Azg/arm 4 Dec 04 Armenians in Ankara "If you want to find Armenians in Ankara you should go to the French Catholic church of the city. Armenians gather there every Sunday. There are around 1 thousand Armenians in Ankara, most of them are Catholics and Turkish speaking" Arsen Avagian, Armenian representative to the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) in Istanbul, said. So, if anyone wants to find Armenians of Ankara he should find the French church first of all. Though the French embassy is in Ankara's downtown, the French and other Christians have to go to the trade district of Ulus to reach the only church. After circling through all ins and outs of the city we finely found the so-called French church. What they called a church was a large room with arched windows on the first flour of a many-storeyed building. It was early in the morning when the first members of the flock appeared. A dark-haired, black-eyed gentleman together with many others entered and took his seat in front of us. At first sight, he seemed to be Armenian. He was apparently plunged in his thoughts and didn't notice people around him. People gradually filled the church. No one else seemed to ever have had Armenian ancestors. The service began. It was hard to believe that a French church conducts service in Turkish. People began leaving the church in an hour. Getting out of the church we stopped the gentleman that drew our attention. It turned out that Henry Osterzi is Armenian indeed but knows no word in Armenia. Henry was 51, Catholic and used to attend the French church since his childhood "to study the Bible". An old man came up to us apparently upon hearing our conversation and uttered, "Martiros Arat, I am Armenian too", he said displaying all his knowledge of Armenian. Then Martiros told that he spent 76 years in Ankara and that he is not a Catholic at all but an adherent of Armenian Apostolic Church. While Martiros was warming up, Henry was silently listening speaking only when asked. Martiros Arat told that years ago his father moved to Ankara from the neighboring village of Nallhanl. "My father spoke Armenian, he had finished an Armenian school. But I know only few words", he said. He has 2 children and 4 grandchildren. His son, Daniel, is in Moscow engaged in supplying food. His children married at the French church and grandchildren were also baptized there. Henry also has two children. Armenian tongue has not sounded at their home for a long time, they have nothing Armenian, they don't cook Armenian dishes either. Martiros' family still observes the tradition of cooking Armenian dishes. "Though I don't speak Armenian I do want my children to learn it. Armenians don' t speak Armenian in Ankara but they may need it in Istanbul. If we had a school here children would attend it. My younger brother speaks Armenian well enough but he learnt it in Istanbul", Martiros explained. But it was all the same for Henry whether his children speak Armenian or not. "Nowhere here can we use Armenian, there is even no school here. Armenian would give my children nothing", he said. The two Turkish citizens had no ties with Armenia. They don't even relate to the Armenian community in Istanbul. Only occasionally an Armenian priest is sent from Istanbul to serve a liturgy during holidays. Speaking of the Turks' attitude towards Armenians in Ankara they both assured that they have no problems because of their origin and said that live a good life. Henry's and Martiros' knowledge of Armenia and Karabakh didnot reach further than hardly recollected name of Stepanakert. They both were indifferent as to what is happening in their neighboring fatherland and in the Diaspora all over the world. So they live in Ankara, Turkish citizens of Armenian origin, and they recall their roots only when they are reminded. And Armenian language is measured by market's yardstick where national identity may easily be thrown away if it's an obstacle in your daily life. By Aghavni Harutyunian
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