Adana in the 9th Convocation of the National Assembly of Armenia

  Vaհe H Apelian

Historical Armenia Adana, courtesy Houshamadyan
Modern Day city of Adana

The National Assembly of Armenia is the highest legislative body where everything discussed is expected to have implications for passing legislation.  But the issues raised and voiced in the start of the 9^th convocation of the National Assembly, appear to make the National Assembly more a forum for historical deliberation and debate, than a legislative body. 

The other day, Narek Karapetyan mangled when he criticized the Civil Contract party that constituted the government as well in the 8^th convocation, closing his remark by saying the following in verbatim: “Our relations with Turkey should have developed in such a way that our intelligent youth would not relate to Adana for its kebab, but would know that it is part of our homeland, not of the Republic of Armenia, but part of another republic, but part of my homeland.” His comment was received with applause. I am not sure if the representatives of the “Armenia Alliance” joined the applause as well, but surely “Strong Armenia” party representives, whose de facto leader is Narek Karapetyan, did.

The problem is that Narek, for an example, while criticizing the government, does not claim or even imply to claim that should “Strong Armenia” be in power, it will have Adana stated as an extension of historical Armenian homeland in the history textbooks of the public schools of Armenia or implicate Adana when negotiating with Turkey. 

Why Adana is then being made into an issue in the National Assembly? Surely, the National Assembly is not a depository of the Armenian history, nor will Narek Karapedyan live up to his talk invoking the tragic Armenia History. Understandably he will not walk his talk, when in power.  

More disturbingly, Narek Karapetyan and surely his applauders, if not also others, appear to relate to Adana Kebab and do not know that Republic of Armenia, which the Armenian people have constitutionally ruled that it is the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia, depicts the Armenian Cilician Kingdom in its coat-of-arms.  A lion holding a cross represents the royal coat of arms of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, and is depicted on the lower right quadrant of Armenia coat-of-arms, depicting a lion holding a cross.

Armenia coat-of-arms, Cilician Armenian Kingdom 
represented in the quadrant at the lower right hand side.

Apparently Narek Karapetyan and surely others in NA appear do not also know that the Rubinian family and especially the name Ruben Rubinian, is synonymous with Cilician Armenia of which Adana is part of.  Coincidentally the speaker of the 9^th convocation of the National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan is the namesake of the founder of the Cilician Armenia. Who is teaching Armenia history and nationalism to who? Obviously, Ruben Rubinyan has made the Republic of  Armenia, not history, his mission for the sake of safeguarding the safety, security, and prosperity of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. 

For God’s sake, have not these people not heard the Adana Lament haunting song, where the demise of the Rubinian Dynasty is mourned, but kebab comes to their minds?

As to that haunting song, attaches is my translation and a YouTube recording. 

 

Adana Lament	Ատանայի Ողբը
The massacre was merciless, let the Armenians cry,	Կոտորածն անգութ, հայերը թողլան,
Desert became the magnificent Adana	Անապատ դարձաւ շքեղ Ատանան.
The fire and the sword and the ruthless plunder	Կրակն ու սուրը եւ անխիղճ թալան
The Rubinian house, oh, they undid.	Ռուբինեանց տունը ա՜խ, ըրինվերան։
Not a minute passed and the poor Armenians,	Րոպէ մը չանցաւ ՚ ու հայոց խեղճեր
Fell under the sword of a terrible mob,	Ինկան սուրին տակ խուժանինահեղ,
Churches and schools were lost in the flames,	Ժամեր ու դպրոցք բոցի մէջ կորան,
Thousands of Armenians were killed mercilessly.	Բիւրաւոր հայեր անխնայ մեռան։
Desolate alas became the rich Adana,	Պարապ էր աւա՜ղ, հարուստԱտանան,
All of Cilicia was turned into ashes.	Մոխիր էր դարձէր ամբողջԿիլիկիան.
Only the beautiful Hadjin survived,	Միայն ապրեցաւ Հաճընը սիրուն,
Why doesn't the rock like Zeytun budge?	Ինչու չի շարժիր ապառաժ Զէյթուն։
Day and night, the fire from within,	Ցերեկ ու գիշեր կրակը մէջէն,
The enemy's sword, the bullet from without,	Թշնամուն սուրը, գնդակը դրսէն,
They wiped out the Armenians from the face of the earth,	Ջնջեցին հայը երկրին երեսէն,
Blood runs in our pristine rivers.	Արիւն կը վազէ մեր ջինջ գետերէն։

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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