Anatolian Times, Turkey
April 7 2006
Armenian Letters From The Euphrates Basin
ELAZIG – Letters of Armenians particularly living in Southeastern
Anatolia region in the recent period of the Ottoman Empire envision
collapse of the empire soon and establishment of an independent
Armenian state with the support of Europe and Russia.
Firat University Lecturer Ergunoz Akcora told A.A correspondent that
the Armenians, who were living freely under the protection of the
Ottoman Empire, were exploited for the political reasons by the
imperialist states, starting as of mid-19th century.
Akcora said Armenians were provoked by western states and Russia to
revolt against the Ottomans. He said the letters which the Armenians
wrote each other were tools for this provocation.
Speaking about the letters, written by the Armenian committee members
of the period, Akcora said, ”letter of Bagos Seferyan, written in
1915 to Nekter Seferyan residing in Bitlis, said ‘be sure that we
will celebrate the next Easter within Armenia’s independence
festivities. There will not be Ottoman Empire anymore.”
”Again in 1914, Bedros Haruntanyan wrote a letter to his father
Varter Haruntanyan living in Bitlis and said, ‘my dear father. This
is my last letter to you. I will join Armenian volunteers to crush
Turks. Armenia will be free and independent,” Akcora said.
Akcora also said Armenians living in Europe and the United States
wrote letters to Armenians living in Anatolia to provoke them. He
added that the letters were evidences proving that Armenians got
financial support from other Armenians by force.
”When taken into consideration those written in those letters, it is
clearly understood that the aim is to incite Armenians to armed
attacks,” Akcora said.