99 - all you should know about the Genocide April, 2014 | Page 95
“Did you Kurds know that my father was from
here? His grandfather was from here too. His
grandfather is one of the Bagrevands of Erzrum.
This where they were born, lived, built, created,
prayed and died. Their fathers are buried in this
land. This is where beads of their sweat fell to the
land. This is where they spilled their blood. My
roots are here, Kurds.”
There is no reply. The Kurds who live on the same
land remain silent. That is the best case. In the
worst case, the Kurds in all those places recall
the stories that came from their grandfathers,
about how they fought the Armenians, how they
beheaded one Armenian or the other, stole his
belongings and occupied his house.
Zakare Zakaryan took revenge in Ardebil for the
immolation of Armenian princes in Nakhijevan
5 centuries earlier. He burned mullahs in the
Ardebil mosque. 5 centuries later.
VAN
The province of Van, the birthplace of the
Armenian nation, lies east of Mush. This is the
location of the Valley of the Armenians where,
according to legend, Hayk the Patriarch emerged
victorious. This is the location of the Urartian
fortress of Tushpa. This is the location of Mher’s
door, behind which legend says that Little Mher
waited for Armenia to be strong and prosperous
again. The half-ruined Varaga Monastery lies
here, as did the Narek Monastery, not a stone of
which remains today. And, of course, the most
beautiful structure of Van is located here, on an
island – Aghtamar. In contrast to the Arakelots
Monastery in Kars, Aghtamar has been lucky – it
is not a mosque. In fact, it functions as a church
once a year. Only one day.
I was lucky to be at Aghtamar on that happy day.
The Armenian language, numerous Armenians
from Turkey and abroad, dance troupes, the
elderly, the young – the place was teeming. Tens
of security personnel were present, charged with
maintaining order at the event, because attacks
by radicals were quite probable on that day.