ARTSAKH YOUTH ABOUT THE GENOCIDE
Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 April 05
In the years of World War I, in 1914 – 1918 the Turkish rulers, with
the support of Kaiser Germany and the connivance of the Western powers
perpetrated massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. The first
victims of the horrible manslaughter perpetrated by the Young Turks
were the intelligentsia of West Armenia. Soon the policy of genocide
of the Turkish tyranny involved all the places in the Ottoman Empire
inhabited by Armenians. Massacres were perpetrated in the settlements,
on the way and in places of exile, particularly in the deserts of Deir
El Zor and Ras El Ain. The progressive countries of the world have
always condemned by the Armenian Genocide. A number of countries,
namely Uruguay (1965), Argentina (1985), Cyprus (1990), Russia, Greece
(1995), Australia (1997), Belgium (1998), Sweden, Italy, Lebanon,
Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003), Canada, Slovakia
(2004), Poland (2005) recognized and condemned the Armenian
Genocide. No doubt after ninety years the Armenian diplomacy will
become more actively involved in the process of the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and will do its best to achieve
the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by
Turkey. It is interesting to know the opinion of the young people of
Artsakh on this. YERVAND HAJIYAN,`Haiki Serund’ Youth Public
Organization, in charge of public relations:`The ninetieth anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide is a stimulus for the process of recognition
of the monstrous crime by the international community, and making it
an up-to-date topic of discussions in different governmental and
public sectors. It is reassuring that the parliament of Poland
condemned the ruthless massacres of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey, and
the parliaments of Germany and Hungary are going to discuss the
question of recognition of the Genocide. Sixteen foreign countries
have recognized the undeniable fact of the Genocide. On the 90th
anniversary of the Genocide large-scale propaganda is carried out in
Armenia and the Diaspora, as well as in Artsakh. Besides the official
events the youth public organizations of Nagorno Karabakh are also
determined to contribute to the difficult process of achieving
recognition of the worst crime of the twentieth century.’ ARMINE
HAYRAPETIAN, chair of ARF `Aram Manoukian’ Students’ Union: `Ninety
years after the Genocide an unprecedented reaction to the Armenian
Genocide both in Armenia and foreign countries was reported, whichis
both good and bad. It would be better if similar reaction was not only
on the occasion of the ninetieth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
but the entire Armenian nation was a persistent claimant in the
process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide. This especially
refers to the Armenian youth. Decades ago the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation was, in fact, the only force which consistently pursued the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. There were moments when the
Federation had to sacrifice the lives of its young fighters (five
young men in Lisbon) to keep the idea of fair claims burning. Today
the role of the youth in the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is
becoming leading, and on the way of pursuing the Armenian Cause
besides recognition the Armenian youth must pay much attention to the
issue of restitution. I think the wound will never heal if justice is
not restored.’
NVARD OHANJANIAN.
25-04-2005