ARMENIANS SHUT STORES IN BURJ HAMMOUD TO PROTEST VISIT OF SARGSYAN

2009/1 0/06 | 17:08

Diaspora

Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian was to face a largely hostile
reception later on Tuesday from members of Lebanon’s Armenian community
up in arms over Yerevan’s plans to establish ties with Ankara.

Sarkisian’s brief stop in Beirut is part of a week-long international
trip aimed at calming concerns among members of the Armenian diaspora
over Turkish-Armenian efforts to normalise relations.

But such plans have angered many in Lebanon’s 140,000-strong Armenian
community, mostly made up of the descendants of survivors of massacres
in eastern Anatolia under Ottoman rule almost a century ago.

"After nearly 100 years of fighting for our cause, how can our enemy
become our friend in the blink of an eye?" said a visibly angry
Koko Marashlian, a store owner in Beirut’s Armenian neighbourhood of
Burj Hammud.

Hagop Pakradounian, one of six Armenian deputies in Lebanon’s
parliament, said the community was all for improved ties between
Armenia and Turkey but not at any price.

"This issue concerns Armenians worldwide and not just those in
Armenia," Pakradounian told AFP.

"We are not talking about a simple economic accord between two
countries but a historic one that concerns each Armenian family,
whatever its nationality," he said.

Community members have drawn up a petition condemning the agreements
set to be signed later this month between Turkey and Armenia on
establishing diplomatic ties.

Stores in Burj Hammoud were to shut down on Tuesday afternoon in
protest, while a demonstration was also planned.

"We remember, we demand, we refuse," read placards put up throughout
the neighbourhood, where Armenian patriotic music blared.

"These agreements will sound the death knell of our cause," store-owner
Marashlian said. "As descendants of those exiled, we are the main
victims of these agreements."

Kevorg Abajian, 55, who runs a coffeeshop, said he was ready to take
up arms to prevent the normalisation of ties.

"I will shut down my shop to go fight so that our martyrs are not
forgotten," he said. "We want to recover our land. My ancestors owned
huge plots of land in Urfa," in southeast Turkey.

Some members of the younger generation, however, appeared to adopt
a more conciliatory tone, saying it was time to move on.

"The state of Armenia has made a decision and who am I to decide what
is best for its people?" said Haig Asmarian, 34, a jeweller. "My
grandfather still has the titles to his property but it’s time to
turn the page.

"And who knows, maybe this will benefit Armenia economically."