ARMENIANS COMMEMORATE GENOCIDE
Clint Olivier & Charlene Lee
KMPH Fox 26, CA –
April 25 2008
Hundreds gathered at Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church in Downtown
Fresno, to pray and remember.
"It’s not just recognizing the Armenian Genocide, but it’s recognizing
all genocide in general," Jennifer Torosian said.
Torosian and Knar Mekhitarian are members of the campus Armenian
organization at Fresno State.
Torosian isn’t unlike other worshippers, who have a personal connection
to the tragedy.
Torosian’s grandparents were tailors, and only survived by making
uniforms for the Turkish Army.
"There was a genocide committed, and now we’re asking for justice,"
Father Vahan Gostanian said.
He is talking about another element of the April 24th story,
reaffirming support for lawmakers in Congress to keep working toward
official recognition of the killings.
Former state lawmaker Chuck Poochigian agrees and blames the pressure
placed on U.S. lawmakers by Turkey’s government for the delay.
"It’s very painful for Armenians around the world to have to deal
with the denial of that historical fact," Poochigian said.
And on this solemn 93rd anniversary, Jennifer Torosian says she’s
committed to using what she knows about the struggle of her ancestors,
to make the world a better place for everyone.
"History will repeat itself if we don’t stop and learn from our
mistakes in the past," she said.
Attendees point to the mass killings in Darfur and the Sudan in Africa
as places where genocide is still going on, and must be stopped.