Tyaray and the On-Going Curse
One never realizes the long-term cost of evil because the succeeding generations pay the highest price.
The assaults on Ashitha (and the first massacre) began over 170 years ago, but the last exodus of Assyrians leaving the Tyaray region occurred during the Turkish genocide which began in 1915.
The Tyaray mountains bring a sad and sweet feeling to me. Many times I have thought about going there. My dad has also spoken of a visit to Ashitha and the Tyaray mountains.
Once when my parents and I were on a plane bound for Europe, we experienced the strange coincidence of sitting next to a wealthy Kurdish merchant. He was very friendly and once he learned that we were Assyrians he gave us his business card and offered to assist us in making a successful visit to the land we left behind.
I was excited about the opportunity to receive this influential man’s assistance, but my dad was not impressed. I only found-out later why he had his own trust issues with Kurds.
Still the longing in my heart drove me to seek-out more information about the Tyaray mountains and possible ways to visit them. Research brought me to a travel/tour company that was in the region so I emailed them as follows:
“Greetings!
I’m in the USA and interested in learning more about the land of my ethnic origin (Assyrian) in the Tyaray Mountains which are south of Hakkari in Turkey. That is our name for those mountains and also the village we came from was called Ashita. I understand that these mountains are near the border with Iraq in the Kurdish area and their names have probably been changed. I’m wondering what those mountains are now named and also what the name of that village is nowadays.
I also am wondering if you could assist with a tour to that area, or do you know who might do that if you do not.
Sincerely,
David”
I was hopeful and I didn’t have long to wait for the surprise email. The travel company replied with the following message:
“Date: Tuesday, 12/01/2015 5:21 AM
Hi David,
I’m sorry, but that area is off limits to locals and foreigners. We also do not conduct tours in that region, and are not aware of others who are conducting them either. It is usually an at risk area that our guests are not interested in visiting.
Sorry we could not help you,
Shannon
Near East Tours”
So I went to Turkish news and websites related to the Hakkari region and once I clicked on images, my eyes were struck by pictures of bodies of both Turks and Kurds laid-out on the ground.
It became clear that a grand sort of irony now enshrouds the Tyaray mountains. They have become a stronghold for the Kurdish separatist movement and both they and the Turks continue to attack (and kill) each other there.
I also read about an interview with a Kurdish separatist leader in that area who was ever on the move and vigilant for sudden attacks by Turkish bombers. He could never completely relax and let his guard down for fear that it might be his last restful sleep.
Unlike the beautiful place it once was for us with our villages, gardens, and sheep pastures, the Tyaray mountains and valleys below have become something quite different for the Kurds and Turks. It is the private kill-zone which they reserve for each other.
Now that they have violently taken the land from us, they are cursed to continually spill blood upon it. Now that they have finished their collaboration against Assyrians, generation after generation of Turks and Kurds kill one another in an unending war.
If they would wake-up to the reality of the unending cycle, they might restore the land to its original owners and again be blessed. But that will never happen as long as the curse remains.
“So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” Numbers 35: 33
