Comments on: Western Armenia: A Land Never Forgotten

By: Levon

Levon — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:50:23 +0000

Onnik, this is not a dream. The damage and crimes commited by Turks cant be counted evaluated compared examined or whatever you want to say. It is extremely huge, they destroyed people’s life, their land, churches, properties, thousand years of history culture, they did everything to destroy the nation and they actually did it, its not a story. What you want them to do to Armenians, they cant do much now, because they did all they could and achieved tasks that were set, killed lots of people, destroyed cities, churches, turkified the lands. The lands that have been drawn here, are only a very small part of what Armenia originally was, kars and igdir have been in Armenia even in DRA and even before in Russian Empire. The north territories of Artvin and ardahan have been disputed and havent been much Armenian even historically ofcourse there was presence but not the majority of people. I can understand why they have been included: 1) they were part of sevres treaty, 2) access to the sea 3) not many people live in these areas. And the website for land reparations doesnt include the regions where Van only because we think that it will not be possible to get those lands a) they are very large and important , b) lots of people live there . But for the crimes that took place we cant just sit in Armenia that we have left now and say “ok sorry we are forgiving you” it doesnt happen like that, nor we can ask for some money without lands, even if Armenia gets fraction of its lands back it doesnt recover the damage that was done to the whole nation, all we can do is try to work and achieve more in the future. I think the right borders should be the Treaty of Sevres ones, because they are the only ones that have actually been optimal,objective, and fair. They include the most imporant historical Armenian lands, Van and surrounding areas, Van, Bitlis, Mush, Karin and much more. Even though there will be still lots of cities remaining outside the borders we cant and wont be able to demand for more, there is a limit for everything. But Sevres one was accepted by many countries and was giving independence to Armenia with their main lands, it also considered possible lands for Kurds which is a big issue now in Turkey. Armenians have done lots of good things to Otomman Empire, have contributed to the growth, development and invested all of their work, have been an unbreakable part of it, but at the end they faced what they didnt deserve at all.

By: Onnik Krikorian

Onnik Krikorian — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:36:34 +0000

I think the idea of land reparations is a dream that will never come true. I particularly don’t think that anyone is going to take too kindly to the idea of forcibly evicting residents of that land against their will. Besides, who in the Diaspora or Armenia is willing to move there to take up residence in their place?

Give up Paris, London, New York, Moscow for there? I don’t think so. Look at the small number of ethnic Armenians who live here, for example, and even then, nearly all are in Yerevan.

Instead, I think it would be more useful to examine other possible concessions — customs free trade routes, for example, and the return of some church property. Anything else is not going to happen and nobody outside of Armenia or the Diaspora will take it seriously. Financial reparations? Possible.

By: Raffi Kojian

Raffi Kojian — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:14:47 +0000

Thanks Orhan, I appreciate all the kind words, even the ones you’re putting in my mouth. But when did I say Armenia should invade Turkey? I advocate recognition and reparations, which any civilized government would agree with voluntarily if they admit to the unfathomable evil that has been done. I’m just waiting for the Turkish government to become civilized is all. Don’t worry, I have a lot of patience, and they seem to be taking baby steps in the right direction (whether they want to or not).

By: Orhan

Orhan — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:51:54 +0000

Joseph,
Dont you think that Azerbaijan would take the opportunity to take back karabag (with Turkish help) during a Turkish Armenian war?

R. Kojian,
In all these years that I have been following you, you have not changed a bit. You are still the same asala supporter. A war with the Turkey would mean the end of modern day Armenia. The Turks unlike the Russians will take all of Armenia, what would the Armenian war mongering diaspora then do???
My advice to you is: Stick with whatever you have or you will lose everything!

By: Raffi Kojian

Raffi Kojian — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:57:48 +0000

While I’ve long held that borders almost exactly like those Davidian has published are a more realistic and useful settlement (which would be very hard to achieve, but worth pursuing till the end of time), I disagree that the land should come with 1.5 million residents.

Even in this day and age, over 1 million people were moved in China for a dam to be built, so to move a similar number of people to right a huge historical wrong is not so terrible. It can of course be done all at once – perhaps simpler in the long run? But I think perhaps a more welcome and nicer perhaps way to handle that is to have the current residents be forbidden from ever selling or transferring their land, even to their children. When they want to sell, or they pass on, the Turkish government would compensate their family for the value of their property, at which point they’d have to move away.

I also think that although these borders are about right for the Republic of Armenia, that the island of Akhtamar also should be transferred, and the land including and surrounding Musa Dagh, as a separate city state for Western Armenians… as a kind of a preserve for that dialect.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:38:37 +0000

The above message should be directed to Orhan.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:37:27 +0000

Atilla,

Than the Azeris better get used to it.

By: Orhan

Orhan — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:54:28 +0000

If Armenia is interested in the fate that befell Georgia, then they should go on with their claims.

You conquer land you don’t get it for free!!!

By: Hayaser

Hayaser — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:06:55 +0000

if our Hayastan is involved or in the way of “ANY” war, thats it you can forget about having a Hayastan. we would be crippled, no matter how small and/or powerful our army is and even with the backing of russia, we would be crippled. our econony would suffer again, we would revert back to he early 90′s again.
Hayastan would fall on her back again, now she is on her knees slowly emerging up from her back, however a war is not what we want and/or need, nor can we afford it financially, economically, socially, morally, emontionally every “ally” word there is we cannot afford it. our enemies local and from abroad know this very well, that is why no one is stepping up to azerGAY to tell them “BACK OFF ARMENIA” i know for fact that even our closest allies (e.g.: RUSSIA) would not care if Hayastan is finished. their interests in our homeland is not a “necessary” interest for them, but more of a “luxury/convenient” interest. they dont care for us, and our ppl have this wildly held notion that RUSSIA cares for Hayastan, they love us, they protect us. protect us from WHOM ? from WHAT? from azerGAY mazerGAYS ? from turGAYS ? they dont protect us from shit. they only take from our homeland, abuse their power with in Hayastan, and make it as if they are our allies for their own personal gain

as for our claims for our historical ancestral lands, we definitely need access to a sea port, thats with out a doubt. if we had access to the black sea we could do more trade with russia and other neighboring black sea coastal countries, but turGAY will never……..NEVER…..give into a consideration to give up their northeastern territory that borders vrastan. JEWsa would not allow it, EVILsrael would not allow it, even vrastan would not sign on for it. that is the reality, because if we were to get that much small of lands back from them, whats to say we dont try for more ? that is why turGAYS are afraid to give up lands even if the lands dont benefit turGAY and/or their national interests, beause they know if they give up a small slice of the pie, we will be greedy and coherse them for more, even if we agreed to deny our own genocide and tell to the world….”we lied there never was any genocide, turGAYS are righteous all this time”……which is what they want more than anything, still they wouldn’t give up lands. that is what a turGAY is, they are devils, when dealing with the devil, you never win !

By: Atilla

Atilla — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:32:13 +0000

What do you think you are? Do you think Turks and Azerbaijanis are other Palestinians to give you land that you never owned and based on the claims of the Armenian statehood in the region whch did exist only for less than 30 years and even that thanks for the overwhelmingly Turk warriors fighting together with armenians.

There is not and there has never been any juustification for the greater armenia. the armenia as a state didn’t exist for more than 30 years in this regions versus Turks states that existed for more than hundreds of years. We do have more rights for all the regional land than you do. Stop taling and writing all your imaginary fairy tale stories about the land, about conceding the land, about the so-called genocide, etc. Yo uknow all these are dreams and nothig but dreams. My only advice is just keep dreaming. Hungry chicken would see wheat in her dream.