“THE EYEWITNESS”: 103-YEAR OLD MARY DAVTYAN RECALLS HER MOTHER’S ASSASSINATION WITH TEARS IN HER EYES
11:30, 4 June, 2013
The Armenian Genocide initiated in the Ottoman Empire during the
World War I in the beginning of the previous century is one of the
biggest crimes against humanity. Advancing the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide the new project introduced by “Armenpress” news
agency is dedicated to the story of the eyewitnesses and survivors of
the calamity to prove the world one more time that our demand for the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide is fair and justified. This time
the project is dedicated to the story of 103-year old Mary Davtyan,
who witnessed the massacres of her people and the murder of her mother
at the same time.
YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS. When one of the oldest citizens of Yerevan
– 103-year old Mary Davtyan, recalls the Armenian Genocide events,
she mentally goes back to 1915, Sebastia. Mary stated with tears in
her eyes: “My mother – Vergine, was a very beautiful woman. She went
to say farewell to her parents before we were to leave. Her parents’
house was not far from ours. At that moment Turks passed by and when
they saw my mother, they pulled her out. When my grandfather came
out to rescue his daughter, the Turks killed her, my grandfather and
grandmother right in front of their house.”
Among other things Mrs. Mary told us, that her father Onik understood
what had happened, when her wife did not come back home. He took her
only daughter – 5-year old Mary and left his homeland.
Mary’s memories about the disasters they had to face with on their way
are obscure, but the she clearly remembers constant hunger and how
she was missing her mother. She also recalled: “When I was crying,
my father used to say: ‘Your mother will reach us soon. She’ll come
here.'” The atrocities of the Turks also have left a deep trace in
her memory. Mary Davtyan said that the Turks used to bury living
people and grind new-born children.
Now, when years have passed Mary asks a question saying that if there
was no Armenian Genocide, than who killed her 18-year old mother. She
is confident that the criminals will not remain unpunished. Now Mary
herself is a mother of three children. She has 7 granddaughters and
9 great granddaughters.
(THE FULL VERSION OF THE ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN
ARMENIAN)
n-recalls-her-mothers-assassination-with-tears-in-her-eyes.html
Article by Tatevik Grigoryan Photos by Samvel Berkibekyan
From: Baghdasarian