April 24,1881
Prof. Dr. Azmi SÜSLÜ
ARMENIANS
Recently changes in the character of Armenian citizens has been observed. All Armenians who have primary school education were thought to have a lot of knowledge about politics which was enough for everyone (the nation) to follow them. Being famous, showing oneself important, knowing a lot about his past; all of these psychological conditions were in the same degree in every Armenia in this class. Nevertheless, the Armenians believe that they don't have an important position in the world's politics today just because they have Turkish nationality. Also they claim that "The Armenian Nation" will definitely be born again and will attain the political superiority which is their own right.
Armenian citizens, especially the young, are occupied with all kinds of political matters and carried away by claiming that they know every detail about politics.
The young Armenian citizens, who can't take themselves away from learning unimportant things and repeating the jingles of famous revolutionaries, seem to be the poor and ignorant group which unconsciously drags their citizens into disaster with their actions instead of bringing safety for them.
The complaints about the unbearable conditions the Armenians in Turkey live are not quite valid for the Armenians living in cities; because they always have independence and privileges. When we think of villagers, their conditions are much better than villagers in central Russia because they were successful in farming and artificial irrigation.
The Armenian villages according to region villages are less protected by the Government from the attacks of migrants who pillage the villages they pass ant take away the flocks.
However, it should not be believed that the Armenians were always exposed to these attacks. Because if it were so there wouldn't be any Armenian villages. Whereas, the Armenian villages have always been more rich and prosperous in every period than the region villages.
Since the local administration wasn't powerful enough in these regions, some Armenian villages had suffered more or leas from the tribe chiefs, without being subject do bad treatment by the Turkish administrators.
Armenian Committees sowed such unreliance between the Armenians and nomads in 1895 and 1896 that it was impossible to make and improvements in these regions.
There were almost no studies on religious education by the Armenian religion men. On the other hand, Armenian priests worked very hard in order to spread their idea of nationalism. For centuries, the religious enmity of Christians against Muslims was developed between the walls of churches instead of divine duty. Schools and seminars have greatly helped the religious leaders in this way.
As Eastern Christians their churches also put the principles and traditions of Christianity aside and occupy themselves mainly with national propaganda.
The Armenian rebellions which have been seen in the main province of Asian Turkey in 1895 and 1896 were neither caused by the extreme poverty of Armenian villagers nor the pressure they were exposed to. Since these villages belonged to them, they were more rich and prosperous than their neighbors' villages.
Armenian rebellion were caused by the following three reasons; 1. The known advancement of the Armenians in politics;
2. The development of nationalism, liberty and independence in the Armenian public opinion;
3. The provocation of these concepts by the Western Governments and their expansion with the efforts and inspirations of the Armenian priests.
The best document related to this subject is the report of B. Cambon who was the Istanbul ambassador of France. This document is among the documents which were published in the "Yellow Book" between 1893 and 1897.
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