Armenian delegation makes statement on Kesab events at PACE

During the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that opened in Strasbourg today, the Armenian parliamentary deputy of Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) faction Ms. Naira Karapetian made a statement on the events in the Armenian-populated town of Kesab in Syria.

She said in particular:

“On March 21 the ancient town of Kesab in northwestern Syria and 12 nearby villages populated predominantly by Armenians came under barbarian attack of Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups that crossed from the Turkish territory.

Almost the whole population of Kesab – over 700 Armenian families - was evacuated and with the assistance of the local Christian community they moved to neighboring Latakia considered a relatively safe place. Unfortunately, elderly people had to stay in Kesab as they were unable to move.

3 days after those events I as a member of the Armenian parliamentary delegation visited Latakia and met with the Armenian families that found shelter in the local Armenian church. According to their accounts, the radicals desecrated the Christian churches, causing huge damage to property of civilian population.

Armenians had lived in Kesab for centuries, but some families settled there almost a century ago after escaping from the Genocide. And now that almost 100 years have passed since the terrible days in 1915, another nightmare, another threat to their lives forces them to resettle again. People again abandon their homes without an opportunity to take along their documents – with the clothes they were wearing at that moment. The church assistance may run out soon as it is not limitless.

Believe me, that sight of the church yard was very distressing: children, elderly people, men and women who found temporary shelter and were deprived of basic hygienic conditions, facing the threat of illnesses and infections … They even have no hope for a rapid return to their homes. This situation is nothing other than flagrant violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, violation of all agreements on human rights protection, including international humanitarian law.

It should be noted that the Kesab problem was raised by the Armenian Diaspora throughout the world, but unfortunately this issue is related not only to Armenians: the residents of several villages populated by Christians and ethnic minorities were also subjected to violence and deportation by the same forces, before the terrorists reached Kesab.

Using this high rostrum, we call upon the international community and international organizations to support the representatives of ethnic and religious minorities who found themselves in an extremely vulnerable position as a result of the Syrian armed conflict and become a primary target.

As the humanitarian crisis continues, we consider it essential to exert influence on the Turkish authorities and make a call to immediately stop allowing terrorist forces to use the Turkish areas. The use of violence against peaceful population – regardless of their religious affiliation and ethnicity – must be strongly condemned”.