2460) Armenian Immigration Organized to Anatolia

It was exposed that Armenians encouraged immigration from Europe and America to intensify the number of the population in Anatolia to their advantage during the World War I and invasion years. Committers had also taken money from the wealthy Armenians with this aim. . .

It was revealed that Diaspora Armenians, who put every kind of opportunity for the 1915 relocation to be recognized as “genocide” for years, had attempted an interesting organization regarding immigration to Anatolia. The Diaspora Armenians had organized Armenian immigration to Anatolia from abroad particularly following the World War I. According to the new documents from the Ottoman Archives of the Prime Ministry, political parties, who got organized particularly in Europe and America for the Great Armenia ideal, had made propaganda activities for the “immigration to Anatolia” by taking money from the wealthy Armenians. Their aim was to locate the Armenians, who inhabited all over Europe dispersedly, to Anatolia.

The attempts of the Armenian parties had given results in a short period of time. An intensive wave of Armenian immigration realizes mainly from America to Adana. Ottoman rulers were aware of the movement; however, they could intervene because of the aftermath circumstances of invasion posed by the World War I. Nevertheless, they attempted to obtain some information by making a classification as “The ones, who returned back to their original country”, “The ones, who relocated at the Ottoman lands”, and “The ones, who came from abroad”. The matter whether they bought a property or land was particularly examined. However, it is not possible to state that healthy determinations could be made under the circumstances of war. Since, most of the Armenians bought land under different names.

Warnings to the Coastal Cities

As a matter of fact, they laid foundation to the preparations of the immigration during the World War I. It was learned that the Armenians, who possessed English passports, were passing to Italy from Switzerland. Finding out that the travels, were occurring at the companionship of the Englishmen, The rulers of the period, dwelled upon the possibility, in which Armenians first would go to Greece and from there to the Ottoman coasts. In the framework of the intelligence that was sent by the Switzerland/ Bern Embassy, the officials of Aydın, Adana, Beyrut, Trabzon, Balıkesir, İzmit, Bolu, which have shores to the sea, were warned for being careful.

The document dated 5 July 1917 that was sent to Aydın, Adana, Beyrut, Haleb, Trabzon, Karesi, İzmit, Kudüs, Bolu and Canik by Talat Pasha, the Minister of

Immigration Propaganda for the Majority of Population

Following the World War I, the Armenian political parties made much bigger plans for Anatolia. For to ensure an Armenian immigration from abroad, the Taşnaksutyun organizations arrange aid and encouragement campaigns. Armenian Patriarch and the deputy of the Armenian Protestant Society also encouraged the immigration. Donations were also demanded for the ‘Armenian State’ from the wealthy Armenians in Istanbul and other provinces. Their aim was to collect one million Lira.

The General directorate of Police of the period, which received the afore-mentioned information, informed Ministry of Interior with a document dated 21 May 1919. Later, the prime Ministry is informed about the matter.

The Armenians did not give up their effort for the immigration despite the intelligence attempts of the state. Just 6 months later of the document of the Police department dated 21 May, this time, Ministry of Interior warned Elazığ province. The information that was possessed by the officials demonstrated the activity of the Armenians in America. A significant part of the Armenians living here decided to immigrate to Anatolia. A rapid Armenian flow started to Adana, Sivas and the other provinces, where they did not constitute majority. The officials were not able to prevent the immigration despite the resolution which suggested “the prevention of the immigration” by the Council of Ministers (Meclis-i Vükela). Since the country was under the control of the invasion forces after the war.

Source: Aksiyon-29/04/2008

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