ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATED IN TURKEY
Ayse Gunaysu

an-genocide-commemorated-in-turkey/
April 27, 2009

ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)-On April 24, the Istanbul branch of the Human
Rights Organization of Turkey organized an event commemorating the
Armenian Genocide in Istanbul. The commemoration was held in what
was formerly the "tobacco warehouse," now renovated and being used
for exhibitions, events, and meetings.

The event opened with Armenian and Assyrian songs performed by the
group "Kardes Turkuler" (Songs of Brotherhood).

Lawyer Eren Keskin greeted the audience, numbering around 150,
and said: "Today is the 24th of April, the 94th anniversary of the
arrests in Istanbul which started the Armenian Genocide in 1915." She
added, "The official history [in Turkey] denies the genocide, but we
know what happened and we believe it’s important to tell people the
truth. So, today we will commemorate the most brilliant intellectuals
of the Ottoman Armenians: the poets, writers, physicians, lawyers,
and members of parliament, who were taken away on the 24th of April,
1915 and murdered."

The Bosphorus Performance Arts Group presented the life stories
and poems of three great Armenian poets who perished during the
genocide-Roupen Sevag, Siamanto, and Taniel Varoujan-as well as the
life and work of writer, lawyer, and parliamentary member Krikor
Zohrab, who was also killed during the genocide. The presentation was
accompanied by photographs projected onto a screen and Armenian folk
music played in the background.

Publisher Ragip Zarakolu talked about Teotig, the Armenian writer who
was arrested together with the others but escaped miraculously, and
his famous book Hushartzan Abril Dasnimegi, which will be published
in Turkish soon by the Belge publishing house. An exhibition of
pages from this book was held in conjunction with the event, with
lit candles under each page. A brief Turkish translation of each page
was also provided.

In turn, Eren Keskin talked about Gomidas, while songs performed
by Gomidas himself (recorded in 1912 in Paris) were played in the
background and his photographs projected on the screen. At the end,
Eren Keskin said, "Let’s leave the last word to Gomidas Vartabed." And
Gomidas’ song "Karun a" was heard while images of the deportation of
Armenians were projected on the screen.