RESIDENTS OF JRAPI BORDER VILLAGE OF TWO MINDS REGARDING BORDER OPENING

2009/10/ 12 | 18:06

Yeranuhi Soghoyan

When they started to build the Akhurian Reservoir along the Armenian
border with Turkey, the residents of the village of Jrapi joked that
they would soon become a seafaring community and might even raise a
naval fleet. These were mere fleeting fancies, but the decision to
construct the reservoir was a major government project and a part
of the overall Soviet policy to expand and strengthen the existing
border regions with neighboring nations.

After the reservoir was completed, six border patrol sailors from
the Black Sea Fleet and a motor boat patrolled the waters for several
years. Presently, patrols from the two countries monitor the waters
from the bridge that spans the reservoir and surveillance occurs from
the shores as well.

The village of Jrapi, in Shirak Marz, used to be divided into two
parts. There are historical records of both Upper and Lower Jrapi
that date back to the 10-11th centuries. A medieval caravanserai
and fragments of a bridge built during the prosperous early period
of the capital city of Ani still stood up until the construction of
the reservoir.

Both the caravanserai and the 18th century church in Upper Jrapi were
relocated to a new site due to reservoir construction. The ruins of
the bridge were submerged under the artificial lake. Jrapi residents
say that when the level of the reservoir recedes enough they can
visit the ruins of the bridge and be enthralled by its beauty. Sadly,
such opportunities are few and far between. They say that this only
happens during years of severe drought when the reservoir is tapped
to irrigate the plain of Ararat.

There was no comprehension of a border in this village up until
1947. The Akhurian River served as the border between Jrapi and the
Turkish village of Kinak. At its widest, the river was only 4-5 meters
and shallow enough to cross when water levels dropped. After the end
of WW II, the village found itself encircled with barbwire and one
needed a permit to enter or leave.

Grandpa Rafik – "Carry a big stick when dealing with Turks"

80 year-old Rafik Grigoryan doesn’t have many fond memories of that
era. He doesn’t believe in making friends with the Turks. "When we
were kids back during those years we’d go swimming in the Akhurian
River. We’d round up the Turkish kids. They’d throw rocks at us. I
still have the scars on my face. If it wasn’t for this beard I’d show
you," he says with a hint of anger, "Anyone who tries to make friends
with the Turks better carry a big stick as well."

Mr. Grigoryan has spent his whole life in the village of Jrapi and
opposes the opening of the border. "The Turks killed my grandfather’s
brother Ghoukas in the Julfa wars and another brother up in the
mountains here over a horse. It was a Karabakh horse and the jealous
Turk took a fancy to it. The Turk is rotten to the core. They can
never be trusted. You can sit down at the table and break bread with
them but keep one eye open when you sleep in the same room. They can
just as easily get it in their head to kill you that same night."

Mr. Grigoryan likes to read, especially historical novels. He is now
rereading the novel "Bayazet" by Valentin Pikul. He keeps abreast
of current events as well. He says that he and the other elders of
the village often get together in a friend’s home to discuss the
news of the day and exchange ideas. "My wife is very industrious
but illiterate. One day we were discussing Karabakh in front of the
house and saying that it was a grand victory for the Armenians. My
wife blurted out – who needs Karabakh? I’m always telling her that
she’s crazy that those are our lands where Turks and Azeris now live
and that one day we’ll get it all back for sure," he states.

"The Turks will understand and finally recognize the Genocide. They
will have to return our lands or pay compensation. Just like
the Germans did with the Jews," concludes Grandpa Rafik, "What’s
important is that our leaders be intelligent and not illiterate like
my wife. That would be a tragic mistake."

Others in the village are of two minds about the opening of the
border with Turkey. There are those who recall the construction of
the reservoir and remember that the Turkish and Armenian workers
toiling side-by-side got along pretty well, even though the KGB kept
fraternizing to a minimum.

Engineer Spartak – "There are some good Turks as well"

Spartak Mikayelyan, an engineer who’s worked for many years on
the reservoir, smiled when I asked if he wanted the border to be
reopened. He replied that for the past 30 years the border has been
open for him. "Once a month we meet with our Turkish colleagues
to plan for water releases. When we’re done we sit down and have a
meal together."

Spartak claims that they have got pretty chummy over the years and
ask how their families are getting along. He says that the border
guards are present at these meetings, conducted in Russian, and that
they haven’t had any problems so far. "There are some good Turks as
well. There’s a proverb that says there is no village without its
share of dogs. Let the border reopen. I fully support it."

Bees and pigs illegally cross the river into Turkey

Hripsime says that her grandfather’s house was on the bank of the
Akhurian River. One day her grandmother noticed that her swarm of
honey bees had crossed over to the other side. Fearing that she’d lose
her precious bees and honey, the grandma picked up a few trays from
the hive and crossed the river, winding up in the Turkish village of
Kinak. A couple of Russian border guards soon arrived and arranged
to take her back. Several Turkish villagers helped her transport the
bees back.

Villagers relate that up until the 1970’s, before the reservoir was
built, it was mostly farm animals that crossed back and forth over
the shallow river. There’s an amusing tale about a pig belonging to
an Armenian villager that crossed over to the Turkish side. Seeing
the religiously proscribed animal, the Turks surrounded it but didn’t
harm it. Russian border guards went and confiscated the animal but
didn’t return the porker to its owner, arguing that it might have
been infected and needed to be slaughtered.

Anahit Tovmasyan, who came as a bride to Jrapi, is adamantly
opposed to the border being reopened. "Let them first recognize the
Genocide. Only then can the border be opened. Our writers, Teryan,
Charents or Shiraz, could give you a much better answer to that
question," she replies. "You know, it’s pretty tough to live in a
village where your lands lay on the other sight in full view but
you’re not allowed to cross over."

Anahit’s 81 year-old mother-in-law Siranuysh sees things
differently. Grandma Siranuysh wants the border to reopen. "Once it
opens, I will immediately set off for Moush. Our people hail from
around Moush. I want to go and see our village. Let them open the
damn border so I can go and see our ancestral village before I die,"
she says.

On the Turkish side of the border, on two lofty mountains opposite
Jrapi, there are two inscriptions painted in Turkish. We were able to
photograph one that reads "ONCE VATAN", which translated means Turkish
land or home. Local villagers translated the other large inscription as
"He is happy who was born a Turk".

They say that this too is politics. When the sky is clear every
Armenian, like it or not, sees these Turkish inscriptions. Perhaps
the Turks have thought – if the eye gets used to this, so too will
the mind as well.