NEARLY ALL CANADIAN POLITICAL FORCES STAND FOR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.04.2008 16:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over 1,000 Canadian-Armenians from Montreal, Laval,
Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Cambridge, and St. Catharines gathered
on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 24 to commemorate the 93rd
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee of Canada.

After playing the national anthems of Canada and Armenia by Homenetment
Montreal’s boy scouts band, Taline Abrakian, the master of ceremonies,
invited the gathering to observe a moment of silence in memory of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide and all other genocides.

Immediately thereafter, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of the
Armenian Prelacy of Canada; Rev. Mher S. Khatchikian of the Armenian
Evangelical Church of Montreal; Very Rev. Georges Zabarian from Notre
Dame de Nareg Armenian Catholic Church in Montreal and other clergymen
conducted a requiem service for the victims of the Genocide.

Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC), extended the Canadian-Armenian community’s "expressions
of gratitude to the Canadian Senate and the House of Commons for their
adoptions of resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide." Moreover,
he said that he was "proud as a Canadian of Armenian heritage to listen
to our Prime Minister reaffirm, in no uncertain terms, the position
of our government," on the Armenian Genocide as a Government policy.

Dr. Badsmadjian said that he welcomed the honest opinions of Turkish
genocide scholars, authors and historians, who have confirmed
unequivocally the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Turkish
government in 1915. "They deserve praise and congratulations because
they are victimized by their current government, not the government
of 1915.

Actually, the government of today does not miss any opportunity to
prosecute and punish honest Turkish academics who exercise their
freedom of expressions for anti-Turkishness and treason. The terror
against those academic voices is legalized by laws in Turkey."

Pierre Lemieux, parliamentary secretary for official languages and
deputy whip of the Conservative Party, talked about the positive
contributions the Canadian-Armenian community had made to Canada. He
said: "Armenian-Canadians are an integral part of this country’s
history, and Canadians of Armenian heritage have definitely made an
important contribution to the Canada of today."

As official opposition and as government, the Conservative Party
recognized the Armenian Genocide and would continue to do so, Lemieux
emphasized. He reminded everyone of the "letter that Prime Minister
Stephen Harper sent to the Armenian National Committee of Canada,"
where the prime minister said: "We have made it very clear that our
recognition of the Armenian genocide represents the official position
of the Government of Canada."

At the end of his speech, Mr. Lemieux read the Right Hon. Stephan
Harper’s message. The Prime Minister in his message "on the day of
commemoration of the Armenian genocide," recalled "the terrible loss
of life…and in particular the horrific suffering endured by the
Armenian people." He also reminded Canadians "that both Houses of
Parliament have adopted resolutions recognizing ‘the first genocide
of the twentieth century.’"

Dr. Bernard Party representing the Liberal Party of Canada, relayed
the message of the leader of the official opposition the Hon. Stephan
Dion. Mr. Dion said that he greeted with "deep reverence" the people
gathered on Parliament Hill to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide." He paused to "remember those Armenians who
were persecuted and killed in 1915" and expressed solidarity with
the survivors."

Madam Nicole Demers, representing the Bloc Quebecois, described her
fond memories about her recent visit to Armenia and her admiration of
the Armenian people. She told the gathering that she and her leader,
Gilles Duceppe, would stand by the Armenian community until justice
is rendered. She also urged Armenians to continue the struggle for
the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and that they
should not stop until it is achieved.

Paul Dewar, representing the New Democratic Party, read the NDP leader,
Mr. Jack Layton’s message where Mr. Layton committed the NDP to work
with the Canadian-Armenian community to "press other countries to
recognize this horrific chapter of our collective history and for
non-governmental organizations such as the UN to recognize one of
the worse crimes against humanity in the 20th century."

In his speech, Jon-Carlos Tsilfidis, director of public relations of
the Pontian Community in Toronto, recalled the Armenian Genocide as
"an unprecedented event in human history both in terms of the misery
and destruction it exacted…Many have called it the first holocaust
of the 20th century but sadly, it was not the last…Sadly, there are
still some people who deny the very existence of the Genocide… This
is why events such as the gathering of today are vital…We have to
shout out the truth, to amplify our memories and to let them resonate
in the historical record… In the Turkey of today, Armenian Genocide
denial has somehow been transformed into national doctrine.

"My message to you today is that we can never forget.

We, as the Greeks of Pontos, share your pain of the past and are
prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. We know all too well about
‘relocations’, ‘deportations’, and death marches. We have been down
that road ourselves as well. We will walk step by step with you."

The keynote speaker, Ken Hachikian, chairman of the Armenian National
Committee of America, reiterated that "Canada’s recognition of the
Armenian Genocide both holds profound meaning for the Armenian nation
and has sent a powerful message to the government of Turkey as well
as to those who condone Turkey’s campaign of denial by looking the
other way… The acknowledgement of this crime by your Parliament
and Prime Minister Stephen Harper – in the face of fierce foreign
threats and intimidation and no end of political pressure – speaks
to Canada’s courage in matching her actions with her ideals. It
also speaks to her special role as a worldwide leader in advancing
human rights…In taking this step toward justice for the Armenian
Genocide, Canada served many noble aims, first and foremost among
them the cause of our collective conscience, our shared morality,
and our common humanity as citizens of the international community."

Hachikian said that a "vital part of ending the cycle of genocide is
rejecting the denial of past genocides…As Armenians we are owed a
profound debt, but also carry a special burden like the Jews, Pontians,
Assyrians, Cambodians, Rwandans, and, unfortunately, too many others
– to bear witness to the suffering visited upon our people. To make
sure that the horrors of our past are not repeated against any other
people, anywhere in the world."

The ANCA Chairman said he considered it chilling and ominous "the
growing military partnership between Sudan and Turkey. The recent
red carpet, three-day visit to Turkey by Sudan’s president," and
the Sudanese Government usage of "Turkish arms to kill the people
of Darfur."

The ANCA chairman said that he found it ironic that after 93 years of
the Armenian Genocide that "Sudan is today using the same tactics –
including starvations and deportations – used by the Ottoman Empire
against Armenians in 1915."

Furthermore, he said: "Sudan is today already employing the same
hateful methods used by Turkey to deny the Armenian Genocide."

At the conclusion of his remarks, Hachikian stated that "denial
stands in the way of the truth. And without the truth, we can never
have justice."

Thereafter the dignitaries and the people at the gathering laid
flowers around the Centennial Flame in memory of the victims.

Among dignitaries present were Secretary of State for Multiculturalism
and Canadian Identity Jason Kenney’s chief of staff; the Executive
Assistant of the President of Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Group
President, Gary Goodyear; and Eric Vernon representing the Canadian
Jewish Congress.

Then started the march toward the Turkish Embassy to protest the
Turkish Government’s denial policy, and called on the Turkish
Government to recognize the Genocide.

Earlier in the day, a delegation headed by Dr. Vagarch Ehrmadjian,
Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, visited the
Embassy of Armenian in Ottawa and laid a wreath at the "Armenia
Immortal" monument which is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian
Genocide.