Erdogan Anoints Atesyan

After the arrival of the government’s letter, Atesyan issued a communique informing the public that before all those traumatic events, he had flown to Ankara to get his marching orders. He also gave an oblique signal to Archbishop Bekjian when he quoted St. Peter’s Letter to the Romans, in which obedience to the rulers is glorified and punishment administered to trespassers. Bekjian resigned his post and is planning to leave Istanbul soon.

The unspoken argument against Archbishop Bekjian is that as primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany, he has participated in Armenian Martyrs’ Day commemorations, which in Erdogan’s legal system is an insult to Turkishness. Yet Erdogan has been insulting the entire Turkish-Armenian community, and the world Armenian community for that matter, by imposing a brain-dead clergyman in a vegetative state on the throne of the patriarchate.

Throughout these developments, the domestic Armenian press kept a strict neutrality. But now that Atesyan’s anointment by Erdogan’s administration has been confirmed, the latter has been scrambling to win over Atesyan. A minor incident of protest has revealed this shift. A parishioner named Besse Kabak began singing Der Voghormia [Lord Have Mercy] at the St. Vartanants Church of Gedikpasa, just before Archbishop Atesyan began his sermon. Police intervened and took the protestor to the police station, supposedly out of concern for Atesyan’s safety. Some Armenian papers have been severely critical of the protest. We cannot definitively confirm whether they were concerned about the dignity of the moment or assuring the largess of Atesyan, who controls the purse strings of the patriarchate.

This cavalier treatment has left the majority of the Istanbul Armenian community irate. Of course, there are some detractors. And also there are some wealthy Armenians benefiting from the gravy train, and desecrating the traditions of the Armenian Church.

Despite all these revelations, there are people who are ready to give reverential treatment appropriate for deserving and honorable clergymen to Atesyan during his visits abroad.

Once again, it is Garo Paylan who has taken the bull by the horns, challenging Erdogan’s dictatorial behavior. Indeed, when the latter visited Athens last December, he complained that the Greek government had refused to allow the local Turkish community to elect its mufti. Paylan in response stated to the “sultan,” what nerve you have to complain in Greece that a religious leader is not allowed to be elected when you prevent the Armenian community in your own country from electing its patriarch. Paylan has also tried to place the issue of the patriarchal election on the agenda of the Turkish parliament for debate.

There may be a few foolhardy members of the Istanbul Armenian community who raise their voices in protest. But as a whole, the community stays silent, especially under Erdogan’s martial law, where any dissent is attributed to Feto’s terrorist movement.

Paylan’s voice may be heard beyond Turkey’s borders. But most importantly, Diasporan Armenians can give a cold shoulder when Atesyan travels, if they have any spine left.