Jamanak editor-in-chief Ara Koçunyan (Photo: Mehmet Yaman, Today's Zaman)
22 July 2013 /
The Armenian community, which greeted the declaration of the Second Meşrutiyet (constitutional) era on Oct. 28, 1908 with great joy and hope, also saw a new newspaper enter their lives three months later -- the Jamanak newspaper.
At the time of Jamanak's founding, there were a variety of newspapers published in different languages in İstanbul, many of whose names meant “time.” Inspired by this, the founders of Jamanak, Misak and Sarkis Koçunyanlar, decided to give their new newspaper the same name; “Jamanak” is the Armenian word for "time.”
Misak Koçunyan had previously worked as a reporter for the first Armenian language daily to be published in the Armenian alphabet, the “Manzume-i Efkâr,” which was started during the era of Sultan Abdul-Aziz and was published for 51 years. In fact, Koçunyan went on to manage and be the head columnist for this newspaper for many years. When Jamanak was founded, a new epoch was just about to begin in the Ottoman Empire; this new newspaper was formed with the expectations of the “freedom of press and thoughts” for which the Young Turks were about to lay down the foundation. Despite the fact that not only were these expectations not realized, but that the entire Armenian population of Turkey experienced enormous losses and calamity during the republican years to come, none of this forced Jamanak to turn from its path.
Since the day it was founded exactly 105 years ago, the Jamanak newspaper has been in continuous publication and the Koçunyan family has overseen its publication without cessation since that first day. For all these years, the newspaper has operated less with the goal of coming from any particular political point of view and more with the goal of achieving “true journalism and news reporting.”
Jamanak has always tried to report and interpret the situation in Turkey -- even when it concerns problems affecting Armenians -- from a “middle path” perspective and in a level-headed manner. Even during the most difficult periods, Jamanak embraced pragmatic stances with the aim of not making already extraordinary times more ruinous and with the hope of maintaining its position as the very best newspaper of the Armenian community.
Of all the Armenian language newspapers published until now, about half of them have been published in İstanbul. If one considers that a full 150,000 of İstanbul's pre-1915 population of 700,000 people were Armenians, one can more fully appreciate the true significance of the role played by Jamanak for the Armenians of the city. This newspaper has, after all, been around now for more than half of the 200-year history of the Armenian press and has enjoyed a significant voice throughout this time.
One of Jamanak's founders, Misak Koçunyan -- writing under the name of “Kasim” -- brought readers the news of the Armenian massacres in 1896 in both İstanbul and Van. These stories were published under the title of “From Inside the Fire” or “Ateşin İçinden.” Not only did Jamanak continue to publish through the period of the 1909 Adana massacres, but in the period around 1915, when most of the newspaper's writers were either exiled or simply went missing, Jamanak was still able to bring its readers detailed and important news about the general direction in which things were going despite an atmosphere of extreme censorship. In fact, in his memoirs, the former Armenian Patriarch of the time, Zaven Der-Yeğyayan, speaks of how during his own exile, he was only able to learn what was going on because of Jamanak.
Since its founding, Jamanak has enjoyed contributions from not only the most important intellectuals of the Armenian community, but also from famous names worldwide. Some of the most notable include lawyer, writer and member of Parliament Krikor Zohrap; author of the book “Ünlü Pançuni,” Yervand Odyan; feminist writer Zabel Esayan; famous writers Arşak Çobanyan, Hagop Oşakan and Vazgen Şuşanyan; journalist and photographer Ara Güler; economics professor Vartan Ozinian and professor of history and linguistics Pars Tuğlacı.
The anti-minority policies which first began to appear during the early years of the Republic picked up great speed during the 1940s. An important decision was made to use a lottery system for military conscription that would now include non-Muslim males between the ages of 25-45. They were inducted into the military, though they were not granted weapons and were assigned less critical, much lower positions. The aim in including males of this age group into the armed forces was to strike a blow at the economic strength held by these non-Muslim communities. Just three and a half months after this military conscription practice came to an end on July 27, 1942, the wealth tax was implemented -- only for non-Muslims. These two back-to-back blows on the non-Muslim communities of military conscription and taxation achieved important steps in making the economy more Turkish. Through these dark times though, despite the fact that everyone was suffering both financial and spiritual difficulties, the Jamanak newspaper resisted being turned from its path and continued publishing without fail.
During the 1970s, it should be noted that Jamanak published a very important novel by writer Zaven Biberyan called “Babam Aşkale'ye gitmedi” (My father did not go to Aşkale”) in segments. It is also interesting to note that Jamanak was the first newspaper in Turkey to organize a beauty contest and to distribute prizes through
Ara Koçunyan, in addition to interpreting and reflecting so many of the political, social, and cultural facets within the Armenian community, has also played a great role in bridge-building between Armenia and the Armenians in diaspora. In fact, there are many Armenian and diaspora publications which have been able to report their own news on developments within Turkey thanks to the role played by Jamanak, published, of course, in the Armenian alphabet.
The Turkish Association of Journalists (TGC) awarded Jamanak with the Nezih Demirkent Special Award and the Catholicos of All Armenians -- the chief bishop and spiritual leader of Armenia's national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the worldwide Armenian diaspora -- sent a special celebratory edict to Jamanak. There were also special exhibitions in both İstanbul and Yerevan of the first photos taken by famous photographer Ara Güler as they had been published in Jamanak. Both President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also gave extensive interviews to Jamanak to mark the newspaper's 100th anniversary.
When speaking with Ara Koçunyan, I asked him how he felt Jamanak has withstood the various minority policies and the passage of time in Turkey. He replied: “This newspaper is one which manages to balance the various problems and sensitivities our community has being citizens of the Turkish Republic. It is a publication which does not force these issues into conflict with one another.” With all due congratulations being extended to the Jamanak newspaper on the occasion of its 100th year, there are extra congratulations due to Ara Koçunyan, whose work has become all the more difficult over the years with dwindling numbers in the Armenian community and fewer and fewer who maintain ties with the Armenian language.
*Alin Ozinian is an independent analyst.
Misak Koçunyan had previously worked as a reporter for the first Armenian language daily to be published in the Armenian alphabet, the “Manzume-i Efkâr,” which was started during the era of Sultan Abdul-Aziz and was published for 51 years. In fact, Koçunyan went on to manage and be the head columnist for this newspaper for many years. When Jamanak was founded, a new epoch was just about to begin in the Ottoman Empire; this new newspaper was formed with the expectations of the “freedom of press and thoughts” for which the Young Turks were about to lay down the foundation. Despite the fact that not only were these expectations not realized, but that the entire Armenian population of Turkey experienced enormous losses and calamity during the republican years to come, none of this forced Jamanak to turn from its path.
Since the day it was founded exactly 105 years ago, the Jamanak newspaper has been in continuous publication and the Koçunyan family has overseen its publication without cessation since that first day. For all these years, the newspaper has operated less with the goal of coming from any particular political point of view and more with the goal of achieving “true journalism and news reporting.”
Jamanak has always tried to report and interpret the situation in Turkey -- even when it concerns problems affecting Armenians -- from a “middle path” perspective and in a level-headed manner. Even during the most difficult periods, Jamanak embraced pragmatic stances with the aim of not making already extraordinary times more ruinous and with the hope of maintaining its position as the very best newspaper of the Armenian community.
One of oldest Armenian publications in the world
Of course, Jamanak has never been the only newspaper published in Turkey. But what makes Jamanak so special is that not only is it one of the oldest dailies published in Turkey, but one of the oldest Armenian language and minority publications, not just in Turkey, but in the world.Of all the Armenian language newspapers published until now, about half of them have been published in İstanbul. If one considers that a full 150,000 of İstanbul's pre-1915 population of 700,000 people were Armenians, one can more fully appreciate the true significance of the role played by Jamanak for the Armenians of the city. This newspaper has, after all, been around now for more than half of the 200-year history of the Armenian press and has enjoyed a significant voice throughout this time.
One of Jamanak's founders, Misak Koçunyan -- writing under the name of “Kasim” -- brought readers the news of the Armenian massacres in 1896 in both İstanbul and Van. These stories were published under the title of “From Inside the Fire” or “Ateşin İçinden.” Not only did Jamanak continue to publish through the period of the 1909 Adana massacres, but in the period around 1915, when most of the newspaper's writers were either exiled or simply went missing, Jamanak was still able to bring its readers detailed and important news about the general direction in which things were going despite an atmosphere of extreme censorship. In fact, in his memoirs, the former Armenian Patriarch of the time, Zaven Der-Yeğyayan, speaks of how during his own exile, he was only able to learn what was going on because of Jamanak.
Since its founding, Jamanak has enjoyed contributions from not only the most important intellectuals of the Armenian community, but also from famous names worldwide. Some of the most notable include lawyer, writer and member of Parliament Krikor Zohrap; author of the book “Ünlü Pançuni,” Yervand Odyan; feminist writer Zabel Esayan; famous writers Arşak Çobanyan, Hagop Oşakan and Vazgen Şuşanyan; journalist and photographer Ara Güler; economics professor Vartan Ozinian and professor of history and linguistics Pars Tuğlacı.
The anti-minority policies which first began to appear during the early years of the Republic picked up great speed during the 1940s. An important decision was made to use a lottery system for military conscription that would now include non-Muslim males between the ages of 25-45. They were inducted into the military, though they were not granted weapons and were assigned less critical, much lower positions. The aim in including males of this age group into the armed forces was to strike a blow at the economic strength held by these non-Muslim communities. Just three and a half months after this military conscription practice came to an end on July 27, 1942, the wealth tax was implemented -- only for non-Muslims. These two back-to-back blows on the non-Muslim communities of military conscription and taxation achieved important steps in making the economy more Turkish. Through these dark times though, despite the fact that everyone was suffering both financial and spiritual difficulties, the Jamanak newspaper resisted being turned from its path and continued publishing without fail.
During the 1970s, it should be noted that Jamanak published a very important novel by writer Zaven Biberyan called “Babam Aşkale'ye gitmedi” (My father did not go to Aşkale”) in segments. It is also interesting to note that Jamanak was the first newspaper in Turkey to organize a beauty contest and to distribute prizes through
The Koçuynan family
The Jamanak newspaper has always been run and overseen by the Koçunyan family. Ara Koçunyan has been a head writer for Jamanak since the age of 23 and he is the fourth generation of the family to work at Jamanak. The newspaper has always received considerable assistance from the women of this notable family, as well. Ara's mother and Managing Editor Nadya Koçuyan is doubtless one of the family members to have contributed the most. So fervent were her efforts and contributions over the years that doubtless many have assumed that she is a member of the founding family by birth rather than coming to the family through marriage.Ara Koçunyan, in addition to interpreting and reflecting so many of the political, social, and cultural facets within the Armenian community, has also played a great role in bridge-building between Armenia and the Armenians in diaspora. In fact, there are many Armenian and diaspora publications which have been able to report their own news on developments within Turkey thanks to the role played by Jamanak, published, of course, in the Armenian alphabet.
Recognition for Jamanak
The celebrations for Jamanak's hundredth year actually went on for around five years. They concluded with an awards ceremony held last month in İstanbul that was partially organized by the Anatolian Culture Foundation and attended by various representatives of minority, Turkish and foreign press outlets. Some of the events held in combination with these celebrations included conferences dealing with Armenian identity and press history in places such as Los Angeles, New York, Montreal, Paris, Marseilles, Yerevan, İstanbul and several cities in Germany.The Turkish Association of Journalists (TGC) awarded Jamanak with the Nezih Demirkent Special Award and the Catholicos of All Armenians -- the chief bishop and spiritual leader of Armenia's national church, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the worldwide Armenian diaspora -- sent a special celebratory edict to Jamanak. There were also special exhibitions in both İstanbul and Yerevan of the first photos taken by famous photographer Ara Güler as they had been published in Jamanak. Both President Abdullah Gül and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also gave extensive interviews to Jamanak to mark the newspaper's 100th anniversary.
When speaking with Ara Koçunyan, I asked him how he felt Jamanak has withstood the various minority policies and the passage of time in Turkey. He replied: “This newspaper is one which manages to balance the various problems and sensitivities our community has being citizens of the Turkish Republic. It is a publication which does not force these issues into conflict with one another.” With all due congratulations being extended to the Jamanak newspaper on the occasion of its 100th year, there are extra congratulations due to Ara Koçunyan, whose work has become all the more difficult over the years with dwindling numbers in the Armenian community and fewer and fewer who maintain ties with the Armenian language.
*Alin Ozinian is an independent analyst.