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A recent article on the Armenians of Iraq entitled "Armenians of Iraq: Their Characteristics, Charm and Vigor" In three parts was recently translated from Arabic exclusively for The Armenian News Network/Groong by Katia M. Peltekian. (See Below). I thought it would make interesting reading for those who had Armenians migrate from Iraq to India Original article in Arabic at http://www.elaph.com/Web/opinion/2010/10/604267.html?entry=homepagewriters Elaph.com, Saudi Arabia & the UK Oct 17, 2010 Armenians of Iraq: Their Characteristics, Charm and Vigor - Parts One, Two and Three reproduced below. By Prof. Sayyar Al-Jamil Translated from Arabic exclusively for The Armenian News Network / Groong by Katia M. Peltekian Part One: The Roots and Branches INTRODUCTION 1. The Iraqi-Armenians: In Iraq, Various communities which the Iraqi society is based on have been wronged... Yes, wronged for long by Iraqi researchers, scientists, historians who have written about Iraq's social life without referring in detail to those who are not just zeros on the left, but who excelled in their vitality, hard-work, and practices through which they served the Iraqi society throughout history... Of these are the Armenians whose history is full of achievements and good reputation. They have always been intelligent and skillful... It's true that they have their own characteristics just as any other community, but they have been one of the peaceful communities that rarely had problems because of their social unity, and their getting along with others in many of Iraq's cities where they have lived. However, they have paid a high price in being Iraqis. They appreciate the assistance that the first Iraqis gave them when they welcomed them and opened their doors to the Armenians. They lived in harmony with all other communities without conflict and without depending on others to earn a living. They have kept excellent relations with others and created no problems whether political or social. It's true that Iraq welcomed the Armenians who settled in the country after being dispersed and exposed to deportation twice from Turkey in the north, but there is historical evidence that Armenians have been in Iraq for much longer; in fact there is evidence that some settled in Iraq in the Middle Ages when an Armenian parish was established in the year 1222 AD, while others settled in Iraq during the modern age. 2. Sources and References The Armenians are a vital part of the Iraqi society whose diversity we study today in all its colors and the spectrum that we should study with objectivity, research integrity, clear methodology, depending on reliable sources. In order to write this article, I relied on several sources, writings, witness-accounts, memoirs, official records, Armenian church records among others. I was mostly assisted by an article about the Iraqi-Armenians by the writer and historian Ara Ashjian, who is an Iraqi-Armenian living in Armenia today. I also relied on important sources that were published by Saeghian, or those I was told by the late Doctor Hanna [i.e. John] Jakmakjian, whose family I am indebted to for providing me with much information. I have referred to information given to me long ago by the Musician Dr.Fareed Allah Weerdy. I have made use of sources written by Armenian historians such as Yaacoub [i.e. Jacob] Sarkis, Nersess Saeghian and Razmik Simonian. In addition to some Turkish and English sources, I recently had the opportunity to read an article by Leith Al-Hamadani who was commenting on an article by Watheq Al-Ghadhanfari. Finally, I contacted Mrs. Dikranouhi Tokatlian and her son, my dear friend, Minas Jakmakjian, who sent me important references and sources regarding the current situation of the Iraqi-Armenians during this period of unrest. I thank them all. IRAQI-ARMENIANS: THE ROOTS AND BRANCHES 1. From the Distant Past to the Present The Armenians are an ancient people belonging to the Arian race. They were known in the east and middle of Asia Minor (Anatolia) from the third century BC. Their empire spread from East of Anatolia to the coast of the Mediterranean. Their history is ancient in the Middle East, and they played an important role in the history of the region. They are an ancient Christian nation, and their religion merged with their nationality of which they have remained proud, ready to fight for to the death. Today they do have an independent Armenian state, which was part of the Soviet Union before its disintegration, but they are spread in all corners of the world as their lands and nation suffered numerous invasions by ancient empires. In fact, the French orientalist Gustave Le Bon has stated in his book `Arab Civilization' that the ancient Armenians documented in their church records that their history did not experience more merciful people than the Arabs during the first Moslem expansion. Yes, the Armenians suffered enormous challenges from outside their nation and from the inside because of the struggle among the various locals. Perhaps the best known massacre perpetrated against them occurred between 1894 & 1896 during the Ottoman rule, and it was followed by another massacre in 1915 to 1923, which ended with the establishment of the Turkish Republic by the invader Mustapha Kemal Ataturk. Thousands of Armenians were displaced in several countries in the Middle East, especially in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. The number of Armenians who arrived in Iraq after the massacres reached 25,000 to 30,000. They first settled in Al-Musel [i.e. Mosul], although some moved to Baaqouba. Then some lived in the Nahr Omar [i.e. Omar River] region before settling in different regions of Iraq. Some later emigrated to other countries. The majority of the Iraqi-Armenians are the descendants of those first ancient settlers, or the grandchildren of those refugees who became citizens of Iraq. They loved Iraq and worked to improve its economy. Today, the number of Armenians in Iraq is estimated to be between 18,000 and 20,000, living in Baghdad, Al-Basra, Karkouk, Al-Musel, Zakho and other regions. Mrs. Dikranouhi Tokatlian relates her mother's eye-witness account that when she and other refugees arrived in Al-Musel, the Iraqis welcomed them with baskets of bread and Halawa. 2. Historic Personalities Iraqi-Armenians take pride in the many historic figures who served Iraq throughout history. They are proud of their past and present achievements. In Iraq's history in the old and middle ages, a number of kings and governors were of Armenian origin; others served Moslem Arab leaders. Some were Armenian princes who were known for their integrity, loyalty and who had influenced in many applied fields. They were given plenipotentiary rights in Iraqi affairs during the Abbasid Era. In fact, it is stated that Sultan Badr-Eddin Lou'lou', the governor of Al-Musel in the 13th century, was an Armenian by origin; in addition, the famous artist Al-Wassity who lived in the 13th century was also of Armenian origin. Of the famous Armenian personalities, there is the Baghdad-born Yaacoub (Jacob) Amirjan, who led a group of men from Basra to defend Baghdad when it was put under siege by Tahmasb Qouli Khan in 1732. Many Armenians also held important positions in Baghdad during the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Bedros Kourkji, the head of fur traders; Yousef [i.e. Joseph] Kevork, head of the monetary exchangers; Setrak Boghosian, head inspector of the Ottoman Bank; and Naoum Sarkis, a famous trader who was the first to live in Al-Shatra and encouraged people to move there. IRAQ AND ARMENIA: GEO-HISTORIC EXCAVATIONS Archeological excavations reveal that Iraq and Armenia had ancient connection, being geographically close to each other. Relations between the two go back to ancient times. I had mentioned in my book `The Ottomans and the Formation of Modern Arabs' (Beirut 1989), that `both Iraq and Armenia were the battleground between opposing empires in the Middle East from the ancient times until the Ottoman-Persian conflict that lasted for four centuries from the beginning of the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century. I also investigated in my book `The Siege of Al-Mosul' (1990) the trade route that tied Armenia to Iraq through the commercial outlets of Al-Musel , along the river and by land through the mountains towards Lake Van. Many Armenians settled in Bilad Ma Bein An-Nahrein [i.e. Land between the two rivers] because of the furtile lands between the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris. Their churches were erected in the Middle Ages, and their numbers increased in the Modern age, i.e. during the past 5 centuries, especially starting from the 17th century, according to historical sources. Father Narek Ishkhanian, the head of the Armenian Orthodox [i.e. Apostolic] Church in Iraq states: the first immigration of Armenians to Iraq was from Iran to Al-Basra, to Baghdad and then to Al-Musel in the beginning of the 17th century. We have also noted how many Armenians settled in Al-Musel and Al-Basra in the 18th century.' They shared the sufferings of the Iraqis during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Iraqis not only welcomed the Armenians who were driven out of their lands in the beginning of the 20th century, but also protected them after their numbers diminished as a result of the bloody massacres perpetrated against them in East Turkey, especially in 1915. (During my studies at the university, the late dentist Dr.Hanna Jakmakjian had shown me old photographs, published and unpublished, of piles of bodies of the Armenians who were killed during those ugly massacres that represent an ethnic war between the local population made up of Turks, Armenians and Kurds in east Anatolia). Ishkhanian adds: `We owe the Arabs; they did what they could to welcome us; they allowed us to work and reach higher social status after the survivors of the massacres arrived in Iraq. Most of these Armenians were orphans and barefoot, escaping into the desert away from death.' Armenian traders began arriving in Iraq from Istanbul during the first decades of the 18th century ... According to Ara Ashjian, the French consul in Baghdad Jean Batiste Rosteau (??) had recorded the following in his book `Description de Pachalig de Bagdad': `The Christians of Bagdad, whether Catholics or other live a simple life, buying and selling, printing on cloth and doing other manual work. On the other hand, the Armenian traders who had come from Istanbul have became rich trading in precious stones and silk from Iran and India.' Ashjian continues saying: `This is no wonder because from what the French traveler Peton De Tournivour (??) described, the Armenians were not only the leaders in trade in the East, but also had a large portion of the markets in the large cities of Europe.' In addition, the British explorer Jackson has also mentioned that the Armenians controlled the economy and commerce in Baghdad; in fact the copper sent by the Armenians from Al-Mosul to Baghdad was of the same quality as that made in England. He adds, `There is a huge souq [i.e. market] that sells different materials... and the Armenians here are the main dealers... Al-Musel Armenians send large quantities of copper by way of the Tigris River. The copper is boxed in wooden craters that are tied to each other; and when the craters reach Baghdad , the wood is sold because it is of good quality. Then the copper is shipped to Al-Basra in sail-ships. This trade was totally new to Iraq and grew very rapidly. I am sure the copper industry in England will one day envy the copper industry in Iraq. Labor in these countries is cheaper than that of Europe, thereby facilitating the transfer of their goods to the market at very cheap prices, but bringing more profit to the traders and dealers. The Armenians, together with the Jews, constituted the majority of the employees of the English Company that later owned the Iraqi Electricity and Power Company when the British occupied Iraq in 1917. Many travelers, explorers and archeologists who roamed the Middle East during the 19th century, especially those who included east of Turkey and west of Iran, have mentioned the social problems of the Armenians with the rest of the population in the region, and which led to struggles that had no mercy. As a result, many Armenians were removed from their lands and cities, and those who survived escaped to regions that provided them with protection. THE IRAQI-ARMENIANS: THEIR CHURCHES, ORGANIZATIONS & SOCIAL CLUBS 1. The Churches: The Armenian Church is independent of the churches of Iraq, such as the Chaldean, the Syriac, or the Assyrian. They have both an Orthodox and a Catholic church. Their churches can be found in most Iraqi cities where they had established communities. In Baghdad, there is the St. Garabed Armenian Orthodox [i.e. Apostolic] Church in the Camp Sarah region; the Sacred Heart Armenian Catholic Church in east Al-Karadeh; St. Krikor Armenian Orthodox Church at the Eastern Gate; another church in Al-Jadrieh, and the Virgin Mary Armenian Church in the Al-Midan. The latter is considered one of the oldest churches in Baghdad. The Armenians also have an old church in Al-Musel, and others in Al-Basra, Karkouk and Zakho. Some of the churches were targeted by terrorist in the past few years. 2. The Schools: The Armenians have their own schools for their boys and girls. The first Armenian school - Tarkmantchats [i.e. translators] - was established in 1852. The first Iraqi school for girls was established by the Armenians in 1901, as well as the first kindergarten in 1913. In 1917, the Armenian Girls' school was merged with the Armenian Al-Zabilieh school to form the first Iraqi mixed school for boys and girls. In 1921, the Armenians opened yet another school in the Camp Al-Kilani area in Baghdad which was later called the Svajian School. However, the Tarkmantchats and Svajian Schools merged in 1948 to form the Armenian Unified National School. The school was mixed for students from KG to intermediate [i.e. Junior High]. However, as the case with all private schools in Iraq, the Armenian schools were nationalized in 1974. There is one source that mentions that the Armenian Elementary School re-opened on October 15, 2004. The Armenians also have an old school in the Al-Dawassa area in Al-Musel near the Martyrs' Park. This school was built solely through the financial donations and support of the Armenian community, without any help from the Iraqi government. It stayed open until the nationalization of the schools in Iraq. Its principal and vice principal were Baron Ardavast and Baron Khachik respectively. Here one would be wondering what rights did the government have to put its hands on such a school on which it had spent not even one cent. In Addition, the Svajian School students, under the leadership of Avedis Ohanessian, started the first Iraqi Scout troop in 1919, and were very active in presenting festivals, theaters, and games. It's worth mentioning that the first student to receive 599/600 in the Secondary Eedadi Official Government Examinations, emphasis Science, was the Armenian Zaven Panossian for the academic year 1982-83. 3. The Organizations: The Armenian communities in Iraq have had their own social, cultural and athletic organizations. In 1911, the Armenian General Benevolent Union AGBU was established; it was dissolved for a period of time but re-opened in 1959. It had an Armenian Folklore Choir. In 1926, the Armenian Youth Association was established, and its main activity was the Komitas Chorus for Armenian Folklore Music and Songs. This Chorus was very famous for its concerts in the 1950s. In addition, there was a cultural association in Al-Basra as well as other benevolent organizations in Al-Musel, Baghdad and Al-Basra. In 1949 the Armenian Sports Club (Homenetmen) was founded, and a Women's Cultural Association in 1961. .. 4. Printing And the Armenian Press The first Armenian printing press was founded in 1874 and it was used to print the school textbooks and the newspaper `Pountch' [i.e. bouquet] after it began publication in 1890. Iraqi-Armenians had several newspapers: the School Newsletter `Pountch' that was published for 2 years; `Tigris' in 1924 published a few editions; the weekly `Koyamard' [i.e. Struggle for Existence] that was published between 1948 & 1954, and then from 1957 to 1958; the school paper `Gaydz' [i.e. lightning] published by the Unified Armenian School, which also published the annual school book `Mashdodts' that chronicled the life of the Iraqi-Armenians since the 1960s until 1974 ... Today, the Armenians of Iraq have no newspaper except `Gantegh' [i.e. lamp] which the Armenian Orthodox Church publishes. ARMENIAN PUBLIC FIGURES Mr. Ara Ashjian tells us about the English Explorer Jackson, who arrived in Baghdad on July 14, 1797 and recorded the following: “There are few Europeans who trade in Baghdad or have consuls. For example the British do not have a consul in Baghdad, but consular matters are operated by an Armenian called Khoja Michael, a respectable personality… I was carrying some letters from England to another Armenian Khoja Estepan Papken, who is one of the richest people here and speak English fluently; I believe he is the only person in the city who speaks English.” Another Armenian personality is Voskan Mardikian (Oskan Effendi) who was the Minister of Post and Telegram for the Ottoman Empire. In the early 1920s, the Iraqi government invited him to take the position of financial advisor in the Iraqi Ministry of Finance. He is the one who developed the financial system in Iraq and translated many legal documents from Ottoman to Arabic. Serop Iskenderian is another Armenian who became well-known for his position as the Director of River Administration in Baghdad in 1920. Srapion Sevian held that same position before World War One during the Ottoman rule of Baghdad. He later held the position of First Secretary of the Minister of Finance when Royalty was established in Iraq in 1921. Yet another important Armenian figure was Merkurian, the director of the Ottoman Bank branch, who in 1910 was appointed as the Director of the Chamber of Commerce in Baghdad. He became an essential reference in commercial issues at the time. Dikran Ekmekjian was appointed as the General Secretary of the board of directors of the Iraqi Railway Company; Caspar Boghosian was the treasurer of the Railway Company; and Apcar Hovannesian was appointed the head and consultant of Transportation for which he was granted the Order of “Rafidein” [i.e. two-river]. Vahe Sevian, the financial director in Baghdad during the Ottoman rule, was appointed as Inspector of Water Irrigation in the 1950s. It was because of his efforts that Baghdad was saved from the worse flood that hit the city in 1954. Other Armenians who served the ports and railways were Krikor Koloyan and Askanaz Vartanian. In the political and diplomatic field, we see the names Iskender Stepan Markarian, who was elected a member of the parliament in 1947 representing all the Christians of Baghdad; there were also the Honorary Consuls in Belgium Dervishian and Gharibian; and the Honorary Consul in Norway, Aram Semerjian. After the Republic of Armenia gained its independence in 1991, Ishkhan Mardirossian, an Iraqi-Armenian by origin, was appointed as vice-minister of Agriculture, and then of ministry of foreign affairs. Gulbenkian: International Organization Serving Iraq and Iraqis One well-known Iraqi personality of the 20th century is the wealthy businessman and benefactor Caloust Gulbenkian, who gave Iraq many services. Gulbenkian held 5% of the shares of the Iraqi Petrol Company (IPC) that he developed, and that constituted his share in return for his lands in Karkouk that had been turned into oil fields; he was also the liaison between the Ottoman government and the foreign oil companies. This is how he became to be known as Mr. 5 Percent. He founded the Gulbenkian Foundation that supports cultural and artistic projects; his foundation also funded the People’s Sports Arena and the People’s Hall in Baghdad. It is worth mentioning here that without his contribution, Iraq would have remained to this day without an arena with international standards!! His Foundation grants hundreds of fellowships to Iraqi students as well as students from around the world regardless of their ethnicity, religion or nationality. Many Iraqis have benefited from these fellowships and then held high positions in Iraq. In 1962 the Gulbenkian Foundation also constructed the new building of the Armenian Unified School in Baghdad and the infirmary annexed to it. It also founded a school in Zakho in 1969; a sports arena in Karkouk; an Armenian church in Baghdad in the mid-1950s; and a secondary school for Armenians in the Al-Riyad neighborhood in Baghdad. It has donated large quantities of books and textbooks to universities, colleges, academies and other educational institutions. In 1969, Gulbenkian visited Al-Musel upon the insistent invitation of the Armenians who gave him a grand welcoming ceremony. He asked the Iraqi government to establish a large university in Al-Musel to be fully financed by him. For this institution, a beautiful spot in the south of the city overlooking the River Tigris was donated by the Al-Jalili and Jakmakjian families. However, the construction of this university fell through because of many obstructions. Iraq thus lost an important cultural project for trivial reasons. Jakmakjian Family in Al-Musel The history of this family goes back three hundred years, and it is one of the noble families of Al-Musel. The founder of this family Hanna Jakmakjian was brought from Saart in Turkey - because he was skilled in weapon-making - by the Vali ([.e. governor] of Al-Musel, Al-Haj Hussein Basha Al-Jalili, when the city was under siege by Nadershah between 1741 and 1743. After the siege was removed and Al-Musel came out victorious, the Vali asked Hanna to stay on and work for the city. His family chose to trade in rugs, lumber and horses. The head of the family Minas Jakmakjian became famous at the beginning of the 20th century. He owned large farmlands. He played an important role in protecting the Armenian refugees who arrived in Iraq, and provided for them and kept them safe. He was well-respected in Al-Musel as he had excellent relations with the city’s officials and important figures. His brother Sarkis Effendi Jakmakjian held the same reputation and was the first Mukhtar [i.e. notarian] for Armenians in Al-Musel where he assembled the refugees from Turkey. He also took care of Armenian matters in 1915 and played an important role in bringing together the dispersed refugees. The Turkish writer Baskin Oran relates the tragic events in his book “Adli Cocujun Techiranilari 1915 ve Sonrasi” a conversation he had with an elderly person who had witnessed the tragic events of the Armenians who were deported from Turkey. This 95 year old elderly person had traveled to Al-Musel where he met with another elderly person Sarkis Effendi Jakmakjian, who traded in rugs and was the Mukhtar for Armenians during the Great War. According to this eye-witness, Sarkis Effendi was also responsible for the care of the orphanage and the old-people’s home that he had established. In 1857 he had built an Armenian church in Al-Musel, in the Souq al-Shaareen in the heart of the city. According to Mrs. Tokatlian, Sarkis Effendi met with the British Governor General who was impressed by his thought and wisdom. The Governor thus gave him the authority to collect all the Armenian orphans that were put in Iraqi homes and take them to his orphanage where he would supervise their care. This is how he nobly saved many of his own people, especially the young girls. His brother Minas had four sons. They were the dentists Hanna, Saadoun, and Badrik, in addition to the youngest son Joseph who worked for the Iraqi Petrol Company as head of distribution for thirty years. He then returned to Al-Musel and worked in the family farms. He even suggested dividing the vast lands to small properties to be distributed to the employees for the purpose of building residential complexes, but his project was rejected by the Iraqi Government. The late Hanna Jakmakjian had excellent knowledge of Arabian horses, their origin, abilities and speed. He was famous for his knowledge in equestrian matters as he had inherited this skill from his father Minas Jakmakjian. The Iraqis occasionally asked him to become the “handicap” person during horse races because of his extensive knowledge of horses. Because he loved these animals, he gave them what they wanted for free… His brother Dr. Badrik served as the representative of the Armenian church for many years. Their sons are now dispersed around the world. One of the descendants says: “We are the grandchildren of these personalities, yet we are strangers to the lands they served for many years. I served in the Iraqi army defending Iraq for 13 years with my Iraqi brothers in one trench, but today we have become unwanted people…” ARMENIAN DOCTORS In the medical field, we should mentionthe first person to bring the smallpox vaccine to Baghdad , Ohannes Mouradian, who arrived in the city in 1786. The first student to be sent abroad to study at the expense of the government in 1921 was an Armenian by the name of Aristakes. He was sent to Bengal College in India to study veterinarian medicine. The first Iraqi female doctor to be appointed by the Ministry of Health was also an Armenian, Anna Setian … Other well-known doctors were Krikor Astarjian, who published many books in Arabic on Armenian history and culture. His mansion in Al-Musel had a unique architectural design built in the Japanese style. The mansion was completely demolished a few years ago. There was also Dr. Hagop Chobanian, one of the founders of the Faculty of Medicine in Iraq. He was granted the Royal Order (Al-Rafidein decoration of the 2nd order) in 1954 for his services in the medical field. Other well-known doctors were Dr. Karnig Hovannissian, Dr. Garabet (in Al-Musel) and Dr. Movses (in Al-Musel). In addition, one of Baghdad’s best dentists was Dr. Dicko Anderios Alasfandeyar [??], who emigrated to Detroit in the 1990s. Sir Ara Darzi: Britain’s Minister of Health currently Sir Doctor Ara Vartkes Terzian, known as Sir Darzi, is of Iraqi-Armenian origin. He was born and educated in Baghdad. His father was one of Iraq’s wealthy businessmen. He left Baghdad with his family and studied medicine in Dublin, Ireland, specializing in surgery. He was not very sociable, and did not enjoy sports during his school days. He was very intelligent, and was only interested in his studies. As a youngster he used to accompany his parents to the Armenian Youth Association club in Baghdad. He became a very famous surgeon in Britain, and at a young age was granted the title ‘Sir’ by Queen Elizabeth II. He was appointed Minister of Health in Britain recently. ARMENIAN ARTISTS 1. Photographers: Khachig Missak Kevorkian was a well-known cinematographer, and one of the very few in the Arab world to specialize in this field. There was also Amri Selim Loucinian, the veteran of the Iraqi journalistic photographers, who photographed kings and Iraqi leaders and archived a huge portion of Iraq’s history. Other well-known photographers were Arshak (owner of Studio Arshak); Jean (owner of Studio Babylon for political leaders and presidents); and Covadis Markarian, an archeological photographer. In Al-Musel, there were Hagop Krikor Penjoyan, the maternal uncle of the internationally famous photographer Mourad Al-Daghestani; and Hagop, who photographed all the formal functions in the city and trained many photographers… 2. Artists: In the arts, there was Bahja Aaboush, who painted Jesus’s baptism on the ceiling of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Baghdad and whose paintings have been exhibited in the National Museum for Modern Art in Baghdad. There were also Ardash Gakavian, who is mentioned in the French encyclopedia La Rousse; Sayran Vartan Alexanderian, who followed the Surrealist movement in Paris in 1947; Yergan Boghossian, another Iraqi Surrealist painter; and Antranik Hovannissian. 3. Theater Directors & Actors: In the world of theater , there were the famous Iraqi-Armenian actress Azadouhi Samuel Lachinian; the theater director Carlo Haroutioun; internationally renowned film director Ishkhan Avedis (aka Hikmat Labeeb) from the city of Baaqouba; artist and director Seta Hagopian, who became famous forty years ago singing Iraqi songs – she is well-remembered for the over 70 pieces that she presented to the Iraqi culture. Seta recently turned into film directing and married the director Imad Bahjat. Their daughter Nova Bahjat is one of the famous Iraqi singers living in Canada… Other Iraqi-Armenians in this field include Hrant Markarian, who became a member of Armenia’s Writers’ Union in 1994, and has written 17 theater pieces; Krikor Barsoumian; Aram Baboukhian; Papken George; Aram Tejerian; Noubar Beshtikian; and piano player Beatrice Ohannesian. In the field of the Iraqi “Maqamat” [i.e. musical keys], we should mention Father Nerses Saeghian Al-Baghdadi (1878-1953) who had encyclopedic information on the “Maqamat,” and is to this date a source of reference for all those studying musical keys. Father Saeghian also wrote books on the history of the languages and Armenian family origins. Some of his articles were published in such booklets and journals as “The Language of the Arabs,” “Sunday News” and “Al-Nour.” There was also the musician Sissak Zarbahanlian, who is considered one of the ‘philosophers” of middle eastern music. He played the Oud and the violin and composed musical pieces using the most difficult “Maqamat” that other musicians would avoid using. 4. Literary Figures & Educators: Writer and researcher Yaacoub Sarkis was so knowledgeable in modern history of Iraq that some say he was the true writer of Stephen Hemsley Longrigg’s famous book “Four Centuries of Modern Iraq.” Other famous writers are Youssef Abd-Al-Maseeh Tharwat, Levon Shahoyan, and Papken Papazian. Abd-Al-Maseeh was an educated minister who came to Iraq with King Faysal the 1st. He was a man of knowledge and ideals; he wrote the military dictionary and other military books for the Ministry of Defense. As for journalists, there was Jirair Gharibian, who wrote many books and interviewed several Armenian well-known political and literary figures. There were also the leftist writers Ara Khatchadour, Shoukri Garabet Bedrossian (a member of the journalists’ union), and Shant Kendirian. In education, we can mention the educator and teacher Mihran Effendi Svajian, who specialized in European languages. He lectured on the French language in 1908 in one of Baghdad’s most famous schools, Al-Jaafariyeh. One of his students was Sadek Al-Bassam who later became Minister of Education in 1941, and Minister of Justice in 1942. 5. Miscellaneous Personalities In commerce, well-known figures include Haig Tokatlian, a car dealer, who arrived in Iraq as a refugee after losing his two brothers and father during the deportations from Turkey. He arrived in Al-Musel barefoot, and had no shelter. He settled and studied in Al-Musel and then moved to Baghdad where he became one of the best businessmen there. He established the “International Company for Trucks & Tractors” and then became the agent for the German Mercedes cars. Serop Kenderian and his family were well-known entrepreneurs and contractors in Al-Musel… In construction, there was the famous architect Mardiros Kavoukjian in Al-Musel. He designed whole neighborhoods in Al-Musel, Arbil and Al-Aamadieh. He also has written about the origins of the Armenians. Another famous architect was Khajag Marashlian. In the military, there was the officer Serop Tavit. In civil aviation, there was Topalian. In teaching, there were Baron Ardavast, who later became a principal, and Baron Khatchig, Father Khoren, among many others. >From many readers, I received the following information: the students of the military academy (1956) remember a brilliant officer and instructor Bedri Setrak. In the financial field, there was Leon Ohannissian, who was one of the most well-known directors of the treasury of the Al-Rafidein Bank. He was responsible for upgrading the banking system beginning in the 1940s and remained in his position for over 30 years, even though he was past 70. Another well-known banker was Papken Melkonian, the president and founder of the international branch of Al-Rafidein Bank. He was fluent not only in Arabic, but also in several other languages. It is during his time that Al-Rafidein Bank became the number one bank in the Middle East and the 44th internationally. 6. Female Figures The Armenian woman has a very unique personality, skills and qualities. She is an excellent house-keeper and care-taker, in addition to being the guardian of Armenian culture and tradition … One of the most famous Iraqi-Armenian women was Sarah Iskenderian, who was known by the Baghdadis as “Sarah Khatoun” or “Sarah Al-Zankinah” [i.e. Sarah the rich]. The neighborhood Sarah Camp in Baghdad was named after her as she was the actual owner of those lands. Her story was tragic: she was supposed to inherit a fortune from her father, but her uncle put his hands on the inheritance when she was a very young orphan. She grew up to be a beautiful young lady and the Vali of Baghdad Nazem Pasha fell in love with her; however, she rejected him adamantly. She left for France and married there, but her life remained troubled. She came back to Baghdad as a wealthy woman who owned ample properties, but lost most of that because of her extravagant spending and donations to help her fellow Armenians. She spent the rest of her life in poverty, but stayed proud of her being an Iraqi until her death. There was also Mrs. Regina Khatoun, who donated some of her lands to the Armenian Church and on one of them built a home for the elderly, the first for the Armenians. On another piece of land, she built a secondary school, which she owned for a short period of time until schools were nationalized in 1974, and the government confiscated all educational institutions. Another famous Armenian female personality is Haykanoush Khanum of Al-Musel, who helped young Armenian girls find and locate their relatives in Syria and Lebanon after much correspondence. She financed their travel to those countries to help them reunite with their lost relatives ... 7. Athletes The first body-building champion of Iraq was Jirair Kayayan in 1949. George Tejerian represented Iraq in three Olympic Games in cycling, and won many international championships for long distance cycling. In wrestling, there was Krikor Ajemian. There were the international body-building referee Karekin Simonian; the international wrestling referee Ohanness Yessayan; and soccer-player Ara Hampartsoum Ohanian. CONTRIBUTIONS IN INDUSTRY The Armenians brought to Iraq the art of mosaic making, decorative cushion, the manufacturing of musical instruments, foods, the manufacturing of tires, and photography. The Armenians are skillful in detailed and minute handcrafts and they excelled as jewelers, car-mechanics, barbers, tailors, printers and engravers. Some of the famous names in these fields are Sarkis Bedrossian, who had a printing house in Baghdad; Tatoul the tailor in Al-Musel; Tatoul’s daughter Asdghig, who was the secretary of the Dean of Arts at the Al-Musel University for many years… VIGOROUS IRAQI COMMUNITY No one can deny that the characteristics of the Armenians of Iraq are unique. Overlooking these characteristics is a red line that no one can ignore. Their unique characteristics include their customs and traditions, their religion, education and upbringing, in addition to their joys and sorrows. Neither can anyone deny the role the Armenians have played in serving the Iraqi community or their skills and intelligence, loyalty and sincerity. Armenians depends on no one, but rather they produce and work hard. They are the most peaceful community in Iraq, and mingle well with the others during the day in their workplace or the market. They have come to love Iraq and feel connected to the land although they have adhered to their language and customs - and this is one of their rights as an ethnic group. They have excelled in serving Iraq with their creativity, staying away from politics or ideological differences. They are estimated to be the fifth ethnic community after the Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Persians. However, the historian Batato estimates that the Persians should be the fifth after the Armenians based on the census of 1947. The majority of the Armenians live in Baghdad, where their number is estimated to be between 10 and 12 thousand, whereas their number is estimated around 20 thousand in all of Iraq. They have social organizations and churches in most of Iraq's cities, such as Al-Basra, Al-Musel, and Karkouk, in addition to other such entities in small towns in Iraqi-Kurdistan, as in Zakho and Afrrouk. Most of them are the descendants of the Armenians who survived the massacres that were perpetrated against them during WW1, and Agence France Presse estimates that the Armenians have been present in Iraq since the 17th century, when Armenian traders took the risk to travel to the lands that stretched from Iran's north to the south at Al-Basra and back to the north to Baghdad. Their church in Baghdad, in Sahet Al-Tayaran [i.e. Aviation Square], there are records from 1636. Some historic documents discovered 30 years ago in the Staatsbibliothek [i.e. State Library] in Berlin point to the fact that there were very good relations between Iraqis and the Armenians during the 18th century, especially after the failure of the Siege of Al-Musel in 1743. These documents show how the markets in Baghdad, Al-Musel and Al-Basra developed into regional and international trading centers. There is also a document (a faraman) issued and signed by the Shariff of Mekka and the King of the Arabs Al-Hussein bin Ali, who ordered his subjects to help and protect the Armenians after they were subjected to deportations and the catastrophe that befell them during WW1. THEIR PERSEVERANCE The Iraq-Armenians have not been used as a tool against Iraq since they have no political or ideological connection with Armenia or otherwise. Their sentiments remain with Iraq, and none other. They are divided into Orthodox and Catholic sects, but such matters remain unimportant in Iraq... In general, they do not concern themselves with politics or with the political parties, and they have no ambition for any political position. Of course there are few exceptions of those Armenians who have joined the leftist parties , especially the Iraqi Communist Party, such as Ara Khatcahdour, who had great influence in the Workers' Union of Iraq. There was also Sarkis Bedrossian, whom Leith Al-Hamadani describes as someone with very strong patriotic feelings and who was known to repeat: `I am an Armenian Iraqi, and not an Iraqi Armenian.' The Iraqi-Armenians have self-respect and want to keep their good reputation and honor. They are known to be very proud of their ethnicity, traditions, honor and morals. They cause no trouble to others, and in return they expect others not to cause problems to them. Similar to the Armenians in Syria and Lebanon, the Armenians in Iraq have also blended well with the native population. However, they speak Armenian at home, and have their own schools that teach and protect their culture and folklore of which they are very proud. However, the Iraqi-Armenians are somehow different than the Lebanese-Armenians who are involved strongly in the politics of Lebanon and through their political parties... ATTACHMENT TO IRAQ Armenians have proven to have a strong presence in the Iraqi society. They are reputable in their skills and specialization; they are very capable in industry and commerce. They are known to work with integrity and honesty, and they are known for keeping their word. They set their morals high; if they promise something, they keep their word; if they trust someone, they befriend him with complete loyalty. They joined their fellow Iraqis in war and peace, defending Iraq, contributing to the building of a strong economy, and granting their services to Iraq. Here, one would ask: How is it that these Armenians were able to keep their characteristics and at the same time succeed in their work and achievements much better than other ethnic groups? I can say that this is due to their unity, not divided amongst themselves. They lived in cities and were not rural ... They felt attached to Iraq, nation and land, and did not involve themselves in politics as much as they did in social life. They had their freedom, but they chose to not clash with the government. Thus they kept their identity. Despite their peaceful existence, one of their families in Baghdad, as other Iraqi families, was attacked and killed in the 1970s. These attacks were known as Abi Tabr which constituted a terrifying phenomenon in Baghdad, as the attackers would enter homes and wipe out a whole family in one night for no apparent reason... It is worth mentioning that the Armenians were upset when the authorities in Iraq closed their private schools and merged them into with the public schools without taking into consideration their national sentiments of which they were proud, or their desire to teach their children their national culture and traditions which they believed would not be taught in public schools. Their schools were nationalized despite the fact that the schools followed the national curricula and were inspected by the government for many years. CONCLUSION How can I conclude this historic journey about the Iraqi-Armenians? What have their conditions come to? What can be done for this wonderful Iraqi community? I should also draw attention to the current situation of the Iraqi Armenians, which does not differ from that of the other communities. What kind of ordeal have the Armenians of Iraq faced in the past few years? THE LATEST OPPRESSION Just as the rest of the Iraqis, the Iraqi Armenians have also paid a high price with their livelihood, blood and displacement throughout their history. Perhaps their national catastrophe shaped their tragic character not only in Iraq, but throughout the world. Their dispersion created the diaspora between the 19th and 20th centuries; many lost their lives, while some survived and made it to Iraq. The Iraqis welcomed them and shared with them their sorrow; thus, the Armenians found in Iraq a home, a safe haven, a nation to replace their own, and a kind people who protected them from being lost forever. They settled in Iraq and adopted the Iraqi nationality; they loved their new country and served it with all their abilities. Today, since the fall of the previous government, they have been suffering silently, letting no one know of their problems in order to keep whoever remained in Iraq safe and secure. They served in the army just as any other Iraqi, and their blood mixed with other Iraqis... Their sons served in the military during the Iraq-Iran war on 1980-88, during Desert Storm in 1991, the siege in the 1990s and the 2003 War only to end with more suffering of a terror war, explosions, murders and exodus. A NEW DIASPORA In the past few years, the Iraqi-Armenians suffered from bloody terrorist attacks during the occupation of Iraq. They became targets for terrorists, and some of their community members were killed, triggering yet another of their tragic exodus, leaving behind their properties, lands, homes, farms, factories, markets to the unknown ...Their churches and schools also became targets, their religious leaders were tortured or kidnapped, and some disappeared from the face of the earth. Over 3,000 Iraqi-Armenians had already left Iraq by 2007; it is estimated that around 2,000 of them moved to Syria, and 1,000 chose Armenia as their new home, while around 500 Armenians left for Jordan. In October 2007, two Armenian women were killed when Australian private security officers fired at them in Baghdad. According to official Armenian records, 45 Armenians have been killed since 2003 as a result of ethnic conflict or simply for criminal reasons; 32 have been kidnapped for ransom, but the whereabouts of two of them are still unknown. Towards the end of 2004, a newly-built church in Al-Musel was attacked and burned a few days before its consecration. A school and a cemetery of half a hectare are annexed to this church. ENDURANCE & PERSISTANCE There are still many Armenians who are holding steadfast and living in Iraq. Some want to stay in the country even if it means death. For example, there used to be 225 Armenian families in Al-Musel before 2003, but only 10 families were left by 2007. However, according to the head of the Armenian Church, there are actually 45 families in Al-Musel now, each family consisting of two people. The rest have chose to emigrate to outside Iraq, and a portion have moved to Christian villages and town in Nineveh. Many of the Armenians who left Iraq owned acres of lands, but now these lands belong to the Armenian Church. Bishop Nareg Ishkhanian (63 years old) says while registering the latest deaths and births among his parish: `We are here to stay; this land is our land too in spite of all the difficulties that we are facing.' According to him, there are some 12,000 Armenians, of which 7-8 thousand live in Baghdad - the population of Iraq is 29 million. Finally, I would like to add that the Armenians were and still are Iraqis; they adopted the Iraqi citizenship; no one can take their rights or deny the historic role they played in building this country; no one can take away their citizenship or their Iraqi patriotic sentiments. Their exile to many parts of the world - as other Iraqis - is a disaster to the Iraqi society which treated them with kindness at the beginning of the 20th century, and with neglect at the beginning of the 21st century! Their Patriarch calls upon them to stay in Iraq and protect their existence and their heritage, and to continue serving Iraq as their fathers and grandfathers had done. Original article in Arabic at http://www.elaph.com/Web/opinion/2010/10/604267.html?entry=homepagewriters [Notes: Many names have lost correct spelling/pronunciation in the transliteration from Armenian and foreign languages to Arabic and then back to English. Also, the English equivalent of many Arabic and Armenian names have been added by the translator in parantheses] Note from Liz Chater: I reproduce above the publically available article and translation with FULL acknowledgement of authorship and copyright to Prof. Sayyar Al-Jamil and FULL acknowledgement and authorship of the translation to Katia M. Peltekian.Note from Liz Chater: I reproduce below the publically available article and translation with FULL acknowledgement of authorship and copyright to Prof. Sayyar Al-Jamil and FULL acknowledgement and authorship of the translation to Katia M. Peltekian. |
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