Armenians’ in Syria’s Aleppo in tight fight for survival – Agos

In a report covering the Armenians’ life in the war-torn Aleppo, the Istanbul-Armenian publication Agos has addressed their hardships and the fierce fight for survival amid the continuing armed conflict.
The paper says that despite the serious crisis, many Syrian-Armenians still remain in the city, resisting the challenges and continuing the fight for life.
“… Perhaps, they do want to leave but have to stay in Aleppo or, probably, have nowhere else to go. So despite the difficulties, they do not want to become refugees …
“In the wake of the devastating Syrian war, the Armenian community of Aleppo too, incurred its share of damage; it is now facing its hardest days.
“The community, whose history dates back to more than 600 centuries, had to make decisions that were to change its fate completely in four years to come.
“The community’s property, schools, churches, libraries, archives, hospitals, foundations, cultural and sports centers were, on the one hand, resisting bomb explosions and, on the other hand, continuing to meet the daily needs of the surviving community.
“The Aleppo-Armenians are now split into two groups. The community, as such, wishes to stay in Aleppo not to forsake the community’s history and culture, but the same doesn’t go for individuals.
“Thousands of Armenians have quit Aleppo and migrated to Armenia, Lebanon, Europe, America and Australia – the four ends of the globe,” reads the article
The author adds that perhaps nobody is to blame after the losses and damages suffered. “Someone has lost home, another had a family member injured or killed,  while athird has left for saving his own kids.
“But the Armenians who stay in Aleppo keep resisting and battling for survival.
“Before the war, the Aleppo-Armenian community had increased to 40,000=50,000. Schools had 8,000 kids studying, as Aleppo was the only diaspora-Armenian community where Armenian children attended only Armenian schools. The students’ number now is 2,500-3,000, which is to say that 1/3 of the Armenians have remained in Aleppo.”
The paper also talked to several Aleppo-Armenians who spoke of the difficulties and challenges facing them every day.
“The problem is not about staying alive; for a normal person, living is the most difficult thing to do. Without exaggeration, one has to be hero to continue life in Aleppo … This situation of the Syrian-Armenian community demonstrates that we do not have a  national plan, as we are not able to even think about these issues,” a community member said.
“Life is very difficult in Aleppo. We put up with all that a little bit, but see more difficulties with every new day coming, trying to get adjusted to them too. The water issue is very serious. If not the problems with food, drink, electricity and the internet, we can, I think, stand the bomb and the sniper [attacks]. I have a job in Aleppo, so I don’t know what I will do should I leave.  I will, perhaps, find something in Armenia or Beirut but will be a refugee anyway, asking friends for help or a shelter in their places,” added another Aleppo-Armenian.