The who, how and what of Armenians in Turkey

“Lie… My family name is my lie and there are lots of such kind liars in this city. We all have official “oglu” ending to our family names while we have one more family name with “yan” at the end,” told journalists from Armenia editor of Armenian Agos paper in Istanbul, Bagrat Estukyan. He told about reforms in Turkish naming when in 1930 under the new establishment Turkish people (who never had family names) had to receive a family name. At the same time Armenians in Turkey were forced to change their Armenian family names and replace it by Turkish “oglu”. The new generation of Armenians in Istanbul, says Bagrat Estukyan, doesn’t care about Armenian language; most of them do not speak Armenian.

“To give a Turkish name to newborn children becomes a trend. Turkish name Ardam for instance. Parents usually try to explain it away as if it is the short form for Armenian name of Artashes. But this is not true. Ardam is a Turkish name. So those people just deceive themselves, they walk back of Armenian language,” said Bagrat Estukyan.

So the only place in Turkey where Armenians keep preserving national identity is Bakirlu village, near Mus Mountain, says journalist. “You can find another Armenian village but its population is indeed just Armenians who profess Islam. They have changed Christian religion and have betrayed their people. Moreover, they are more devotional than Muslims themselves.

“There are also Armenians neither Christians and nor Muslims. So we suffer greatly in loss. There is a greatly need in Armenian Apostolic Church here,” said Bagrat Estukyan.

He also pointed that 37 churches and 16 seminaries running in Istanbul, are in need of specialists as the training system is exactly Turkish whiles some schools could teach Armenian.

Bagrat Estukyan also said that 45 thousand Armenians live in Istanbul, most of them women moved here recently. “They live here illegally and can be deported,” added journalist.