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A composition by Klara Yeteroglu, daughter of an Armenian father and Turkish mother, won the First Prize in a competition held at the Istanbul-based Erdil College.
By Klara Yeteroglu,
From time I realized myself, one part of mine is Turkish and Moslem, and my other part is ARMENIAN and Christian. The conflicts and arguments which are intended to be placed in our country lately bring questions to my mind. Why do they want to make enemies of these two friendly communities, who lived in peace for centuries? What side should I take or do I have to be on one side?. . .
Today in Turkiye there are about 40-50.000 Armenian Turkish citizens. This number was much higher at the time of the Ottoman Empire, but regretfully during WW1, “the Loyal Millet” named Armenians were incited by French and Russians and some of them revolted. Armenians reputed for their national loyalty, became part in undesired incidents in the East. May be both sides had to do bad things to each other because of war. People who lived together in peace for centuries started to see each other as enemies, just because of the interests of other countries. As a result no Armenian State was founded and neither the dead came back. Both sides lived days full of pain.
In the recent twenty years, some bad intended thoughts started to provoke the Armenians living in Turkey. As a result tensions started to escalate between two people. Aged 14, I started to interpret these last incidents from my own world. I am born from a Turkish mother and Armenian father. In this country I can go to Armenian school and do my prayers in church. I can buy newspapers and magazines in Armenian language and follow the events. During national holidays I can freely celebrate the days and become part of our own community. More interesting is the fact that our state gives us moral and material support continuously and I am proud to say this. Well, then what is the problem? I think that the problem is that foreign powers do not like us to live in peace in Turkey. I am both Armenian and Turk or from Turkiye. I think that there many who think the way I do. When the Kurban Holiday or Christmas comes, we celebrate both. We respect every one and we are likewise respected by all. At this time I am studying in a Turkish school, I see no discrimination from my friends or teachers. I can preserve my own faith and discuss all subjects with my friends. My best friends are Turks and I think that I am also their best friend. I am fed up to think of what happened years ago and induced to make us suffer the pains of the past. I want to be left in our own natural course and not to invoke our friendly daily lives.
My name is Clara, my family name is Yeteroglu (means son of enough) . I think, that this rounds up everything!
By Klara Yeteroglu,
From time I realized myself, one part of mine is Turkish and Moslem, and my other part is ARMENIAN and Christian. The conflicts and arguments which are intended to be placed in our country lately bring questions to my mind. Why do they want to make enemies of these two friendly communities, who lived in peace for centuries? What side should I take or do I have to be on one side?. . .
Today in Turkiye there are about 40-50.000 Armenian Turkish citizens. This number was much higher at the time of the Ottoman Empire, but regretfully during WW1, “the Loyal Millet” named Armenians were incited by French and Russians and some of them revolted. Armenians reputed for their national loyalty, became part in undesired incidents in the East. May be both sides had to do bad things to each other because of war. People who lived together in peace for centuries started to see each other as enemies, just because of the interests of other countries. As a result no Armenian State was founded and neither the dead came back. Both sides lived days full of pain.
In the recent twenty years, some bad intended thoughts started to provoke the Armenians living in Turkey. As a result tensions started to escalate between two people. Aged 14, I started to interpret these last incidents from my own world. I am born from a Turkish mother and Armenian father. In this country I can go to Armenian school and do my prayers in church. I can buy newspapers and magazines in Armenian language and follow the events. During national holidays I can freely celebrate the days and become part of our own community. More interesting is the fact that our state gives us moral and material support continuously and I am proud to say this. Well, then what is the problem? I think that the problem is that foreign powers do not like us to live in peace in Turkey. I am both Armenian and Turk or from Turkiye. I think that there many who think the way I do. When the Kurban Holiday or Christmas comes, we celebrate both. We respect every one and we are likewise respected by all. At this time I am studying in a Turkish school, I see no discrimination from my friends or teachers. I can preserve my own faith and discuss all subjects with my friends. My best friends are Turks and I think that I am also their best friend. I am fed up to think of what happened years ago and induced to make us suffer the pains of the past. I want to be left in our own natural course and not to invoke our friendly daily lives.
My name is Clara, my family name is Yeteroglu (means son of enough) . I think, that this rounds up everything!
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