Armenian MP’s Sacred Mission

Arakadz Akhoyan, Yerevan, 19 October 2014

Keghart.com asked Arakadz Akhoyan, MP, Republic of Armenia, member of the National Congress of Western Armenians, to write for Keghart readers about his most recent trip to Western Armenia, and his continued efforts to build bridges between politicians there and to revive the Armenian roots of "lost" Western Armenians.–Editor.

…. On Sept. 22 we again visited Western Armenia–Mush, Van, Kars, Diyarbekir and Erzerum–on a seven-day trip.

Our first stops were in Kars and in Ani. The following day we traveled to Van where we met Mayor Bekir Kaya. We went over our continuous cooperative work and made plans for further mutual visits.

Arakadz Akhoyan, Yerevan, 19 October 2014

Keghart.com asked Arakadz Akhoyan, MP, Republic of Armenia, member of the National Congress of Western Armenians, to write for Keghart readers about his most recent trip to Western Armenia, and his continued efforts to build bridges between politicians there and to revive the Armenian roots of "lost" Western Armenians.–Editor.

…. On Sept. 22 we again visited Western Armenia–Mush, Van, Kars, Diyarbekir and Erzerum–on a seven-day trip.

Our first stops were in Kars and in Ani. The following day we traveled to Van where we met Mayor Bekir Kaya. We went over our continuous cooperative work and made plans for further mutual visits.

The following day we journeyed to Diyarbekir where we met Mayors Fatma Shig Barouti and Seyit Narini of Sur region. We congratulated the newly-elected mayors and talked about continuing the pro-Armenian policies of previous Mayor Abdullah Demirbash.

We also met the new Diyarbekir Mayor Gülten Kışanak. Here again we talked about previous Mayor Osman Baydemir'e pro-Armenian policies. We were guaranteed the continuation of the same Armenian-friendly policies, and planned for further cooperation. We also discussed bilateral cultural programs and policies-issues regarding the Armenian Genocide centennial.

In the evening we drove to Diyarbekir and to that city's Sourp Giragos Church's square where the Armenian community had organized an event. The evening left such an impression on us that it is not difficult to visualize greater positive developments in the region.

The next stop was at Mush's Gomis village where we met local Armenians. A few hours later we were on our way to Mush. There we witnessed such a desirable evidence of Armenian revival…the office inauguration of Daron Doorooperan compatriotic association.

In Mush  the previous Armenian community got organised, and we discussed the issue of finding qualified people who can teach Armenian. We undertook to look for a mechanism to help our sisters and brothers, who have waited for a century for our arrival. 

At the completion of our Mush visit we headed to Erzerum, Javakh, and then back to Armenia.

We have self-financed all our 20 Western Armenia trips in the past six years. The purpose of the trips have always been to breathe Armenian life and spirit to "lost" Western Armenians.

The recent visit was of special significance because of the affirmation of recently-elected mayors to continue the pro-Armenian policies of their predecessors.

All our trips have been and continue to be about projects which would help the millions of our compatriots awaken their culture, writing and literature, and with self-knowledge revive their Armenian identity.