1.5 MILLION PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROCESSION TO GREAT ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE VICTIMS MONUMENT ON APRIL 24
YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. “1.5 million people are going to
participate on April 24 in the procession to Tsitsernakaberd and
other monoments perpetuating the memory of the victims of the Great
Armenian Genicide. 1.5 million flowers will be laid on the monument
of the 1.5 million innocent victims and 1.5 million candles lighted
in Armenian churches in their memory on that day,” the statement of
the state commission on organizing the events dedicated to the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide reads. 90 years have passed
since the days of the Great Armenian Genocide when millions of
Armenians were forcibly displaced and killed in Ottoman Turkey during
World War I. Hundreds of thousands of defenceless children and old
people, peasants and intellectuals, citizens and workmen were driven
from the houses of their forefathers to the depths of the Empire –
the Arabian deserts, most of them being tortured and robbed, falling
victims to the Turkish police and various bands. Only a few had a
narrow escape and found refuge in other hospitable countries after a
sorrowful wandering, thousands of orphanes were taken as wards by
international humanitarian organizations. The survivors have become
the population of the present day Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.
Thus as a result of the policy of the Ottoman Turkish authorities,
the Armenian people who had for centuries lived in its cradle was
deprived of its Homeland and property, the thread of the cultural
heritage was broken, the age old Armenian civilization destroyed,
with great damage being caused to the Armenian identity. The
progressive people of that time raised their voice to denounce this
crime. Today the issue of the Armenian genocide has become a
worldwide problem. The number of countries and international
organizations that give a proper evaluation of this crime against
humanity is increasing with every passing year. Yet, until now the
international community has not given a full and final evaluation of
the genocide planned and committed against the Armenian people in the
Ottoman Turkey. Moreover, the present day Turkey not only refuses to
recognize the dark pages of its history but also pursues a policy of
denial with respect to this issue, declines to establish diplomatic
relations with Armenia and keeps the Armenian-Turkish border closed.
Such a position of the country, which is going to join the European
Union, contradicts the European values, increasing the tension in the
region instead of improving the situation in the South Caucasus. A
state commission headed by the Prime Minister was set up by a
presidential decree in April, 2003, with the aim of commemorating the
90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The commission worked out
a big program of events to be held in Armenia, Nahorno Karabakh and
many other countries. The events will start in the second half of
April – in particular, a symposium of the Armenian scientists will be
held on April 18-19 at the RA National Academy of Sciences, while a
conference entitled “Gravest Crime, Utmost Challenge. The Human
Rights and Genocide” will be held in Yerevan on April 20-21 with the
participation of prominent scientists, statesmen, political figures,
artists and journalists. A memorial evening will be organized at A.
Spendiarian National Opera and Ballet Theatre on April 23, and a
liturgy be celebrated at Surb Grigor Lusavorich Church (St Gregory
the Illuminator Church) on April 24 to be attended by the spiritual
heads of various religions and beliefs. On April 24, the people of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh will honor the memory of the genocide
victims by a minute of silence to be followed by the toll of all the
Armenian churches. A lot of exhibitions, concerts, performances, film
shows and other public events dedicated to that tragic period of the
Armenian history will be held in April in Armenia and abroad.