Evidence of meeting #20 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was armenian.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
There was the attack on Kessab last weekend. Was that the first attack on Kessab or were there others previously?
Director, Government Relations Office, Armenian Church Diocese of Canada
The first attack took place in Kessab and the second one in Latakia. The population that lived in Kessab was chased to Latakia, toward the south.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
But the first attack on Kessab took place two weeks ago? That was the first time Kessab was attacked. The Kessab residents are now in Latakia.
Executive Director, Armenian National Committee of Canada
Yes, they are in Latakia.
Executive Director, Armenian National Committee of Canada
There is an Armenian majority in Latakia.
Executive Director, Armenian National Committee of Canada
I don't know the exact number of Armenians who are currently living in Latakia, nor the percentage of the population they represent. I also do not know how many people stayed in Kessab. The village was emptied. I can't say how many people are still living there.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
I have a question about the information you have.
How does the information that the Canadian organizations get here reach you about what is going on in Syria?
Executive Director, Armenian National Committee of Canada
It's very simple. We have newspapers everywhere in the world, so they are given the communiqués. I am able to read every kind of paper—English, French, or Turkish papers—and you have websites and everything else, so you can go in and get the information you need.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
My colleague asked you a question concerning the sources of the information.
I guess he was looking to get some clarity on the veracity of the information you're getting as to who is responsible for what.
In your statement, you said that—
Representative, Government Relations Office, Ottawa, Armenian Church Diocese of Canada
—the Associated Press—
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
—it is your belief that it's the Turkish government that is using the name of al-Qaeda to divert attention from its own issues internally.
Representative, Government Relations Office, Ottawa, Armenian Church Diocese of Canada
I got that information from the Associated Press, but anything that I referred to is referred to on the CBC, in The Guardian, and the American State Department has made a statement, and The Atlantic in the United States, a respected paper. So this is international press; it's not our Armenian press only.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
No, and I'm not saying it is. It's just a matter of making sure that the record is clear as to the sources of your information.
How secure does the community from Kassab now living in Latakia feel at this moment? Is there a feeling that the attacks that were made on Kassab will trickle down to Latakia, or for now are you feeling relatively secure there?
Representative, Government Relations Office, Ottawa, Armenian Church Diocese of Canada
That is information that would be very difficult to ascertain at the moment, but I read a very small line that the Assad government is trying to go back to protect those people. What that means is very difficult to understand. Are they able to? To what extent are they able to? Are they able to stop it along the road somewhere, while those people are still held up in the church and schoolhouses? That's difficult to ascertain.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
So the fear and concern that you're having, if I'm reading it correctly, is from the various factions of—for lack of a better way of putting it—the rebel contingent in Syria. Is this where your greatest fear comes from, rather than from those supporting—?
Representative, Government Relations Office, Ottawa, Armenian Church Diocese of Canada
We don't know where the next fear will come for these people. It's very difficult to say who will be there to protect them, at this point.
NDP
Tyrone Benskin NDP Jeanne-Le Ber, QC
Over and above your determination to remain in your homes, which is very clear and is quite understandable, do you see yourselves at any point feeling that you will be pushed into a refugee state, as distinct from a state of being internally displaced?
Representative, Government Relations Office, Ottawa, Armenian Church Diocese of Canada
As I mentioned to Mr. Cotler, that would be very difficult in our case because of the history. As I said, the majority of Armenians have left. Those who are able to leave are in Lebanon, they are in Canada, they're in the United States, in France, in South America.
These are the people who are unable to leave. They don't have the means to leave. This particular group, in Kassab and Latakia, didn't think they had to leave, because they're not in Damascus, they're not in Aleppo, they're not in the areas where the rebels have something to gain. This is a picturesque little town on the Mediterranean, away from everything. That's what the gentleman, Mr. Kouyoumdjian, was saying, that it's not a part of the fight. There's no reason for fighting to be happening there, except that it happens to be right at the border.
For that reason, I don't think these people anticipated; they didn't prepare to leave. Perhaps they don't have the means to leave at all, even if they prepared. These are smaller communities, villages. They're not the doctors and the lawyers and the manufacturers who live in Damascus and Aleppo. These are quiet, small villages. For the most part, they're summer home areas where the rich go. So people who are there are truly cornered.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
Thank you.
Colleagues, we are going to have to adjourn because we're getting close to the vote. We have about five minutes left, so I'd encourage you all to move back to the House of Commons expeditiously.
Thank you to our witnesses. I apologize for the fact that we have to wrap up. We have a vote in the House.
Your testimony has been very helpful to us and very informative. We are very grateful to you. Thank you.
The meeting is adjourned.