Examining the Tashnak Party and its activities, which had the leading role at the process that led to . . . . relocation, is very important in support of enlightening the Armenian issue. Tasnaksutyun, who undertook representing the Armenian nationalism starting from 1890’s, has always consecrated on terrorism. Tashnaks had frequently resorted to assassination plots, committed murders under the disguise of “punishing the traitors”, attempted to suppress different thoughts by blackmailing, threatening and kidnapping in Tsar and Ottoman lands.
The afore-mentioned activities of the Tashnak plotters were also reflected on the documents at the Russian state archives. The archives are full with letters of threat that were sent to administrative posts, ordinary citizens, business circles and even to their own members by the Tashnaks. Giving some examples of these, would be useful for perceiving the core of the Tashnak Party, which would direct the Armenian masses in the process that led to the World War I.
The Caucasus administration of the Russian government brought the issue of disarming Armenians on the agenda due to bloody Armenian-Azerbaijani massacre in 1905.
The Caucasus Committee of the Tashnak Party wrote a letter entitled “Instruction to the Caucasus administration of the Russian Government” at that era. The letter was distributed everywhere in the Caucasus and also it was published at “Drosak”, the publication of the Tashnaks, dated July 1905, issue 7. The letter is registered at the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF), which was formerly USSR November Revolution Central State Archive, (TsGAOR SSSR), fond 1741, list 1, folder 23063 leaf 1 and fond 112, list 1 folder 688, leaf 7.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Tasnaksutyun informed all city guardians, police forces, province managers, and gendarmeries that they have disarmed all the Armenian in the Caucasus and at this end, when an research and arrest activity is conducted all of them will be destroyed mercilessly. Before attempting to such an activity, every should recall Nakasidze, the governor of Baku, who was convicted to death penalty by the decision of Tasnaksutyun, Yelizavetpol, assistant governor Andreyev, assistant governor, Baguslavs-kiy, province manager, Smerling, Pavlov, the police officer Saharov, Nasanskiy, Cavakov, Sumakeviç, and Ter-Saakov.
You have to make a choice between a reward of 25 rubles that will be given by the governor and a bullet by a revolutionist. The governor promised to help the victim families, which facilitated our activities. Because, the only reason that would cause a revolutionist to hesitate could only be the situation of helpless and innocent families. So, that obstacle was removed. The Armenian Revolutionist Federation Caucasian Committee. 18 May 1905.”
The target of the Tashnaks was not merely the officials. Also, a network for pressure was established. The following letter consisted of four leafs that was situated in an envelope is striking since it demonstrates that the attitudes of Tashnaks towards both the the Armenians, and the other nations. The document is at the State Archives of the Russian Federation fond 112, list 1, folder 870, leaf 69. The following was written on the envelop: “Tbilisi, Elizavetinskaya Street, Tutayev House, To Mr. Caparidze. Convey to Yekatarina Mihaylovna Nadirova”. There was no date on the letter, which was written n Armenian. However, according to the data, it is estimated that it was written on 2 September 1907. It is predictable that Armenian Nadiryan was living at Georgina Caparidze`s house. Indicating that they could never accept that an Armenian can live in an Georgians’s house, the Tashnaks stated the following:
"Miss Nadiryan,
“As you can see, you don’t intend to escape from these dog Georgians; if you do not go away from these Georgians and give them jobs once again, you should know that we will feed dogs with the parts of your bodies. Don’t think that when we kill people we leave people in a shape that can be buried. No, we will not let people even to find a piece of you. Don’t think that we are kidding. Couldn’t you find an Armenian in the city so that you are living in a Georgian’s house? I repeat, if do not go away from the Georgians in two days and we notice a Georgian in your house, you will be killed like a dog with the other Georgians. You have move extremely stupid. Don’t attempt to play games to us. Open your eyes and read the things that are told in these lines. If you want to live and die in natural ways, remove all the Georgians from yourself, or your death will be the death of a dog.”
The letter above, which presents the Tashnak terrorism with every dimension, was seized during a forced entry of the Tsarist police to the office of Tashnak Party members Pavel (Paso) Ayrapetoviç (Gerasimoviç) Yedigarov and his son Sergey (Sarkis) Pavlov (Pasoviç) Yedigarov in Tbilisi at Peskovskaya Street on 2 September 1907. While Yedigarovs, who were involved in Postal service, were acting as a courier of the Tashnaks, on the other hand they were registering the archive records. The letter was used as evidence at the case, which 156 Tashnak leaders were judged over the crimes that were committed against the government, and were recorded officially.
Tashnaks had used the letters of threat particularly for collecting money. It was informed at the letter, which was sent from Pyatigorsk region to Hristofor Pavlov Bagarsukov, who is the richest Armenian at the Yekatarinodar region at the end of 1905 and in the beginning of 1906 that 80 thousand rubles should be given to Tasnaksutyun in two weeks time. It was stated that if he gives the money, he will enrolled to the Part as a member, and if not he will be killed with his brother Karp Bagasurkov.
When Bagasurkov did not care about the letter, a young man, who is well dressed and is an official of the Tashnak Party came and said that the money will be used for the Armenians, who exposed to the pressure f the Muslims in Turkey. And this time, the threat of death is, who speak French, appear at the door of the Armenian businessman everyday for three weeks. He was told that he will be killed and his shop will be bombed if he does not give 80 thousand rubles. When the threatening continued, Bagasur¬kov agreed to give 30 thousand rubles.
They told him to direct money to the account of Paso Ayrapetov Yedigarov (GARF fond 112, list 1, folder 688, leaf 22). The letter, which was sent to Miss Nadiryan was found at Yedigorov’s office. So Yedigorov had also played a role at this incident. Another similar incident was Tatevos Amirov (Amiryants). He received a letter, which pointed out that he must pay a fee. When he refused the demand, Tashnak Party sent Amiroy letters of threat and he was informed that he will be punished with death (GARF fond 112, list 1, folder 688, leaf 76). Moreover, Nikolay Federoviç Satunyan, a member of Tashnak Party had received a letter of threat for opposing money collecting from the folk via threatening and blackmailing (GARF fond 112, list 1, folder 688, leaf 16 back).
Given how the Tashnak plotters and terrorism, which possible to say that it reached until the present day, provoked mutual massacres and they treated mercilessly to even the ones from their own religion and nation, it is possible to imagine the activities committed against the Muslims. On the other hand, the precautions that were taken by the Turkish officials against the Tashnak Party, which has the characteristics of a typical terror organization, was once again justified.
Source: Mehmet Perinçek-Aydinlik Magazine- 09/12/2007
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