California Courier Online, May 5, 2005

1 – Commentary
Millions of People Worldwide
Learn about Armenian Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
2 – Ferrahian School Wins Ararat
Home Timeline Quiz Bowl
3 – Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Facilitates Five Transplantations
4 – Armenian Academy of Los Angeles
Holds Inaugural Gala Banquet
5 – German Language Book
Details “Operation Nemesis”
6 – UAF’s 133rd Airlift Delivers
$5.2 Million of Aid to Armenia
7 – Cecile Keshishian to Receive
Ellis Island Medal of Honor
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1 – Commentary

Millions of People Worldwide
Learn about Armenian Genocide

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

Armenians in just about every country organized conferences, marches, photo
exhibits, lectures, and church services last week to commemorate the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Hundreds of newspapers and magazines
around the world, in dozens of languages covered these activities.

Even more extensive was the TV coverage. Television stations in various
countries reported these commemorative events, making millions of people
across the globe aware of the Armenian Genocide, perhaps for the first
time.

Trying to preempt the onslaught of the “Armenian Tsunami,” the Turks
unintentionally contributed to this worldwide storm of publicity by
organizing conferences, publishing articles, holding parliamentary
hearings, sending diplomatic notes of protest to Russia and Poland for
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, canceling meetings with a visiting
Polish parliamentary delegation, announcing a ban on the films of
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for declaring April 24 “Armenian
Genocide Day,” sending letters of protest to the legislatures of countries
that have recognized the Genocide, organizing TV talk shows, sponsoring
foreign lecturers on the Genocide, launching a new initiative “to study the
facts” of the Armenian Genocide, and even holding a protest in front of the
White House on April 24. Ironically, all of these Turkish activities,
intended to silence the Armenians, helped bring the Genocide to the
attention of the global media and international public opinion.

Like many other Armenians, I participated in various April 24 activities,
and was interviewed by KTTV, the FOX TV station in the Los Angeles area,
and by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer show.

During its evening news program on April 23, KTTV aired a seven-minute
interview with me, while showing live footage of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians placing flowers at the Armenian Genocide Monument in Yerevan.
Here are brief excerpts from that interview:

KTTV Anchorwoman: Tell us a little bit more about why this is so
controversial? There have been so many people who called for the
recognition of the genocide and still nothing!

Sassounian: Well, the genocide itself is a fact of history. The whole world
recognizes what happened in 1915. However, for political reasons, the
leaders of the Turkish government are afraid to face their own history. For
psychological reasons, for political reasons, they just don’t want to face
facts. But we must go on. And just like the Holocaust is a fact, no matter
how many neo-Nazis say it didn’t happen, the Armenian Genocide is a fact,
no matter how many Turkish leaders say it didn’t happen. At one time the
Turkish leaders did say it happened. Kemal Ataturk, the founder of Turkey,
condemned those who did it. And in fact, they held a military tribunal,
which is the precedent to Nuremberg, and condemned to death many of the
ringleaders of the Armenian Genocide.

Anchorman: And there is no question even with the Turks that over a million
people lost their lives. There was Genocide. What needs to be done here in
the United States for the Armenian Americans to see what they want to see?
National admission by the United States?

Sassounian: The United States, to its credit, as the Genocide was unfolding
in the 1915-1923 period, many leaders — the Congress, President Wilson did
recognize the facts at the time. So what we’re seeking is a reaffirmation
of what the U.S historical record was back then. Because of political
reasons, the United States government is now siding with Turkey because of
NATO, Iraq, etc. We want to distinguish between reality and politics~E.

Anchorman: The research that I was looking at actually, the
Pan-Armenian.net website said, from April 2004 until now, so within the
last few years, Armenian Resolutions have been passed in the parliaments of
Canada, Slovakia, and Netherlands. And it says Germany and Hungary are
about to consider it. What other countries are coming next?

Sassounian: I just wrote a whole book mentioning all of the countries and
their resolutions. We have Canada, France, Argentina, and Uruguay back in
1965. We have Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Russia and Germany just discussed
it. The most recent is Poland: 3 days ago~E.

Here are brief excerpts from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer show which was broadcast on
CNN-US on April 29. The Armenian Genocide segment of the show was re-aired
three times on CNN-International in Europe, Latin America and Asia on April
30:

Judy Woodruff [CNN Anchor replacing Wolf Blitzer]: This week, Armenians
around the world mark the 90th anniversary of a nightmare. They and many
others call it genocide, but some powerful governments do not. Please note,
the following story contains some pictures that may be disturbing to some
viewers.

CNN’s Brian Todd looks at this long ago event that continues to stir deep
emotion and deep controversy.

Brian Todd: We shudder at images from Darfur, Sudan. Wince at memories of
Rwanda. Look at grainy pictures of the Holocaust and say, never again.
Almost forgotten is a brutal campaign nearly a century ago that historians
say may not have been a model for those genocides, but certainly provided a
rationale.

Charles King [Author, “The Black Sea: A History”]: The fact that a state
could, in fact, carry this out under the eyes of the international
community and get away with it, became, in fact, a hallmark of what the
20th century, the tragic 20th century, really was all about~E.

Sassounian [Editor, “The Armenian Genocide”]: They embarked on an
extermination plan by deporting the entire population close to 2 million
Armenians in the empire into the deserts, and by killing, starvation and
disease.

Todd: Between 1915 and 1923 Armenian leaders are rounded up in cities and
executed. Villagers are uprooted en masse, driven south towards the deserts
of what are now Syria and Iraq. Many shot or butchered outright by Turkish
forces, but most die in forced marches. The numbers to this day still hotly
in dispute. Armenians say 1.5 million were killed. The Turkish government
says not more than 300,000 perished, and the Armenians shouldn’t count
themselves as the only victims.

Faruk Logoglu [Turkish Ambassador to the U.S.]: These few years, both sides
suffered — lost an incredible number of people to war, to famine, to harsh
climate.

Todd: Objective historians say the Armenian death toll is likely between
600,000 and a million. The fight is not only over numbers, but words. One
word in particular. Neither the Turkish Government nor any American
president, except Ronald Reagan, has ever called this event genocide.

Harut Sassounian is the grandson of survivors.

Sassounian: It’s described as a deep wound in the psyche of every Armenian
that is not healing, is not going away. Because it’s like an open wound as
long as the denial is there.

Todd: The U.S. Government says between 60,000 and 146,000 people have died
in Darfur, Sudan over the past two years. And former Secretary of State
Colin Powell called that a genocide. Historian Charles King believes what
happened to the Armenians was genocide by any definition but…

King: Labeling it a genocide among politicians has a very severe political
ramification, particularly in terms of the U.S. relationship with Turkey,
an important strategic partner in southeast Europe and the wider Middle
East.

Todd: As Armenians mark the 90th anniversary of their darkest days, many
say all they want is acknowledgement. The Turks say they’re willing to set
up a commission to examine the historical record. Two countries with a
closed border and no formal relations inching closer. A superpower caught
in the middle — all haunted by a distant tragedy that we somehow never
managed to learn from.

Woodruff: Thank you, Brian. By the way, the Turkish government says close
to a million Turks died in that region during World War I. As for current
relations, Turkish officials tell CNN, although the border is closed, there
are daily flights between Turkey and Armenia. And tens of thousands of
Armenians, they say, currently live and work inside Turkey.

Readers should e-mail their comments to KTTV: newscomments@fox11.com;
and to CNN:
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2 – Ferrahian School Wins Ararat
Home Timeline Quiz Bowl
MISSION HILLS, CA – Thirty-three eight-grade students representing nine
major Armenian day schools in the greater Los Angeles area took part in the
Sixth Annual Armenian History Timeline Quiz Bowl at the Ararat Home of Los
Angeles in Mission Hills.
In a competition that lasted over two hours, the students answered a series
of questions on Armenian history and culture. They demonstrated familiarity
with material spanning three millennia and ranging over topics as varied as
history, geography, literature, science, the arts, and religion. The
competition was so spirited that tie-breaker questions had to be used to
determine the final rankings.
When all the questioning had concluded, the Ferrahian School team with
Sareen Hagopian, Rozi Janesian, Sevag Kurdian and Michelle Shahbol,
finished in first place, winning a check for $1,000 for their school. A
second place check for $750., went to the Armenian Sisters’ Academy,
represented by Christne Karaoglanian, Rita Kazarian, Carin Kilissian, and
Carine Tomassian. Pilibos School, with Narine Esmaeili, Rita Mardakhanian,
Editt Nikoyan, and Shant Thomassian, took the third place award of $500.
The six other participating schools each received a check for $250. They
included the Chamlian School, with Alina Ananian, Evana Grigorian, and
Areni Shahinian; the Manoogian-Demirdjian School, with Roy Akarakian,
Andrew Duhancioglu, and Sureya Melkonian; the Merdinian School, with
Patrick Adamian, Shant Keledjian, Talita Ghazanian, and Ani Torossian; the
Mesrobian School, with Nanor Harboyan, Garry Piloian, Anahit Samvelian, and
Razmig Sarkissian; the Sahag-Mesrob School, with Lorie Arslanian, Marc
Balian, Patil Kodchian, and Alik Paloulian; and the St. Gregory School,
with Karen Dergrigorian, Nazelie Katsikian, and Mary Ovakian.
All participating students received trophies, certificates, and a gift from
the Ararat Home prepared by the volunteers from the Ararat Home Gift Shop.
The Sardarabad Bookstore provided gift certificates to the members of the
first place team. Each school represented at the competition took home a
cash award designed for its school scholarship fund. For the fourth year in
the row, the Stephen Philibosian Foundation provided funds for the cash
awards, supplemented by a meaningful donation from George Phillips.
The competition, organized and conducted by Hagop and Marilyn Arshagouni,
consisted of questions taken from their book, “Armenian History Timeline,”
which includes graphics by the late Herach Hovsepian. The Timeline itself,
the only one of its kind in the world, is located on , the grounds of the
Ararat Home.
Assisting the competition process were Hagop Arshagouni, emcee; Marilyn
Arshagouni, quizmaster; Anahit Meymarian and Arpy Tchorbajian, judges;
Margaret Abrahamian, Sue Abrahamian, Robert Arshagouni, Agnes Boghosian,
Lucy Hovsepian, George Kizirian, Beatrice Malkhasian, Harold Mgrublian, and
John Yaldezian, proctors; Michael Arshagouni and Ned Rodriguez,
scorekeepers; Margaret Kizirian and Alice Mgrublian, question controllers,
and Camelia Boyadjian, timekeeper. Over 200 enthusiastic spectators closely
followed the proceedings and cheered on the participants.
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3 – Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Facilitates Five Transplantations
LOS ANGELES and YEREVAN – Within the course of one month, on opposite sides
of the globe, people gathered to celebrate the openings of the new offices
of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (AMBDR) in Los Angeles on Feb.
27, its new laboratory facilities in Yerevan on March 24, and the
establishment of two new recruitment centers in Tehran, Iran and Boston,
Massachusetts in March.
“Yes, it’s a busy time for us,” noted ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan.
“But we feel extremely blessed to be making the progress we are with
transplantations, and we must dedicate the resources and volunteer support
to ensure that our momentum continues.”
The momentum Dr. Jordan refers to is the growing number of patient
referrals, identified bone marrow matches and transplantations the
organization has experienced in its brief history, and specifically in just
the last year. Since December 2000, through cross-national cooperation, the
ABMDR has received and processed over 400 search requests, identified 250
potential matches, and facilitated six bone marrow transplants in Armenia,
the United States, and Europe. Five of the transplantations occurred in
the
last year – to-date all five patients, who suffer from acute leukemias or
multiple myeloma – are doing well.
One of those patients sent a letter of gratitude and a gift to her donor,
which was presented to the young Agricultural Academy student at the
Yerevan laboratory opening. Accompanying a medallion with the inscription,
“Forever in my heart” was a letter signed by the 5-year-old patient and her
parents which stated:
Dear Boy,
In the beginning you were a hope. Today you are a wonderful reality. We
will never forget what you did for us. Thank you – we will keep you in our
hearts forever. We embrace you now with our mind, hoping that maybe one
day we will do it with our own arms.
With all our love,
A dad, a mum, a little girl
Following standard medical ethics practices, the donor and the patient will
not be able to meet each other for at least a year, and only then at the
patient’s request. In the meantime, donor Vahe simply says, “I consider
what I did to be my duty. If someone needs you and his or her existence can
be continued by you, how can you refuse to lend a hand?” The
transplantation was done in Italy.
Others share Vahe’s philosophy of human kindness and generosity. Just
three months ago, Military Academy student Hovhanness donated his stem
cells to a 16-year-old boy in Yerevan. The transplantation occurred at
Benjamin Franklin Hospital in Germany.
And one year ago, 12-year-old Aram, also of Yerevan, received a transplant
in Poland, the donor being his sister, Shoghik. As their mother, Gohar,
relates the story, “Many people frightened us, saying that a transplant
would be dangerous for Shoghik. Holding the hands of my two children I
went to Poland, to the children’s hospital in Liublin. There I understood
that it [a transplant] is an ordinary thing. We returned to Armenia three
months later.” ABMDR Medical Director Mihran Nazaretyan states that the
transplant
has been successful, and Aram will be back in school this September.
Up to this point, all marrow and stem cell collection (or “harvesting” at
it is termed) from the donors and all transplantations have occurred
outside of Yerevan because Armenia has no harvesting or transplantation
facilities. Establishing those facilities is one of the primary goals of
the ABMDR moving forward. “We are delighted that in a short span of time
we have had six transplants. I am very hopeful that we will establish a
transplant center in Armenia – it would be a dream come true,” stated Dr.
Jordan, who was present at the Yerevan laboratory opening. In response to
her statement, a representative of the Armenian Health Ministry at the
event commented, “The Health Ministry highly respects this unique project
and will
offer its help to save more lives.”
Those who wish to further assist the Registry in recruiting more donors
and reaching its goals may contact ABMDR President Dr. Frieda Jordan at the
newly opened Mariana Kazarians Center at 3111 Los Feliz Blvd., Suite 206,
Los Angeles, CA or by calling (323) 663- 3609 .
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4 – Armenian Academy of Los Angeles
Holds Inaugural Gala Banquet
LOS ANGELES – The Armenian Academy of Los Angeles held its Inaugural
Gala-Banquet on April 1, in support of the launch of an all-new
college-preparatory high school in Los Angeles. Over 350 guests attended
the event at the Deukmejian Hall of the Ararat Home Complex in Mission
Hills.
The cocktail hour, featuring an elaborate exhibition of paintings and
sculptures by Armenian artists was followed by dinner and the main
presentations.
After opening remarks by Master of Ceremonies Dr. Armand Dorian, he invited
Seta Simonian, chairperson of the Board of Directors to deliver her
address. Simonian presented the vision and need of a top-level high school
for the Los Angeles Armenian community. Stressing the need for academic
excellence in an atmosphere that nurtures the Armenian-American identity of
its student body, she said: “We want to create an institution that best
prepares its students to compete and achieve success in the world outside
and at the same time made its students fully conscious of, attracted to,
and defiantly proud of the world that they came from”.
Following a video presentation that depicted the premise and the vision of
the Academy, Dr. Noubar Afeyan delivered the keynote speech.
Dr. Afeyan, CEO of Flagship Ventures and lecturer at MIT, recounted how
academic achievement has been a beacon on which his successful career has
been built. He emphasized the importance of high level academic achievement
in today’s competitive global environment, and he highlighted the need to
fully appreciate the symbiotic relationship between the Armenian homeland
and the Armenian Diaspora and the unique role that a highly educated
generation would play in the future development of the Armenian nation.
Dr. Afeyan concluded his remarks with a philosophical reference to the
challenges of such a major undertaking by saying “those who discourage you
in your dreams are often people who have abandoned their own dreams”.
Three commissioned artistic works – musical, theatrical and dance
presentations – complemented the evening’s program.
The evening and the project were blessed with prayers and words of
appreciation by representatives of Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian.
The Board of Directors and the Planning and Development Committee are
currently embarking on an extensive fundraising campaign. Pledges and
donations to date total nearly $175,000. Those interested in joining the
project or contributing to it may visit its website at
or may call (818)-293-0010.
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5 – German Language Book
Details “Operation Nemesis”
BERLIN – A new book concerning Turkey, Germany and the Armenian Genocide
has been published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch publishing house in Germany.
The author, Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, tells in 288 pages the true story of a crime
and its revenge, not reconciled until today.
In June 1921 the district court of Berlin became the scene of a trial that
shocked the world. The defendant had killed one of the masterminds
responsible for the genocide of the Armenians. Talaat Pasha, the former
Turkish Grand Vizier, was shot on an open street in Berlin.
The accused young man was acquitted, though the court was unaware that he
belonged to the secret organization “Nemesis,” whose goal was to hunt down
and bring justice to the main perpetrators of the genocide.
Hosfeld articulately and factually describes the background of this murder
beginning from the massacres under Sultan Abdul Hamid II that shocked
Europe but left Kaiser Wilhelm II unconcerned. Hosfeld painstakingly
describes the emergence of an aggressive Turkish nationalism and its
systematic annihilation policies against the Armenians, which were
protected under Turkey’s alliance with Germany during World War I.
The notable German writer and critic Ralph Giordano had highly recommended
the book: “A history work just as essential as it is stirring – a panorama
of horror second to none in its time, but in contrast to Holocaust it
hasn’t entered into the world consciousness until today.”
Next to his many books, Dr. Rolf Hosfeld has brought his journalistic and
editorial contributions to numerous prestigious magazines and newspapers
like, Saison, Die Zeit, Die Woche, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung,
Süddeutsche Zeitung, Deutsches Allgemeines Sonntagsblatt among others.
Furthermore, he has produced over fifty documentary films mostly for the
1st and 2nd Channels of German National Television. Dr. Rolf Hosfeld lives
and works in Berlin and Brandenburg as a freelance author and filmmaker.
“Operation Nemesis” is available through presently in German
language only. ISBN: 3-462-03468-5 Kiepenheuer & Witsch 288 Pages,
Hardcover, 19,90 Euros
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6 – UAF’s 133rd Airlift Delivers
$5.2 Million of Aid to Armenia
GLENDALE – The United Armenian Fund’s 133rd airlift arrived in Yerevan on
April 23, delivering $5.2 million of humanitarian assistance.
The UAF itself collected $4.8 million of medicines and medical supplies for
this flight, most of which were donated by AmeriCares ($2.3 million), the
Catholic Medical Mission Board ($1.7 million) and Eli Lilly ($788,000).
Other organizations which contributed goods for this airlift were: Nork
Marash Medical Center ($111,000); Armenian Missionary Association of
America ($47,000); American University of Armenia ($34,000); Howard
Karagheusian Commemorative Corp. ($29,000); and Accuware Consultants
($22,000).
Also contributing to this airlift were: Srbouhi Hairapetian ($17,000);
Shushi Music School Society ($16,000); and California State University,
Northridge ($10,000).
Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $408 million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia on board 133 airlifts and 1,172 sea containers.
The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America, the
Armenian General Benevolent Union, the Armenian Missionary Association of
America, the Armenian Relief Society, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America, the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and the
Lincy Foundation.
For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific Avenue,
Suite 301, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.
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7- Cecile Keshishian to Receive
Ellis Island Medal of Honor
By Paul Peterson
LOS ANGELES – Cecile Keshishian of Los Angeles, has been selected to be a
recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The award will be
presented by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) at a
gala dinner in the Great Hall of Ellis Island on the evening of May 14.
The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is awarded to distinguished American
citizens who exemplify the ideal of living a life dedicated to the American
way while preserving the treasured values of their heritage, contribute
extraordinary service enabling the growth and preservation of the diversity
of American life, and also achieve a level of distinguished service to
humanity. NECO’s Ellis Island Medal of Honor is the only award of its kind
sanctioned by both the United States Senate and the House of
Representatives. Recipients’ names are listed in the Congressional Record.

Cecile came to America from Lebanon in 1968 with her physician husband,
Kevork, and two young children, Alek and Aleen. She quickly and seamlessly
assimilated into the fabric of American society without abandoning the
richness of her Armenian heritage. Cecile’s volunteerism, generosity,
selflessness, determination, optimism, and work for the betterment of
humankind have made her a legendary figure, both in the Armenian and
international volunteer communities.
She was the founder of the AGBU Girl Scout movement in Lebanon, National
Commissioner of Girl Scouts of Lebanon Delegate representing Lebanon at two
World Conferences of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in Denmark and Japan,
National AGBU board member, also membership and awards committee chair
Member, AGBU International Youth Committee – responsible for organizing
athletic games in different parts of the world. She also has raised several
thousand
dollars under auspices of AGBU for relief fund following the disastrous
1988 earthquake in Armenia with her husband and a small cadre of friends.
She is also a Charter member of the Samaritans, a 24-hour teenage suicide
prevention hot line that is still in existence and has saved the lives of
many desperate teenagers; a member, Armenian International Women’s
Association (AIWA), member, Health Committee of the American Medical
Association Auxiliary; served on a week-long White House Conference for a
Drug Free America with President and Mrs. Reagan; co-editor of AGBU
Melkonian Alumni Association quarterly newsletter; member, fund raising
committee for the Armenian and English language weeklies Baikar and The
Armenian Mirror Spectator for 10 years, raised over half a million dollars
in that decade
Over the years, 1,890 people (35 Armenians, only four of whom are women)
have received the award representing 42 ethnic groups — typically
presidents, Nobel Prize winners, leaders of industry, and gifted artists,
performers and athletes. Each award winner is given a specially crafted
Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

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