History of Armenian terrorism

On March 11, 2005 the world paid tribute to those killed in bloody terrorist attacks in Madrid, which victims reached 200 people. Memorial services also were accompanied by anti-terrorist summit in Madrid. Spain has invited more than a hundred and a half of experts in the sphere of anti-terror and heads of 14 countries, which citizens became the victims of terrorist attack on March 11.

However, despite that in capital of Spain on the remembrance day of tragedy in Madrid railway stations, which journalist named as “European September 11”, there were a lot of talks about terror and ways to combat it, no one due to ethic considerations said that if September 11 is the day of a total war with terror, then tragedy in Spain, happened in thousand days after terrorist attack in the USA, has shown that state machine may be defeated in a fight with terrorists: after blasts in mined trains authorities in Spain informed that they withdraw their troops from Iraq and namely this was demanded by terrorists. And no one remember other date – March 15 of 1921. It was when European community for the first time demonstrated its readiness to “cave in” to terrorists.

First blood.

On March 15 of 1921 on desert street Gardenbergshtrasse in quiet district of Berlin shots were heard. Later just a few eyewitnesses will retell that a young man shot into the elderly, well-dressed man and tried to run away, but he was captured barehanded. Policemen, who captured the “shooter” considered the case as very simple and “firm” and the verdict caused doubts not more than tomorrow’s sunrise.

The case was conveyed to court in only in June of the same year. At this moment, authorities of Germany made it clear that the case which seemed as “clear and simple” in fact is political, and consequently, the unexpected twists are quite possible. Murdered person was Talat pasha, former interior minister in government of Young Turks. And the killer was Armenian student Sogomon Teyleryan, who immediately declared that he took a revenge for “extermination of Armenians” in Ottoman empire – according to Armenian “researchers” the mythic order on extermination of Armenians was given namely by Talat pasha.

Legal proceedings lasted for three days and became almost a classic case proving that if the politics starts to dictate to law, proceedings turn into a farce. Germany did not regained yet from shock of Versailles treaty, which became the clear illustration to known postulate “Sorry for those defeated!”. Negotiations “settling” post-war order in Europe were underway in the international arena and it was not profitable to “tense” relations with winner-countries and the trial of Sogomon Teyleryan gave a unique chance to “ gain favor” of winners on the expense of Turkey. Besides Armenian activists made titanic efforts to turn the process into show-trial. Immediately the fund of Sogomon Teyleryan was created into which the “gold streams” of donations were flown. Lawyers and “public activists” widely speculated the theme of “genocide”. They displayed, in particular, “original” telegrams and stated as if they contain the order on “extermination of Armenians” signed by Talat pasha.

History of these “telegrams” was repeatedly described later in media, including our newspaper. At first, some telegrams as if proving the fact of “genocide” of Armenians were published in British newspaper Daily Telegraph in 1919, and it was stated that they were discovered by occupation forces of General Allenbi in the same town of Aleppo. However, when Great Britain’s Foreign Office held own investigation, it turned out that these documents were fabricated by one of Armenian groups in Paris. Documents related to investigations of 1919 are kept in Great Britain archives up to now.

However, failure in London did not chill the heat of falsifiers. In a year period, in 1920, Armenian historian Aram Andonyan, who lived in Paris since 1915, published in France a book “Memoirs of Naim bey. Official Turkish documents about migration and massacre of Armenians”. In the book he displays another “documental evidences”, which as if prove the fact of existence of order by the Talat pasha, internal affairs minister in government of Young Turks, about extermination of Armenians. Andonyan stated that he had received those documents from Ottoman state person from town Aleppo (at present Khaleb in Syria), who acquired them by official channels. Photo copies of these “documents”are shown in museum of “genocide of Armenians” in Yerevan. Later he declared that he had “lost” originals of those telegrams. In any case, according to opinion of historians “proofs” shown in the book are beneath any criticism. In another year these “telegrams” are shown in trial of Teyleryan and following to the opinion of British Foreign Office experts, the court experts in Berlin came to the conclusion disappointing for Armenians: neither paper on which “documents” are written, nor writing style can be considered as characteristic for Ottoman empire.

Later apologists of the theory “Ay data” – “Armenian trial over the Turkey” – will describe in detail as court in Berlin declared Teyleryan not guilty upon hearing his stories about “horrors of genocide”, while other researchers will oppose, stating that in fact, the court in Berlin did not justified Teleyryan, but judged him as mentally incompetent taking into account that he suffered nervous fit. In addition, judges in Berlin tried not to pay attention to emerged proofs that “mentally incompetent” Teyleryan was not alone in his actions.

Dashnaks “Nemesis”

Details of those events became known later, and what is most surprising, they became known from memoirs of participants, more precisely, of culpable participants, which soon after convinced that they will not face judicial responsibility and started to paint their “feats”. In the autumn of 1919 in Yerevan “Dashnaktsyutun” party held its ninth congress. Shagen Natali, who entered into ARFD ten years earlier, was among attendants of the congress. He insists to create a special organization “Nemesis” with its special mission: “to take revenge for sufferings of Armenians”. They formed responsible body (head – Armen Garo) and a special fund (head – Shagen Satchaklyan), supervision and financial provision were governed to Shagen Natali and Grigor Merjanov. As headquarters they used offices of two newspapers: “Chakatamart”, published in Istanbul occupied by Britons and “”Droshak” of Boston. There was considered the list of those “subject to extermination” consisted of 650 names, of which 41 were urgent. Later, in accordance with “technologies” of international terrorism the preparation of “bloody” actions started. Information was collected by Grach Papazyan, shown himself as “Turkish student”.

In May of 1920 Armenian terrorist-dashnak shot Nasib bey Yusifbeyli- prominent political and public activist of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR). In a period less than a month, on June 19 of 1920 one more bloody action was fulfilled by Aram Erkamyan and Misak Grigoryan: in Yerevan square in Tiflis, terrorists shot to death Fatali khan Khoyskiy, one of founder of ADR and heavily wounded Khalil bey Khosmamedov. In a month, on July 19 of 1920 Armenian bullets reached Hasan bey Agayev.

On this background the killing of Talat pasha in Berlin represented some sort of “probing action”, check of reaction of European justice on Armenian ravings about “genocide”. When Sogomon Teyleryan was freed after short proceeding, his “partners” in “Nemesis” evaluated this as a command “Fire!”. On July 18 of 1921 in Istanbul occupied by Britain’s troops, in front of hotel “Pera Palas” Armenian terrorist Torlakyan shot to death Behbud khan Jevanshir, former minister of internal affairs of ADR. The case was considered in Britain’s court-martial, which almost repeated scenario of trial in Berlin: the court-martial a few months later decided that he had committed a crime, but pleaded him as not guilty stating as if in 1918 in Baku the relatives of Torlakyan were killed and he had shot B.Jevanshir being mentally unfit. Several months later in Rome another Dashanak terrorist- Arshavir Shirakyan- killed Said Khalim pasha, former minister of foreign affairs of Ottoman empire. Only in four months period, on April 17, 1922, Shirakyan takes Aram Erganyan as a partner, shot to death Baheddin Shakir Bey and Kemal Azmi Bey in one of streets of Berlin. Several months later in Tiflis two Armenians killed another Turkish official – Kemal pasha. Kemal pasha, who according to Doctor Joan Lepsius (named as “fierce Turcophobe and friend of Armenians” by Austrian scientist Erik Faygl) regarded Armenians with sympathy: “Kemal pasha, head of the fourth army in Syria, hold a certain distance to those who were in power in Konstantinopol. He warned about serious revolts in his district and helped refugees and forced migrants”. On July 25 of 1922 Jemal pasha, former defense ministry of Ottoman empire was shot to death in Tiflis. “Operation” was fulfilled by two dashnak fighters: Zare Melik-Shahnazaryan and Stepan Tsagikyan.

The other fact is less known: among victims of “Nemesis” there were a certain number of Armenians, which were blamed by dashnaks in excessive loyalty to Turkish authorities: Amayak Aramyants, Arshavir Yesayan, Vage Yesayan, Artin Mkrtchyan…

But there was another fact during Bacchanalias of Armenian terror. On August 4 of 1922 Enver pasha was killed in surroundings of Bukhara. According to official version Enver-pasha was killed in the battle with Red army soldiers. Unofficial version becomes known only now.

“Dashnak trace” in holy Bukhara.

Contemporary history of Central Asia still waits for objective and unprejudiced researcher. This mainly concerns period of establishment of “soviet rule” in this region, in which soviet Russia was forced to be the rival of Turkey. For example, in Bukhara emirate by that moment there was influential organization of “Young Bukharians” or jadidists supported proclaiming of democratic republic in Bukhara. Besides in Central Asia, except for Tadjiks the nationalism was severely mixed with panturkism - that was the period of “non-traditional Islam”, however Wahhabi preachers did not come yet.

It is not known who was struck by “excellent idea” to rely on dashnaks while struggling with “Basmachi”, or calling things by their proper names – with rebel war for independence of Central Asia. But dashnak squadrons frequently just renamed as Red Army units.

In 1922 Semen Budenniy headed Turkestan front, was replaced by Gaspar Voskanov, who with understandable eagerness started “liquidation” of Enver-pasha – undisputable leader of armed struggle for independence in Central Asia.

During the Soviet period official historiography named Enver-pasha as “head of Basmachi” and “spy of international imperialism”. And they even do not bother to remember that prior to his leave to Central Asia, Enver-pasha, fleeing from Turkey through Germany, lived for some period in Moscow, took part in Congress of Eastern nations in Baku and supported “Lenin’s national policy” while severely opposing Kemal pasha Ataturk – new leader of Turkey.

Now, it would be expedient to decline from a subject. According to historians, any state is a “black case” and no one could know intentions of its authorities: details of adopting of crucial decisions, deep motives stay behind the closed doors, and if later someone publishes memoirs, events there will be probably described taking into account “requirements of the moment”. However, many facts indicate that rendering assistance to Mustafa Kemal and his supporters, Moscow was not driven by sympathy to Turkish revolution.

Historians, especially those in countries with authoritarian regimes, due to certain reasons, try not to remember this, but de-jure up to 1922, unless the Turkish Parliament adopted a law about dethronement of sultan and abolishment of caliphate, the Ottoman Porte was the government of Turkey. No one believed that the Turkish army, after heavy defeat in the World War I, might resist Entente and their own government. On this background, assistance rendered by Russia to those whom sultan Vaheddin named as “rebels” and conclusion of beneficial agreements, such as Kars and Moscow, most probably was dictated by desire to maximally weaken positions of Turkey. For the same goal, those in Moscow showed warm attitude to Enver pasha – in order to have “an ace behind the sleeve” against Kemal pasha Ataturk. Even after Enver pasha went to Central Asia to initiate rebellion among Moslems of Britain’s India, Lenin, Trotskiy and Dzerjinsky “bombarded” armed units deployed in Turkestan front by telegrams: “Enver must be taken alive”.

But soon after, Voskanov sent a noteworthy telegram to Akop (Yakov) Melkumyan, commander of the I Turkestan cavalry brigade: “I need dead Enver. Read. Think. Immediately burn it.” Then Yakov Melkumyan outspokenly talked to Armenian journalists: “I killed Enver” – According to Melkumyan, death of Enver pasha is continuation of terror by dashnak “Nemesis”.

“Revenge in order to assist to diplomacy”.

According to official version, Armenian terrorists of 20-ies and 30-ies were impelled only by feeling of revenge. However, even brief analysis of the situation left no doubts: similar to the end of XIX – start of XX century, reasons of Armenian terror were purely political.

In fact, for Armenia the period of twenties-thirties was the period of ups and downs of their hopes. On August 10, 1920 in Sevres of France the Serves agreement was signed between 10 countries of Entente, representatives of Armenia and Khidjaz, future Saudi Arabia as a one party and the Ottoman empire as the other party, which envisaged to turn over to Armenia of those “six provinces” of Eastern Anatolia. To say, that Armenia was embraced by euphoria, it means to say nothing – a little bit more and on the map will emerge “Western Armenia”, the west would help us and it seems easy not to pay attention to the fact that in April of the same year in deserted railway station Ankara the hero of battle near Chanaggala – Mustafa Kemal pasha convened alternative parliament – Great National Assembly of Turkey and proclaimed Turkish Republic.

However, negotiations were prolonged and the process did not give Armenians a basis for optimism. At first, two-year Paris peace conference, then start of negotiation process in Lausanne… Situation speedily changed: Serves treaty, which promised creation of “Western Armenia” on lands of Eastern Turkey was thrown into the rubbish-bin of history and hope of “grab-it-isation” of Turkish lands, which seemed so close, had suddenly vanished.

It is just the rhetoric question whether Armenians would attempt to “remind the world” about their “tragedy” by use of terror. Moreover, terroristic methods of Armenians were not just used by Armenian politicians – due to various reasons, which detailed analysis could not be fulfilled within the framework of one newspaper article, terror became one of the major method of struggle for interests of Armenian political elite from the end of XIX century. Choose of victims is also meaningful: bullets of “avengers” reach members of governments, which were removed from power. Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was annexed by Soviet Russia, the government of Young Turks also was thrown aside… It is impossible to find better victims of “demonstrative terror” – on the one hand “response measures” of the state would be, is any, not so severe as for “acting” official, on the other hand, victims were famous and “promoted” persons in order to attract attention of media by demonstrative murder.

“Cult of terror”

Whether the terror unleashed by dashnaks in twenties of the last century allowed to reach their goals in diplomatic arena is the theme of separate study. In any case they failed to reanimate Serves treaty. Besides there were a lot of “unsolved problems” between Entente countries and Turkey – and absolutely unexpectedly for European diplomacy! – now they had to negotiate with Turkey, not dictate their conditions. In Europeans capitals they were more concerned by issues of maritime traffic in Bosporus and Dardanelle straits than by “historic rights of long-suffering Armenian nation”. Armenians caused the interest until they could be used as a mean of pressure over the Turkey, but later, when the war was lost, they turned into “poor relative” to which no one wanted to mess about.

But political murders of twenties played more ominous role in the history. That is because namely those events ultimately led to generation of cult of terror in Armenian community. Sogomon Teyleryan like his many “crime-partners” from “Nemesis” rested on laurels as “national hero” until his death in San-Francisco in 1960. Many newspaper articles, literary works were devoted to “Avengers”, the people literally kissed their hands. Right-minded people in western countries just sniggled: any nation has its own history…

“Political technologies” of twenties were turn to be useful after tens of years – at the start of seventies, when Middle Eastern Armenians, who better than their neighbors-Arabs knew why Sogomon Teyleryan and Shagen Natali were “canonized”, entered Palestinian terroristic organizations of “Black September” type. Arab leaders started to express opinions that company of terror forced the world to remember about “tragedy of Palestinian people”. In the middle of 70-ies “Group of Gurgen Yanikyan” emerged, which later became “Armenian Secret Army of Liberation of Armenia” – ASALA. More than fifty Turkish diplomats in many countries around the world became the victims of Armenian terrorists, among them citizens of the USA, France, Switzerland and other countries…

Later, when independent Armenia emerged on map, terroristic methods became more needed and here, irrespective of whether these are attempts to “pressure” over Azerbaijan (Armenian secret services organized tens terroristic acts on the territory of our republic) or internal political “shootout” – in practice almost each internal “shake” in Armenia starts with a series of political murders and “parliamentary shooting” on October 27 of 1999 was considered as most high-profile scandal on post-Soviet territory until the start of Chechen terror.

But in September of 2003, after shock of October 27 in Armenia and world-wide distress after September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the USA, the monument devoted to Sogomon Teyleryan has been opened. And similar to the events of March 15 of 1921, the world played blind to this.

      
Bu xəbər 95 dəfə oxunub.