Armenian President’s address on the occasion of the 95th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide
2010-04-24 11:44:00
ArmInfo. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has addressed his people
on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
"Dear compatriots!
Today is April 24. An unprecedented crime was committed on that day 95
years ago. It was a well-planned state program which has had horrible
consequences not only for the Armenian nation but for the whole human
history. This program was aimed at annihilating Armenians and was
perpetrated by the whole state machinery of the Ottoman Empire.
Apr 24 1915 is a landmark in the history of the Armenian nation. On
that day the Armenian history was split in two: before and after.
As many as 1,500,000 victims, a whole nation having lost its homeland,
elimination of an ancient culture – this is what happened when the
mania to annihilate Armenians had become a state policy and ideology.
The Ottoman regime hoped that the supviving debris of the Armenian
nation would not be able to revive, would get lost between the five
continents and would no longer have national identity or ability to be
a political factor. However, we have found strengths to come back onto
the international political scene, as a nation and a state. Today, we
continue our centuries-long way and are firmly resolved to prevent the
recurrence of such crimes in the future. We are grateful to all those
people worldwide – in Turkey as well – who realize the importance of
preventing such crimes against humanity and support us in our
struggle. This process has no alternative.
Dear compatriots!
Today, together with Armenians worldwide, I am bowing down before the
memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. They have left a
message for us: to live and to act in the name of kindness and beauty,
for the sake of our Fatherland, our national goals and whole humankind
and we will not betray their memory and their behest.