99 - all you should know about the Genocide April, 2014 | Page 96
Icons on the walls of the ruined churches of Ani. Unidentified vandals
have disfigured the eyes of the depicted saints
The Solukh bridge constructed on the Eastern Euphrates. According
to testimonials, this is where the hero Gevorg Chaush was slain
The Berkri waterfall – one of the most beautiful waterfalls in
Western Armenia
And all this was accompanied by a gigantic
ANI
Turkish flag flapping in the wind. The flag is
like a pass in Turkey, it allows you a little bit of
freedom. If you are organizing an event to which
the Turkish authorities might object, stick a
Turkish flag next to it and you may proceed to
do as you wish.
As we move towards Ani, we are forced to pass
through Igdir, populated today by Azerbaijanis,
where we do not wish to stop. In this region, I
see our holy mountain from behind. It is often
said that Mt. Ararat is not pretty when viewed
from Turkey. Let me rephrase that. It is not that
Do you want to start a business? Stick the Turkish
it is not pretty, it is deformed. It does not have
flag and do what you want. It’s not working? Stick
the majesty that it bears when viewed from the
a picture of Ataturk next to it, that will definitely
Ararat plains. It is simply a tall grey peak. And you
help. I have seen this both in Western Armenia
can doubtlessly see the symbolism of that. But I
and in Istanbul. It was the same thing on the
was interested in something else at that moment.
island of Aghtamar, where the Apostolic Church
How did it end up that this mountain, located in
stood next to that same erstwhile Byzantine
the east of the Armenian highlands, remained
crescent, surrounded by the blood of the Turks’
in the Turkish republic created to our west? The
enemies.
mountain was within the borders of the Russian