17/04/2015 20:30
Special Project. Survivors of Armenian Genocide. Gevorg Maukyan’s testimony about massacres in Kharabashehir
Aysor.am is launching the third series of project “Armenian Genocide: Breaking the Silence.” Under the headline “Survivors” we will regularly present the testimonies of survivors of the 1915 Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Turkey.
According to Gevorg Manukyan’s testimony about massacres in the village Kharabashehir, Bulankh region, Mush province.
“Armenian-populated village had 90 houses and 14000 residents, a church, a school, a mill with a stone, 2000 sheep, 1000 beasts, 150 buffalos, 30 horses, 18000 sack of barley and 1000 kilos of linseed. The village is now completely in ruins.
Before the war the Turks forced Armenians to gather troops. They forced the villagers to hand the one-third of the cattle and also household items such as leather, fat, cheese. The enemy took all men from the village and forced them to transfer heavy military items. Our people were digging trenches for the enemy.
The Turks were organizing donations and taking 1-18 gold coins from each house. From 3 donations they accumulated more than 30000 coins.
A month later before the declaration of war we felt a coming disaster. Young men and commonly all men were defending the village simultaneously. The attacks started in February 1915 and turned to massive massacres on April. The Turkish commanders were controlling the massacres. Turks and Kurds from neighbouring villages were participating in the robberies and murders.
The enemy killed 20 people: 4 people were killed on the road to border, 10 died of illness, besides we have no information about 18 soldiers.
The Turks were killing basically young boys and men. After the declaration of war they didn’t force to adopt Islam. Hamidi’s troops, which organized robberies and murders in the village, had no German commanders.
Now people are scattered in different Caucasian cities and live in very poor conditions. They have only managed to bring a few pieces of clothes with them. The whole property is robbed by Hamidi’s Kurds and Turks. The houses, the church and the school of the village are destroyed now. The sudden exodus was the reason of various diseases distribution. 5 migrants returned to the village, but they could not live there and had to come back again to Caucasus”.