Amshen Armenian friendly association is deeply concerned over the fate of Khemshins (Armenians whose ancestors were converted to Islam), Yerkramas, newspaper of Armenians of Russia reports. According to chairman of the public organization Ivan Krbashian, the Khemshins were for the fourth time refused in registration. In Ivan Krbashian’s opinion, the main reason for the rejection is the religious affiliation of Khemshins. With activities of the kind the representatives of the Chief Department of the Federal Registration Service on the Krasnodar region cause the appearance of one more nation leaving Russia as political refugees. It is not a secret that the International Migration Organizations engaged in resettlement of Turks-Meskhetians from the Kransodar region to the US are preparing analogous projects on migration of Kurds-Kurmanjis and Khemshins. To note, after forced islamization of the Armenian population of Amshen in Western Armenia (now territory of Turkey) in the middle of the 17-th century an ethnic group of people, who came to call themselves as Khemshins, appeared. Presently about 1000 reside in the Krasnodar region of Russia. The problem of determination of the ethnic affiliation of the Khemshins is mostly connected with their domicile. The Khemshins of Turkey realize the ethnic and language difference from Turks, however the Turkish policy suppresses their aspiration for the formation of ethnic self-consciousness. Khemshins of Russia comprehend their kinship with Armenians.
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