During a Holy Mass served at the Vatican in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide on April 12, Pope Francis I declared that what happened to the Armenians in 1915 was “the first genocide of the 20^th century”. The Pope’s announcement led to the rise of a wave of anger and threats from Turkey. President of Turkey Recep Tayyib Erdogan indirectly threatened to expel thousands of Armenians living in Turkey, and Turkey’s Grand National Assembly (TBMM) Cemil Cicek “warned that if the our people take illegitimate and intolerable steps based on hatred at schools, on the streets or at workplaces, the Pope will unquestionably be responsible for that” (“Milliyet”).

Later, it became clear that the mentioned statements were not a threat or warning, and evidence of that was the article entitled “Pope Said “Genocide” At The Vatican, Armenian Citizen Of Adana Loses Job”, which was published on the oppositional t24.com.

According to the source, after the Pope’s announcement, 59-year-old Vannis Chetinyan and his family, who live in the Dumluian village of Adana, have been deprived of social benefits. The following was the only reason and commentary stated by representatives of local self-government bodies: “From now on, go and get benefits from the Armenian Diaspora”.

Later, Vannis also lost his job since Muslims had refused to address him for farming services. The Armenian citizen of Adana said his two sons are always insulted and psychologically pressured in the village and at school and are forced to participate in the lessons on Islam and are called “gyavur” (infidel).

According to Vannis Chetinyan, most of the Armenian population of the village took shelter in different countries following the Armenian Genocide, while those who stayed converted to Islam. The Chetinyans are the only Christian Armenian family living in the Dumluyan village of Adana. They didn’t accept Islam, and they visit the local Italian Catholic Church to pray since the Armenian Apostolic Churches were destroyed during the Armenian Genocide. the local Muslims are extremely intolerant to the Chetinyans. The family is in dire conditions.

“The Muslims scream ‘those Armenians need to be drowned in the river’ and ‘those Armenians need to be killed, their daughters need to be raped’,” says Chetinyan. The family’s only desire is to have the chance to live in peace and with their own culture. “Genocide did happen. We forgive the Turks, but they don’t forgive us. Let them recognize the Armenian Genocide. There is no other way to establish peace. We want to live in peace and solidarity,” said Vannis Chetinyan.