California Courier Online, January 20, 2005

1 – Commentary

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
2 – Fresno Homenetmen Makes Donation
For Tsunami Victims to Red Cross
3 – $500,000 Raised for USC Armenian Institute
Ahead of Feb. 13 Inaugural Gala Dinner
4 – Krikorian Selected
By FSU as Head
Soccer Coach
5 – Scholars Will Address Community
Challenges at Jan. 29 Symposium
6 – Merdinian Student Invited
To Presidential Inauguration
*************************************************************************
1 – Commentary
Turks Are Inadvertently Helping
To Publicize the Armenian Cause

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Who would have thought that 90 years after the Armenian Genocide, the Turks
would still be haunted by the mass murders committed by their ancestors?
The Ottoman leaders thought that they had put an end to the Armenian Cause,
once and for all, by deporting and killing the Armenian population of the
Empire.
For a long time, it appeared that the Ottomans had succeeded, after all. A
quarter of a century later, on the eve of his own genocidal campaign,
Hitler noted that no one remembered the “extermination of the Armenians.”
He, therefore, thought that he could carry out the Jewish Holocaust with
impunity.
Hitler’s observation about the Armenian precedent to the Holocaust was
accurate. For several decades, the world turned a deaf ear to the heart
wrenching eyewitness accounts of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
Apart from Armenians, few people spoke about what took place in 1915, and
even fewer cared.
On rare occasions when Armenians made even minor progress in bringing the
Armenian Genocide to public attention through a book, article or remark
made by a non-Armenian public official, the Turkish government would bring
to bear the full weight of the state and the massive resources at its
disposal to counter such assertions. Turkey allocated millions of dollars
to hire lobbyists in Washington and paid millions more to historical
revisionists to flood libraries worldwide with false accounts of what took
place in 1915.
The Turks, however, never seemed to realize that their eagerness to counter
every mention of the Armenian Genocide, no matter how minor, inadvertently
brought more attention to this issue. Even false and anti-Armenian
statements made by high-ranking Turkish officials, which were publicized by
the international media, helped revive this “Forgotten Genocide.”
To make matters worse for themselves, recently the Turks have embarked on
their anti-Armenian Jihad with a renewed zeal. Having become aware that
Armenians are planning to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Genocide
this year, the Turks have driven themselves into an absolute frenzy,
desperately looking for tougher measures to counter the Armenian
observances which prominent Turkish journalist Mehmet Ali Birand described
as the approaching “Armenian tsunami.” Here is a short list of actions
announced by Turkish officials and historians:
— Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul announced last July the formation of a
government task force that would promote the denial of the Armenian
Genocide and counter the planned commemorative events on the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. At the end of December, Gul met with
his advisors to plan the steps to be taken to counter the Armenian efforts;
— Hikmet Ozdemir, the Chairman of the Armenian Desk of the Turkish History
Institute, announced on CNN-Turk on January 5th that his group would launch
“a huge campaign” in February by publishing four volumes of documents
disproving “the Armenian allegations.” Ozdemir also suggested “the retrial”
of Soghomon Tehlirian who was set free by a German court in 1921 after
assassinating Talat Pasha, the mastermind of the Armenian Genocide. He
spoke about organizing TV debates with Armenian intellectuals and
symposiums in Turkish, European and American universities;
— Reuters reported on January 12th that Yusuf Halacoglu, the President of
the Turkish History Institute, called for the establishment of an
international commission of historians, under the auspices of the United
Nations, to study the facts of the Armenian Genocide. He also disclosed
that 7 mass graves would be uncovered this year to prove that “Armenians
committed genocide against the Turks;”
— Several former Turkish officials suggested taking the Armenian issue to
the World Court.
Armenians naturally welcome all of these Turkish efforts, no matter how
repulsive and depraved they might be. The world as well as the Turks
already know that genocide was committed against the Armenians. None of
these Turkish disingenuous attempts at disinformation would dissuade a
single soul anywhere in the world. In addition to wasting the Turks’ time,
money, and effort, these actions would only serve to attract international
attention to the Armenian Genocide.
Furthermore, by expanding their efforts to cover up such a heinous crime as
genocide, the Turks would be proving once again to the world that they are
not yet ready to be included in the family of civilized nations. Germany
would have never been accepted for membership in the European Union, had it
not acknowledged the Holocaust. The Turks are only harming their own
interests by continuing and escalating their denials and distortions!
**************************************************************************
2 – Fresno Homenetmen Makes Donation
For Tsunami Victims to Red Cross
FRESNO – After caroling on Armenian Christmas Eve, Jan. 5, Fresno
Homenetmen Armenian Boy Scouts Representatives presented a check for the
Asian tsunami victims to Ellen Schneider, CEO of the American Red Cross
Fresno-Madera Chapters.
Making the presentation were: Girl Scout Rep. Jenya Bakarian; Executive
Committee Chairman, Avedis Krikorian; Executive Committee Scouts Rep. Akabi
Atikian; Boy Scouts Rep. Shant Atikian, and Ellen Schneider.
On Jan. 5, Fresno Homenetmen Armenian Boy Scouts Troop 12 gathered at the
Armenian Center, to caravan in vans to carol at the homes of supporters and
collect donations, a 25-year tradition in Fresno. The donations from
their Christmas caroling are normally used for camping trips and
educational projects for the scouts. However, this year, the scouts
decided to donate the proceeds to the survivors of the tsunami as a gesture
of love toward humanity.
“We want to do our share to bring some relief to the survivors of the
Tsunami”, said Avo Krikorian, chairman of the Homenetmen Sassoon Chapter.
“We remember the Armenian earthquake of 1988 where over 25,000 people died.
It is sad to see thousands of humans suffer, we just want to help.”
***************************************************************************
3 – $500,000 Raised for USC Armenian Institute
Ahead of Feb. 13 Inaugural Gala Dinner
LOS ANGELES – The campaign leading to the February 13 Inaugural Gala
Banquet for funding USC’s Institute of Armenian Studies has gone into
overdrive in response to unprecedented expressions of widespread financial
support from the Armenian community.
As a result of rapidly increasing commitments during December 2004, over
$500,000 has already been raised.
This is a great start towards the initial target of $1,000,000 to be
achieved by the time of the banquet which would permit the Institute to
begin its work as a distinguished center of Armenian academic, intellectual
and cultural life. An endowment fund of several million dollars will
eventually be needed for a fully functional institute.
The list of donors is growing exponentially by the ever-expanding ranks of
Armenian Trojan alumni, students, parents and friends of the University of
Southern California. Prospective donors are invited to make their pledges
as soon as possible to be included in the Institute’s Honor Roll and
program listings, and to reserve a place at the February 13 Inaugural Gala
Banquet.
Early reservations are suggested because of the limited seating at USC’s
Town & Gown Banquet Hall.
For further information contact Savey Tufenkian at (818) 956-8455, Noelle
Moss at (213) 740-4996, or Dr. R. Hrair Dekmejian at (213) 740-3619
Tax-deductible contributions & reservations should be sent to: USC
Institute of Armenian Studies Inaugural Dinner, USC College of Letters,
Arts & Sciences, 3551 Trousdale Parkway, ADM 204 Los Angeles, CA 90089-4015
**************************************************************************
4 – Krikorian Selected
By FSU as Head
Soccer Coach
TALLAHASSEE, FL – United States U-19 National Team head coach and 2002 WUSA
Coach of the Year Mark Krikorian was announced as the new head women’s
soccer coach at Florida State last week by Athletics Director Dave Hart.
Krikorian brings 14 years of head coaching experience to Tallahassee at all
levels of the game including college, pro and with the US Olympic
Development Program. He is just the third coach in the history of the FSU
soccer program.
“Having Mark Krikorian accept our offer to become the head coach of our
women’s soccer program is certainly cause for much excitement and
anticipation,” said Hart. “Mark brings a wealth of experience and
knowledge from his prior positions on the college, professional and
national team levels of competition. He is an accomplished teacher, coach
and recruiter.”
**************************************************************************
5 – Scholars Will Address Community
Challenges at Jan. 29 Symposium
GLENDALE – Ten prominent scholars and community leaders will discuss the
“Challenges and Prospects of the Armenian American Community,” at the
Mashdots College annual symposium, Jan. 29, at the Glendale Central Public
Library Auditorium, from 9 to 5 p.m.
The scholars and their topics are: Prof. Richard H. Dekmejian, Armenian
Church Structure; Hagop Hagopian, Armenian Educational Structure, Prof.
Garo Momdjian, Armenian Political Structure, Prof. Kevork Kherlopian,
Armenian Cultural Structure, Prof. Osheen Keshishian, Armenian Mass Media
and Literary Structure, Nora Chitilian-Chalashian, Armenian Family
Structure, March Chenian, Armenian Economic Structure, and Ardashes
Kassakhian, Armenian Youth Structure.
Concluding remarks will be delivered by Harut Sassounian on “Assessing the
Present to Forge a Better Future.”
College President Dr. Garbis Der Yeghiayan will open the conference.
Admission is free and community members are invited to attend and
participate in the proceedings.
All papers presented at the symposium will be published in a book format.
The Library is located at 222 E. Harvard, Glendale.
For more information, contact Mashdots College at (818) 548-9345.
**************************************************************************
6 – Merdinian Student Invited
To Presidential Inauguration
SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. – An eight-grade student, Patrick Adamian, from C & E
Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School in Sherman Oaks, has been invited to
attend the Junior Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference in Washington,
DC, from Jan. 16-21.
Adamian’s invitation was the result of the leadership skills he
demonstrated during a Junior National Young Leader’s Conference last year.
On Jan. 20, the young Armenian-American student will be witnessing the
swearing-in of George W. Bush as U.S. President, view the Inaugural Parade,
and enjoy a moonlight cruise on the Potomac River.
Adamian will also have the opportunity to meet Members of Congress,
scholars and leading decision makers. He will also explore historic sites
in and around the nation’s capital.
***************************************************************************
*
**************************************************************************
The California Courier On-Line is a service provided by the California
Courier. Subscriptions or changes of address should not be transmitted
through this service. Information in that regard should be telephoned
to (818) 409-0949; faxed to: (818) 409-9207, or e-mailed to:
Ccourier@compuserve.com. Letters to the editor concerning issues
addressed in the Courier may be e-mailed, provided it is signed by
the author. Phone and/or E-mail address is also required to verify
authorship.