Dersim Armenians seek to establish ties with Armenia

The Armenian youth of Dersim prefers to invite Armenia-based youth to Turkey rather than to visit Armenia, founder of “Union of Dersim Armenians” Mihran Gultekin told a news conference in Yerevan.

“The Dersim-based Armenians do not visit Armenia first of all because they fear they will not be perceived as Armenians in Armenia, besides, there are no necessary spiritual ties,” M. Gultekin said.

He reminded that the Dersim population, converted Armenians, is not perceived as Armenians in Turkey.

“They are Moslems. First of all they need to adopt Christianity, to be baptized. To restore their Armenian identity, they need to apply to court and introduce evidence of their Armenian descent,” Gultekin said.

To establish spiritual ties with Armenia, he conveyed Dersim youth’s invitation to Armenia’s youth to visit Dersim and called on Armenia’s cultural centers to participate in the 5th cultural festival to be held in Dersim this August.