; he used every opportunity to demonstrate his disrespect and he broke away from the traditional hierarchical relations, which the former Patriarchs had established and cherished sacredly.All his predecessors had been coerced by the Turkish government to get involved politically to promote its dubious agenda to the detriment of the Armenian cause, but they had wisely shied away from engaging in any such endeavor.

Yet Archbishop Mutafian gleefully engaged in that endeavor at the first advance of the Turkish authorities. He allowed himself to be used as a political tool when he took a tour of Europe last year to promote Turkey's admission into the European Union (EU), while the world Armenian political leadership was opposing the move vehemently.

Upon his return to Istanbul he believed that he had earned Brownie points with the Turkish government. When he approached the Turkish authorities with problems plaguing the Armenian community, he discovered that nothing had changed, and that the same authorities continued their discrimination policies. They continued usurping community assets and controlling the Armenian schools to eradicate any ethnic tradition left there.

As the Turkish heavy hand was relentlessly working to disrupt community life, instead of complaining to the International Court, or declaring a hunger strike at UN Headquarters to draw attention to the plight of the Armenian community, he dared to show up on Turkish TV to say what the Turks wanted to hear and what they wanted the world to hear - that the Armenian community had been living freely and peacefully and that no other Armenians from abroad had to meddle in their affairs.

When the EU representatives visited Turkey to contact the community leaders, Greeks, Kurds and Jews courageously cited their grievances, yet Archbishop Mutafian disappeared on a Greek Island.

During President's Bush's visit he spoke of humanitarian values and complained about Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, instead of complaining about Midnight Express style Turkish prisons.

As the world Armenian community struggles for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Archbishop Mutafian plays the old Turkish tune: that history has to be left to the historians, as if there were anything left to be said about the genocide.

Today Archbishop Mutafian is on his ultimate adventure: he has decided to sue the largest charitable Armenian organization in the Diaspora, under the pretext of reversing the AGBU Board's decision to close down the Melkonian Educational Institute in Cyprus. The AGBU has met all its obligations to the Patriarchate; therefore, Mutafian has no legal leg to stand on. He is obviously out for trouble.

Since Archbishop Mutafian's record demonstrates amply that all along he has been serving the Turkish government's political agenda, it is inconceivable that he would engage in this new effort without the authorities' consent, encouragement and certainly design.

The Turks have always tried to damage the AGBU's reputation. Government controlled media has accused the organization many times that all its fund-raising drives to keep the school open and to provide relief have been intended to train terrorists. Even during the occupation of Cyprus one of the first targets to be bombed was the Melkonian Educational Institute.

Thus far, the Turkish authorities failed to damage the AGBU. Today, they seem to have found a helping hand in the adventurous person of Archbishop Mutafian.

If he were truly concerned with the demise of an Armenian educational institution, he would better serve his community by suing the Turkish government in International Court at The Hague to reopen the Holy Cross Seminary in Istanbul. His colleague at the Fenerbahce, the Greek Ecumenical Patriarch, has been fighting to reopen his seminary and it looks as though he will succeed.

Armenians traditionally have instant respect when confronted by an person in clergy garb - more so with Istanbul Armenians, who have enjoyed the spiritual leadership of inspirational patriarchs over many centuries. Some clergymen have taken advantage of that respect and they have abused that clergy garb and rank. Archbishop Mutafian seems to be one of them.

The Melkonian Educational Institute alumni, who may have legitimate concerns about the demise of their beloved school, would lose the credibility of their cause by playing into the Turkish hands.

Those who believe they have found a hero to champion their cause may actually be following a man with Turkish mischief at heart.

ADL RAMGAVAR
Central Committee
Boston, Feb. 2005

[Armenian]

And for those who say Bolsahais don't have a choice: I say they do!

If they can't be helpful to the Armenian nation because of where they live, then at the very least they should keep their mouths shut. Mutafian need not come to New York City to tell us all how wonderful Turks are and how nasty Armenians are in Armenia.

If Turks force these people to do what they do, then these folk should simply leave the country. And this is another reason why the Patriarchate needs to get shut down or moved. As far as I am concerned, any Armenian who willingly lives within Turkey is a filthy xxxxx.

I will not allow some 30,000 Turkified Armenians, who, according to Mutafian himself have an intermarriage rate with Turks of over fifty percent, dictate foreign policy for the rest of us Armenians.

[bell-the-cat]

I have posted what "liberal" RAMGAVARS (not Dashnaks) are now saying about this filth in Istanbul.

I hardly think the word "liberal" is a word to associate with any Armenian political group. The "liberal" Ramagars are now anti-Mutafian because he has spoken out against the corrupt AGBU and their activities relating to the Melkonian school in Cyprus. And, for that same reason, he is now flavour of the month amongst the Dashnaks, mortal foes of the AGBU and their allies. If he had remained silent then, for the Dashnaks, he would have remained unmentionable in polite company, and for the Ramagars he would have remained their best buddy.

If you want to understand the real reasons behind the world generally ignoring the Armenian genocide, or the blockade of Armenia by Turkey, or the stated Azeri aims to exterminate NK, then forget Turkish lobbying and propaganda and instead look at those who represent the Armenian people in public.

[Armenian]

I hardly think the word "liberal" is a word to associate with any Armenian political group. The "liberal" Ramagars are now anti-Mutafian because he has spoken out against the corrupt AGBU and their activities relating to the Melkonian school in Cyprus. And, for that same reason, he is now flavour of the month amongst the Dashnaks, mortal foes of the AGBU and their allies. If he had remained silent then, for the Dashnaks, he would have remained unmentionable in polite company, and for the Ramagars he would have remained their best buddy.

Your comments are pointless.

I have no sympathies towards the Ramkavar party what-so-ever. They certainly knew how filthy the Patriarchate of Istanbul was, but as long as they were on friendly terms with them, they did not bother to complain. Now that they have had a falling out, they are begining to expose Mutafian for what he trully is.

So, lets just stay on topic here, if you dont mind.

If you want to understand the real reasons behind the world generally ignoring the Armenian genocide, or the blockade of Armenia by Turkey, or the stated Azeri aims to exterminate NK, then forget Turkish lobbying and propaganda and instead look at those who represent the Armenian people in public.

Pure and typical bullkaka.

The reason why there is no Genocide recognition by AMERICA has nothing to do with our political representation and has everything to do with global geo-strategic formulations of various major powers who see Turkey as a large and powerful buffer state.

Listen, I don't know what your obession is with us Armenians, but at the very least, be mindful of how you converse with us.

[nunechka]

Armenian you have to admit that there is something wrong with our political parties... we know there is... but you are correct about the genocide acceptance issue... it has everything to do with the powerful nations strategic goals, and our little political parties are not a big deal to them...

[Armenian]

Armenian you have to admit that there is something wrong with our political parties... we know there is... but you are correct about the genocide acceptance issue... it has everything to do with the powerful nations strategic goals, and our little political parties are not a big deal to them...

Nunechka Jan, every political party on earth has something wrong with it - without exception. I particularly don't like the Ramkavar party within the Diaspora because it is just a rich man's club. Trust me, I know them first hand, they are all walking talking egos. Their associates within the Armenian Assembly are just as bad, although they have an important role to play. On the other hand, the Ramkavar party within Yerevan seems to be taking their political role seriously.

However, as you pointed out, regardless of how good or bad our political parties are, that is not the reason why America today will not address the genocide issue properly. Nonetheless, you know my thoughts about the Armenian Genocide recognition issue. Thus, I am not loosing sleep over it.