Havrez Armenians commemorate Genocide

Havrez Armenians commemorate Genocide

Armenian of HavrezAzad-Hye special


Father Massis Shahinian celebrated Holy Mass in Memory of the Armenian victims of the Genocide.


Considerable number of Armenians from Havrez (Avzroog) and other locations in Iraqi Kurdistan, such as Duhok and Zakho gathered to mark together this important event.


Scouts and church choir also took part in the activities.?






ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT HAVREZ
Provided by Ara Ashjian*


Havrez is an Armenian village located 40 miles north of Mosul city in Northern Iraq.


Following the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, 20 thousand Armenian refugees settled in a camp near the Iraqi Baquba city.


In 1920-1921, the British authorities transferred the camp to a place named Nahr-el Omar in Southern Iraq. Afterwards, all Armenian refugees in Nahr-el Omar (580 families), mostly Armenian farmers from Van Province, Western Armenia, were transformed to Havrez.


The village was destructed in 1974-1975 during the war between the Iraqi Army and the Kurdish militias.


After the US-UK invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the deterioration of security conditions in Baghdad, many Iraqi Armenians moved to Northern Iraq's Kurdistan Region. Nearly 120 Armenian families settle in Havrez now.


* Ara Ashjian: Iraqi Armenian settled in Yerevan
Blog: http://ara-ashjian.blogspot.com/


Photos source: Iraqi Chaldean Assyrian Ishtar TV
http://ishtartv.com/news,7388.html






Related articles:


Armenians in Baghdad celebrate Christmas (06 January 2009)


The anointment ceremony of the new Armenian Church in Northern Iraq


Blessing of foundation for new Armenian Church in Northern Iraq (city of Duhok)


Construction of an Armenian church in Duhok and public houses for the needy Armenians in Baghdad


PHOTOS (from the Iraqi Chaldean Assyrian Ishtar TV):