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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: Lebanese YaLIBNAN referred at its February 17 issue to the Armenians living in Syria, the developments taking place there. The periodical referred to the two suicide car bombs that shook Aleppo on Feb. 10, claiming 28 victims, among them army conscript Viken Hairabedian. "Hairabedian's death shocked the Syrian-Armenian community, which has thus far maintained an official line of neutrality, although unofficially many support the Assad government. As the most recent attack demonstrated, violence is moving closer to major cities like Aleppo and Damascus where thousands of Armenians call home.
Syrian-Armenians want to be optimistic about the community's future. "We always hear the sound of explosions and tank shells, but we are safe—at least for now," said one activist, who spoke with the Armenian Weekly on condition of anonymity.
The Armenian community—and, in general, the Syrian Christian community that makes up roughly 8-10 percent of the population—is weary of the uncertain future. "They are facing a new phase. Armenians, like all minorities in the country, are vulnerable and fear a collapse of the security structures in Syria," Nora Arissian, a historian and lecturer at Damascus University, told the Weekly.
Fr. Karekin Bedourian, who traveled to Syria in November 2011, observed how lives had been put on hold and a general atmosphere of fear dominated every activity. "We could not travel from city to city without concern for our safety. The rebels were everywhere. They were even persecuting those who were not joining them and participating in the protests," he said.
"In the past, we used to travel at night throughout the country without any fear, even in cities considered fanatically Islamic. Now, people are afraid to come out in their own cities," he added.
Originally from Aleppo, Fr. Bedourian recently moved to North Andover, Mass., where he is the pastor of St. Gregory Armenian Church.
The insecurity Bedourian describes hit closer to home for Armenians about a week before Hairabedian's death, when another young Armenian man, Kevork Chubukchian, was abducted in Aleppo. His kidnappers have demanded a large sum of money for his release.
Chubukchian "was targeted perhaps not for his identity, but most likely for his wealth," said a Syrian Armenian from Aleppo (hereafter referred to as T.N.). The blame cannot rest squarely on the shoulders of the opposition, he explained, as the Syrian government is ultimately responsible for the security in the country. "The government is not only failing to do its job, but it is also killing civilians," he said, and accused authorities of freeing criminals under the guise of "general amnesty for political prisoners," while, in reality, most political prisoners remain behind bars.
Fr. Bedourian, however, lays the blame squarely on the shoulders of the opposition. The rebels do not comprehend the true meaning of freedom and patriotism, he said, and instead choose to act as pawns in the hands of foreign governments, and take arms against their own.
Despite high tensions and increasing violence, the Syrian-Armenian community strives to navigate a neutral course. It has refrained from taking an official and public position, although members continuously voice their willingness to stand by the government—regardless of who holds power—for the sake of peace and stability, said T.N.
Historian Ara Sanjian believes there is nothing the Syrian Armenians can do in this internal conflict. "They only need to save their heads, and hope that the lightning won't strike them too hard," he told the Weekly.