Members of the Mousa Ler Association of Fresno at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Mousa Ler monument that will be installed at the Masis Ararat Cemetery in Fresno, CA
BY CAREEN DERKALOUSDIAN
The Armenian community of Fresno, California on Saturday, April 29 gathered at the Masis Ararat Cemetery to witness the groundbreaking of the Mousa Ler monument. The event was planned by the Mousa Ler Association of Fresno and consisted of several guest speakers and a religious service. A reception took place after the groundbreaking at First Armenian Presbyterian Church.
The monument is being built in honor of the eighteen martyrs who gave their lives to save the region of Mousa Ler, a region that consisted of six villages, from the Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide. The battle at Mousa Ler was a significant resistance effort as 600 Armenian fighters and 4,000 civilians were able to fend off 19,000 Turkish troops. The leaders of the resistance were Movses Derkalousdian, Reverend Dikran Antreassian, Yesayi Yakhubian, Nerses Kazandjian, and Yesayi Aprahamian. Although small in numbers, the villages of Mousa Ler successfully resisted the Turks for 53 days. They were eventually rescued in 1915 by the French navy and delivered to safety at Port Said in Egypt. In 1918, the province came under French control, and the Armenian villagers returned to the Mousa Ler region. However, in 1939, the province was given back to Turkey, and most of the villagers fled to Anjar, Lebanon. Anjar is a small town that is today divided into six districts commemorating each of the villages of Mousa Ler.
Members of the Mousa Ler Association of Fresno at the groundbreaking event Organizers of the event with local clergy who performed a religious service during the event
The groundbreaking event began with Chairman of the Mousa Ler Association Nshan Derkalousdian’s opening speech, where he highlighted the significance of the monument and expressed his gratitude for the individuals who made its construction a reality. He then invited the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia, Berj Apkarian, up to the podium to share his pride in the unity and hard work of the Armenian community. The chairman of the Masis Ararat Cemetery, Mark Topoozian, also expressed his appreciation for the monument. “Mousa Dagh became a symbol of the Armenian will to survive, and this monument will definitely attest to this,” said Topoozian.
Before the groundbreaking, a religious service was held by the local clergy, consisting of Senior Pastor Nerses Balabanian, Pastor Reverend Father Ashod Khachadourian, and Reverend Father Yesai Bedros. A highlight of the service was the reading of a passage from the book of Romans. “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” said Badveli Balabanian. Father Khachadourian then blessed the foundation of the monument. The clergy and members of the Mousa Ler Association gathered to bury the remains of one of the martyrs under the foundation before saying a prayer.
A scale model of the Mousa Ler monument was on display at the groundbreaking event
“It’s been a dream of all of ours for years and years, and it’s finally coming true,” said Ara Karkazian, treasurer of the Mousa Ler Association. He shared with the audience that his father was one of the men who built the original monument in Mousa Ler and that his dream is finally being realized. He expressed how Armenians build wherever they go and improve their surroundings. Chairman Derkalousdian then said his closing remarks, and people gathered to initiate the groundbreaking.
The monument is being built at the Masis Ararat Cemetery in Fresno near the Soghomon Tehlirian monument. A model of the structure and plans were created by architect Garbis Kataroian and structural engineer George Kiledjian. The structure is an exact replica of the monument built in Mousa Ler in 1932. Half of the structure represents an altar with two crosses and the other half depicts a ship representing the French fleet that rescued the villagers and delivered them to safety in Egypt. The original structure built in Mousa Ler was later destroyed by Turkish civilians.
A sign that reads ‘Future Site of the Mousa Ler Monument’ posted at the site where the monument will be installed
Building this structure is not only a legacy to future generations, but it also represents the victory of Armenians over repression and their unwavering perseverance. This monument is a testament to the fact that Armenians build wherever they go and that God always delivers us from the hands of our enemies.
Careen Derkalousdian is a sophomore biochemistry major at California State University, Fresno and a student in the university’s Armenian Studies program. She is also a descendant of the leader of the Mousa Dagh resistance, Movses Derkalousdian.