ARMENIA MUST GRANT CITIZENSHIP TO THOSE WHO SURVIVED THE GENOCIDE
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[04:07 pm] 20 October, 2006
The owners of Armenia are ordinary people
84-year-old Samvel Lazarian who is citizen of the USA is searching the
villages of Armenia for the sons and grandsons of his father’s uncle
who came to Armenia at the beginning of the previous century. Artin
of Mko’s house (that was the name of the uncle) is the pride of the
Lazarians from Sasoun who survived the Genocide. They say Artin
was so brave that even the Kurds of the village were afraid of him.
One day, as Samvel’s father told him, Gevorg Chaush came to their
house and took Artin away as a soldier. This is the only accurate
piece information they have; the rest are gossips that reached the
relatives of Artin and passed on to the other generations.
Samvel Lazarian was born in Tigranakert, and as he says with pride,
"I was born in historical Armenia". Although he was born seven years
after the 1915 Genocide, he suffered the same feelings. He has been
to Syria, Lebanon, and has spent the last 17 years in the USA. He is
84 years old, but unusually hale and hearty for his age which is the
result of having played football for many years.
This is the first time 84-year-old Armenian writer Samvel Lazarian
has ever been to Armenia. "I have written exceptional articles about
the previous regime of the country", he explained the reasons of his
not coming to Armenia during the Soviet years and opens the brackets,
"The structure which sponsored me knew that it was dangerous for me
to come here". And the structure was the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.
During the 15 days spent in Armenia Samvel has realized that the ARF
is stronger abroad than in Armenia. Meeting different people he also
realized that it is not easy to live in Armenia.
"I have spoken to many people, learned different opinions, and
felt what they feel. That is why I can say that the first step the
Government has to take is to take care of the poor", the 84-year-old
Armenian says. He is convinced that the owners of Armenia are the
ordinary people and not those who have power.