In the city of Caux in Switzerland, participants of Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish discussed the Armenian Genocide, their common past, the present situation and the ways of reconciliation. As part of the conference “A fair governance for human security”, people from Armenia, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain and the Netherlands discussed the historical problems between the Armenian people, Turkish and Kurdish and solving ways of these problems today.
From July 12 to 18, participants of Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish gathered in the city of Caux, Switzerland, and discussed the Armenian Genocide, their common past, the current situation and paths to reconciliation. Every summer, “Initiative of Change” [Initiative for Change] is organizing a series of conferences with 8 sessions. Hundreds of people around the world share their experiences and discuss what should be done to create a better future. The common point of the participants is the fact that each of them has been affected by past or present conflicts. Together the participants discussed the common past that had affected their life spent far they were able to hear the stories of the “other” recounted live.
Speaking during the session ‘A fair governance for human security’, groups of Turkish-Armenian-Kurdish dialogue drew attention of participants from other countries. Armenians, Kurds and Turks from Armenia, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain and the Netherlands attended the sessions.
All Armenians in Lebanon are the grandchildren of survivors of the Genocide. The stories collected ancient family are themed so Kurdish Armenian cities become today. As part of this dialogue project, they told stories of their families relating to emigration and genocide. The grandchildren of the survivors, who were Mount Moussa, Zeitun and Urfa, who had started a new life in Lebanon – Nejteh, Christine and Nora – went to Mount Moussa where their ancestors had fought for their lives during 50 days.
“Where is my real home? “
Nejteh says he never thought it would be so much affected by this journey: “I knew Zeitoun that what I was told. We first went to Mersin, then Ardiyaman to attend a sunrise on Mount Nemrut. Zeitoun as we approached, we saw high mountains. Although I do not believe in this stuff, I felt that my earth started talking to me and welcome me. It’s a feeling that surprises you. Where is my real home? Is Bourj Hammoud or Armenia? Or the land of my ancestors? I did not go to Armenia, but I wonder if I feel the same way I felt in Zeitoun if I was in Armenia. Zeitoun is an inaccessible city, surrounded by mountains. I felt very moved when I thought my family lived here. There was a bridge. My parents fleeing the Genocide have they crossed this bridge? Have they drank the water from this fountain? What were the houses that belonged to them? It’s that kind of thoughts that came to me. This place is now called Suleymanh is not a very developed city.
Villagers are as welcoming as in other villages. They are hospitable. We have started a dialogue with villagers: I know a few words in Turkish. I told him I was from Lebanon and that I was Armenian. He said: “Welcome to the land of your ancestors.” So I took him in my arms and I cried like a little child. The village children took my hand and accompanied me to the fountain to wash my face. Ironically, I felt a little intimidated. All the villagers know that Armenians lived here. At one time. Some said: “They are just gone one day” and others said, “It is something happened and they left.” Others believe that the Germans and the English have driven a wedge between Armenians and Turks, and that’s why the Armenians are gone; strange explanation. How could they know the truth? They believe what they are told …
“I cried like a baby”
Taking the Turks in high esteem and confidence in the process of normalization between Armenians, Turks and Kurds despite a turbulent past,
Christine told us his trip to Mount Mousa: “My family is from the village of Bitlas in Mount Moussa region. She fled in the 1915 genocide before returning to the village. In 1939, the family had to flee again. My grandmother told me stories of our family. Ascent Mont Moussa, I felt a sense of belonging to this place. There was something special. We went to Vakifli the only Armenian village surviving today. There was a mass at the church. After all the suffering of the past, these people still live and pray here. I burst into tears when I entered the church; I cried like a child. Most villagers know that their house had once belonged to the Armenians. In the village of Yogunoluk we saw they had built a mosque where there was formerly a church. They converted the church into a mosque without demolishing it. I think they have to continue to use it as a holy place. I wondered if they had any Armenians here. When I asked, they said in the village lived a person named Hagop. I found it. He lives there with his wife’s son. He told me that his father fled to Egypt at the time of the Genocide and then had returned to Bitias. His father risked his life by returning there but he managed to survive. I hope that next year we will again visit the village, I want to see Hagop.
Danger of death
Christine does not like talking unpleasant experiences she had during a visit to Mount Moussa. Nora said she was really scared during the trip. She watched the Turkish and Kurdish participants as she spoke; it was obvious she was reluctant to tell him. As it was stressed, she began to talk about what happened to him. At some point of the journey, she found herself in a conversation with a person of the place in a hotel. Another Armenian Lebanese sought help from Christine to talk to this man. Christine began to translate. “They were all nationalists. I did not want to translate some things they said to me, because I feared that a fight broke out. Then they talked about history. As they were about to separate, Hagop [not that of Bitias] said “yes, home of my ancestors is here and we will ensure that they return some day.” I translated this sentence and the other was furious and threatened us with death. We returned to our rooms to avoid a scandal. A few minutes later, we heard gun shots. This man was back in the hotel with the intention of killing us. Even though I knew he would not do it, I was afraid. “
emigration stories
Artak comes from Spain. Artak’s ancestors were of Bitlis, Mush and Kars and they started a life in Spain. Having heard that his friends had told of their journey to Mount Moussa, he said he had never been to Mount Moussa before and that he did not feel ready for such a thing, “I think I could not stand it. “
During the conference, the focus was on the question of emigration. The stories of Kurdish and Turkish participants in the dialogue are also stories of emigration. Bedel is a Kurd from Midyat, farmhouse he lives in Holland. His family had to go to Midyat because of oppression and settle in Istanbul. They later emigrated to the Netherlands because of the political oppression they suffered in Istanbul. Tayfun comes also from the Netherlands, but his family is Ankara. He said his family has strong prejudices against the Kurdish and Armenian peoples. His main thesis regarding the Armenian Genocide, but he says he started with his own denial. When he wrote his thesis: “I started reading about the genocide. at some point, I felt that I could not deny. “ Tayfun has also noted that his family does not like his ideas. The conditions of the encounter between Tayfun Bedel and are interesting. These two people living outside Turkey today tried to tear down the wall between Kurds and Turks with the group of Kurdish-Turkish dialogue they created the Netherlands. Following this session, we realized that every people has different complaints he must overcome and that this is not as easy as you think. And the steps are still many before you arrive …
Caux Palace yesterday a hotel, conference center today
The conference I attended was held at the Caux Palace. Built in 1900-1902, it was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Switzerland at the time. Facing the Alps and Lake Geneva, the hotel went through a crisis due to the First World War. The hotel was closed at the beginning of World War II. He was re-opened by government decision in 1944 in order to keep the POWs fleeing Italy. In December, he hosted Jewish refugees from Hungary.
A group of people who believe that reconciliation in a Europe coins will be created through dialogue, looking for a place to organize conferences that bring together divided peoples. During this research, Caux Palace went on sale and they made the acquisition through the contribution of over 100 people. Subsequently, hundreds of volunteers took part in the renovation of the interior. Opened in 1946, the conference center maintains this tradition of volunteerism. The first Caux reconciliation event took place in 1946- 1950 between French and Germans. In recent years, it became a meeting place for African leaders and representatives of the former colonial countries. India, Japan, the USA, Lebanon, Cambodia, Somalia and South Africa were part of Caux. A delegation of Sud6tyrol visited the place. In recent years, countries like Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Israel have been in Caux search dialog countries; Armenia and Turkey are also parties in this research. In the conferences in Caux every year, hundreds of people share their story. In 2015, 1421 people attended lectures, 55% were women …
Vardouhi Balyan
July 26, 2016
weekly AGOS
Translation Gilbert Béguian
Stéphane © armenews.com