Dear Editor,
On March 28, 1985 in the midst of the Lebanese civil war, unger Sarkis Zeitlian was abducted in Beirut, Lebanon, and disappeared from the face of the earth. His body was never found, and his abductors were neither identified not prosecuted. This was and still is very disheartening as the details of his abduction are mired in controversy.
At the time of his abduction, unger Sarkis Zeitlian was a member of the ARF Bureau.
This was a devastating loss to the Armenian cause, the ARF, and to his beloved family. Twenty-nine years have passed and yet his memory lives vividly in my mind and my heart and thousands of others like me, who had the distinct privilege of being taught by him, disciplined by him, and mentored and forged by him. He made us who we are today.
In 1954, I was eleven years old and a fourth grade student at the Kalousdian Armenian School in Cairo when unger Sarkis came to Egypt and became our history teacher. His influence and the impact he left on our young minds was immediate and irreversible. He taught us Armenian history with fervor, but more importantly, he made us feel proud of our history and of being Armenian. The history classes became the highlight of our day at school. We were also very happy when he married another beloved and exceptional teacher at the school, Sona Simonian.
But he was not only our Armenian history teacher. He became an indefatigable figure and a major influential factor in the ranks of the ARF Egypt, bringing a high level of energy, new concepts, and new convictions. He became the editor of the ARF organ Houssaper and his main focus until 1963—when he moved back to Lebanon—was to have our minds ingrained with the ideological and moral integrity of the Party.
He was a compassionate teacher, a distinguished political and community leader and a superb mentor to many of us who are now spread all over the world.
He will always be missed and never forgotten. May his soul rest in peace.
Sincerely,
Vart Adjemian
Guest Contributor
Thank you Vart for this tribute. I couldn’t have said it any better.
Unger sarkis’s memory will live in us forever.
Vart, I can only agree and echo your narrative and sentiments, reinforcing it from another part of the world.Indeed, Unger Sarkis has forged our Armenian values, especially in demanding justice for the Armenian Cause-Hye Tad. Thanks for taking on the initiative.
Krikor Soghomonian
Sydney Australia
Կեցցե՛ս, Վարդ, որ մեզի վերյիշեցուցիր մեր ողբացեալ ընկերը։ Անմոռանալի օրեր անցուցած ենք միասին։ Դեռ չեմ մոռնար 1963 թուականին Յուսաբերի Հելիոպոլսոյ սրահին մէջ իր ելոյթը Սիլվա Կապուտիկեանին խօսքէն ետք, երբ հայրենի բանաստեղծուհին անտեղի կերպով հարուածեց մեր ծնողները, որ իբր թէ մեզի պէս հայրենասէր երիտասարդները հայրենիքէն հեռու եւ օտարացած կը պահեն։ Ինք շատ լաւ պատասխան մը տուաւ Կապուտիկեանին։
Հիմա երկուքն ալ պատմութեան անցած են, ամեն մէկը իր ողբերգութեամբ։
ՎԱԱ
Besides being a gifted educator,He was was a great Nationalist.
May he rest in peace.
Vart
You presented Unger Sarkis Zeitlian’s personality his devotion his flare his believe in the Armenian cause the Hay Tad….I also do remember his smiling face… reminding us the 25th anniversary of Unger Sarkis’s abduction caught me by surprise..The abduction to be unsolved to date is inacceptable.
I remember his last speech in Sourp Hagop Marzaserah ,The basket ball court was full..The crowed was waiting to hear Unger Sarkis …for me this was his last speech.Unger Sarkis patiently explained his vision his thoughts…future vision of the party as usual unger Sarkis inspired the crowed … conveying renewed hope and energy…. This WAS unger Sarkis at it’s best!…
Mihran Durgerian
Unger Sarkis is gone but will never be forgotten. An incredible letter that brings back a lot of memories and reminds us of what the ARF stood for.
In many parts of the world, the ARF is commemorating the life, the legacy and the invaluable work that was performed by Unger Sarkis, for the Armenian cause and his contributions to the ARF and the Armenian communities in which he served.
Suddenly, there are new songs on YouTube dedicated to him. It is heart warming that he is still remembered as he should be.
The sad reality is that the ARF did not do what is needed, is not yet doing what it should be doing to find the guilty abductors and most importantly his body that deserves an honorable resting place.
Vart Adjemian