ARMENIAN REPORTER
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Tel: 1-201-226-1995
Fax: 1-201-226-1660
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Email: letters@reporter.am
April 28, 2007 — From the community section
1. Tens of thousands march in Little Armenia on April 24 (by Tamar Salibian)
2. Annual protest at Turkish consulate draws thousands (by Arin Mikailian)
* Armenian Youth Federation members lead the march
3. "We can’t bury history" (by Florence Avakian)
* In Times Square, elected officials join survivors and their descendants
4. Dadrian and Akçam speak of genocide and changes in Turkish society
(by Jenny Kiljian)
5. Akcam speaks at UCLA and Glendale Community College (by Tamar Salibian)
6. Giving the gift of life in homage Glendale blood drive symbolically
pays tribute (by Tamar Kevonian)
7. Bay Area community commemorates April 24 (by Tania Ketenjian)
* Events include pilgrimage to Mt. Davidson Cross
8. Honoring the documentarian, honoring his subjects (by Lory Tatoulian)
* Jewish community screens "Voices from the Lake"
9. Tricolor raised over Fresno City Hall (by Sarah Soghomonian)
* Central California marks Genocide anniversary
10. AYF remembers the deaths of 1.5 million . . . plus 1
11. Philadelphia marks April 24 with badaraks, hokehankists, a talk,
and a vigil (by Andrew Kevorkian)
12. Binghamton community remembers the events of 1915
******************************************** *******************************
1. Tens of thousands march in Little Armenia on April 24
by Tamar Salibian
LOS ANGELES — At 10 a.m. on a warm California morning, under a
cloudless sky, up to 70,000 Armenians marched in Los Angeles’ Little
Armenia April 24 to commemorate the massacre of their ancestors 92
years before.
Many carried their children on their backs or pushed them in
strollers. Marchers of all ages waved Armenian or American flags and
wore clothing with slogans related to the Armenian Genocide. Some
carried placards demanding "Boycott Turkey" and "1915: Never Again!"
Others held up photos of slain Agos editor Hrant Dink.
Young people chatted and laughed with each other as young men drove
around the blocks, their cars decorated with Armenian and American
flags. The festive atmosphere contrasted with the solemnity of the
event, as the Armenians demanded justice and condemned the Turks.
"What do we want?" called the organizers from a flatbed truck
equipped with loudspeakers. "Justice!" the crowd responded. "When do
we want it?" "Now! Shame on Turkey!"
Following the truck, a group of Armenians in wheelchairs led the
march east on Hollywood Blvd. from near Hobart St. to Normandie, then
right on Sunset Blvd. to the starting point near Hollywood Blvd. and
Western Ave.
The "March for Humanity" was organized by Unified Young Armenians
(UYA), a nonprofit organization whose mission statement urges
Armenians to "gather in Hollywood to walk for their history, land,
loved ones and their endless struggle for global recognition" of the
Armenian Genocide.
"It’s important to commemorate each year so that the next generation
of Armenians will do the same," said a marcher named Dee, 22. "We have
to keep it going.
****************************************** *********************************
2. Annual protest at Turkish consulate draws thousands
* Armenian Youth Federation members lead the march
by Arin Mikailian
LOS ANGELES — Even when their illegally parked U-Haul truck carrying
water and other supplies was ordered to be towed by the Los Angeles
Police Department, the Armenian Youth Federation carried on with its
annual protest for recognition of the Armenian Genocide on Tuesday.
"It was more motivation for us to continue," said AYF chairperson
Saro Shirinian, 26.
With or without supplies, AYF members and about 8,000 other
Armenians from neighboring cities made the Turkish consulate in Los
Angeles their annual focal point to unite and voice their anger
against the Turkish government.
The 92nd year of genocide denial, as in past years, culminated with
signs, marches and chanting.
Masses of Armenian protesters marched back and forth in front of the
Atrium Court office building on Wilshire Blvd. Waving Armenian flags
transformed the little segment of the boulevard into an unavoidable
sea of red, blue and orange.
Placards with traditional slogans such as "1915-Never Again" and
"Eastern Turkey in Western Armenia" were echoed by the cries of the
Armenian youth.
"Turkey run, Turkey hide, Turkey’s guilty of genocide!" shouted the
protesters. "Armenia united, we’ll never be divided!"
Regardless of their level of community involvement or country of
origin, all Armenians present shared a goal that hasn’t changed since
the end of the Genocide.
"Turkey hasn’t recognized the Genocide," said Shirinian. "On top of
that, the United States is an ally to an inhuman country."
Others were convinced that coming together is the only way to spread
hopes of completing their nearly century-long mission.
"You can’t get a message out by having one man screaming for
justice," said Sako Mardirossian, 17.
Drivers joined in the protest by honking their horns, amplifying the
cries of demonstrators up to the 15th floor, where the Turkish
consulate is located.
Although the consulate was closed today to observe a Turkish
holiday, some protesters believed the diplomats were avoiding Armenian
accusations.
"The evidence of our message being sent is the fact that they’re not
here today," said Babken Der Grigorian, 21. "It just personifies
Turkey’s denial."
But most protesters paid little attention to the absence of a few
Turks. Rather, they focused on proving to the entire nation of Turkey
their unity through surviving and thriving after the annihilation of
1.5 million of their ancestors.
Just as survivors of the Genocide lived on to perpetuate the hope
for recognition, said Narek Balagyozyan, 20, his generation and future
ones will do the same until justice to his motherland is done.
"Every Armenian is capable of doing something about it," he said.
"If not us, then our children. If not our children, then our
grandchildren."
Most of the young demonstrators could have counted on one hand the
number of Genocide protests they had attended. But for Hagop
Manjikian, 82, this year’s demonstration was another step in his
50-year journey toward Genocide recognition. Having chaired the
Armenian Committee for the Independence of Armenia (now the Armenian
National Committee of America) back in 1953, Manjikian has been
participating in Genocide protests ever since.
He said the movement toward Genocide recognition has rejuvenated in
the last five decades and that continuous protesting with the youth
involved keeps the Armenian mission alive.
"They’ve deprived of us our motherland and we’re losing our tongue,"
he said. "But we still have our soul, no matter what."
As the protest wound down, two members from the AYF delivered their
parting address to the crowd. Central executive member Berj
Parseghian, demonstration organizing committee member Areg Santikian
shared the anguish and hopes for the future.
"We are still fighting, and we will never forget," Barseghian
declared as the crowd roared its support.
The rally ended with the Armenian national anthem. But as the
demonstrators dispersed, they already knew where they would be again
exactly one year from that day.
Although April 24th may be the primary unifier ofArmenians in memory
of those lost nearly a century ago, some said they carry remembrance
and the desire for justice in their hearts all year long.
Said Lara Amirian, 22, "It’s something you wake up with every morning."
********************************** *****************************************
3. "We can’t bury history"
* In Times Square, elected officials join survivors and their descendants
by Florence Avakian
NEW YORK — Israel Arabian, 102 years of age and originally from
Kharpert, was only 10 when the Armenian Genocide began. His parents
and four other family members were killed; but because his sister had
been forced to marry a Turk, he was saved.
Onorig Eminian, a 92-year-old survivor from Izmir, lost her entire
family of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Adrine Bagciyan, 98, from Adabazar, witnessed the slaying of her
grandparents. "My grandmother was sleeping. The Turks came into the
house and smashed her skull. Then they killed my grandfather because
he said that he would go where his people went. Because my mother was
a dentist and had pulled someone’s tooth, she was saved. Imagine, a
pulled tooth saved my mother," the survivor said quietly.
These three living witnesses, residents of the Flushing Home in New
York, were among six survivors who were guests of honor at the event
commemorating the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, held in
Times Square. The survivors, who had been given red carnations, slowly
placed their flowers before a miniature memorial, a replica of the
Tzitzernakapert Genocide monument in Yerevan.
Under a cloudless, sunny sky, more than 1,300 people jammed the
famed "crossroads of the world" to honor the memory of the one and a
half million Armenians killed during the Genocide, and to show their
determination to carry on the struggle for American and world
recognition of this darkest chapter in Armenian history.
This year’s gathering was sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of
Vartan, and co-sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the
Armenian Assembly of America, ArmenPac, the Armenian National
Committee of America, and the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party.
Participating were the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the
Armenian Missionary Association of America, the Armenian Presbyterian
Church, the Armenian Evangelical Church, and the Armenian Catholic
Eparchy for the U.S. and Canada.
Before a podium crowded with high-ranking clergy, a diplomat,
several members of Congress, and representatives of Armenian-American
organizations, was a huge wreath of red and white carnations. American
and Armenian flags fluttered throughout the crowd; many attendees held
placards emblazoned with personal testimonies as well as statements
from various U.S. presidents. "My grandfather survived. I will never
forget," read one. "To deny the Genocide is to continue the Genocide,"
read another; alongside it a placard quoted President Theodore
Roosevelt, who called the massacres of Armenians "the greatest crime
of World War I."
Standing determinedly at attention was a contingent of young
Homenetmen scouts from New Jersey.
* Unbearably deep wounds
In his poetic, eloquent opening prayer, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, related that the "pain of deep wounds
remains fresh and unbearable, because the truth of their sojourn into
the valley of the shadow of death continues to be denied by the
descendants of the perpetrators. All-merciful Lord, bless all in
attendance, especially the survivors whose numbers dwindle each
passing year; remember the victims of all genocides past and present;
and grant loving favor for those in roles of leadership."
A people and a nation "is never again exactly the same after having
been the victim of genocide. The unspeakable act becomes a part of its
legacy. Only the contrite repentance of the perpetrator who is willing
to make amends can lessen to a small degree the grievous wound left on
the body of the victim nation. For 92 years we have remembered the
Genocide, and the wound has remained, become deeper, because the
perpetrator has denied his undefinable deed. And the denial has become
a second genocide."
Relating recent events to show how little has changed in Turkey, the
Prelate referred to the Hrant Dink assassination, the "desecration" of
the Aghtamar church which has been turned into a museum, the United
Nations Rwandan exhibit which was canceled under pressure from
Turkey’s embassy due to a reference to the Armenian Genocide, and the
three Christians murdered in Malatya last week.
Referring to the current genocide in Darfur, the Prelate said, "We
cannot remain silent about things that matter. Truth is not only
violated by falsehood; it is equally outraged by our silence. Genocide
must be stopped. The world must act in concert to prevent genocidal
acts. We must resolve here that the future will overcome the past."
Several Masters of Ceremony who introduced each of the dignitaries
included Sam Azadian, Armen McComber, and Dr. Nicole Vartanian.
Accorded a standing ovation, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans
reminded the audience of the early American presidents and New York
City mayors who had supported the Armenians, and called U.S.
Ambassador to Turkey Henry Morgenthau "my greatest hero." He lauded
The New York Times for publishing 146 reports on the Genocide in 1915.
Commending New York City as "a beacon of enlightenment — past,
present and future," he saluted Armenian-Americans for their many
contributions to the arts, literature, culture, science, medicine, and
business. "The truth will prevail," he stated to thunderous applause.
* A sacred issue
Sen. Charles Schumer (D.-N.Y.) addressed the survivors directly. "We
see the face of history, and honesty. The story of the Genocide must
be repeated so it is not forgotten. We will stay vigilant for you," he
promised. "Turkey must stop the denial of truth, and we must also ask
the Bush administration not to forget. This is a sacred issue."
He recounted how the Secretaries of State and Defense had urged
Congress not to acknowledge the Genocide. "Shame on them," he shouted.
"This is a poke in the eye to the Armenian community and Armenia."
Concerning the administration’s controversial nomination of James
Hoagland to the post of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Sen. Schumer
strongly declared, "How dare they send someone who denies the
Genocide." He revealed that he had written to Hoagland, asking him why
he refused to acknowledge the Genocide, but had received no reply.
"We can’t bury history. We can’t snuff out the candles of light. We
won’t rest until the whole world including Turkey recognizes the
Genocide, and pays recompense for it." As he left, this writer asked
him to define "recompense." He answered, "moral recompense."
Sen. Robert Menendez (D.-N.J.) pledged his commitment to "never,
never forget this tragedy. It’s time our President calls it by its
true name and nothing less," he stated strongly. He pointed out that
he had placed a block on the Hoagland nomination. "We will not remove
the block until the administration does the right thing." He thanked
Ambassador Evans "for his courage. We need more leaders like him," he
said.
Sen. Menendez also noted that he has been tireless in barring
funding for a railroad which excludes Armenia, and in supporting
legislation that condemns the murder of Hrant Dink. "I will continue
to work to change the administration’s policy on the Armenian
Genocide," he said.
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-N.J.), a l ongtime supporter of Armenian
causes and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
reminded the crowd that "this is a crucial year to pass the Genocide
resolution. The Genocide continues with Turkey’s denial, its blockade
and strangulation of Armenia, and incessant bullying" He related how
Turkey has spent millions to defeat the resolution. (On Monday, April
23, The New York Times ran a full-page paid advertisement sponsored by
Turkey’s embassy to the U.S., denying the Genocide). Pallone urged the
crowd to "make sure the Genocide is never forgotten."
Rep. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.) revealed his role in pressing the
Secretary of State to acknowledge the Genocide. "She did not respond,"
he said. He related the individual story of a survivor living today in
Glendale, who was orphaned at age six. "The number of deaths was too
large; the enormity of the crime too great.
* Phone, fax, e-mail
"We can’t keep pandering to an inconsistent ally," Rep. Schiff
continued. "The forces of denial are strong in Congress. We have the
best opportunity today to pass the Genocide resolution. The Turkish
lobby has hired members of Congress, and a former Speaker of the House
of Representatives, but we have the truth on our side. Time is running
short. You must redouble your efforts," he urged the crowd. Members of
Congress need to hear from you. We are in the final chapter in passing
this resolution. Phone, fax, e-mail. We must do it for the people of
Darfur. The time is now!"
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D.-N.Y.) added his voice in urging support for
the Genocide resolution. "We come together here once a year, but we
remember every day."
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D.-N.Y.), referred to the Hoagland nomination
as "dead on arrival." She pointed out that through the efforts of Rep.
Weiner and herself, a television program that denied the Genocide was
stopped. "Turkey must not be a European Union member until it
recognizes the Genocide," she said, and stated with emphasis, "I’m
with you a hundred percent."
Assemblywoman Dr. Joan Voss (D.-N.J.) quoted George Santayana’s
famous dictum that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it —
a theme likewise emphasized by New York City Councilman Peter Vallone,
Jr. (D.-Queens).
* Keep the pressure on
Radio personality Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels,
brought the house down in his criticism of Turkey, the Bush
administration, and politicians of both major U.S. parties. "Israel
claims Turkey is its best friend. Why will Israel not condemn Turkey
for denying the Genocide? But you won’t hear this from any of the
politicians in Congress," he declared to thunderous applause.
Armenians, he continued, cannot own property and have no rights in
Turkey. "Today the Armenians are not suffering a genocide physically,
but one of the heart, mind and soul."
"Keep the pressure on the phony politicians who only want your
vote," Sliwa thundered, to a standing ovation.
Several representatives of Armenian-American organizations addressed
the assemblage, including Bryan Ardouny (Armenian Assembly), Jason
Capizzi (ArmenPAC), Natalie Gabrellian (AGBU), Ken Sarajian (ANCA),
and Andrew Torigian (Armenian Missionary Association). The program had
opened with the singing of the American and Armenian national anthems
by Khrimian Lyceum students Talar Aydin and Markrete Krikorian.
Nine-year old Victoria Messikian movingly recited the famed "Gank oo
mnank" ("We are and will be here") by Barouyr Sevag.
Bishop Manuel Batakian of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy for the U.S.
and Canada called for "No more genocides. No more assassinations. We
pray that the blood of the martyrs have not been shed in vain.
Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian, representing Diocesan Primate
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, led the crowd in singing the Komitas
Vartabed setting of "Hayr Mer," the Lord’s Prayer, which brought the
memorable event to a solemn and poignant conclusion.
************************************* **************************************
4. Dadrian and Akçam speak of genocide and changes in Turkish society
by Jenny Kiljian
LOS ANGELES — On Friday, April 20, some 450 people gathered at the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Manoogian-Demirjian School’s
Aghajanian Hall in Canoga Park to take part in a lecture and open
forum featuring two renowned genocide scholars, Professor Taner Akçam
and Professor Vahakn Dadrian.
Though fluent in six languages, including English and Ottoman
Turkish, Professor Dadrian asked that the audience indulge his ardent
longing to address them in Armenian during the course of his
presentation. Prior to delving into the issue of the Armenian
Genocide, Dadrian delighted his listeners by reciting in Classical
Armenian a passage from the Old Testament Psalms that he said had been
particularly inspirational for him throughout his youth.
The subject of Dadrian’s presentation was Turkey’s 92-year-long
denial of the Armenian genocide — in what forms denial manifests
itself, and why it is perpetuated. He specified four points that the
Turkish government and its proxies use to manipulate intellectual and
political discourse: the Armenian Question was a deportation during
the war; those deportations were limited to only a small part of the
country; the massacres that took place were not sanctioned by the
Ottoman government; and that Armenians and Turks massacred each other
during a civil war.
"Was it possible for a people composed of widows, children and the
elderly — who were forbidden to possess weapons — to wage a civil
war? It’s absolutely absurd," he said emphatically. "The Armenians
were living in fear since the time of the Adana massacres. How could
they even consider fighting?"
Dadrian outlined several key historical and psychological reasons
why he believes Turkey stridently continues to deny the Genocide. The
first is that the Turks have distanced themselves from their Ottoman
history since the 1920’s when Kemal Ataturk launched his
Westernization campaign. "They don’t want to be compared to the Nazi
German regime," said Dadrian. "People now want to convince the world
that Turkish history has no criminal past, and that it’s unjust to put
genocide in their history. But Ottoman history is a genocidal
history."
Another hurdle is that all of Turkish history in school curricula is
based on Turkish denial. "New books need to be authored, and new
libraries need to be created," said Dadrian. "This is a serious
logistical problem and, as time goes by, it will become more difficult
to achieve this revolution."
This Kemalist history predicates the psychological refusal to admit
their guilt. "How is it possible that they could bring themselves to
admit it after all this time, after they’ve spent 80 years insistently
denying it? This is a big obstacle for them," said Dadrian.
Moreover, it would be demoralizing for "a whole people who idolize
Kemal Ataturk to admit that even though he wasn’t directly
responsible, he abetted the Armenian genocide."
According to Dadrian’s research, however, accounts of the Armenian
Genocide were commonplace in Istanbul in the three-year period between
the fall of the Ottoman Empire and Ataturk’s rise to power. "They were
reeling from their defeat in the First World War. They were fearful of
what would happen in Versailles and Lausanne. So, they began publicly
admitting their crimes in their newspapers and making preparations for
war tribunals," said Dadrian.
Dadrian adamantly disagreed with revisionist historians,
particularly Professor Justin McCarthy of the University of
Louisville, who call these trials that took place during 1919 and 1920
"a farce — a show for the Allied forces."
Dadrian explained that the trials only took place after a
preliminary inquiry commission found overwhelming corroborating
evidence in the form of personal accounts from military leaders,
soldiers and citizens — each of which had been verified and notarized
by the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the Ministry of Justice.
In fact, Dadrian and Akçam are jointly authoring a book about these
accounts, which is going to be published in Turkey. "I am deeply
grateful that my colleague has put his own life in danger in order to
publish this book," Dadrian said in concluding his lecture. "He has
wholeheartedly invested himself in this endeavor and we, as Armenians,
have to stand firm by him and support him."
Akçam is no stranger to the perils of speaking against the
government of Turkey. He received an 8-year prison sentence for his
involvement in producing a student journal that focused on Turkey’s
treatment of the Kurdish minority. Amnesty International adopting him
in 1976 as a prisoner of conscience. After one year he was able to
escape and was granted political asylum in Germany. He continues to be
the target of harassment and persecution by the Turkish government and
various Turkish groups.
Akçam focused his lecture on what he called "the five taboos" that
have stood as the pillars of Turkish society, and what steps need to
be taken in order to topple the one that remains firm — the denial of
the Armenian Genocide. "In order to predict the future, we need to see
how we got to this point and what patterns exist," said Akçam. "We
need to see the Turkish-Armenian conflict within a context."
According to Akçam, "the history of Turkey is taboo-ridden." In
shifting from an authoritarian regime to an open, Western republic
"there have been a series of uprisings by groups to confront each of
these taboos and claim their own existence."
The first taboo subject was the idea that there are no classes in
Turkey. Until the early 1990’s, it was forbidden by Articles 141 and
142 of the Turkish Penal Code to mention social classes.
Second was the idea that there were no Kurds in Turkey, and that
"Kurds were simply mountain Turks." Articles 125 and 175 of the
Turkish Penal Code have been rescinded.
The third taboo was claiming that Turkey is anything but a secular,
Western society. According to the now-repealed Article 163 of the
Turkish Penal Code, specific activities that allegedly threatened the
democratic and secular system of government and the security of the
state were prohibited; describing Turkey as a Muslim society was
forbidden.
Akçam mentioned that even current Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan was imprisoned for violating this law when, during his
tenure as mayor of Diyarbekir, he recited several lines from a poem
the government claimed "incited religious animosity."
The fourth taboo is discussion of the Armenian Genocide. "There is
no article, because there was no one who would claim otherwise," said
Akcam. "But under pressure, the Turkish state felt compelled in 2004
to add provisions to ‘Insulting Turkishness’ under Article 301."
The fifth taboo, insulting the Turkish army, also falls under
Article 301. "The role of the armed forces is strong in Turkey. They
guard the state against these other four taboos, and protect the
republic," said Akcam.
The taboo against the Armenian Genocide is now slowly being lifted,
according to Akçam. "Until the 1990’s, nobody in Turkey was aware that
this problem existed. It was not an issue for broader society — it
was a problem between the Armenian diaspora and the Turkish foreign
office," said Akçam, also explaining how the assassinations of Turkish
diplomats put Turkey on the defensive because it brought international
attention to the issue of the Armenian Genocide.
"Turkey was like a city-state — a fortress with high walls," said
Akçam. "The first Turkish authors to write about the Armenian Genocide
were diplomats in the 1970’s and even this was on the defensive. They
only touched the topic if they were required by the outside world."
It was with the inception of embattled newspaper Agos that "people
in Turkey learned for the first time that there are Armenians in
Turkey." The newspaper’s founding editor Hrant Dink — a dear friend
and colleague of Akçam — was a champion of human rights and Genocide
recognition in Turkey. Dink was assassinated in front of the
Istanbul-based Agos offices on January 19 of this year. Similar
threats have been made against Akçam.
The creation of the independent Republic of Armenia in 1991, as well
as the rise of mass media and satellite television in Turkey has made
further inroads toward Genocide recognition. Turkey’s potential
accession into the European Union has also served as a powerful
catalyst for democratic reform.
A new language and logic must be developed to facilitate discourse,
according to Akçam. For years, the two sides have been waging an
"international war with the goal of gaining third parties." Armenians
have lobbied heavily for Genocide recognition resolutions in the
United States and abroad, and Turkey’s response has been to stop these
pressures with military and political power.
In 2000, the Turkish state was compelled to change its policy on
addressing the Genocide. Rather than acknowledge any culpability,
however, the government of Turkey instead created "The Coordinating
Committee for Fighting Against the Baseless Claims of Genocide" .
"The basic target was to organize and mobilize Turkish society
around these issues," said Akçam. "The Turkish state is attempting to
radicalize Turkish society against Genocide recognition."
He explained that until this committee was formed, Turkish schools
had taught students that Armenians were relocated because they allied
with the Russians in 1915. "They’re now teaching children how
Armenians committed genocide against the Turks."
"The turmoil surrounding the Armenian Genocide is about Turkey’s
future, not its past. This is a flashpoint for democracy in Turkey,
and it’s not a coincidence that opponents to Genocide recognition are
also opposed to Turkey’s membership in the European Union," said
Akçam.
He said that Genocide recognition is an important political demand,
but that it is just as important to establish normal diplomatic
relations between Turkey and Armenia. "Without normal diplomatic
relations, we can’t solve the problem related to history. We have to
include the dimension of normalization without preconditions, and try
to change the language we have about each other," said Akçam. "We have
to always think about the hundreds of thousands who were at Hrant’s
funeral, and see that democratization of Turkey is another important
demand."
Akçam emphasized that most of the Turkish public is not happy with
outside pressure. "They think it’s negative because it endangers the
democracy movement." He cited current efforts to pass a Genocide
resolution in the U.S. Congress as an example of this pressure.
"Turkey uses it to mobilize its people, because when the Armenian
diaspora pressures, it appears that they don’t care about
democratization in Turkey."
In closing, Akçam reminded the audience that liberty and freedom of
speech, and the desire to rectify a historical injustice, are not
mutually exclusive. "They’re not opposing — they’re all one," he
said. "Freedom of speech is not a solution to the problem of genocide.
It does not rectify the injustices. But Turkey’s European Union
membership solves both conflicts. It’s all a package, and all part of
the concept."
A brief open forum was held after the lecture, and the audience had
the opportunity to pose written questions to Akçam and Dadrian. A
reception was held after the event in the courtyard, and attendees
were able to further engage the two scholars in dialogue about their
lectures.
"It was very enlightening and thought-provoking," said Dr. Armen
Kassabian. "It was extremely courageous for a Turkish scholar to
address a predominantly Armenian audience." Kassabian noted that the
lecture might have been more accessible for non-Armenian attendees if
Dadrian had spoken in English.
"It was an exceptional event in that a Turkish historian and
Armenian historian shared the same stage and gave their observations
about Armenian issues. This is fundamental in the course of Genocide
recognition," said Dr. Arshak Kazandjian. "Their involvement inspires
within us the hope that more relations will grow between Armenian and
Turkish historians inside the scholarly realm, and that new horizons
will open for Turkish-Armenian relations and understanding."
"I felt that it was very inspirational, and made me reconsider the
Armenian Genocide from multiple perspectives, with a multitude of
solutions" said 23-year-old Allen Vartazarian, a graduate of the
University of California, Berkeley. Vartazarian had heard each
professor speak individually, "but together it was amazing. There is a
true synergy there."
Representatives from the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, the
Social Democratic Hunchakian Party, and the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, as well as faculty and administration from several Los
Angeles-area Armenian schools, and members of the Armenian and
mainstream media, were in attendance. The V. Rev. Fr. Dajad Yardemian
represented His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western
Diocese of the Armenian Church. The event was hosted by the AGBU
Asbeds.
"Tomorrow matters as much as yesterday," said Asbeds
vice-chairperson Kurken Berksanlar. "I would say we should have more
of these discussions to enable us to cross the bridge sooner rather
than later."
************************************ ***************************************
5. Akcam speaks at UCLA and Glendale Community College
by Tamar Salibian
LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of students and faculty attended a lecture by
Turkish scholar and historian Taner Akçam at Glendale Community
College on April 23rd. Prof. Akçam discussed his new book, A Shameful
Act; the current atmosphere in Turkey surrounding the Armenian
Genocide; the efforts at Genocide recognition in the Diaspora; and the
prospects for future communication between Turks and Armenians.
Akçam is one of the first Turkish scholars to openly acknowledge and
write about the atrocities inflicted on the Armenians by the Ottoman
Turkish government in 1915. In 1976, he received an eight-year prison
sentence for his involvement with a political journal in Turkey, but
he escaped from prison to seek political asylum in Germany one year
later. A visiting associate professor of history at the University of
Minnesota, he has been the victim of harassment for his beliefs, yet
he continues his speaking engagements. The Glendale Community College
event was hosted by Dr. Levon Marashlian and introduced by Glendale
Community College president Audre Levy.
Akçam began his lecture by outlining the reasons for writing A
Shameful Act. He explained that individuals "do not tend to remember
the wrongs they inflicted on others." He said that his book is a call
to action for the citizens of Turkey and for the Armenians in the
Diaspora to embrace dialogue and diplomacy.
The official Ottoman stance regarding the Armenian Genocide, he
stated, is that the deaths of Armenians from 1915 to 1917 were
unintentional and they therefore do not fit the definition of
"genocide." Approaching the issue from a different perspective, Akçam
explained that a form of cultural genocide is one where individuals
from one ethnic group are given to another ethnic group so that the
victimized ethnic group assimilates, has children and forgets its
roots. After the Balkan Wars, Akçam explained, Turkey had plans to
homogenize the entire region. This led to the Armenian Genocide of
1915 as well as the massacres and relocation of other ethnic groups
such as Kurds, Albanians, Bosnians and Greeks.
Akçam also spoke about the current situations in Turkey where most
citizens believe that the Armenian Genocide did happen and speak of it
in a secretive, hushed tone. He expressed his proud surprise at the
passionate response to the murder of Agos editor Hrant Dink where
hundreds of thousands of Turks flooded the streets to remember Dink
as, in Akçam’s words, "a representative of Turkish democracy."
"It is not easy to make your founding heroes into murderers and
thieves," Akçam said. Further explaining the political situation in
present-day Turkey, he said that if the Turkish ruling elite,
currently a military bureaucratic power, changes after the country’s
upcoming elections, Turkey can move toward democracy and diplomacy.
Akçam reminded the audience that the Armenians were the social
reformers in the Ottoman region at the turn of the 20th Century and
his tone reflected a hope that modern thinking and an embrace of
dialogue between cultures would continue in Turkey and in the
Diaspora.
Akçam’s lecture was followed by a short film, "In Memory of My
Friend Hrant Dink." The screening was followed by questions from the
audience. Some students were interested in Akçam’s opinion about
United States introducing an Armenian Genocide resolution into the
House of Representatives this year. Akçam was not in full support of
the efforts by what he called a "third party." He was impassioned in
his view that Diasporan Armenians must use their energies wisely. "We
have to try other ways in recognition of genocide policy," he
affirmed, adding that peaceful relations between Turks and Armenians
would result in "a dialogue (where) people will talk more openly about
the past. Connection and dialogue is more powerful than any
resolutions," he said.
As audience members exited the Glendale College classroom after
Akçam’s lecture, they were handed bumper stickers prompting them to
"Boycott Turkey." These were the same materials handed to patrons at
the Hrant Dink memorial sponsored by the Armenian National Committee a
month prior. Akçam also spoke at UCLA’s "Armenian Genocide: Denial and
Recognition" event which was hosted by the Armenian Students
Association on the evening of April 23rd.
******************************************* ********************************
6. Giving the gift of life in homage
* Glendale blood drive symbolically pays tribute
by Tamar Kevonian
GLENDALE, Calif. – Across the nation this week, there have been
rallies, concerts, vigils and protests. In Glendale, one poetic,
perhaps metaphoric way to commemorate the Armenian Genocide was a
blood drive with the goal to give the gift of life.
For the past 12 years, the Armenian National Committee of Glendale,
in cooperation with the American Red Cross and the City of Glendale,
has organized a blood drive to help save lives.
"We’re thinking 1.5 million lives were lost," explained Elen
Asatryan of the ANC. "We’re giving back the blood that was shed."
This year’s blood drive took place on Sunday, April 22 at Glendale’s
St. Mary’s Church. The tradition began at St. Gregory’s Church in
Pasadena, under the auspices of the late Father Vasken Arzroumanian. A
few years ago, the drive moved St. Peter’s in Van Nuys and is now held
at St. Mary’s in the heart of Glendale.
As church services ended on Sunday, there was a flurry of activity
around the blood donor stations. Parishioners filed out of the church
and took turns donating their blood, contributing to what organizers
call a successful drive.
Midway through the drive, the American Red Cross had already
collected 31 units of blood, far surpassing the halfway mark of last
year’s 40 units.
"The blood always stays in the community," explained Geri Hernandez
of the American Red Cross. In a region where there is a large
concentration of Armenians, it would not be surprising to organizers
if the blood donated Sunday reached another anonymous Armenian in need
of the vital fluid.
Donors like Kenny Ohan say they participate in the drive every year.
Ohan says he has done so since the beginning of the blood drive. "It’s
our chance to give blood and to make a point," he said.
While blood pumped out of their veins through a tube, donors looked
comfortable and content. The wait for a chance to donate sometimes
extended more than 20 minutes, but those in line were determined to
make their gift of life.
"I always give blood," said photographer and designer Helena
Gregorian, who was sent to St. Mary’s by the Armenian Reporter to take
photographs for this story. Gregorian set her camera aside and became
part of the story. "I’m helping fight for the Armenian cause," she
said.
Newly-elected Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian said there are many
reasons to give blood, summarizing the top two reasons why Armenians
choose this particular week to donate. "The blood drive is excellent
on many levels," said the Mayor. "It helps the entire region."
Najarian said the Red Cross has experienced blood shortages in the
past, and he thinks it is great to see St. Mary’s and the ANC stepping
up to the plate. "The second level is that it’s important and symbolic
that Armenians come together during this week to give blood," he said,
"the same way or grandfathers and great-grandfathers gave their blood
for what they believed."
Organizers say the blood drive is a powerfully symbolic way of
turning the 20th century’s first big tragedy into a positive
life-giving force in the 21st century.
**************************************** ***********************************
7. Bay Area community commemorates April 24
* Events include pilgrimage to Mt. Davidson Cross
by Tania Ketenjian
SAN FRANCISCO — On April 22 at Mount Davidson, Armenians from the Bay
Area gathered to commemorate one of the most important events in
Armenian history, and by far the most tragic. Atop Mt. Davidson, there
sits a 106-foot cross, a monument that has recently been reclaimed to
represent the suffering of the Armenians during World War I.
"Ninety-two years ago, our parents experienced the unthinkable,"
declared mistress of ceremonies Tamar Sarkissian. "Because of their
culture and their religion, they were ripped from their homes, forced
to march through the desert. They watched as their churches were
torched, as their family members were killed before them, as 1.5
million Armenians suffered horrific deaths. This week Armenians around
the world are taking a moment to remember the genocide. Armenians in
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Paris, Buenos Aires, Calcutta and
Sydney and that’s just to name a few places. It is up to us to pass on
everything our ancestors died for."
This seemed to be the consistent message at each of the events
around the Bay Area — the necessity of not forgetting and the
importance of letting others know of exactly what happened to the
Armenians. While it may be extraordinarily potent in the hearts and
minds of many Armenians, to most of the world, the Armenian Genocide
is still a mystery.
At the top of the mountain, approximately 200 people had gathered,
from all generations — younger Armenians from Homenetmen, teens from
the Armenian scouts, clergy members from the Armenian churches all
over the Bay Area, men and women who had been touched by the Genocide
either through their parents, grandparents or great grandparents.
Some were holding flowers, some were drying their tears, others were
standing, arm in arm with their children, husbands, wives, friends. It
was a quiet event, pensive and reverential and, above all else,
communal.
Mato Senekeremian, 18, from San Francisco, remarked on how the
memory of the Genocide had been part of his life since he was a child.
As for this event itself, "There’s a whole lot of energy revolving
around here, excitement and coming out and supporting the cause,
getting our voice heard around the world." It is true, there was a
swirl of energy. Armenians were once again coming together, under a
common belief and intention.
To the sound of familiar Armenian music, the lone violin calling out
the cry of Armenian suffering, clergymen read from the Bible and
members from organizations such as the Armenian Youth Federationand
Armenian General Benevolent Union laid wreaths at the base of the
cross as onlookers bowed their heads.
Joshua Barton, whose father is American and mother is Armenian, grew
up with a strong Armenian identity and is taking Armenian classes to
learn the language. "It’s really great to come here because we don’t
want all those people to have died in vain." Barton and Ani Markarian
are chairmen of the ACYO in Oakland. "When you see the Armenians
united and joined together, you realize how the Turks failed in their
attempts. The fact that they are not accepting it to this day gives us
more reason to fight for this cause. We haven’t given up after 92
years and we will keep on going."
Charles Paskerian, chairman of the council of Armenian American
organizations of Northern California, spoke extensively about the
Armenian Genocide resolution HB 106. In his words, "The president and
many members of congress state that we must always proceed with a
moral agenda. Well, I am tired of hearing this. Where is our moral
agenda and fortitude when it comes to recognizing the Armenian
genocide?" This was part of a letter he had written with the promise
to send it to the speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi. He urged us all
to join in his effort and send letters to congress, inviting to
recognize the Genocide and pass resolution HR 106.
Two days later, on April 24, events were held at the center of the
city, Civic Center. This spot has always been the focal point in the
Bay Area for groups to come together and have their voices heard. The
Armenian voice was no less strong than the many voices who had
protested there before.
It was 5 p.m. and people were just leaving work. Many of those who
had been at Mt. Davidson had also come to this rally. However the
energy was quite different. Banners were being waved saying how 1.5
million Armenians had died, claiming that as long as Turkey did not
recognize the Armenian Genocide, they could not be accepted in the EU
and charting the atrocities that had happened in 1915. Several banners
had the famous Hitler quote, "Who remembers the Armenian Genocide?"
Vatche Tomassian, a senior at UC Berkeley studying to become a
lawyer, was the master of ceremonies at the rally, and he didn’t
hesitate to reveal his sadness, anger and frustration towards the
battle for genocide recognition.
Quoting Gandhi, he said, "First they ignore you, then they will
ridicule you, then they will fight you and then you will win." He
continued. "They ridiculed us for commanding justice. Noticing that
Armenian demands for genocide recognition and restitution were not
fading away, the government of Turkey began a concerted campaign of
denial, an effort to re-write history and erase the memory of 1.5
million innocent victims. They fought and continue to fight us in
university campuses by bribing professors to teach revised history,
they fought us to this very day in the halls of Congress and in the
Senate, where they use multi-million dollar paid lobbyists to block
Genocide recognition by convincing our nation’s leadership to put
politics over humanity. They fought us and continue to fight us in
Turkey, in Istanbul, on the streets where courageous voices like Hrant
Dink are harassed, arrested and murdered. They fought us and continue
to fight us, but we have the truth on our side." To this statement,
the crowd began to clap and cheer, people started shouting bravo and
the energy was increasing.
It was a cold day, the sky brilliantly blue and the sun hidden
behind the dome of City Hall. But with banners and flags, with loud
speakers and clapping hands, with scarves of red, blue and orange,
people huddled, laughed, jumped, shouted and protested the continuing
denial of an unmistakable part of history.
"Our struggle for Genocide recognition does not begin and end on one
afternoon of one month of one year. It’s a struggle we must fight in
every day of every year. We, as the descendants of the survivors of
the first Genocide of the 20th century, owe this much to those who
lost their lives and we have an especially strong obligation to stand
up and be the voice of the victims of the first Genocide of the 21st
century."
This year, the Armenian Genocide rally was also dedicated to those
who have suffered in Darfur. The representitive from the Bay Area
Darfur coalition came to speak, the first Iranian American supervisor
spoke, poems were read in English and Armenian by a member from the UC
Berkeley Armenian Student Organization, Armenian Youth Federation
members sang songs in Armenian about the Genocide. After this, the
group of 150 people walked around the four-block square of City Hall
and Civic Center, calling and responding: "1915 never again," "Eastern
Turkey is Western Armenia," and "Turkey run, Turkey hide, Turkey
guilty of genocide".
Traffic was blocked, people honked their horns in support and each
and every Armenian and American stood proudly, their voices heard,
their sense of identity being revealed and accepted. Several people
shared stories about ancestors having been killed and stories having
been passed on. One man said that the stories came too late. Visiting
from Baltimore, he came to this event because he wanted to pay homage
to the stories he heard. A young woman from Detroit explained how her
mother watched while Turks killed her grandmother, her brother. Her
mother managed to escape and eventually came to America to raise a
family. The stories seemed endless, every person had something to
share.
As the sun began setting, more and more people arrived for the
evening event at the renowned Herbst Theatre. On stage was a 90 piece
orchestra preparing to play pieces by well known Armenian composers —
Aram Khachatourian, Altunyan and Gomidas. But before the orchestra
played, over 500 people had to be seated, several people had to speak,
a moment of silence had to be experienced and a standing ovation had
to be given to a survivor of the Armenian genocide who was present at
the event, Haiganoush Markarian, 105 years old.
At the foot of the stage was a large picture of the person to whom
this event was dedicated, Hrant Dink, a man who died because of his
voice, because of his commitment to Armenian people.
Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco came to speak and also
received a standing ovation. He has long been a supporter of the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and has written several letters
to the speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi. When asked about the pain
of denial, he had this to say: "Dr. King said that the long arch of
history always bends toward justice. Ninety-two years is a long wait
to get that recognition but that long arch of history will bend and
the Armenian community will receive the appropriate recognition they
deserve."
***************************** **********************************************
8. Honoring the documentarian, honoring his subjects
* Jewish community screens "Voices from the Lake"
by Lory Tatoulian
ENCINO, Calif. -On the eve of April 24th, 500 people gathered in the
sanctuary of the Valley Beth Shalom (VBS) synagogue to view J. Michael
Hagopian’s critically acclaimed documentary, Voices from the Lake.
VBS rabbi Ed Feinstein and Marcey Rainey, head of the Jewish World
Watch organization at VBS made the opening remarks of the evening.
Rainey expressed the importance of world recognition of the Armenia
Genocide. "Our experience with the Jewish Holocaust makes it a matter
of conscience for the Jewish people to respond and recognize the grief
and anguish of others," she said. "It is incumbent upon us to stand up
and recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915."
Before the screening of his film, Hagopian synopsized Armenian
history’s rich and perilous past to an audience of equally mixed
Armenians and non-Armenians. Hagopian’s film offered the audience a
chilling and powerful documentation of the massacres that occurred in
the Kharpert-Mezrek region in 1915. Kharpert was one of the 400 towns
and villages that were pillaged by Ottoman Turks.
Voices from the Lake explores the political dynamic of the Turkish
and German alliance. It also offers eyewitness accounts of European
and American missionaries and the unfettered and traumatizing personal
narratives of genocide survivors. Images in the film oscillate between
the bloody landscapes of Kharpert to the serene orchards of Fresno.
The documentary includes Hagopian’s own biographical survival story.
The filmmaker was an infant in Kharpert when the Genocide began. His
parents placed him in a well underneath a mulberry tree, so that the
Turks would not seize him. Miraculously, Hagopian survived and was
found by his parents. Like many other Genocide survivors from
Kharpert, the Hagopian family sought refuge in Fresno, Calif.
Hushed throughout the film’s closing credits, the audience came to
life again during the symposium that followed. Hagopian and Rabbi
Feinstein were joined by Rabbi Harold Schulweis, the founder of the
Jewish World Watch.
In his opening comments, Rabbi Schulweis fervently addressed
Hagopian saying, "When I watched the documentary, there is a shock of
recognition. How many times do you have to prove your death? What kind
of evidence do you need to over and over again claim the obvious? It
is one thing to die, but much more humiliating to be told that you
never lived."
During the half-hour symposium, there was a volley of conversation
between the three men. Hagopian answered many questions, one of which
was: "What message would you want to give to the younger generations?"
"I would like the audience and the younger generations to know about
the truth," answered Hagopian. "The truth is what I am interested in,
and I hope someday there can be justice."
Hagopian added that younger generations of Armenians are forming
political action groups to raise awareness about other genocides like
the ones in Rwanda and Darfur. The pathos of Armenians has expanded
its scope, said Hagopian, and it is embracing other ethnic groups, who
have been victims of genocide. "What happens to one people, happens to
all of us," said Hagopian.
Hagopian’s success as a filmmaker has traversed many decades. He has
been making documentaries for 50 years. He won two Emmys for his first
full-length feature, A Forgotten Genocide.
Voices from the Lake is a part of a trilogy that includes the films
Germany and the Secret Genocide and the yet-to-be-released Caravans
Along the Euphrates.
Hagopian holds a doctorate in International Relations from Harvard
University. As a young instructor at UCLA, dissatisfied with the
quality of educational films then available, he decided to make his
own. Hagopian produced dozens of them and also undertook the mission
of producing insightful and scholarly documentaries on the Armenian
Genocide. Now 92, he is an erudite man, full of compassion and
bravado.
The event was organized by Jewish World Watch, which has set out to
mobilize the Jewish community in order to combat genocide and shed
light on human rights issues.
On Friday April 27, Jewish World Watch will be hosting dinner and
Shabbat Service at Valley Beth Shalom to commemorate the Armenian
Genocide. Honored guest will include Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and
musical selections by concertmaster Mark Kashper and St. Peter
Armenian Church Choir and Valley Beth Shalom Choir.
****************************************** *********************************
9. Tricolor raised over Fresno City Hall
* Central California marks Genocide anniversary
by Sarah Soghomonian
FRESNO, Calif. — Ninety-second anniversary commemorations of the
Armenian Genocide began in Central California on April 24th with a
flag raising ceremony. More than 150 people, including city officials
gathered at City Hall to raise the Armenian flag. This year marked the
fourth time the city of Fresno flew the Armenian flag alongside the
American flag on April 24th.
Eric Mouradian, 26, of Fresno has attended the flag raising ceremony
each year. "It is nice to see the city acknowledge what the country
doesn’t," Mouradian said. "It is important to my culture. You can’t
forget were you’ve come from. This keeps it alive."
Across town in North Fresno, the Armenian Studies Program at
California State University, Fresno, also held a ceremony to
commemorate the Armenian Genocide. About 100 students gathered at the
center of campus to hear speakers, including former Fresno City
Council member Tom Boyajian, speak about the horror that occurred
during World War I.
One by one students placed a carnation at the base of a Mt. Ararat
memorial. The flowers are in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians
killed at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.
Jennifer Hamamjian, a 23-year-old senior, says the April 24th
commemoration is about paying respect to history. "It is important
because I’m representing my ancestors," she said. "I have to keep the
spirit alive."
The final commemoration event held in Fresno on April 24th was the
largest. The day was capped off with a joint commemoration program
planned and organized by the Armenian Church Interdenominational
Committee of Fresno. Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Pilgrim
Armenian Congregational Church, St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church,
St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Fowler and First Armenian
Presbyterian Church took part in the joint commemoration.
"This is a beautiful representation because it is all the churches
in the community coming together as one," said Hamamjian, who also
attended the evening events. "That doesn’t happen often."
A standing room only crowd attended the commemoration at First
Armenian Presbyterian Church. The keynote speakers were Rev. Fr.
Yeghia Hairabedian of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Fowler
and former California State Senator Charles Poochigian. Both spoke of
the importance of nations to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
"Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide is important for all peace
loving people," said Poochigian, whose grandmother was orphaned during
the genocide.
Like Poochigian most in attendance had personal stories to tell
about the Genocide. Vahaken Vanoyan, 73, of Fresno, came to honor the
relatives he never got to know. "I have no family, they all died," he
said.
Vanoyan’s father, who lived in Palou near Kharpet, was one of 18
children. He was the only one in his family to survive. The orphan
worked as a slave for the Kurds before eventually settling in Lebanon,
were Vanoyan was born. "There is no other nation that sacrificed as
much for Christianity," said Vanoyan. "We Armenians are true
Christians."
The most touching part of the ceremony came when 12 remaining local
survivors were honored with plaques.
Sarkis Kalfayan, a 95-year-old survivor, spoke about his survival in
a video interview. He explained that he and his mother were able to
take a boat to Cairo, Egypt. "None of us will ever see the Turks
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide," Kalfayan said in a strong and
passionate tone.
Those in attendance were also treated to a musical treat. Gianeh and
Ovanes Arakelyan, renowned pianists who have previously performed at
Carnegie Hall, showcased their talent at the memorial.
Also on hand was the choir from Lark Junior High in Los Angeles. The
group of young Armenian ladies performed an array of music, including
the Hayr mer, Sourp, Sourp and Hayasdan.
Central California Armenians came together this April 24th as they
do each year. They gathered to remember and pay their respects to
those lost. The message was clear: commemoration is necessary because
the Genocide can not be forgotten.
************************************** *************************************
10. AYF remembers the deaths of 1.5 million . . . plus 1
NEW YORK — Hundreds of young Armenians, traveling from points in New
England, Philadelphia, and even the Midwest, converged on New York’s
Union Square on Saturday, April 21, for what organizers called a
"vigil/protest" to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
For 12 hours, from noon till midnight, the young people gathered
under the sponsorship of the Eastern Region’s Armenian Youth
Federation to raise public awareness of the events of 1915, and of the
continuing denial of the Genocide by the Turkish government.
While the massacres of 92 years ago provided the motivation for the
protesters, their message was given greater urgency by the murder, a
mere three months ago, of journalist Hrant Dink. Dink’s life and
legacy were the subject of speeches during the vigil, and his murder
in broad daylight by a conspiracy of Turkish nationalists was
characterized as the latest act in the Armenian Genocide.
An element of "street theater" made the protest especially vivid for
passersby on Union Square, one of New York’s busiest thoroughfares,
which has long been associated with America’s moral crusades,
especially the abolition of slavery. Young Armenians stood with duct
tape over their mouths, while holding placards reading "The world was
silent in 1915." According to the protesters, that silence eventually
led to the subsequent genocides of the 20th century, which continue to
the present day. Ending the "cycle of genocide" requires forthright
recognition of the Armenian tragedy and all subsequent acts of
genocide.
As the sun set, the activists continued their vigil by candlelight
until the event officially concluded at midnight.
*************************************** ************************************
11. Philadelphia marks April 24 with badaraks, hokehankists, a talk, and a vigil
by Andrew Kevorkian
PHILADELPHIA — A late-night candlelight vigil on the University of
Pennsylvania campus closed this city’s program to mark the 92nd
anniversary of the start of the 20th century’s first state-planned and
state-executed genocide.
As usual, the commemoration activities were organized by the
Armenian Inter-Communal Committee of Philadelphia, an organization
made up of the five area churches. The St,. Gregory the Illuminator
Church was this year’s "host," and the activities centered there.
On April 24, there was an evening badarak attended by members of the
five churches, followed by an outdoor hokehankist in front of the
church’s Genocide Memorial khatchkar. The program closed with a talk
by Dr. Ani Kalayjian on the effects of trauma on the survivors of the
Genocide, on their families, and on the Armenians in general.
As the pastor of the host church, Fr. Nerses Manoogian celebrated
the liturgy, but as the senior clergyman present, Archbishop Yeghishe
Gizirian celebrated the outdoor requiem service. The members of the
five choirs, led by St. Gregory’s Maroush Nigon, took part in the
services. Other clergy present were Fr. Tateos Abdalian, of the Holy
Trinity Church; Rev. Armenag Bedrosian, of St Mark’s Church; and
Maronite Fr. Paul Mouawad, and Fr. James King, retired Melchite
priest.
Hrant Jilozian, chairman of the committee, opened the evening
program, and introduced Frank Murphy, a resident of Delaware County
who worked to get his local council to adopt a Genocide-Recognition
Resolution and who also "facilitated" (his word) the introduction of a
similar Resolution in the State Senate, working with the majority
leader Senator Dominic Pileggi. Speaking very briefly, Murphy reasoned
that "truth cannot be denied," and he explained that the measure was
for all people, adding "especially for my children"– an allusion to
the fact that his children attend the Armenian Sisters Academy in
Radnor.
Dr. Kalayjian, an authority on the effects of trauma, who was
introduced to it through the experiences of her parents and, through
them, the experiences of her grandparents, related to her audience how
trauma has affected the actual survivors, their families, and,
eventually, all Armenians.
Going into the sort of detail that may have been excessive for her
audience, Dr. Kalayjian listed the phases and the signs of trauma and
suggested the steps needed to overcome lingering effects, indicating
that one of these stages is reconciliation with the Turks.
Using this as a step-stone, she recounted her own oft-times
harrowing experiences in dealing with Turks on a professional level,
and her brushes with the Turkish Police — which left this listener,
at least, to think that perhaps it is the Turks who have a problem
with trauma, and that they must resolve their problems before there
can be any reconciliation with them.
Almost 300 people were present.
* Candlelight vigil
The vigil held on the Campus Green beginning at 10:00 p.m. was
organized by the co-chairs of the Armenian Students Association of the
University of Pennsylvania (ASAUP), Varty Defterderian and Mark
Williams. The mournful music of Djivan Gasparian’s duduk drew passing
students to the Armenian group before the start of a brief program.
Participating were Kristen Ashbalian, Ani Gevorkian, Garnik
Sarkisian, Mark Williams, and Julia Shen, who among them recounted
various phases of the Genocide, its historical significance, and the
importance of remembrance and recognition. Gevorkian recited
Siamento’s famous poem, "The Dance." Shen’s message was "what affects
one, affects all" and she spoke of the genocide in Darfur as the
result of people forgetting the Armenian Genocide.
Defterderian, who opened the program with an explanation of the
purpose of the vigil and its need, closed with a reminder that though
various world leaders had condemned the Genocide at the time, the
world chose to forget those pious words, and the genocides of the rest
of the 20th century attested to the effects of that folly.
The brief program completed, many of the students stayed on to
discuss what they heard.
The ASAUP was a moribund group until it was revived a year ago. Its
advisor is Dr. Ara Chalian, who teaches at the University’s Medical
School.
Although April 24 was the official date of the observance, the St.
Gregory Church also held a remembrance service on Sunday, April 22.
Following the badarak, celebrated by Fr. Moushegh Der Kaloustian,
called out of retirement for the occasion, there was a hokehankist in
front of the church’s Genocide Memorial khatchkar. The singing of
patriotic songs, completed the brief ceremony of remembrance.
The church’s annual April 24 madagh "for 1,500,001 martyrs"
followed. Dr. Chalian, who is chairman of the Pennsylvania ANC,
introduced a slide presentation that marked "92 Years of Lies and
Denial," that also included photos dating back through those 92 years.
He said that as long as the White House and the State Department
refuse to accept the truth of the Genocide, the efforts of the
Armenians must continue. "That we are on the road to victory," he
said, "is shown by all the people who are fighting us." He urged
everyone to contact the Commonwealth’s two senators and their local
congressman to be sure that they worked to pass both the Senate and
the House Genocide Resolutions.
In addition to this year’s chair Hrant Jilozian, other members of
the Armenian Inter-Communal Committee are Tanya Parechian of the Holy
Trinity Church (vice-chair); David S. Nalbantian of St. Sahag and St.
Mesrob Church (treasurer); Vikhen Keshishian of Holy Martyrs Church,
and Gary Bizdikian of St. Mark’s Church (advisors). The committee is
comprised of the pastor and three members from each church.
The delicious refreshments after the April 24 program were produced
by the Ladies Guild of the St. Gregory’s Church.
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12. Binghamton community remembers the events of 1915
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — On Sunday, April 22, the St. Gregory the
Illuminator Church of Binghamton along with the Armenian community of
Broome County commemorated the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. About 100 people attended the event.
Present were Kevin McCabe, a representative from New York Governor
Eliot Spitzer; Bob Messinger, representing U.S. Congressman Michael
Arcuri; State Senator Thomas Libous; City of Binghamton Mayor Matt
Ryan; and Binghamton City Councilmen Pat Russo and Chris Papastrat.
Statements were read from Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles
Schumer, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, State Assemblywoman Donna
Lupardo, and Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress