Hagop Pampougian

Prior to the repatriation, a committee arrived and started to record the names of all those who wished to go to Armenia.

For the residents of Aynjar, or the descendants of Mousa Ler, immigrating to Armenia had its reasons because it was initially very difficult after settling here, and I can say that many went hungry at the time.

However, it must be said that patriotism also existed, because they always sang, “Akh, Armenia, my heart, my soul’. There was also a song even from the time of Mousa Dagh – ‘If they hang him from the gallows, he will cry out, Akh, Armenia’.

I can say that only 50-60 families were left that weren’t registered for the repatriation. So why didn’t everybody go? Because the first convoy walked, and the second was supposed to come no later than in two months. And it didn’t arrive. I believe that news had reached them from Armenia saying that the situation was bad there and don’t come.

We had a clergyman who gave sermons. It was the last Sunday, the Day of the Cross. In the sermon, he said that at these times it’s best that we be here. He read the foreign papers and would translate them. He was an informed person.

And there was another reason. They would say that if someone was a Tashnag they would have to resign from the party before going to Armenia. That’s the reason why some refused to go. And I remember Hapeshian, who was the reason why the majority of that village went, refused (to go) on the last day.

We weren’t registered, especially because we knew that there they had no understanding of the Christian faith or were against it. They persecuted Christianity. We used to attend the Catholic school at the time. I had just graduated the sixth grade.

I had an uncle. He would arrive every evening and try to convince my father to go with him. My father would say, if my children go, I have nothing to say. Wherever my children go, I am there. My uncle wasn’t able to convince us.

I went to Armenia in 1970. That uncle of mine was still alive. He didn’t say “Why didn’t you go?’. Rather, he said, ‘It’s good that you didn’t go’. But he told me another story. He said that when they had just boarded the ship, they had lentils, wheat and chick peas, all prepared, so that they wouldn’t go hungry if there wasn’t anything there. They told them on the ship, “This is all sickness. Throw it all into the sea.’ My uncle said they took it from them and tossed it overboard. When they reached Armenia, there was no lentils, chick peas or wheat. However, I should add that when I went to Armenia in 1970, everything was plentiful and the people were happy. They have gotten past those difficult times.