200 Hamshen-Armenian families wish to resettle in Nagorno Karabakh
14.05.2011 14:44

Anna Balyan
`Radiolur’

Around 200 Hamshen-Armenian families living in Kyrgyzstan are opting
to resettle in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Armenians of Hamshen in Western Armenia were conquered by the Ottomans
in the 15th century. The majority of them were forced to convert to
Islam. A resurgence of Hamshen Armenians has begun in recent years,
with a group in Armenia forming community organizations and publishing
a newspaper.

The Hamshen Armenians settled in Adjaria, from where they were driven
out and a large majority settled in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau’s Hay Dat
and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan welcomes the decision of
Hamshen Armenians. `We should help them reintegrate with us, as long
as they feel themselves Armenian,’ he said.

The Nagorno Karabakh is willing to organize the process of
resettlement, said David Babayan, Spokesman for NKR President. `The
authorities are doing their best to give new momentum to the process.’

A serious and realistic program of resettlement of Hamshen Armenian
was worked out still in Soviet times. However, the program failed
because of the lack of proper state approach.

About 150 thousand Hamsehn Armenians reside in Turkey today. 40
thousand of them have preserved their national identify, their unique
Armenian dialect and a number of Christian traditions. What’s the most
important, they have a great wish to become part of their Motherland.