Author: Kalantarian Kevo

LE GENOCIDE N’EST PAS LE FACTEUR DETERMINANT DE NOTRE IDENTITE

Publie le : 04-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous invite
a lire cette interview publiee sur le site Repair le 3 mars 2015.

Repair

Le mardi 3 mars 2015

Interview avec Gerard Libaridian, Historien americain, conseiller
principal du premier President armenien Levon Ter-Petrossian, dans
les annees 90.

Dans cette interview, realisee par Ara Tadevosyan et publiee sur le
site Mediamax le 13 janvier 2015, Gerard Libaridian explique pourquoi
avril 2015 sera forcement decevant et repète que le plus important
est de ne pas oublier le genocide tout en essayant de ne pas etre
dependant de cette question. Il rappelle egalement que les structures
armeniennes existaient avant le genocide armenien et insiste sur le
fait qu’il ne faut pas sacrifier la nouvelle generation en Armenie
sur l’autel de la reconnaissance.

La traduction de cette interview en francais a ete effectuee par
REPAIR Plateforme Armeno-Turque.

Ara Tadevosyan : M. Libaridian, que va t-il arriver le 25 Avril ?

Pensez-vous que nous avons des attentes exagerees quant au centenaire
du genocide armenien ?

Gerard Libaridian : Je crains que nous nous reveillerons un peu decus
du 25 Avril. L’etat et des organisations parlent de programmes et
d’evenements a grande echelle dont les subtilites ne sont pas encore
claires. Je suis enclin a penser qu’ils vont faire ce qu’ils ont
fait au cours des annees passees, a une plus grande echelle. Ce qui,
toutefois ne conduira pas a un changement qualitatif.

Il y a aussi cette impression que nous faisons tout ca pour
les etrangers en premier lieu, et agissons par ignorance envers la
question elle-meme. En realite, beaucoup de choses restent devant nous
en ce qui concerne le genocide armenien, mais nous nous concentrons
psychologiquement sur la reconnaissance internationale. Il n’y aura
de changement qualitatif que lorsque nous ferons des changements
institutionnels au sujet de la question du genocide et oublierons la
reconnaissance internationale pendant un certain temps.

Personnellement, je ne me soucie guère plus de savoir si Obama ou
Merkel reconnaîtront le genocide armenien ou non. Je trouve insultant
que, ayant souffert des massacres et du genocide, nous devrions
supplier pour la reconnaissance.

Être subordonne a la reconnaissance internationale signifie etre
l’otage de ce qu’ils disent et ce qu’ils ne font pas, et ainsi relier
notre avenir et notre independance psychologique et intellectuelle
aux autres.

Pensez-vous que je serais heureux si Obama prononce le mot > ou que je passerais une autre annee malheureuse s’il ne le faisait
pas ? Ce qui importe c’est de ne pas oublier le genocide, mais en meme
temps, de ne pas etre dependant de lui : agir comme des personnes
ayant une pensee independante et en valorisant le developpement du
potentiel intellectuel.

Je n’attache pas d’importance aux points de vue que d’autres detiennent
sur cette question primordiale de mon histoire et de ma nation. Ils ne
sont pas ceux qui decident de l’histoire de mon peuple et ma maturite
politique ne repose pas sur eux.

Nous devrions penser aux oublis qu’il peut y avoir dans les etudes sur
le genocide et a ce que nous ne savons pas. Combien d’experts sur le
genocide qui connaissent des langues etrangères — y compris le Turc
ottoman — existe t-il en Armenie et en diaspora ? Nous avons besoin
d’experts qui donneront une reponse non seulement a la question de
comment le genocide a ete commis, mais aussi qui expliqueront les
raisons pour lesquelles il a ete commis et ce qui l’a rendu possible.

Dans le cours de l’histoire, il y avait et il y a des regimes qui
tentent d’exterminer les gens sous leur contrôle afin de regler un
certain problème racial ou religieux. Neanmoins, ils n’ont pas les
moyens ou les conditions pour commettre une telle chose. Pourquoi
l’Empire ottoman a lui reussi cela au cours des dernières annees de
sa vie ?

Il existe des jeunes engages dans des etudes sur le genocide, mais leur
nombre est faible et la majorite d’entre eux ont un niveau insuffisant
pour se presenter correctement sur la scène internationale. Il
convient de noter que la science solide et invariable facilitera la
reconnaissance internationale. C’est ce qui est arrive a la generation
precedente : d’abord au niveau amateur, la question du genocide s’est
retrouvee dans les mains des historiens et des scientifiques. C’etait
la première generation, alors que maintenant nous devons preparer
les deuxièmes et troisièmes generations. Mais cela n’est pas fait
selon moi.

Nous avons egalement besoin d’une institution scientifique de niveau
international qui sera exclusivement engagee dans des etudes sur
le genocide. Malheureusement, nous ne l’avons pas. Il y a bien le
Musee-Institut du genocide armenien a Erevan, mais ses ressources
financières sont limitees et il dispose d’un petit nombre de
chercheurs. Il est essentiel de recruter les scientifiques de la
diaspora qui ont avance dans ce domaine plus que les scientifiques
bases en l’Armenie.

Je crois que nous nous devons, pour les victimes du genocide,
d’utiliser le centenaire afin de faire un pas en avant en termes
qualitatifs.

Il y a deux points de vue opposes en Armenie et en diaspora. Certaines
personnes croient que nous vivons accroches a la

S.O.S METS AYRUM: JOIN PHOTO ACTION AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF TCHOTCHKAN TAILING DUMP

16:30 March 03, 2015

EcoLur

A photo action has been launched in the social networks directed
against the construction of Tchotchkan tailing dump in the area of
Mets Ayrum and Tchotchkan communities, Lori Region. The action has
been initiated by Mets Ayrum Aldermen’s Council Member Oleg Durgaryan.

To support the action you need to take a photo with “NO TO TAILING
DUMP CONSTRUCTION: SOS METS AYRUM” poster and to share the photo in
social networks.

MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE AT THE ARMENIAN CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA

19:00, 04 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Islamic Culture and
Relations Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran adopted a joint
statement upon the conclusion of the Sixth Session of theological
dialogue held at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias,
Lebanon on March 3-4.

“We praise the Almighty God who once again granted to us the
opportunity to organize the Sixth Session of our theological dialogue
at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon.

We chose for our common reflection an extremely important and timely
topic: Muslim-Christian Cooperation for Establishment of Just Peace in
the Middle East. We discussed this subject from different perspectives
by identifying its concrete challenges and implications today, in
light of our traditions, teachings and experiences.

As the core of our common teachings, we affirmed that:

a) peace is a divine gift, and that the violation of peace is a
sin against God; b) as God’s gift peace is just, comprehensive and
lasting; c) peace is the fruit of justice, and that justice and peace
are intimately interconnected; d) working for peace with justice is
the vocation of Christians and Muslims.

With this firm understanding, we emphasized:

1) The importance of greater collaboration between Muslims and
Christians in all parts of the world and particularly in the Middle
East, based on mutual understanding and respect.

2) The urgency of combating violence and extremism in all their forms
and expressions, as perceptions and practices that are against our
two religions.

As our meeting coincides with the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, we strongly condemn together with this Genocide all genocides
and atrocities of the past and the present, perpetrated by individuals,
groups or states. Such acts of violence are against the teachings of
our religions and are not justifiable under any circumstances.

We emphasize the importance of the plan of action, “The world against
extremism and violence” that was proposed by the President of the
Islamic Republic of Iran at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Our dialogue reminds us the pivotal importance of peaceful
co-habitation between Christians and Muslims and a closer collaboration
aimed at restoring peace with justice in the Middle East.”

FROM LAKE TO TABLE: ARMENIAN MP BUILDS FISH MARKET IN TBILISI

Kristine Aghalaryan

09:35, March 3, 2015

Vardan Ayvazyan, a Republican Party MP in Armenia’s parliament who
heads the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, is building a huge
fish market in Tbilisi.

The plant, located not far from the center of the Georgian capital,
is known as a restaurant hub.

In September 2011, Ayvazyan founded a company called Unicom of which he
was the sole shareholder. According to the Georgian State Registry,
Vardan Ayvazyan registered his company shares in the name of his
son Souren Ayvazyan. This was after the 2012 Georgian parliamentary
elections, and it appears that he was concerned that his assets would
be at risk with the change of power. His friend, onetime Minister of
Internal Affairs Ivane Merabishvili, had been jailed, and Ayvazyan
was afraid that he too might be persecuted as a result.

Vardan Ayvazyan, born in the Tabatzghour village of Georgia’s
Samtskhe-Javakhk region, leased a lake there and launched a fish
farming enterprise. (The video is in Georgian with Armenian subtitles).

Local residents say that Ayvazyan founded the business with Ivane
Merabishvili, and it seems that the fish are to be sold at the new
Tbilisi center being built. They claim that Ayvazyan also wants to
house a fish restaurant at the center.

Construction has been underway for the past three years. The center,
according to a work permit at the site, is scheduled to open this
September. But construction has been at a standstill for quite
some time.

After three years, fish market remains unfinished

When we visited the site security guard Aleksandr Tabidze said that
work would renew in March.

He said that the center would house a fancy restaurant. The center
will occupy 1,200 square meters of the 8,000 square meter site.

Tabidze said that the site’s market value is 4 million Lari (US$1.9
million).

Fish market’s finished look

The security guard knows that an Armenian, in his words a “respectable
MP of the Armenian parliament” is building the complex. Tabidze said
that Vardan Ayvazyan visits the site often and that he personally
knows him.

Nino Bakradze contributed to this article

COMPELLED TO GIVE TESTIMONIES UNDER PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE

11:41 | March 3,2015 | Official

A citizen Naira H. reported to the Internal Service Department of
the Investigation Committee of the Republic of Armenia to the effect
that within the criminal case launched in the Investigation Committee
of the Republic of Armenia on January 29, 2015 she was interrogated
as a witness and the employee in charge of conducting the proceeding
compelled her to write confessionary statements inconsistent with the
reality under threat, swear words, shouts and psychological pressure.

A criminal case has been launched with regard to this case based on the
report filed by Naira H. as per the materials prepared in the Special
Investigation Service of the Republic of Armenia in accordance with
Part 1 of Article 309 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.

A preliminary investigation is underway.

Press service of SIS

DAECH POURRAIT FRAPPER DES AMBASSADES EN TURQUIE

Publié le : 03-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – ” L’agence nationale turque
de renseignement (MÄ°T – Millî Ä°stihbarat TeÃ…~_kilatı) a émis un
avertissement pour la police et la gendarmerie au sujet des membres
de l’Ã~Itat islamique qui se sont retirés de Kobané dans le nord
de la Syrie et ont pénétré sur le territoire de la Turquie. Les
militants djihadistes pourraient être en train de travailler sur
des attaques armées ou a la bombe, a Ankara et Istanbul contre les
missions diplomatiques des pays qui sont engagés dans la coalition
anti-EIIL dirigée par les Ã~Itats-Unis. Certains citoyens syriens et
palestiniens – âgés de 17 a 25 ans – sont entrés en Turquie en tant
que réfugiés et prévoient de se rendre en Europe par la Bulgarie
afin de mener des attaques contre les pays membres de la coalition
anti-EIIL. ” Nota CVAN : La Turquie, principal allié objectif de
l’Etat islamique, commence a réaliser qu’elle n’est pas a l’abri
des exactions du monstre qu’elle a contribué a enfanter.

Il est vrai qu’elle n’est pas la seule a avoir joué avec le feu,
lorsque l’on se rappelle qu’en décembre 2012, Laurent Fabius avait
déclaré : ” Le Front al-Nosra fait du bon boulot ”. Le Front
al-Nosra est la branche syrienne d’Al-Qaida et plusieurs dizaines de
ses membres ont rejoint Daech, essentiellement depuis les bombardements
de la coalition. Malheureusement, les pompiers-pyromanes n’apprennent
toujours pas de leurs erreurs : Washington et Ankara ont conclu le 12
février un partenariat stratégique pour entraîner conjointement
des rebelles syriens en sol turc. Les Américains comptent sur ces
troupes pour combattre l’Ã~Itat islamique mais les Turcs s’attendent,
quant a eux, a ce que les combattants rebelles syriens s’en prennent
aux troupes du président syrien Bachar Al-Assad. Ni les Etats-Unis
ni la Turquie ne semblent se préoccuper des dérives djihadistes
probables de ces ” rebelles ”. Le Collectif VAN vous invite a lire
la traduction d’un article en anglais publié sur le site Hurriyet
Daily News le 19 février 2015.

Hurriyet Daily News

Le 19 février 2015

L’Etat islamique pourrait frapper des ambassades en Turquie, selon
les Renseignements turcs

Par Fevzi Kızılkoyun

ANKARA

L’agence nationale turque de renseignement a émis un avertissement
pour la police et la gendarmerie au sujet des membres de l’Ã~Itat
islamique d’Irak et du Levant (EIIL) qui se sont retirés de Kobané
dans le nord de la Syrie et ont pénétré sur le territoire de
la Turquie.

Les militants djihadistes pourraient être en train de travailler sur
des attaques armées ou a la bombe, a Ankara et Istanbul contre les
missions diplomatiques des pays qui sont engagés dans la coalition
anti-EIIL dirigée par les Ã~Itats-Unis, comme le rapporte l’Agence
Nationale de Renseignement (MÄ°T – Millî Ä°stihbarat TeÃ…~_kilatı).

Les forces kurdes ont repris Kobané aux militants de l’EIIL le 26
janvier, après avoir combattu pendant plus de quatre mois depuis
l’attaque initiale en septembre 2014. L’appui aérien des forces de
la coalition dirigée par les Ã~Itats-Unis et le soutien armé des
peshmergas venus a Kobané par la frontière turque, ont également
joué un rôle important dans cette victoire.

Le 3 février, le MİT a partagé une notification écrite avec la
police et la gendarmerie. Le service de renseignement a averti que
quelques 3 000 membres de l’EIIL, venus de Syrie et d’Irak, étaient
actuellement regroupés dans la région et visaient a pénétrer en
Turquie, particulièrement a Hatay, Adana, Ankara et Istanbul.

Certains d’entre eux, y compris les dirigeants du groupe qui sont
responsables de la planification des attaques, sont déja entrés
en Turquie et résident dans des maisons individuelles, selon les
informations fournies.

Certains citoyens syriens et palestiniens – âgés de 17 a 25 ans –
sont entrés en Turquie en tant que réfugiés et prévoient de se
rendre en Europe par la Bulgarie afin de mener des attaques contre les
pays membres de la coalition anti-EIIL, selon la notification du MÄ°T.

Le service de renseignement a également prévenu que définir les
identités et les emplacements des membres de l’EIIL était une
tâche difficile.

Une zone sur la frontière turco-syrienne dans le district de Suruc de
la province sud-est de Sanliurfa a été déclarée ” zone militaire
interdite ” suite a l’avertissement du service de renseignement turc.

Le bureau du gouverneur de Å~^anlıurfa a récemment fait une
déclaration concernant la zone militaire interdite, annoncant que
cette interdiction était destinée a la sécurité des citoyens et
a éviter des menaces.

Ã~@ la suite de la mise en garde, une bombe déclenchée a distance
a blessé trois policiers le 13 février a proximité de Suruc.

La Turquie a longtemps été critiquée par la communauté
internationale pour avoir toléré que des combattants étrangers
traversent son territoire afin de se joindre a l’EIIL en Syrie. Au
second semestre 2014, la Turquie a renforcé la coopération des
services de renseignement avec les pays européens, de même qu’elle
a commencé a appliquer l’interdiction de voyager a plusieurs milliers
d’individus étrangers.

La Turque avait expulsé 1 056 étrangers et avait appliqué
l’interdiction de voyager a 7 833 personnes dans le cadre de ses
efforts visant a arrêter le recrutement des djihadistes en Syrie
et en Irak, a déclaré Hakan Fidan, alors chef du MİT, lors de la
réunion des ambassadeurs turcs en janvier.

Fidan a démissionné de ses fonctions le 7 février afin de pouvoir
se faire élire au parlement dans les rangs du parti au pouvoir, le
Parti de la justice et du développement (AKP), lors des élections
législatives prévues pour le 7 juin.

©Traduction de l’anglais Collectif VAN – 22 février 2015 –

Lire aussi:

Turquie : Nouvelle preuve de collaboration d’Erdogan avec Daesh

Bataille de Kobané: ”Pour la Turquie, Daesh n’est pas un ennemi”

En Turquie, le chemin du djihad passe par URFA

Kobane libérée, les premiers Kurdes passent la frontière syrienne

Genèse de Daech, ”premier Ã~Itat salafiste” du monde

Ankara et Washington s’allient pour combattre l’Ã~Itat islamique

Syrie. L’indemnisation des victimes du conflit par Fabius refusée

Syrie. Des victimes du conflit demandent réparation a Laurent Fabius

Le groupe Etat islamique résiste aux assauts de la coalition

Source/Lien : Hurriyet Daily News

RACE CODE PROCEDURE IN COURT AGAIN

Uygar Gultekin
02.26.2015 10:01 NEWS

The race code procedure implemented by the Ministry of National
Education for student registration at non-Muslim schools has been
subject to another lawsuit.

Last month, the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education
had demanded the annulment of the registration of a 5-year old
student that had been registered at an Armenian kindergarten stating,
“The investigation of the student has revealed that the student does
not belong to the Armenian race, and therefore it is not suitable to
carry out the registration”. The student’s parent was baptized at the
Armenian Patriarchate. Following this development, the parent filed
a lawsuit against the decision.

Ä°smail Cem Halavurt, lawyer of the family, applied to the Istanbul
Administrative Court demanded a suspension of execution regarding the
procedure. Halavurt, in his lawsuit petition, pointed out that the
procedure was in violation of the European Human Rights Convention and
the Constitution, and referred to previous verdicts in similar cases,
adding that there was no legal basis for the procedure.

Court had suspended procedure

In a similar case in 2013, the Ministry of National Education had
prevented the registration of a student. The verdict of the Istanbul
25th Civil Court of First Instance issued in June 2014 referred to
the Human Rights Convention and Article 42 of the Constitution and
declared that everyone was entitled to the right to education.

The Istanbul 7th Administrative Court had ruled that the baptism
document issued by the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey was sufficient
to proceed with registration in Armenian schools.

DES EXPERTS ARMENIENS ET AMERICAINS DISCUTENT DE LA LUTTE CONTRE LES MALADIES D’ANIMAUX D’ELEVAGE

ARMENIE

Le ministre de l’Agriculture Sergo Karapetian a rencontre a Erevan
un groupe d’experts americains pour discuter de la lutte contre les
maladies des animaux de la ferme.

Le ministère armenien a declare que le groupe d’experts compose Lindsay
Malecha, responsable du programme armenien de sante animale et de
Valery Regan, le responsable de l’Universite veterinaire regional
(Virginie-Maryland).

STARBUCKS OFFENDS ARMENIAN-AMERICANS WITH NEW AD — SHOWS ARMENIAN WOMEN UNDER THE SYMBOL OF TURKEY

The Inquisitr
March 2 2015

If there is any United States company recognized for supporting liberal
views more so than any other, it is easily going to be Starbucks. The
Inquisitr has reported numerous times on Starbucks, and how they’ve
centralized their working ethic of a progressive stance.

The prominent coffee chain is one of the few businesses outside of
tattoo studios that allow their employees to show off their tattoos.

They also refuse to welcome anyone at their coffee shops who have
guns on them, legal or not.

However, when Starbucks tried to honor people ethnically from the
Middle East, they instead offended them, specifically the Armenians
with their latest ad.

According to Daily Mail, Starbucks tried to utilize a new ad to
appeal to Middle Easterners with posters displaying Armenian women in
traditional clothing under the crescent and star of the Turkish flag.

Many Armenian-Americans found the ad to be offensive because of
what Turkey did to them in between 1915 and 1918. About 1.5 million
Armenians were killed by the hands of Turkish Ottoman forces. The
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) posted a photo of the
ad on their official Facebook page, inquiring why Starbucks would
use such an image.

“Why is Starbucks selling coffee using an image of women, dressed
in traditional Armenian costumes, celebrating a Turkish state that
systematically victimized Armenian women during the Armenian genocide,
and that still denies this crime against all humanity?”

Presently, Starbucks has taken down the poster seen in the Woodland
Hills shop, the one reportedly seen online. Starbucks also made an
official apology through a response to the ANCA on their Facebook page.

“Serving as a place for the community to connect is core to our
business and we strive to be locally relevant in all of our stores. We
missed the mark here and we apologize for upsetting our customers
and the community.”

According to another article by The Guardian, several people on
social media have claimed they saw the posters up at other places
around Los Angeles, a city that is home to 446,000 people of full or
partial Armenian ethnicity. Even the ANCA are preparing for possible
backlash from the community for the ads.”

“It became very clear very quickly that this was a very serious
issue for the entire community, because we started getting a flood
of concern.”

The reason why there is such concern is because this year marks
the 100th year anniversary of the tragedy, which is recognized as
genocide in 43 of the 50 states here in the U.S., and in more than
twenty countries, including Germany and Russia. Therefore, this year’s
commemoration will be far more important than previous years. Yet,
despite the “flood of concern,” ANCA did go on record to state that
Starbucks responded to the situation “very appropriately.”

EVOKING A CENTURY-OLD FLIGHT: SOME FEAR HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF AS ARMENIANS FLEE SYRIA

Los Angeles Times
March 1, 2015 Sunday
Home Edition

ON THE GROUND IN YEREVAN, ARMENIA WITH GLEN JOHNSON

by Glen Johnson

Snare drums rustle and trumpets blare. Chocolates from a famed
confectioner in Syria are handed out among the crowd. The hall falls
silent. A minute of remembrance is observed for the more than 200,000
killed during almost four years of civil war in Syria.

Hundreds of ethnic Armenians from Syria, among the thousands who’ve
fled here to escape the fighting, gathered recently in downtown
Yerevan. They came together to celebrate the 60th anniversary of
the Armenian Central High School in Aleppo, Syria, a cornerstone of
Armenian identity in a city now devastated by war.

“Armenian schools keep Armenian identity alive,” said a woman who
fled Aleppo as rebels rolled into the city in July 2012, and who,
like others interviewed, did not want to be identified for security
reasons. “My parents went there, I went there, the school is like…”

“A treasure for Armenians,” another young woman chimed in.

The attendees had left their homes and businesses, schools and
farmlands, fleeing to Armenia’s capital as Syria descended into chaos.

Many are descendants of people who had gone to Syria to escape the
Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1918 under the Ottoman Empire, which
became the modern republic of Turkey. The Turkish government disputes
that a genocide took place.

The current exodus is one of the most significant movements of ethnic
Armenians since then.

“We are the descendants of those who survived the genocide,” said
Lena Halajian, who heads the Center for the Coordination of Syrian
Armenians’ Issues, a nongovernmental group here helping refugees
adapt. “I fear history is repeating itself.”

Participants at the celebration here read Armenian poetry as a
video of the Aleppo school — showing a modest library and students,
their hands stretched upward, fingers twitching as a teacher asked
a question — flashed on a screen. A quartet including well-known
Aleppo violinist Hovhannes Moubayed plays Dance of the Rose Maidens,
by Aram Khachaturian, the late Soviet Armenian composer.

The violinist, 44, fled Aleppo more than two years ago, and, like
others, he said he had embarked on a new life after leaving most of
his belongings behind.

“Now I try to work as a music teacher,” said Moubayed, who directed a
state music school in Aleppo. “I’ve started [in Armenia] at the very
bottom. But step by step, maybe I can survive.”

Some refugees had been targeted by militants.

“They handcuffed and blindfolded me once they knew I was Armenian,”
said a Syrian Armenian who gave his name as Krikor. “Then they whipped
and burned me.”

Gnarled scars stretch up his forearms now, and he shuffles uneasily.

In summer 2013, Krikor said, fighters with Al Qaeda-linked Al Nusra
Front abducted him from a shuttle bus in northwestern Syria’s Idlib
province. He escaped hours later and made his way to a government
checkpoint, and safety. The experience convinced him it was time
to leave.

Other Syrian Armenians have been kidnapped for their perceived wealth.

Still others have been killed in the crossfire or for sectarian
reasons. Syrian Armenians, part of the country’s 10% Christian
minority, have been targeted by militant Sunni Muslims, who have
become the dominant part of the opposition.

Most Syrian Armenians speak Arabic and Armenian, a fact that has
helped speed their assimilation in Yerevan.

Armenian schools play an integral role in preserving cultural roots
among the massive Armenian diaspora. The Armenian General Benevolent
Union, a nonprofit group promoting Armenian identity globally,
provides funds for the Aleppo school. The high school remains open,
but the population has plummeted.

“The problem is that it can be dangerous for students to travel there,”
said Hagop Mikayelian, 71, a former administrator at the school who
was kidnapped by a rebel group and held for ransom in 2013.

In September, Islamic State militants reportedly bombed an iconic
Armenian church and museum in the eastern Syrian city of Dair Alzour
that memorializes victims of the Turks. Lost were rare documents
detailing the mass killings, say community members, who also note that
bones of some of those who perished were laid in the foundations of
the now-destroyed monument.

“The memorial was living proof of what happened to Armenians,”
Halajian said. “They want to erase our history.”

As Armenians worldwide prepare for centennial memorials in April,
Turkish backing for Syrian insurgents is further fueling Armenian
outrage. The government has supported sundry rebel factions, including
radical Islamists, as it aggressively pursues its goal of ousting
Syrian President Bashar Assad.

And last March, extremist fighters poured into the Syrian Armenian
town of Kassab from across the border in Turkey.

Most of the town’s population fled south to territory still under
control of the Syrian government. Kassab is celebrated among Armenians
as a refuge for those who fled Turkey a century ago.

At the school anniversary gathering, a choir sings Armenian hymns as
ceremonies come to a close.

Generations of graduates flood the stage, embracing while a
photographer clicks away.

—

Special correspondent Johnson was recently in Yerevan. Times staff
writer Patrick J. McDonnell in Beirut contributed to this report.