The day Unger Sarkis Zeitlian was abducted.

Hagop Yapoujian

 

Attached is my abridged translation of a segment from Hagop Yapoujian’s book titled “Sarkis Zeitlian, the ARF Editor, Operative and Leader”.  The original is linked below. Vahe H. Apelian

 

It was a cold day in March (1985) and a stormy wind was blowing when I returned from work in the evening.

As soon as I got home, the phone rang. It was my mother, she asked if I was aware of the crime that had happened that day in Bourj Hammoud. Her aunt's grandson, the well-known jeweler, Hrand Kurkdjian, was found murdered in his workplace. I told her that I was not aware but I will inquire about it and let her know. 

To find out about the murder I called Yervat Monofarian (Երուանդ Մոնոֆարեան), who was the ARF central committee’s representative. He sounded concerned and with a solemn voice, said: 

"Besides that crime, there is another grave and urgent matter. unger Sarkis is missing. Report to the "Sardarabad" community center and be there at 7:00 p.m. I have invited the members of the central committee and of the parliamentary block for an important meeting. Let's not continue talking on the phone. I will report the information I have at the meeting.”

Aanxiety overtook me. I recalled unger Maroukhian telling me once:  "I tell Sarkis not to walk to work unattended. These days we all are indiscriminate targets. But he does not pay attention."

I immediately headed to "Sardarabad" community center, contemplating that the Lebanese-Armenian community is facing trying times in the turmoil of the Lebanese civil war, recalling the abduction of unger Apo (Ashjian), the attempted assassination of unger (Melkon) Eblighatian,  the abduction of Nshan Jozikian (Նշան Ճոզիկեան), the murder of unger Basmajian.

As far as I was concerned, the abductors of unger Sargkis were no other than the left-wing members of the Secret Army who in cooperation with the extremist groups of the Palestinian liberation movement, had become hired agents to international clandestine organizations, and by attacking the ARF, they intended not only to weaken the most important community of the diaspora, but also to stop the pursuit of Hie Thad (the Armenian Cause).

Driving through the dark streets of Bourj Hammoud, I was thinking about possible countermeasures to have unger Sarkis released. I arrived the "Sardarabad" center with such mixed thoughts. Unger Yervant,  unger Aznavourian and doctor Manougian were already there, when I entered the center.

Unger Aznavourian's face had its customary countenance, unsmiling, stern and serious. Unger Monofarian was smoking a cigarette. Only those who knew him well could tell that he looked concerned.

Not long after my arrival, one by one the other members of the central committee, the only member of the Bureau in Lebanon, and the parliamentarian Khachig Babigian arrived. 

Opening the session, unger Yervant reported that around 4:30 in the afternoon, Sako Sarkisian’s wife Zvart had stopped by his office and let him know that she was at the Zeitlian’s and had found Mrs. Sona Zeitlian concerned because unger Sarkis had not come home for lunch and there has been no news of his whereabout. 

Upon hearing the news, Unger Yervant had called the editorial staff of "Troshag" and confirmed from them that that morning unger Sarkis had not come to the office.  Thinking that it might be because of an urgent matter he had to attend, they had remained unconcerned. Unger Yervant also had the opportunity to talk to Mrs Sona, who had passed to him some information she had gathered from the building’s guard.

Continuing with his report, unger Yervant said that the abduction had taken place a short distance before the entrance of the Djemaran, at the intersection of the road to Djemaran and the other road to the HMEM athletic club nearby. 

Djemaran

According to eyewitnesses, one of whom is a nearby shopkeeper, two cars drove by around 9:30 in the morning and cut off the front of Sarkis's car. They forced him to drive behind them along Husein Beyhoum Street in the direction of the mosque.

A wide exchange of opinions took place in the light of the report. There was a large number of organizations operating in the region: groups of different Palestinian fractions, communists, progressives. Each of these groups had numerous branches, which often operated independently of their center. The kidnapping could have been carried out by any one of these branches, with which our relations had conflicts.

It was suggested to speak with Pierre Gemayel, the leader of the Phalange Party, to find out if their secret services had any information about the abduction, as well as to have a meeting with the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jounblat. The "progressives" were the influential main force of the group and they could be aware of the actions carried out within their circle of influence.

When it was my turn, I noted that considering the chain of events that happened recently, including the bombing of the three shops owned by ARF members, not far from the ‘Sardarabad” community center, the abduction of Ung Sarkis should be viewed among the acts committed by the Secret Army. I suggested that in order to have unger Sarkis released immediately, we should not hesitate to bring the members of the Secret Army, who are within our reach, to the "Sardarabad" club, unmask their presence to the local media and threaten them, giving them an ultimatum to have to release unger Sarkis in the shortest time possible. 

Some, including the member of the Bureau, considered my proposal extreme. They regarded such an action divisive and that it could have serious repercussions. At that time, the leadership of the ARF viewed the Secret Army having a different path and a different way of working. But since it was an Armenian movement, it was thought that it would not deviate from its main objective and attack Armenians, especially ARF leaders.

Tashnagsoutiun had to stay firm on its moral principles and be restrained. Our opposition should be well balanced and should avoid, fratricidal fights. The Armenians had entered the stage of political maturity, and a pan-Armenian thinking had come about to confront our nationwide problems. This thinking was manifested in the policies adopted by the Armenian political parties during the days of the civil war, and it was necessary not to compromise that constructive national stand because of the doings of some irresponsible elements.

The above-mentioned stand of Tashnagsoutiun caused us to pay dearly, because the dishonorable actions of the Armenian agents continued, and we lost the likes of Sarkis Aznavourian (Սարգիս Ազնաւուրեան), Vicken Bedrosian (Վիգէն Պետրոսեան), Tatul Sourian (Թաթուլ Սուրեան), Vartkes Der Karabedian (Վարգէս Տէր Կարապետեան),  Levon Berberian (Լեւոն Պէրպէրեան), Nerses Khudavertian (Ներսես Խիւտավերտեան),  Hagop Barsoumian (Յակոբ Պարսումեան),  and Zaven Tashjian (Զաւէն Թաշճեան).

The link for the original: 

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/05/blog-post_20.html