AZG Armenian Daily #177, 16/09/2006

Diaspora

RAS-EL-AIN ON THE ROAD OF EXILE

Ras-el-Ain is a Syrian town located by the Turkish border on the slope
of Armenian Taurus Mountains. The town was founded nearby full-flowing
springs and received a name that means "spring". This town has direct
relation with the fate of a part of the Armenian people. In late-May
hot days of 1915 a dense caravan of Armenians was displaced from
Tigranakert and Derik regions and was forced into flat Ras-el-Ain and
its surrounding villages. Tortured and tired of the long road, people
quenched their thirst in the Arabian springs and took some
rest. Leaving part of the displaced to the mercy of fate, Turkish
askyars (soldiers) forced others into deserts of Der-el-Zor…

The Armenian that stayed in Ras-el-Ain faced violence from the hands
of Turks, Kurds, Chechens and Turkmens inhabiting this area. Before
Der-el-Zor a big massacre of Armenians happened there. Every inch of
earth here is blood-soaked. People were being killed to snatch their
jewelry and gold or for pleasure as moving targets. Despite great
difficulties 200 Armenian families Ras-el-Ain managed to
survive. Getting rid of Turkish yoke Armenians together Syrian
breathed freely. Armenians earned their living working as craftsmen
and farmers. They peacefully co-existed with the Arab people enjoying
their respect.

French armenologist Dulorie wrote: "Wherever Armenians go, they first
of all found their school, church and newspaper." It has been 70 years
that an Armenian school functions in Ras-el-Ain, an Apostolic church
was founded earlier. Though there are very few Armenians in Ras-el-Ain
today, they have a school with 16 pupils, a restored church and a
memorial to the victims of Armenian Genocide where remnants of the
perished are kept. Local Armenians have applied to the head of
Armenian diocese in Aleppo asking to grant Ras-el-Ain status of a
pilgrimage site as it is with Der-el-Zor. But the proposal remains
unanswered so far.

Native of Ras-el-Ain, Mr. Vrezh, told me once a sad story. His father
told him that in the caves near Ras-el-Ain’s springs many Armenians
were tortured to death. The caves were long ago filled with stones and
got buried. Mr. Vrezh is fearful that one day the authorities will
take this area to build something thus the graves will be profaned. He
has turned to Syria’s Armenian community and party leaders with a
suggestion to build a memorial on this site. This plea also remains
unanswered but he is still hopeful that his voice will be heard one
day.

The small Armenian community of Ras-el-Ain has many problems. The
church has no priest as this position is poorly paid. A priest arrives
here from Kamishli town 160 km away only for major religious
celebrations. People here perform patriotic songs very beautifully.
Headmistress of the school, Ani Sargsian, who is also a graduate of
the school, spares no effort to educate the children with Armenian
spirit. Parents and benefactors help the school. She dreams of
visiting Armenian and participating in retraining courses for
teachers. Perhaps the Ministry of Education of Armenia can help her
achieve her dream.

There are major problems hamper the survival of this small
community. There is less work for the Armenian craftsmen as the other
nationalities have learned their crafts and now they provide their
services to a vaster clientele. Armenian children leave for Aleppo,
Damask, Lebanon or other countries to continue their education or to
find a job. If it goes like this there will soon be no Armenian in
Ras-el-Ain. Only those will remain who are married with Christian
Arabs or Assyrians.

Currently, there are 50.000 Armenians in Syria. They live in
good-neighborly relations with the Syrian people but still cherish a
dream of returning to their ancestors’ land.

By Derenik Movsisian in Ras-el-Ain