105 years have passed since the genocide against Armenians in 1915. After April 24, 1915, which was accepted as the starting date of the genocide, hundreds of thousands of Armenians were either slaughtered or exiled to various countries, especially Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Few Armenian families, who faced great suffering during the events that many countries later described as genocide, managed to survive by hiding their identities.

 

Zekerya Sabuncu, living in the Derik district of Mardin is one of the few elders alive. While some elders of the Sabuncu family survived the genocide, some of them had to migrate in case of a possible genocide. Sabuncu who grew up listening to the surviving elders telling what happened during the genocide, told what he learned from his elders.

 

FETWA FOR GENOCIDE

 

Stating that most of the 400 households in the city before the genocide were Armenians and Assyrians, Sabuncu mentioned that their elders were engaged in vineyards, gardens and some crafts after they settled in the city. Stating that he was told that there were 7 churches and 3 schools in the city at that time, Sabuncu said, “In those schools, education was given in the languages ​​of Ottoman, French and Armenian. My grandmother was 13 at the time. I remember my grandmother speaking in Armenian to my father and grandfather."

 

Stating that the Armenians were financially in a good state at the time Sabuncu said that with the genocide decision, he frequently listened to the stories that the public was provoked against the Armenians. Sabuncu said: "According to my elders' statements, when the edict came out, the rich and the religious leaders gathered. The Sheikhs and imams issued a Fetwa, saying that those who kill Armenians will go to heaven. They first collected the arms of the Armenian.Then they were weakened economically with taxes. Then they started attacking the Armenians."

 

Saying that only 40 of the 300 families survived the genocide after 1915 in Derik, Sabuncu said: "Our elders told that the prominent individuals were taken into custody by the state and were killed. Then there were only women, children and the old ones. They killed them in groups around the valleys and hills in Derik. The muslim living there also tells the same tales. They even know things that we don't. They threw children down the cliffs to see if they can 'fly'. 

 

Sabuncu told that some families took Armenian children under their protection at that time and that his grandmother was one of them. Sabuncu said: "A village headman takes her under his protection. Those who survived are told to belong to these headmen. Our elders have become Ruta's people. My grandmother was married to another Armenian. They were working for that headman. My grandfather later told him that he wants to work for his own family when that period had ended. The headman accepted it and my grandfather was freed. My family started to produce soap from olive oil. I was 5 or 6 years old when my grandfather made soaps in our basement. I used to stamp those soaps. 

 

WE NEED CONFRONTATION

 

Stating that there was a power struggle between the headmen in the following process and the hostility between them turned to his family, Sabuncu said they migrated to Ä°stanbul in the 50's in order to prevent more deaths. Sabuncu, who stated that he returned to Derik 37 years later and continued his father's profession, said: "The people here welcomed me with open arms. They are telling what their grandparents did in the past, regarding the disaster we have been through. They say they are ashamed from what their elders had done and condemn them. One must at least acknowladge when they make a mistake. What happened has happened and we have no way to undone that. But at least we need a confrontation. We need to face what happened."

 

MA / Ömer Akın