Istanbul Diary: “Let the Diaspora Minister Take Some Armenians Back”
Vahe Sarukhanyan
17:26, May 12, 2011
On Sundays, the St. Astvatzatzin Armenian Apostolic Church opposite
the Armenian Patriarchate in Kumkapi, Istanbul is usually abuzz with
people attending Sunday religious services.
Last Sunday, the crowd was particularly large due to the scheduled
visit by RA Minister of Diaspora Affairs Hranush Hakobyan. We were
told that the minister would attend services and later on, at a dinner
reception, bestow awards to prominent individuals in the community.
The service was well under way but the minister was nowhere to be
seen.Our group of reporters waited outside the church, waiting for
her arrival. Close by were some women from Armenia. I was sitting next
to one in her 50’s who listened to our conversation but said nothing.
Quite a few come to receive assistance handouts of food and clothing
periodically distributed by the Patriarchate. She finally broke down
and began to tell me her story.
Anzhela moved to Turkey four years ago from Turkey. Her husband had
passed away but she still has a married daughter there. Her two sons
have moved to Russia with their families.
When she first arrived in Istanbul, Anzhela was a home attendant to an
old Turkish woman. After the woman passed away, Anzhela got a job as a
cleaning lady at a small hotel run by a Dutch couple.
Anzhela told me she had graduated the Lomonosov University in Moscow
and worked as a teacher in Armenia.
She had tried to get a teaching job at the `underground’ school for
kids from Armenia that operates out of the basement of the Armenian
Evangelical Church in Gedikpasha. That didn’t happen.
`If there was work to be had in Armenia I wouldn’t have left. But I
couldn’t even get a cleaning job back there. They just want young
girls. I want to go back and plan to after saving up some money in
Turkey,’ Anzhela said.
It seems that the woman has saved up enough to buy a house back in
Gyumri.Despite her promising situation, Anzhela told me that she was
even thinking of applying for Georgian citizenship in September. This
would mean giving up her Armenian citizenship.
`I’d never betray Armenia but my mother’s house, where I was born, is
in Georgia. I want to keep the place,’ she said.
`They don’t give us any problems here. In fact, they assist us,’
exclaimed Anzhela, adding that for the most part, Armenians from
Armenia were all right as well. `Sure, there are some bad apples as in
all peoples but it’s not a big issue.’
Anzhela did say that most of the men from Armenia didn’t have jobs or
even the money to go back.
`The diaspora minister should take some of these guys back with her;
even the women.She should get them some work in a factory back in
Armenia. Who wants to stay in this country? They can deport us any
minute. It’s scary sometimes,’ concluded Anzhela who, like many
others, stayed on in Turkey after her visa expired.