STUDENTS REMEMBER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Kaelyn Forde Eckenrode
Media Credit: Steevens Alconcel | Daily Trojan
Daily Trojan Online, CA
University of Southern California
April 25 2006
Monday events also focused on the Holocaust and other genocides
throughout history.
Remembrance. USC students (left to right) Nazanin Yaghoobian, Sam
Yebri, Julia Levy Boeken and Raisa Shvartsman light candles Monday
night during the 24-hour vigil in honor of the victims of the Armenian
Genocide.
Believing that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it,
the Armenian Students’ Association joined forces with USC Hillel and
the Jewish Law Students’ Association for the first time to promote
awareness, recognition and understanding of the Armenian genocide,
the Holocaust and other genocides in two ceremonies and a candlelight
vigil held at Tommy Trojan Monday and today.
The Armenian genocide claimed the lives of 1.5 million Armenians from
its beginning on April 24, 1915, to its end in 1923.
The Turkish government does not recognize these deaths as genocide.
It says that disease and famine complicated the conflict between
Christian and Muslim forces and that the Armenians’ violent political
aims rather than their race, ethnicity or religion led to their
relocation, according to the Turkish embassy’s Web site.
?”The ASA decided to collaborate with USC Hillel and the Jewish Law
Students’ Association this year to show solidarity against genocide,”
said Mercedes Aline Arslanian, a sophomore majoring in business
administration and a member of the ASA.
“Because we share a common, tragic cause, we decided to pool our
resources and broaden our scope to educate people about all crimes
against humanity – whether in Armenia, during the Holocaust or in
Darfur,” ?she said.
Sam Yebri, a third-year law student, co-organized the event on behalf
of USC Hillel and the JLSA.
“The goal of the vigil is to raise awareness about current genocides
by commemorating the tragedies of the Holocaust and the Armenian
genocide together,” Yebri said.
“By doing so, not only do we honor and pay tribute to the millions
of innocent victims who perished, but we begin to take a role as
responsible global citizens,” Yebri said. “History has taught us that
absolute evil reappears when apathy runs rampant.”
The two remembrance days fell next to each other this year, Arslanian
said. Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day is April 24, and Holocaust
Remembrance Day, which is set by the Jewish lunar calendar, fell on
April 25.
The ASA began the commemoration with its own ceremony at noon.
Two guest speakers, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, primate of the
Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and Steven J.
Dadaian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America,
Western Region, addressed students.
“We should always have the undying hope, the perseverance and the
courage to give our message about fighting genocide to our youth,”
Derderian said. “We are freedom fighters who seek justice, and it
would be a failure for us to not pass on our history to our youth.
This day shows our continuity in educating students and preventing
genocides across the world.”?
The ASA also circulated petitions calling for the federal recognition
of the Armenian genocide by the U.S. government. The U.S. government
still does not recognize the mass murders of Armenians as an official
“genocide,” although more than 30 American states do. ?
“We want students to understand that recognition of the Armenian
genocide is important in recognizing future genocides,” said Nerses
Ohanyan, a senior majoring in aerospace engineering and mathematics,
and the vice president of the ASA. “Recognition of past genocides is
essential to stopping governments across the world from committing
genocide against their own people in the future.”?
Ohanyan said he believes that U.S. business and political interests
in Turkey have prevented full recognition of the genocide by the U.S.
government.
?”President (Bush) uses the word ‘massacres’ instead of genocide,”
Ohanyan said. “If he recognized the Armenian genocide, he knows Turkey
would have to be penalized. The U.S. has political and economic
interests in Turkey, and so this issue has been put on hold for 91
years. In a country dedicated to freedom, justice and human rights,
we can’t let that go.” ?
ASA members said it was important for them to share their history
with other members of the USC community. ?
“Out of my family, only my great-uncle and my grandfather made
it out of Armenia alive,” said Serje Martus, a senior majoring
in biochemistry, political science and music. “It is my duty to my
family to make people understand and recognize the genocide. I will
never stop until I accomplish that.”
Other students agreed and said that it helped unite the more than
200 Armenians on campus.
“This event brings people together,” said Shushan Barsegyan, a
sophomore majoring in business administration. “By recognizing other
cultures that are here, we also form a stronger USC community.”
Alpha Epsilon Omega, the Armenian fraternity on campus, collected
donations for its Never-Again campaign at the event. Last year,
it raised $10,000 for genocide education organizations.
“This is our second year raising funds to educate people about and
get recognition for the Armenian genocide,” said Michael Kiaman,
a junior majoring in political science and the Never-Again chairman
for the fraternity. “This year, we hope to double that amount through
donations by people here today, and our members.”
The Armenian genocide and Holocaust Candlelight Vigil began at 6 p.m.
on Monday and will end at 6 p.m. today. Organizers read the names
of victims of both genocides, and members of the ASA, JLSA and USC
Hillel held vigil for the full 24 hours.
“Reading all 6 million names is very important for me,” said Ron
Rothstain, a doctoral candidate majoring in education and member of
USC Hillel.?”My grandparents – as well as the grandparents of many of
the people here – were victims of the Holocaust, and it is important
for us to remember and respect them 60 years later.”
The Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, which begins at noon today,
features guest speakers professor Richard Dekmejian, adjunct professor
Sharon Gillerman, USC Hillel Rabbi Jonathan Klein, ASA member Gary
Prudian and President Emily Eyerman of Students Taking Action Now:
Darfur.
ASA, JLSA and USC Hillel organizers hoped to involve all members of
the community in recognizing and taking action against genocide today,
Yebri said.
“When people look at our generation and say, ‘What did you do about
the genocide in Darfur?’ I want to be able to look back at them and
say ‘I did what I could,'” ?he said.
Arslanian agreed.
“Before beginning the Holocaust, Hitler assured his advisers that
they would get away with it, saying: ‘After all, who remembers the
annihilation of the Armenians today?’ We want people to know that we
remember, and that we are committed to ending genocide everywhere.”