ARMENIANS, TOO, VOW TO NEVER FORGET THEIR GENOCIDE
By David Silverstein, dsilverstein@lowellsun.com

Lowell Sun (Massachusetts)
April 23, 2007 Monday

LOWELL — John Dulgarian never met his grandparents.

They died in 1915, 12 years before he was born and five years before
his father fled from the Ottoman Empire and made a home in Lowell.

Their deaths came at the start of an 80-year period that remains
an open wound for the world’s Armenian communities. Yesterday,
remembering that era was the focus of a parade and flag-raising
ceremony in downtown.

About 60 people gathered at Merrimack and John streets and marched
to City Hall to recall that dark chapter in which 1.5 million people
lost their lives at the hands of the Ottoman Turks.

A color guard of Armenian-American veterans led the way, followed by
children holding a banner reading "Remember our Armenian martyrs."

They were tailed by the remainder of the procession, some of whom
brandished miniature Armenian flags or carried placards adorned with
somber messages and images.

For those in attendance, there is no question as to what it was
their ancestors endured, and what they were there to commemorate;
an act of genocide.

However, Turkey officially insists that from 1915 to 1923, the area
was embroiled in civil war, which led to the deaths. That position
has been decried by Armenian activists, intellectuals and governments
around the world which maintain that facts point toward genocide.

The United States government does not officially recognize the killings
as genocide, a stance proponents for Armenians said is motivated by
political undertones.

"People are trying to rewrite history," said Joseph Dagdigian, chairman
of the Merrimack Valley branch of the Armenian National Committee.

Dagdigian distributed a pamphlet signed by prominent scholars and
writers such as Howard Zinn and Kurt Vonnegut. The pamphlet alleged
that America’s inaction in regards to classifying the killings as
a genocide stems from American military concerns dating back almost
60 years.

"Beginning in the Cold War era, Turkey has periodically coerced the
U.S. government … by threatening to close U.S. air bases in Turkey,"
the pamphlet said.

"A mature society should admit its guilt. It is time Turkey
acknowledges its role in the Armenian genocide," said Dina Apovian,
25, of Newton.

Speakers included Mayor Bill Martin, councilors Jim Milinazzo and
Rita Mercier, Khatchig Mouradian, editor of The Armenian Weekly,
and Fred Simon, representing state Sen. Steve Panagiotakos.

"The world has to not let the status quo remain," Simon said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress