Turkey behind barbaric acts in Deir ez-Zor, Armenian historians say
With respect to the Armenian Genocide Memorial Church of Deir ez-Zor, which was blown up by Islamic State’s terrorists, Armenian historians believe that Turkey is directly supporting the terrorists and the destruction of the Armenian church is directly connected with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
In an interview with Tert.am, Director of the Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Ashot Melkonyan said that although it is difficult to link the barbaric with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, it is no secret to anyone that it is Turkey that is behind the Islamic extremists, and, addition to numerous other Christian monuments, the destruction of the Armenian church could be added to this list, especially since it commemorated the Armenian martyrs in Deir ez-Zor.
“I think that barbaric act may have an implication and, on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, it is Turkey that may be behind such a step. The problem is that the Islamic forces once created by the West, particularly by the United States, are directed by Turkey. It is impossible that Turkey not be involved,” Mr Melkonyan said.
Vice-Chancellor of the Department of Oriental Studies, Yerevan State University, expert in Turkic studies Ruben Melkonyan believes that Islamic extremists are targeting all that is not Islamic. Evidence thereof is the massacre of Yezidis, destruction of Christian historical and cultural monuments and of Christian population.
“The entire civilized world clearly sees the link between Islamic extremists and Turkey, and Turkey’s political, finance and other kind of assistance to them. Similarly to the agreement on the release of Turkish diplomats, it was under Turkey’s direction and on its will that a symbolic church and a small museum became targets of Islamists,” Mr Melkonyan said.
According to him, this is one more manifestation of cooperation between Islamic extremists and Turkey, which has “passed the buck” on the Armenian Genocide and destroyed one of the most important monuments commemorating the Armenian Genocide just a few months before 2015.
Armenia must make a strong-worded statement - and the Armenian FM’s statement was not too late – and the issue must be raised at the international level year by year. And the most important thing is that Turkey’s cooperation with Islamic extremists must be shown in this context.
Arabist Hayk Kocharyan told Tert.am that it is in a broader context that one should consider Islam’s attitude to what is not Islam.
“The territories in question, particularly Deir ez-Zor, have been under Islamists’ control for the last two years. Fierce battles have been taking place in Damascus for a month, and in this context I am inclined to think that by blasting the Armenian church the Islamic State is just drawing the borders under its control. They have destroyed the holy places of all the religions – as well as the mosques belonging to other Islamic denominations - in that territory,” Mr Kocharyan said.
He noted that the Armenian catholic church was not blown, but was turned into a propaganda center. That is, they are showing different approaches.
As regards Turkey’s role, Mr Kocharyan does not rule out the involvement of Turkish militants in the Islamic State.
Founding Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI), historian Lavrenti Barseghyan is sure that the destruction of the Armenian church in Deir ez-Zor is a continuation of Turkey’s program.
“The Martyrs Church was a holy place for the Armenians in entire Syria and Middle East, and Armenian pilgrims gathered there every year, and such gatherings were aimed at Turkey. It [the destruction of the church] was one more step against our plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,” he said.
He also recalled the destruction of the Forty Infants church and of the operating Armenian church in Aleppo.
“When Turks deported all the Armenians, Aleppo and its satellites became centers for Armenians, and the Martyrs church is located in the center, and excavations around it reveal Armenians’ treasures and bones.”
Armenians must restore the church.
“The church will exist as long as Armenians live in the Middle East,” Mr Barseghyan said.
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