PRESS RELEASE
All-Armenian Students’ Association
690 Veteran Ave #316
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Contact: Iren Tatevosyan
Cell: (818) 939-5506
Email: irentatevosyan@yahoo.com
All-ASA Condemns Campaign Attacking Armenian Studies
LOS ANGELES–The All-Armenian Students Association (All-ASA), a
confederation of Armenian American college student organizations, has
condemned a recent smear campaign by an undisclosed group alleging a
concerted effort to falsify Armenian history within Armenian studies
programs across the US.
Adopted with a unanimous vote on February 22, the resolution deplored
the campaign’s efforts to `spread disinformation’ by circulating an
online petition alleging Turkish government and CIA influence over
Armenian Studies and Armenian Studies’ professors in the United
States.
`We, the Armenian Students’ Associations, call upon the public not to
be deceived by this campaign and to reject and repudiate the
reprehensible attempts to discredit professors and scholars,’ the
resolution said, adding that history should be debated `among
recognized historians within an academic setting.’
The campaign `Against the Falsification of Armenian History,=80=9D is
not a student initiative, the All-ASA said, `but rather the work of a
self-appointed and self-immersed group, does not serve a scholastic
purpose.’
Simultaneously with the online petition, the group had also produced
and uploaded a series of videos on YouTube defaming Armenian Studies
professors with arguments `based on inaccurate information, personal
attacks and character assassination,’ the All-ASA said.
`We believe in the benefit of the overall Armenian people and a
campaign as such creates conflict with minimal tangible results,’ the
resolution said, adding that the confederation will `firmly stand
against this attempt at compromising the work’ of Armenian Studies
Chairs in the United States.
The All-ASA confederation provides a forum for participating
independent Armenian American colleges’ student groups through which
these organizations may facilitate cooperative initiatives and
deliberate on issues faced by the Armenian college student community.
In regards to the campaign and the petition being circulated against
the Armenian Studies Chairs in the United States:
Whereas, we believe in the benefit of the overall Armenian people and
a campaign as such creates conflict with minimal tangible results,
Whereas, a campaign based on inaccurate information, personal attacks
and character assassination does not serve a scholastic purpose,
Whereas, we believe this campaign is not a student initiative as
claimed, but rather the work of a self-appointed and self-immersed
group,
Whereas, the campaign spreads disinformation to individuals urged to
sign an on-line petition alleging Turkish government and CIA influence
over Armenian Studies and Armenian Studies professors in the United
States,
Be it resolved that we, the Armenian Students’ Associations;
Firmly
stand against this attempt at compromising the work and positions
of the Armenian Studies and Armenian Studies Chairs.
Deplore
the current campaign of defamation of professors of Armenian Studies.
Encourage
debate among recognized historians within an academic setting.
Call
upon the public not to be deceived by this campaign and to reject
and repudiate the reprehensible attempts to discredit professors
and scholars.
Standing in
solidarity the Armenian Students’ Associations (ASA) of:
Cal Poly Pomona CPP
Cal State University Northridge CSUN
Glendale Community College GCC
Los Angeles Valley College LAVC
Loyola Marymount University LMU
Pasadena Community College PCC
Shant Students’ Association SSA
University of California – Berkeley UCB
University of California – Irvine UCI
University of California – Los Angeles UCLA
& Armenian Graduate Students’ Association UCLA AGSA
University of California – Riverside UCR
University of California – San Diego UCSD
University of California – Santa Barbara UCSB
University of Southern California USC
Woodbury University Woodbury
Armenian Youth Federation – WR AYF