Kurdish Community of Abovyan city

Well drop a hint about the national minority who compose the full and equal inhabitants of Abovyan city and its regions Kurd nation. We had a talk with one of the honorable citizen of Abovyan city Knyaz Hassanov who is the member of the national minoritys council attached to the Armenian government and the national assembly, also the head of Armenians Kurdish community since 1996. He was born and lives in Abovyan. He has excellently graduated from the institute of agriculture, the faculty of economy. Hassanov has great investment in the affirmation and development of Kurdish community. In 1976 he has been appointed the director of cinema-net of the Aboyvan (Garni cinema) and its regions.

Mr. Hassanov tells that Kurdish nation has very firm and strong roots and they are scattered all over the world, the majority lives in Iraq, Iran, Turkey particularly 20 million live in Turkey and in Diarbeqir 2 million Kurds. The majority of Kurds are Muslims, they are also Alavians and Christians. The Ezidi community inhabited in Abovyan city uses Kurdish language as well and preserves ancient pagan and national traditions and they compose more than 1000 people. Kurdish children attend Armenian schools and learn Armenian language, but here in Abovyan exist also self employed and self propelled groups who study these children Kurdish language and history twice a week.

Mr. Hassanov marks that unfortunately there arent Kurdish literature here, but the Yerevan city has taken into consideration this problem as well as the all parties and the fests that are organized due to the Kurdish community of Armenia.

Kurdish nation keeps their national holidays celebrating Armenian ones too. For instance they celebrate the holiday NAWROZ on March 21-22 (it corresponds with the Armenian holiday NAVASARD) or KHDRNAVI which they celebrate on January 31 (the Armenian Saint Sargis), they have also holiday at the end of the year named IL AKHRI. Besides the self employed groups, there are also Kurdish singing and dancing group in Abovyan city, which illustrates their culture on these fests. The group has the name of Kurdish flower HAVSHAN.

In Abovyan the part of the national minority confronting with the contradictions left the city, the others stayed here and now they are honorable personalities. The contrary scene is formed in Turkey where are forbidden the usage of their language and traditions. The most vivid leader of the Kurdish nation considers Apo -Abdullah Ocalan (Chairman of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)). When he has been arrested, the Kurdish community organized meetings and registered protests supporting their leader demanding his liberation from the Turkish violence that sentenced the leader imprisonment for life.

 Mr. Hassanov thinks that the straggle will have success.