USA
The tragedy of 1915 still in the skin of young Armenians of Los Angeles
“Since we are children, we are told about the genocide, then I think
about every day, it makes me sad,” said Edward Papikian. Like his
comrade Pilibos Armenian College in Los Angeles, he is preparing to
commemorate the centenary of the massacres of the Ottoman Empire
against its people.
“I want everyone to know what happened. There were 1.5 million
Armenians massacred, my great-grandparents were deported, it wants
Turkey to recognize the genocide, pardon, “adds Nancy Bosnian, another
high school student of this school of so-called” Little Armenia “the
City of Angels.
On April 24, nearly 170,000 members of the Armenian community of Los
Angeles, one of the largest in the world, will march to mark the
centenary of what they see as the beginning of the genocide of their
people by the Ottoman Empire during the First World War.
Turkey recognizes about 500,000 victims in deportation, but denies
systematic planning and the term genocide.
Derhovaginian Patil, a professor at the School Pilibo, April 13, 2015
in Los Angeles (AFP / FREDERIC J. BROWN)
“We feel the pain of our ancestors, the pain of what they have
experienced in our skin even though we were not there,” adds Patil
Derhovaginian, a professor of Pilibos school, 34 years old.
The two year old daughter and a half Patil also take to the streets
with his parents: “She has a golden life here but must understand that
once a year, it is important to remember.”
Tigran, dance teacher, 22, repeated in the cultural center adjacent to
the school Pilibos choreography entitled “100 Years of wounds still
raw.”
“I think there is no better way to express the impact the massacre had
on my people that through dance,” he says.
Promised land –
For these young people born or grew up in the Californian metropolis
Armenian identity is everything.
“We are still a family. When there is an Armenian somewhere we know,
“said Nancy.
“When I travel, I look for Armenian churches, I listen to see if I can
hear my tongue,” added Silva Atsilatsyan, brunette with long brown
hair 25, who works in an insurance company.
Of schoolchildren drawings commemorating the Armenian Genocide, the
Armenian Pilibos School April 13, 2015 in Los Angeles (AFP / FREDERIC
J. BROWN)
All say speak an Armenian home. “The language is important, it opens
the door to reading, writing, it allows you to watch programs in
Armenian, understand the prayers, songs …” explains Vakan Manukian,
a student of 17 years the Pilibos school, with black hair and high
stature.
If he says cherish America, “for what this country where everyone can
live in safety gave to my family,” he has only Armenian friends and
plans to marry with a woman sharing his legacy.
Levon Ananyan, 14, sees no paradox “Armenia existed 3,000 years ago,
not America.”
Many of these young people have never met Turks but consider that the
problems between the two peoples are primarily political, not
personal.
“My grandfather told me about Turks who helped them escape the
massacres,” recalls John Yakhszyan, a student of Pilibos school.
“I know that there are Turks who still deny (genocide) but I work with
a Turkish woman and sometimes she apologizes, she said she would like
his government admits,” added Silva, with long brown hair .
Edward Papikian the Armenian College in Los Angeles Pilibos, April 13,
2015 (AFP / FREDERIC J. BROWN)
For her, like many of his peers, Armenia is a paradise, a promised
land. “I made a class trip there and when I saw for the first time
Mount Ararat, I burst into tears.”
In this month of April highly symbolic, the images of the Armenian
original reality TV star Kim Kardashian and her husband, singer Kanye
West in Yerevan have been around the world.
Silva applauded with both hands, “it just made the most important
thing in his life. We needed a celebrity to support our cause here in
America. ”
AFP
Sunday, April 19, 2015,
Stéphane © armenews.com
From: A. Papazian