Islamised Armenians in Turkey to form new political party

A new cultural and political awakening amongst Armenians living in Turkey is taking a new twist with the news that historical communities of Islamised Armenians, who live on the Black Sea coast in northeastern Turkey, are getting ready to found a new political party.

The party’s founder, İsmet Şahin, is a former deputy candidate from Istanbul’s second region who ran on the ranks of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, until he was left out of the candidate list. The new party’s name will be publicly announced following the general elections on June 12. Şahin also served in BDP’s ranks in previous elections.

“We will become a party that produces global solutions for societal problems and protects the general interests of all oppressed people. Our party will remain completely outside the left-right paradigm,” Şahin, who is a prominent member of the Hemşin community, told Hürriyet Daily News. Hemşin is a district of green hills 19 km inland from the Black Sea in the Turkish Province of Rize.

 

The Hemşin were originally Armenians who fled to the Pontus region along the eastern Black Sea as Arab troops occupied their homeland in 790. In 1480 the Ottomans conquered the area and in 1600 instituted the “devşirme,” in which suitable young boys were taken from Christian families to be educated. The Christians in the region often converted to Islam to get rid of the “devşirme” and other taxes that were applied to them.

Armenians are generally identified first and foremost by their adherence to the Armenian Gregorian Church. The number of those following this faith in modern Turkey are reported to between 40,000-70,000, concentrated mainly around Istanbul, where the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople has existed since 1461. This is what is left of a much larger population. Many Armenians died, and others emigrated, both in large numbers in the dying days of the Othoman Empire.

However over the centuries many thousands were assimilated and Islamised. Many today are now followers of the Alevi Community, often charcaterised as a branch of Shia Islam.

source: Commonspace.eu editorial team with additional reporting from Hurriyet Daily news

photo: Rize Province on Turkey's Black Sea Coast, a focal point for the Hemsin Community


Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas ends visit to Yerevan aimed at strengthening partnership with Armenia

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas ends visit to Yerevan aimed at strengthening partnership with Armenia

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has ended her official visit to Armenia after signing a partnership agreement with authorities in Yerevan. Following talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, a joint press conference was held in which the media was briefed about an agreement outlining Armenia’s participation in the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy crisis management operations. According to Kallas, the document envisions Armenia’s participation in EU missions around the world.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas ends visit to Yerevan aimed at strengthening partnership with Armenia

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas ends visit to Yerevan aimed at strengthening partnership with Armenia

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has ended her official visit to Armenia after signing a partnership agreement with authorities in Yerevan. Following talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, a joint press conference was held in which the media was briefed about an agreement outlining Armenia’s participation in the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy crisis management operations. According to Kallas, the document envisions Armenia’s participation in EU missions around the world.