*GREG HAGOPIAN*
An Armenian Apostolic church constructed in memory of the victims of the 20th century Armenian genocide was “rigged and dynamited” on Sunday by forces loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS), according to reports from Syria’s government news agency.
The Armenian Holy Martyrs Church in Der Zor, located in the Syrian desert 280 miles northeast of Damascus, was constructed in memory of the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide and consecrated in 1991.
The site was chosen because Der Zor is believed to have housed death camps in which an estimated 150,000 to 400,000 Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Turks 100 years ago. The destroyed church included a museum housing the remains of some of the genocide victims.
News of the destruction of the church was met with outrage by ecclesiastical and political officials.
Here are some questions I want to loudly raise:
1. The choice of this specific Church what concerns its symbolism, was it a coincidence? or a clear message.
2. Was it a reply to what his Holiness Aram I initiated in his speech at Yerevan lately threatening to sue the Turkish government what concerns Sis and related church owned lands?
3. It’s timing what concerns its closeness to the commemoration plans of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, could it be chosen purposely? Keeping in mind the good relations of the extremists in the region with the Turkish State.
4. The fact that the bombing coincided with the Pan Armenian Conference in Yerevan, could it mean a message addressed to all Armenians?
These are some questions worth to be thought about loud. Any comments from anyone concerned?
