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22.11.2016

LOSSES OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES IN MIDDLE EAST ARE GREAT, HARD TO RECOVER

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http://armenpress.am/eng/news/868730/merdzavor-arevelqum-haykakan-hamaynqneri-korustnery-shat.html

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The existence/survival issue of Armenian communities is very acute during the last decades in the Middle East, senior expert of the center of Armenian studies of Noravank scientific-educational foundation Vahram Hovyan told a press conference in ARMENPRESS.

“Beginning from the half of the 20th century, the most heated region is the Middle East. Several events took place here, particularly, the Arab-Israeli war, the Lebanese Civil war, the internal political turmoil of Syria and Egypt, the military coups in Turkey, the Arab Spring. The foreign and domestic turmoil of different countries negatively impact the Armenian communities. Their property, cultural legacy, churches, schools are destroyed”, Vahram Hovyan said. In his words, the most dangerous part is that all of this leads to mass migration in the Armenian community circles.

Our compatriots leave their countries in great numbers and attempt to establish themselves in western countries. According to Vahram Hovyan, is 25 thousand Armenians were living in Kuwait before the first Gulf War, the number decreased five times after the war. 300 thousand Armenians lived in Lebanon during the 1970s, today the number is circa 100 thousand. 200 thousand Armenians lived in Syria during the 70s, before the Arab Spring 70 thousand lived there, and after the Arab Spring that number significantly decreased again. Today, an estimated 10,000 Armenians live in Aleppo (based on most optimistic estimates).

Hovyan said after the Revolution the Armenian community of Iran suffered great losses. Prior to the Revolution 300 thousand Armenians lived there, today circa 100 thousand. Iraq is no exception. Before the Arab Spring, only 1000 out of the 20 thousand community remain there. Hovyan says the losses of the Armenian communities in different periods associated with the Arab Spring are great and hard to recover from.

Turkey is no exception also. The reasons include domestic political development, military revolutions, however, according to the expert, Armenophobia also has significant impact.

“Here there were always persecutions and restrictions against Armenians. Armenophobia is of traditional nature in Turkey. All this has led to the decrease of Armenians living there. Today an estimated 60-80 thousand Armenians live in Turkey”, the expert said.

Vahram Hovyan said manifestations of Armenophobia are also present of religious grounds. It happens in countries where Islamic extremism is on the rise.

“Of course, specifically Armenians aren’t targeted, it is directed against Christianity, however Armenians comprise a significant percentage of Christians living in Middle Eastern countries, therefore that harassments also happen against Armenians. As an example – the bombing of the Holy Martyrs Armenian Church”, he said.


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