Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to VK
The civil war in Syria has attacked the large Armenian Diaspora in this country. Until recently, according to various estimates, from 80 to 100 thousand Armenians lived in Syria, mainly in Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Kesabe and Al-Kamyshli, where traditional Armenian parties, non-profit and social organizations, schools, cultural centers and newspapers functioned.
While the world mass media reports about protracted battles in Damascus and Aleppo, a former MP, Smbul Smbulyan, characterizes the situation as calm: “The majority of the Armenian Diaspora’s representatives don’t want to leave Syria forever. Many of them have left for other countries for some time. Some go to Armenia, others to Lebanon or Europe, but it is not a planned program of migration.”
“The situation with the Armenian Diaspora in Syria remains the same. We don’t support any side. We conduct our own business. Nobody oppresses us. Some Armenians are leaving the country temporarily, until the situation becomes stable. I don’t think Armenians will leave Syria, or abandon their homes and businesses,” a representative of the Diaspora, Khachik Dhozikyan, says. According to him, no more than 10% of Armenians will leave Syria.
According to the Passport and Visa Department of the police of Armenia, in January-May 2012 about 2700 Armenians from Syria sent applications for Armenian citizenship. In the historic motherland, Syrian Armenians will face such problems as getting entry visas to Armenia at short notice, expensive tickets between Yerevan and Aleppo for airplanes of the national air company Armavia, as well as problems with residency and employment.
The government of Armenia decided to simplify the procedure for getting Armenian citizenship for Armenians who are citizens of foreign states. Passports will be issued in diplomatic offices of Armenia abroad. First of all this decision will concern Syria and Lebanon.
The government decided to make amendments to the procedure for issuing visas. The new procedure requires privileges for foreign citizens of Armenian origin – they will have an opportunity to gain entrance visas to Armenia at border check points. The Diaspora Ministry formed a working group involving a dozen all-Armenian organizations which offered their help in providing social and legal support, as well as residential accommodation.
“The information on Syrian Armenians is always analyzed and proceeded, for we are ready to take certain measures. If we don’t speak about these measures publicly, it doesn’t mean the authorities are treating the problem indifferently or taking no steps,” the MP Karen Avagyan says.
At the same time, some political forces and social organizations continue to believe that Armenia is not ready to accept Syrian refugees and the government has no complex program for return of compatriots. The opposition Armenian National Congress accused the authorities of not being ready for the situation in which the Armenian Diaspora found itself in Syria.
