Page:Kvartalshilsen (Kvinnelige misjonsarbeidere). 1919 Vol. 12 nr. 2.pdf/4

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From Bodil Bjørn.


Dear friends!

This time, unfortunately, I have no direct intelligence from our friends in Armenia to bring you; but through an Armenian, who approx. two years ago, came here from Armenia - along with 4 brothers and one sister-in-law, he fled from Siflis through Russia to Norway -, I hear some from the Armenian newspapers he gets from America.

Now that moment is approaching, as the Armenian question must be decided. Hundreds of thousands of Armenian soldiers, who on the Caucasus front have fought for the liberation of their country and people, claim as their right Armenia for its people.

In America, Russia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and northern Persia there are still approx. 2 million Armenians, who if they get their land back, want to return, at least most of them.

America, England and France have promised that the Armenians will get back the eight provinces, which formerly belonged to the old Armenian kingdom. These are: Erzurum, Kars, Erivan, Urmia, Van, Bitlis, Diyarbakır and Cilicia, which also include several neighboring districts, including Trabzon, Sivas, Charput, Musch and Seitun; but the final decision will only be made at the Peace Conference, to which Armenia has the right to send its representatives.

As their envoys, they have chosen the well-known Armenian Boghos Neebar pascha, from Egypt - who has now lived in England - and three others.

For 400 years now the Armenians have lived under the hardships from the Turks and been oppressed and persecuted, and they have suffered more than any other Christian people in the world,