In 1911, the Greek newspaper “Makedonia,” published in Thessaloniki, presented the difficult situation of the Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire. According to the publication, Armenians in Van and neighboring regions were subjected to attacks by Kurdish bandit groups, land seizures, and constant threats.

The article states that the authorities not only failed to prevent the violence, but often remained indifferent to what was happening. In a telegram sent to the Patriarchate, the Armenian Metropolitan of Van warned that armed groups were attacking villages and Christians working in the fields, causing residents to lock themselves in their homes out of fear.

The newspaper also wrote that among Armenians there was a growing tendency to adopt Russian Orthodoxy as a means of protection and salvation. At the same time, many Armenians were requesting assistance and opportunities for emigration, trying to leave unsafe and oppressive conditions.

This publication is another historical testimony to the atmosphere that prevailed in Western Armenia several years before the genocide.