Մտորումներ՝ Բարեփոխե՞լ Հայաստանի Հռչակագիրը եւ Սահմանադրութիւնը

            Վահէ Յ Աբէլեան 

Կարդացի «Ազդակ» օրաթերթի, 24 Օգոստոս, 2024-ի Խմբագրականը, որ վերնագրուած էր « 5-րդ Յօդուածին Ականուած Մեկնաբանութիւնը»։

 Երեսուն տարուան թմբիրէ նոր արթնցած մարդու մտորումներուն պէս բան մըն էր «Ազդակ»-ի այդ խմբագրականը։ Արդէն սովորութիւն դարձած է Հայաստանի Գերագոյն Մարմնին համարատու եւ կամակատար սփիւռքահայ այդ հատուածին համար, հայ կեանքէն ներս վերջին քանի մը տարիներուն տեղի ունեցած ամէն դէպք կամ յայտարարութիւն, ոչ թէ վերլուծել, այլ որպէս պատրուակ գործածել՝ Թաւշեայ Յեղափոխութենէն ետք, ազգընտիր վարչապետ Նիկոլ Փաշինեանը դատապարտելու կամ դատապարտութեան թիրախ դարձնելու։ 

Տարօրինակ հոգեբանութիւն մը տեղ գտած է Հայաստանի Գերագոյն Մարմնին համարատու եւ կամակատար սփիւռքահայ այդ հատուածին մէջ։ Անշուշտ այդ հոսանքը կրնայ շարունակել իր ընթացքը եւ ենթարկուիլ անոր հետեւանքներուն սփիւռքի մէջ։ Իսկ Հայաստանի ընթացքը վարողները բնականաբար, Հայաստանի քաղաքացիներն են եւ Հայաստանի իրարայաջորդ իշխանութիւնները, որոնք խոցեցին, չըսելու համար ականեցին, ՀՀ Անկախութեան Հռչակագիրին խորքը, 21 Սեպտեմբեր, 1991-էն ի վեր՝ Թաւշեայ Յեղափոխութենէն շատ տարիներ առաջ։ 

ՀՀ Անկախութեան Հռչակագիրը, վաւերացուեցաւ 34 տարի առաջ, 23 Օգոստոս, 1990-ին։ Սփիւռքի այդ նոյն հատուածը զարմանալիօրէն՝ կամ գիտակից չէ, կամ կը գիտակցի, բայց կը դժկամի հանրութեան առջեւ անկեղծօրէն գաղտնազերծել իր համոզումը, թէ՝ Հայաստանի համար Հռչակագիրը Հայ պատմական իղձերուն իրականացումն է եւ ոչ թէ պատմական իղձերուն շտեմարանը կամ ալ անոր մէկ ալ կառեւոր հանգրուանը, թէեւ իղձերու երկչոտ ակնարկ կայ Հրչակագրին նախաբանին մէջ։

Արդարեւ, Հայաստանի իշխանութիւնները խոցել սկսան, 23 Օգոստոս 1990-ին վաւերացուցած Հռչակագիրը, քանի մը ամիս ետք, Սեպտեմբեր 21, 1991-ի անկախութեան հռչակումէն սկսեալ, պարզապէս քանի որ քաղաքականօրէն կարելի չէ եղած Հայաստանին համար այլ քաղաքական ընթացք որդեգրել՝ իր գոյութիւնը պահելու համար։ Հռչակագիրը խմբագրուեցաւ Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի անկախութեան ընթացքին եւ Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Ազգային խորհուրդին հետ գործակցաբար։ Ղարաբաղի ազատագրութեան շարժումն սլ սկսաւ եւ դադար առաւ Հայաստանի առաջին նախագահ Լեւոն Տէր Պետրոսեանի օրով, բայց անոր յաջորդող երկու նախագահները՝ Ռ. Քոչարեան (ՌՔ) եւ Ս. Սարգսյան (ՍՍ), մերժեցին ԼՏՊ-ի, 1 Նոյեմբեր 1997-ի «Պատերազմ թէ Խաղաղութիւն՛ լրջանալու պահը» տեսութիւնը եւ հրաժարիլ տուին Նախագահ ԼՏՊ-ը, քանի մը ամիս ետք, 3 Փետրուար, 1998-ին։ Բայց իրենք ոչ ճանչցան Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետութիւնը -  Արցախի Հանրապետութիւնը 2017-էն ի վեր - ոչ ալ կցեցին Լեռնային Ղարաբաղը Հայաստանին, թէեւ Հռչակագիրը այդ կը խորհդրանշեր։

Այդ երկու նախագահները, որոնք Ղարաբաղէն են, Լեռնային Ղարաբաղը մատնեցին քաղաքական անելի վիճակի մէջ, խախտելով Հրչակագրին խորհուրդը։ Իսկ Ապրիլ 23, 2018-ին նորընտիր վարչապետ Սէրժ Սարգսյանը պատեհ առիթը օգտագործեց անխուսափելի պատերազմէն խուսափելու եւ հրաժարեցաւ իր պաշտօնէն՝ ենթադրելով որ իրեն համար նպաստաւոր քաղաքական դրութիւն մը պիտի ստեղծուի Ղարաբաղի երկրորդ եւ անխուսափելի պատերազմէն ետք ու Թաւշեայ Յեղափոխութիւնը պիտի խամրի իր սաղմին մէջ։ Բայց Հայաստանի քաղաքացիները չխաբուեցան այդ սադրանքէն եւ կրկին անգամ վերընտրեցին Նիկոլ Փաշինյանը թէեւ անոր իշխանութեան օրով Հայաստանը պարտուեցաւ եւ կորսնցուց Արցախի Հանրապետութեան կարելիութիւնը 

Սեպտեմբեր 21, 1991-էն ետք, Հայաստանի իշխանութիւնները պատմական հայապատկան հողերու վիճակը՝ իմա Արեւմտահայաստան, եւ ցեղասպանութիւնը, հետեւեալ քաղաքականութեամբ ընկալեցին եւ գործադրեցին. Հայաստանը հողային պահանջք չունի Թուրքիայէն եւ Թուրքիոյ հետ իր դրացնութիւնը նախապայման չունի։ Այսինքն Թուրքերը Մեծ Եղեռնը հարց չեն ըներ, իսկ Հայաստանն ալ Մեծ Եղեռնը հարց չըներ։ «Մի հարցներ եւ մի ըսեր», Անգլերենով՝ “Don’t ask, don’t tell”, քաղաքականութիւն մը, հակառակ Հռչակագրին տրամադրութեան։ Այո, Մեծ Եղեռն եւ ոչ թէ ցեղասպանութիւն։ Իսկ Հայաստանի Գերագոյն Մարմինը, որ մաս կը կազմէր ՍՍ կառավարութեան, գրկաբաց ընդունեց այդ քաղաքականութիւնը։ Այս ալ նշեմ՝ Սէրժ Սարգսյանի Հանրապետական կուսակցութիւնը արդէն մեծամասնութիւն էր ԱԺ-էն ներս եւ կարիքը չունէր քաղաքական դաշնակցութեան, բայց հրաւիրեց Գերագոյն Մարմինը մաս կազմել իր կառաւարութեան եւ անոր՝ Գերագոյն Մարմինին ներկայացուցիչ Վահան Յովաննեսյանը Սէրժ Սարգսյանը կարգեց իր իշխանութեան, Արեւմտեան Եւրոպայի մեծագոյն երկրին՝ Գերմանիոյ արտակարգ եւ լիազօր դեսպանը։

Հայաստանը, հայ իղձերուն իրականացման համար արիւնով ձեռք ձգած հնարաւորութեան կատարելիութիւնն եւ իրողութիւնն է եւ իրականը եւ ո´չ թէ Հայու պատմական իղձերուն շտեմարանը կամ ալ այդ իղձերուն մէկ հանգրուանը։ Պատմական Հայ իղձերուն շտեմարանը սփիւռքահայ հայ անհատն է իր տան մէջ եւ իր ընտանիքով,  իր համայնքով, առանց որ այդ իղձերը բարդէ  Հայոց Պետութեան կամ պետականութեան ուսերուն, գողարկելով Հայ Սփիւռքին ահաւոր անկումը։  

Սփիւռքը կը պարտի գիտակցիլ որ գործնապաշտութիւնը (pragmatism), Հայաստանի քաղաքականութեան հիմնաքարն է եւ ո´չ թէ Անկախութեան այս Հռչակագիրին տառացի գործադրութիւնը՝ պահելու  համար  արիւնով ձեռք բերուած հնարաւորը եւ կարելին, որպէս  ներկայ ազատ, անկախ, ժողովրդավար, եւ երջանկութեան արժանի Հայաստան։ 

Հետեւաբար, անհրաժեշտ է՞ բարեփոխել ՀՀ Անկախութեան Հռչակագիրը եւ անկէ բխող Հայաստանի Սահմանադրութիւնը, կամ ոչ։ իմ հայեցողութեամբս՝ այո´։ Բայց այդ ընտրութիւնը բնականաբար կը մնայ Հայաստանի քաղաքացիներուն։ 

 

 

Armenian Evangelical Schools in Lebanon

This is my abridged translation of the Armenian Evangelical schools in Lebanon, Dr. Zaven Messerlian, posted in the Jan-Feb. 2013 issue of “Chanasser” (Ջանասէր). This blog was previously posted on October 20, 2017. A seismic change has come about the Armenian schools in Lebanon during the last decade, even though. the Armenian Evangelical schools remain steadfast in their mission and have held relatively well. Although the following two schools were closed since Dr. Zaven Messerlian  posted his article in the Jan-Feb. 2013 issue of "Chanasser". Peter and Elizabeth Torosian Junior High School in the Amanos neighborhood, and the Armenian Evangelical Gertmenian School in Nor-Hadjin neighborhood of greater Bourj Hammoud Armenian enclave were closed.

 Dr. Messerlian is a graduate of the American University of Beirut (BA ’59, MA ’63), is a historian, author, and principal of the Armenian Evangelical College in Beirut since 1967. He received an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Sciences of Armenia in Yerevan in 2003 for his contributions to modern Armenian history and education. In 2007 Archbishop Hovnan Derderian conferred upon him, by the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, the St. Sahag-St. Mesrob Medal. Vahe H Apelian

Top: Yeprem-Martha Philibosian Armenian Evangelical  College in Beirut. Bottom LtoR: Armenian Evangelical Secondary School of Anjar, Armenian Evangelical Central High School, Armenian Evangelical Shamlian-Tatigian Secondary School

                                        ***

There are (note in 2013) six functioning Armenian Evangelical Schools in Lebanon. They were founded at different times since the Genocide of the Armenians. The schools are:

Armenian Evangelical Yeprem-Martha Philibosian College in Beirut. It was founded in 1923. It's the first post-Genocide secondary (high) school in the Diaspora.  The principal is Dr. Zaven Messerlian.

Armenian Evangelical Central High School in Ashrafieh, a suburb of Beirut. Founded as an elementary school in 1922, it later became a secondary (high) school. The principal is Mrs. Maral Deyirmenjian.

Armenian Evangelical Shamlian-Tatigian Secondary School in Bourj-Hamoud, Beirut. Initially (1930) an elementary school, it was elevated to secondary (high) school. The principal is Ms. Vartoug Balekjian.

Armenian Evangelical Secondary School of Anjar. It was founded in 1930, after the exodus of the Armenians from Sanjak (of Alexandretta), as an elementary school and later became a secondary (high) school. The principal is Rev. Raffi Messerlian.

Armenian Evangelical Peter and Elizabeth Torosian Junior High School in Amanos, Beirut. It was founded in 1951 as a kindergarten and later became middle school. The principal is Mrs Seta Karagoezian. (closed)

Armenian Evangelical Gertmenian School in Nor-Hadjin, Beirut. It was founded in 1931 as an elementary school. Its principal is Mr. Sahag Dedeyan. (closed)

All the schools are affiliated with their churches and are under the jurisdiction of the Union of The Armenian Evangelical Churches In Near East (UAECNE, The Union). The Union also oversees the Haigazian University that was founded in 1955 as a College and was elevated to University by a governmental decree in 1996. An Education Council operates under the jurisdiction of The Union.

At each stage of their schooling--elementary, middle, high--students receive a diploma upon successful completion of the academic programs.

The Armenian Evangelical schools in Lebanon were more numerous in the past. Due to the dwindling Armenian-Lebanese population as a result of demographic changes and civil wars (1958, 1975), their number shrank.

The following Armenian Evangelical School have ceased to exist:

Armenian Evangelical School in Zahle, founded in 1922.

Armenian Evangelical Co-Ed High School in Tripoli, founded in 1936.

Armenian Evangelical School in the Nor-Adana neighborhood of Beirut, founded in 1936.

Armenian Evangelical School in Shtaura, founded in 1938.

Armenian Evangelical School in the Hayashen neighborhood of Beirut, founded in 1938.

Armenian Evangelical Philibosian School in Sin el Fil (Beirut) founded in 1953.

Armenian Evangelical School in Trad, Bourj-Hamoud founded in 1936 and closed in 2008.

Along with these schools, Genats High School, which also was affiliated with the Armenian Evangelical Community, was also closed. It was founded in 1937 in Dbayeh.

The mission statement of the Armenian Evangelical schools adopted during the 2001 Second Assembly of the UAECNE states: “Based on the mission and history of the Armenian Evangelical Church, the goal of the Armenian Evangelical School is to equip students with a quality Christian Armenian education, adhering to the governmental curriculum, in addition maintaining the orientation set by the Armenian Evangelical Education Council".

The mission has three components.

1.    Academic Curriculum. The Armenian Evangelical Schools follow a liberal education program that aims to educate the student in entirety by fostering in the student critical thinking to successfully implement the government mandated academic requirements to achieve the best possible results. The Armenian Evangelical Schools implement current teaching methodologies to best educate their students for college or trade schools.

2.    Armenian Identity. The Armenian Evangelical Schools impart to its students at each stage of their schooling cultural values rooted in the Armenian experience and teach them Armenian language, history, literature. The Armenian Evangelical Schools strive to foster in their students a balanced and inclusive Armenian awareness and a spirit of service to the nation.

3.    Armenian Evangelical Heritage. The supreme goal of the Armenian Evangelical Schools is to help students know God through Jesus Christ. This is achieved by fostering in the schools an Armenian Evangelical spirit by offering the students morning services, teaching the Bible, attending Sunday church services and encouraging the students to participate in Armenian Evangelical youth fellowship. The teachers are expected to exemplify Christian conduct for their students to emulate them.

The Union trusts the implementation of the mission of the Armenian Evangelical Schools to the local school boards of trustees, principle and teachers to prepare the students to become responsible Christians, exemplary citizens and productive members of their communities.

The Armenian Evangelical schools have always served the Armenians in Lebanon without regard to their denominational and sectarian affiliations. They have always put due emphasis on the teaching of the Armenian language, history, literature along with the teaching of the Bible in Armenian. The schools have also implemented the government-mandated language, science and math requirements. From its first graduating class in 1927, the graduates of the Armenian Evangelical high schools have successfully continued their education at the American University of Beirut in various disciplines.

When Lebanon was under French mandate from 1923 to 1943, French was taught at the Armenian Evangelical schools along with Arabic. After the conclusion of the French mandate, the teaching of the Arabic language was emphasized along with English. The Armenian Evangelical schools successfully fulfill the Lebanese government academic requirements. There was a time when Armenian Evangelical high school students were accepted to the American University of Beirut through the recommendation of the principal. Nowadays, success in the Baccalaureate II exam is a must for admission.

Armenian and Christian education is not only imparted in the classrooms, but also through extra-curricular activities within the schools. The schools have Armenian, Bible, history, science and other clubs as well. The schools have their own publications such as:

“Sipan” by the Armenian Evangelical Yeprem-Martha Philibosian College.

“Shiraz” by the Armenian Evangelical Secondary School of Anjar.

“Arpi” by the Armenian Evangelical Central High School.

“Shogher” by the Armenian Evangelical Peter and Elizabeth Torosian School.

Almost all the Armenian Evangelical schools have student theater, choir, dance groups and athletic teams. The students speak Armenian during recess. Most of the services offered to the students in the sanctuaries are in Armenian. In short, a healthy Armenian atmosphere prevails at the Armenian Evangelical schools of Lebanon.

Armenia's Declaration of Independence - Hrchagakir (Հրչակագիր) - Anniversary

 August 23, is the anniversary of Soviet Republic of Armenia declaring independence, on August 23, 1990 . Attached is the text. Every Armenian interested in Armenia, should read the short text and give his or her thought about it.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 

The Supreme Council of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic

Expressing the united will of the Armenian people;
Aware of its historic responsibility for the destiny of the Armenian people engaged in the realization of the aspirations of all Armenians and the restoration of historical justice;
Proceeding from the principles of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the generally recognized norms of international law;
Exercising the right of nations to free self-determination;
Based on the December 1, 1989, joint decision of the Armenian SSR Supreme Council and the Artsakh National Council on the "Reunification of the Armenian SSR and the Mountainous Region of Karabakh;"
Developing the democratic traditions of the independent Republic of Armenia established on May 28, 1918;

Declares

The beginning of the process of establishing of independent statehood positioning the question of the creation of a democratic society based on the rule of law;
1. The Armenian SSR is renamed the Republic of Armenia (Armenia). The Republic of Armenia shall have its flag, coat of arms, and anthem.
2. The Republic of Armenia is a self-governing state, endowed with the supremacy of state authority, independence, sovereignty, and plenipotentiary power.Only the constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia are valid for the whole territory of the Republic of Armenia.
3. The bearer of the Armenian statehood is the people of the Republic of Armenia, which exercises the authority directly and through its representative bodies on the basis of the constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia. The right to speak on behalf of the people of the Republic of Armenia belongs exclusively to the Supreme Council of Armenia.
4. All citizens living on the territory of Armenia are granted citizenship of the Republic of Armenia. Armenians of the Diaspora have the right of citizenship of Armenia. The citizens of the Republic of Armenia are protected and aided by the Republic. The Republic of Armenia guarantees the free and equal development of its citizens regardless of national origin, race, or creed.
5. With the purpose of guaranteeing the security of the Republic of Armenia and the inviolability of its borders, the Republic of Armenia creates its own armed forces, internal troops, organs of state and public security under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Council. The Republic of Armenia has its share of the USSR military apparatus. The Republic of Armenia determines the regulation of military service for its citizens independently. Military units of other countries, their military bases and building complexes can be located on the territory of the Republic of Armenia only by a decision of Armenia’s Supreme Council. The armed forces of the Republic of Armenia can be deployed only by a decision of its Supreme Council.
6. As the subject of international law, the Republic of Armenia conducts an independent foreign policy; it establishes direct relations with other states, national-state units of the USSR, and participates in the activity of international organizations.
7. The national wealth of the Republic of Armenia - the land, the earth’s crust, airspace, water, and other natural resources, as well as economic and intellectual, cultural capabilities are the property of its people. The regulation of their governance, usage, and possession is determined by the laws of the Republic of Armenia. The Republic of Armenia has the right to its share of the USSR national wealth, including the supplies of gold and diamond, and hard currency funds.
8. The Republic of Armenia determines the principles and regulation of its economic system, creates its own money, national bank, finance-loan system, tax and custom services, based on the system of multiple forms of property ownership.
9. On its territory, the Republic of Armenia guarantees freedom of speech, press, and conscience; separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers; a multi-party system; equality of political parties under the law; depolitization of law enforcement bodies and armed forces.
10. The Republic of Armenia guarantees the use of Armenian as the state language in all spheres of the Republic’s life; the Republic creates its own system of education and of scientific and cultural development.
11, The Republic of Armenia stands in support of the task of achieving international recognition of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia.
12. This declaration serves as the basis for the development of the constitution of the Republic of Armenia and, until such time as the new constitution is approved, as the basis for the introduction of amendments to the current constitution; and for the operation of state authorities and the development of new legislation for the Republic.

Signed by: 

Levon Ter-Petrossian
President of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia 

Ara Sahakian
Secretary of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia 

Yerevan
August 23, 1990

Source:

English:  https://www.gov.am/en/independence/

Հայերէն: https://www.gov.am/am/independence/

 

Excerpts about the Ottoman Bank and the Armenians – 2/ -

I have put together excerpts about the Ottoman Bank and Armenians dealing with the Ottoman bank, from Mano Chil’s postings on his Facebook page. They give an interesting and fascinating insight about the Ottoman Armenian relations with the Ottoman Bank.

The following can be unequivocally said about the Ottoman Bank:

1. The Ottoman Bank was Ottoman by name only. 

2. The Ottoman Bank put an end to the glorious era of the Armenian Amiras.

3. On Wednesday, 26 August 1896, 26 Armenians from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, occupied the Ottoman Bank of Constantinople.  Vahe H Apelian

Image: Imperial Ottoman Bank Headquarters, 1896. Designed by Alexander Vallaury.

Armenian achievements in the Ottoman Empire (posted on December 7, 2021)

“Armenian achievements in the [Ottoman] Empire were not only in trade.

In the 19th century, various Armenian families became the Sultan's goldsmiths, Sultan's architects and took over the currency reserves and the reserves of gold and silver, including customs duty. 

16 of the 18 most important bankers in the Ottoman Empire were Armenian.

-- Astrig Tchamkerten”

                                                                ***

Armenian assets confiscated from all Ottoman Bank branches (posted on September 4, 2023

“All Imperial Ottoman bank branches complied with the strict government orders and delivered all of the bank assets, valuables and safe deposits, cash deposits and jewelry belonging to the deported Armenians. These patently illegal acts were justified by the so-called “Abandoned Properties Act.” The clout and the machinery of two powerful ministries, Interior and Finance, were fully exploited in the execution of what appears to be the twentieth century’s first state-sponsored massive robbery of its citizens.

The confiscated assets from all Ottoman bank braches were systematically transferred to the Central Ottoman Bank in Constantinople. Upon the insistence of the bank’s executives, Finance Minister Djavid provided receipts for the loot, which stated that the assets would be returned to the owners when they return to their homes. However, in September 1916 the Ittihadist leaders secretly transferred five million Turkish gold pounds ($22 million in 1915) to Berlin’s Reichsbank and deposited them… to the personal accounts of the triumvirate Talât, Enver, and Djemal.

—A Perfect Injustice: Genocide and Theft of Armenian Wealth”

                                        *** 

Europe’s chuck-hold of  the Ottoman Empire Economy (posted on September 14, 2023)

“The two main instruments of France’s economic penetration during this period are the Imperial Ottoman Bank and the Ottoman debt. 

The Imperial Ottoman Bank, which is acting both as a central bank and as a business bank, is established in 1863 and controlled at 80% by French banks, a majority which precisely marks the transition from the British preponderance to a return to the French one. It helps the French investors to have the biggest share in the railways (46.9% in 1914) and in the banks sector (37.77% the same year).

The Ottoman public finances are carelessly treated until the reign of Abdülhamit II and the situation leads in 1881 to the creation of an Administration of the Ottoman public debt (Düyun-u Umumiye), partly controlled by the creditors, to collect a part of the taxes directly and to reimburse, as a result, the debt. Yet, from 1880 to 1909, the French investors represent around 70% of the capital invested in the Ottoman debt, and 63% for the period 1910-1914.

-- Maxime Gauin”

                                            ***

Mr. Berj Kerestejian, Armenian chief of the operations service of the Imperial Ottoman Bank (posted on January 2, 2023)

“Thursday, 16 July, 1914.

During a conversation with Mr. Berj Kerestejian, Armenian chief of the operations service of the Imperial Ottoman Bank, said that he always warned his countrymen against rash actions and too exaggerated demands from the Turkish government.

"There are always hot-headed persons and these are dangerous." He spoke, for instance, about the bomb attack on the bank in 1896; he was still young then and worked "upstairs"; it was an incredible audacity, and it had been successful, in spite of all of Abdul Hamid's spies.

But what did the Armenians obtain through this bomb attack? The next day thousands of Armenians were massacred in Constantinople. The Armenian officials of the bank got off relatively well — they were moved to the Ottoman Bank in Egypt — but all Armenian civil servants and officials were dismissed, driven off, and the business of the Armenians was crippled for at least ten years.

I told him my opinion on the work over there in Armenia.

"Excellent . . . tell my countrymen that they should not get involved in politics; let them do two things, which we Armenians are permitted and able to do: work and make money, nothing else. Hotheaded persons are needed for overthrowing governments, but not in Armenia."

-- L.C. Westenenk

He served for a period as a Deputy at the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Ottoman Parliament.

An anecdote is being told about his contribution to save the life of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, as he informed Atatürk's lawyer about a British plot to sink his ship SS Bandırma in the Black Sea, on which Atatürk left Constantinople (today-Istanbul) in 1919 to initiate the Turkish War of Independence. He was awarded the white stripe Medal of Independence after the war.

In 1923, Berj Kerestejian sent a telegram to Atatürk in his capacity as the honorary president of the Turco-Armenian Friendship Association and a member of the secular council of the Armenian Patriarchate, confirming the loyalty and the support of his community to the political authority of the government in Ankara.

According to Fehmi Akin, following the surname reform on June 21, 1934, Atatürk gave Berj Kerestejian the family name Türker (Turkish for Turk man) for his patriotism.

Encouraged and supported by Atatürk, he run as an independent candidate for a deputy seat from Afyonkarahisar at the 1935 general elections and became a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly on March 7, 1935 as the first Armenian and one of the four non-Muslims in total. The same day, he also became a member of the economic commission of the parliament thanks to his expertise. He repeated his membership of the parliament twice more after the general elections in 1939 and 1943.

During his political career in the parliament, Berj Türker Kerestejian made significant contributions to issues of general political, economic, social and international developments.

After his retirement in 1947, he lived at Büyükada, Istanbul. Berj Türker Kerestejian died in Istanbul, on 27 July 1949, and interred on 29 July in the same city.”

 

A happenstance reminding How Steve Kerr's Grandfather's Book Came About.

How Steve Kerr's grandfather's book came about: Steve Kerr is a friend to Armenians. His  endorsement at DNC reminded me of Antranig Chalabian's  "A Big Book's Little Story" article that  appeared in Antranig Zaroukian’s Nairi Weekly in Beirut on December 2, 1973, few months after the publication of “The Lions of Marash”. I attached my translation of the article  where Antranig Chalabian narrated how Steve kerr's grandfather Dr. Stanely E. Kerr’s monumental book came about. . Vahe H Apelian 

Steve Kerr on the DNC podium August 19, 2024

How Steve Kerr's grandfather's book came about? Antranig Chalabian

Dr. Stanley E. Kerr was the Chairman of the Biochemistry Department of the American University of Beirut for almost four decades. During the last years of his tenure he had merited the title of Distinguished Professor. For all I know, in the history of the University, few individuals have been conferred with this title. He retired from his post in 1965 and moved to America.

I knew the Professor simply because we worked in the same building. He worked in the second floor of the University’s School of Medicine building while I worked in its fourth floor as Research Assistant. I had heard that the Professor was an Armenophile. A friend had told me that at the aftermath of the First World War he had helped the Armenian refugees.

The American University of Beirut’s School of Medicine building has two storage rooms in its fourth floor where all sorts of equipment, instruments, some usable others not, are kept. When the storage rooms get filled up workers come and remove some of the items that are not needed any more.

It was in the summer of 1966. I heard that workers have come and are emptying the two storage rooms. I went to see that they do not remove instruments and other items we owned we may need in the future. In one corner there was a very old wooden box. “Take this wooden cart away!” I told the workers because of its rough and tumble look and accumulated dust.

I had hardly uttered my order when I noticed that at its bottom there were papers that appeared to be newspaper and envelopes of sorts. The papers appeared to be very old. Had a garbage collector come across the box he would not have wanted to handle the papers inside and would have tossed the box away. I, on the other hand, who has a tendency to wash his hands 50 times a day, do not know how is that I extended my arm into the box and reached the papers. It may be that luck would have it that way.

I opened the large envelope with utmost care. There were clippings from an English language newspaper. TODAY IN SVAS A THOUSAND ARMENIANS WERE MASSACRED. I turned my face the other way and shook the fifty years accumulated dust and took the envelope to my office.

I placed the papers on the table next to my desk and started to look into the newspaper clippings. They were clippings from New York Times dating to the Armenian Genocide. There were also correspondences and documents and also Stanley Kerr’s picture (he was not a professor then).  His picture appeared in the newspaper on two occasions in a military like uniform. It turned out that they were the uniforms worn by the American Relief Workers. From the correspondences I concluded that the envelope belonged to   Dr. Stanley Kerr.

Emotions overtook me as I read the newspaper clippings; Dr. Suhail Jabbour, one of the Professors of the Physiology Department who is a very curious and observant person, happened to step in.

- “What are you reading?” He asked.

- “Papers that belong to Dr. Stanley Kerr” I said “He seems to have left them here”

- “Place them in my office after you are done” He said. “I would like to read them as well”.

Three days later I asked him, “Where are Dr. Stanley Kerr’s papers?” “I sent them to his son”, he said. Professor Stanley Kerr’s son, Malcolm, was a professor at the University’s Political Science Department and is a specialist of Arab history.correspondences and documents and also Stanley Kerr’s picture (he was not a professor then).  His picture appeared in the newspaper on two occasions in a military like uniform. It turned out that they were the uniforms worn by the American Relief Workers. From the correspondences I concluded that the envelope belonged to   Dr. Stanley Kerr.

Emotions overtook me as I read the newspaper clippings; Dr. Suhail Jabbour, one of the Professors of the Physiology Department who is a very curious and observant person, happened to step in.

- “What are you reading?” He asked.

- “Papers that belong to Dr. Stanley Kerr” I said “He seems to have left them here”

- “Place them in my office after you are done” He said. “I would like to read them as well”.

Three days later I asked him, “Where are Dr. Stanley Kerr’s papers?” “I sent them to his son”, he said. Professor Stanley Kerr’s son, Malcolm, was a professor at the University’s Political Science Department and is a specialist of Arab history.

I wrote a letter to Dr. Malcolm Kerr at the U.C.L.A. Political Science Department inquiring about his father’s papers. He wrote back letting me know that he had sent the papers to his father who lived in Princeton, NJ.

I wrote to Dr. Stanley Kerr and asked him if he would return the papers he had left behind to me to give to an Armenian editor.

“No, Antranig” he replied. “I had not thrown these papers away. I had lost them. They are very valuable to me. I had collected them to write a book. I am glad that you found them……”.

This incident became the reason that initiated a correspondence between the two of us the outcome of which became the monumental book Dr. Stanley E. Kerr wrote about the massacres of Marash. To write this book, the eminent professor devoted six years and produced a book about the tragedy of Marash that historians may not have anything else to add. We may mention here that Krikor Kaloustian’s book titled “Marash or Kermanic” has only a 30 pages long section about the tragedy of Marash including eyewitness accounts.

Dr. Kerr has been in Aleppo and Marash between 1919 and 1923 as an American Middle East Relief officer. He has been a witness to the post War massacres by the Kemalists. Before that he has been interested in the Armenian issues and has collected newspaper articles about the Armenian massacres.

My task became collecting references about the Armenian Genocide and the Cilician tragedy.  I translated into English almost all the Armenian references available about the tragedy of Marash and the Cilician calamity. Fortunately the Professor’s knowledge of German, French and Turkish greatly facilitated our searches.

In the spring of 1967, a year after the initiation of the work, the Professor came to Lebanon in search of sources. We looked for a book but we could not find it. I checked almost all the bookstores in the city but I could not locate a copy. The title of the book was  “La Cilicie 1919-1920” by Edmond Brimond. I was told that the Armenian Catholic Library in Zmar had a copy.

The 1967 Israeli six-days long war started. The city was very tense. It was the third day of the war and the city was at a heightened mood. People were protesting all over and the streets were littered with glass fragments. The schools were closed and people were indoors; I was concerned that the Professor would soon leave due to rising anti-American sentiments without the reference. I decided to go to Zmar but I did not own a car then. I ventured out of the house, crossed the city center and walked to my friend Yervant Grboyan’s house and knocked at the door. He was still in his bed.

- “Take me to Zmar” I said.

- “Are you crazy or what?” He said. “Who goes out in these times leaving his house?” He added.

We drove to Zmar. We were sipping tasty wine when the Vartabed went to fetch the book from the library. He came back. “We do not have the copy” he said. “It is in our registry but it appears that Father Gergerian has taken the book with him to Philadelphia”.

In the afternoon I went to the University and found that Dr. Stanley Kerr and all the American nationals had left the country early that morning at 7 a.m.

I continued to search for the book through Librarie Du Liban. I wrote to friends in Paris, but to no avail. Then someone told me to check Vahe Setian’s private collection. Giving the benefit of the doubt that a personal collector would have a book the libraries did not, I visited Vahe Setian to inquire. Not only I found the book I was looking for in his collection, I also found additional seven historical books in French about the Cilician tragedy.  In President Hoover’s Library we found another French book we needed titled “Historique du 412n Regiment d’Enfanterie” by Captain C. Tribault.

“The Lions of Marash” was printed by the State University of New York Press and was published on July 2, 1973. It retails for $15. Few copies have arrived to Beirut. I do not want to be misunderstood. The author has purchased few copies and gifted to friends.

I am pleased that an eminent American Professor wrote this book. The Professor has shown his greatness early on. Just imagine that a young 20 to 22 years old student leaves America and volunteers to help Armenian orphans in a foreign land.

I narrated the story of a big book. Let the Marashtsi intellectuals evaluate the book."

Dr. Antranig Chalabian

 

Zaven Khanjian reminiscing about Kessab.

 “Heavenly Kessab” is my 2013 translation of one of the stories from Zaven Khanjian’s book, titled “Aleppo, First Station”. The translated story first appeared on the online journal Keghart.com in February 2013. Zaven Khanjian was a friend to the Kessabtsis and over the years shouldered communal responsibilities with many of them in Los Angeles. Vahe H Apelian

 

While our homes and schools in Haleb were each a small spiritual Armenia, Kessab, on the other hand, was for us the only tangible, tasteful, huggable, historic and ancestral Armenian soil. Let Kessabtsis remain assured that we lay no territorial claim when we state that Kessab was our Armenia as well. This Armenian speaking, breathing and heart-beating northeastern Syrian corner was the magnet for our summer vacation; a most beautiful mountainous resort comprised of its namesake main village, Kessab, and surrounded by the Armenian inhabited, Armenian speaking but Turkish named villages.

In those days the inhabitants of Kessab were few. They thus became the close acquaintances of those who visited Kessab, especially when visiting the same village summer after summer and especially when both the visitors and the locals were members of the same denomination. Keurkune first, followed by Ekiz-Olough and then Kessab became the summer long camping centers for the youth of the Armenian Evangelical Christian Endeavor -Chanits.  

Resting at the foot of a hill, the center for our summer vacation in Keurkune was a stone walled one storied building whose doors and windows remained without panels. It was not only the mountain winds that breezed through it, but also our childhood curiosity that took wing and fired our imagination as to what possibly could lay behind that hill. In time we discovered, to our disappointment, that what lay behind the hill was the dirt road that snaked through keurkune and Ekiz-Olough.

1. Our ancestral Stepan &Sara (Mousajekian) home, in Keurkune

2. Chanits summer home where Zaven Khanjian stayed:"Resting at the foot of a hill, the center for our summer vacation in Keurkune was a stone walled, one story building whose doors and windows remained without panels"  (Keurkunetsis know it as Gebresent house)

We then wondered what lay further away?

TThe house at the foot of the hill Zaven Khanjian described as their Chanits summer home where Zaven Khanjian stayed in Keurkune:"Resting at the foot of a hill, the center for our summer vacation in Keurkune was a stone walled, one story building whose doors and windows remained without panels"  (Keurkunetsis know it as Gebresent house)

In time we grew taller and with the passing years we climbed to the highest peak of Kessab, that of Mount Silderan. Many a time we passed by the icy waters of Chalma’s spring and its majestic chestnut tree and gazed with wander the vast expanse of the blue water of the Mediterranean Sea. It was way too early for us then to ponder what lay beyond the blue waters and be drawn by the deceptive allure of the Western Civilization.

My contemporaries and I owe a lot to Kessab. In that mountainous and borderless environment, one attempts to soar with eagles. The pine trees there proudly stand tall, sky high. The apples, the figs, the wild berries you come across at every pace taste heavenly in Kessab. It is there when you experience freedom unadulterated by human constrictions and feel closer to the Heavenly Father and come to worship both the Creator and the Creation and exalt God in the highest with an unyielding earnest to live free.

Kessabtis are a happy bunch, even though Kessab was not spared from the destructive and annihilating policies of the Young Turks. The surviving Kessabtis returned to their homes and stayed there. Where else west of Mount Massis1 has an Armenian enclave continued to embrace the descendants of the House of Torkom2 for longer? Aside west of Massis, which other Armenian enclave has had the good fortune to continue living on its ancestral soil for longer?  Kessabtsis were salvaged because somewhere, somehow, someone – a blessed creature – whether an official of the Ottoman Empire or of the Colonial French mistakenly drew the line that left Kessab inside Syria. The latter in turn embraced it with a sincere welcome and assured its safety. Nowadays Kessabtsis are more of immigrants than native, more of them live outside than inside Kessab. They are more scattered worldwide than congregated in their native enclave. However, all these changes have come about out of free will choices and not due to any persecution, threat, or forced displacement.

There was a time when the Kessabtsis toiled the land and were more of villagers. They left their pickaxes, shovels and scoops in favor of tilling medical, academic and spiritual fields. These days the Kessabtsis are more of medical practitioners, educators, and spiritual shepherds.

We loved Kessab and Kessab in turn loved us. Our summer long sojourn there inevitably led to that mutual bond. The summer long church related meetings concluded with the traditional bonfire when the whole village would congregate around the vacationing young men and women to attend the comedy presentations the young vacationers prepared for the villagers as a gesture of good will.

Nature had endowed Ekiz-Olough with an open-air theater in the center of the village where we fashioned the stage with sheets, ropes and wooden poles. Armenag was the brainchild behind the improvised theatrical stage, while Raffi Charkhudian, Azad Mesrobian, Zadour Khatchadourian and I attempted to remain true to the characters of the plays we portrayed whether it was in “կիկո “ (Gego), “Շողոքորթը“ (The Flatterer), “Քաղաքավարութեան Վնասները“ (The Perils of Politeness). With rare exceptions, all the villagers attended and enjoyed the zenith of our summer long cultural endeavor. The younger vacationers in turn remained captivated by the performance of their elder campers.

Inside cover of Zavan Khanjian's book "Aleppo First Station"

We, in turn, loved the Kessabtsi. We loved the Kessabtis for their unassuming and modest characters worthy to those brought up in nature, for their pure hearts akin to the clean waters of their springs, for their steel like character much like the boulders of their rocky terrain, for their perennial quest much like their ever-green pine trees. We loved the Kesssabtsis for the labor they bore much like their fruit bearing trees, for their resiliency worthy to those who are brave, for their quest to reach the sky much like their mountains. How could we have not loved?

Still, Kessab became the impetus that gave maturity to our maturing young bodies.

It is there, in Kessab that

We experienced nature at its virgin best for the very first time.

We experienced Armenian village for the very first time.

We visited Armenia for the very first time.

We met our Creator for the very first time.

And for the very first time during these meetings I met a vivacious, vibracious, a beautiful girl full of life and zest who would give meaning to my life and one day be the mother of my children.

How could I not love Kessab?

                                                            ***

Notes:

1.Armenians refer to Mount Ararat as Mount Massis as well and refer to twin peaked mountain and Big Massis (Medtz Massis) and Little Massis (Bzdeg Massis).

2.House of Torkom is an expression for the Armenian race.