PanArmenian News
Jan 19 2005
THOUSANDS OF TURKIFIED ARMENIANS REVERT TO THEIR ROOTS
18.01.2005 19:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Forcibly turkified and kurdified Armenians, who
lived in Western Armenia in the beginning of the 20-th century, are
experiencing the period of awaking of national consciousness today,
Hamo Moskofian writes in Azg daily. Thousands of Armenians, who were
forcibly turned to Muslims in the Sasun and Taron regions, are
reverting to their Armenian roots. “About 1000 Armenian are living in
Mush at the moment. Over the Kurdish issue the Turkish government
left them in peace”, Armen from Mush, who is a frequent visitor to
Armenia, tells. Such people are often met in Germany and Armenia,
where they renounce their Turkish names and family names and take
Armenian ones. Simon Kostanian (Sardet Kostun in past), who was born
in the village of Karmir Khach in Ttaron, resides in Germany at
present and keeps in touch with the Armenian community. “Our
relatives live in Western Armenia”, he says. “They have undergone
many tortures.” Razmik Hakobian (Nureddin Yakub), native of Kilikia,
is going to shoot a film about people, who are reverting to their
Armenian identity. “My parents were hiding their origin since being
an Armenian in Kilikia was an unpardonable crime”, he says.