Deutsche Presse-Agentur
April 24, 2005, Sunday
13:41:06 Central European Time

ROUNDUP: Millions mark 90th anniversary of Armenian massacres

Yerevan, Armenia

More than a million people gathered in the Armenian capital Sunday to
mark the 90th anniversary of the murder of up to 1.5 million ethnic
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, a crime often labelled genocide.

As Armenians around the world paid their respects, authorities in the
Caucasus republic wanted 1.5 million people to visit a memorial in
Yerevan – one for each victim – as they seek international
recognition of the fact of genocide of its people under Turkish rule.

“Recognition and condemnation is not just an issue for Armenia today
but one of international politics,” President Robert Kocharyan told
his people as mourners filed in bright sunshine to the giant hilltop
memorial.

“This is one of the most horrific tragedies mankind has ever
endured,” philosopher Alexander Manasyan said as he paid his
respects. “Today is a a sign that this must never happen again.”

Many members of the Armenian diaspora worldwide also converged on
Yerevan for commemorative ceremonies and to join the republic’s 3.8
million inhabitants in a minute of silence at 7 p.m. local time.

“For many years I have travelled to Armenia on this day,” said Rubina
Kirakosyan from California. “I must honour the memory of my ancestors
who were murdered and tormented.”

Turkey acknowledges the tragedy of hundreds of thousands of deaths in
“civil strife” during 1915-1917 but denies there was a
state-sponsored extermination plan – a stance that has complicated
its efforts to join the European Union. Accession talks are due to
start later this year.

France, one of between 15 and 18 countries to officially recognize
the 1915-17 Armenian Genocide, has called upon Turkey to follow suit
before it can join the union.

In a letter received before the anniversary, Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan upheld Ankara’s former position, Kocharyan said
on Russian television.

On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Turkish government arrested hundreds
of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders, most of whom were
quickly executed. This was followed by the mass relocation of
Christian Armenians from Anatolia through desert to Mesopotamia and
what is today Syria.

Starvation, disease, attacks by bandits and the brutality of the
escorting troops resulted in mass fatalities. Most Western sources
maintain that at least one million deaths took place.

The event has been widely referred to as the first genocide of the
20th century. dpa na pmc