El Vaquero, CA
Glendale College
April 28 2006
Armenians Protest 1915 Genocide Denial
By OLGA RAMAZ
El Vaquero Arts and Entertainment Editor
April 28, 2006
For 91 years the Turkish government has vehemently denied the
annihilation of a million and a half Armenians.
On Tuesday, the Armenian Student Association (ASA), with the help of
the Associated Students of Glendale Community College (ASGCC),
converted Plaza Vaquero into an outdoor classroom in order to educate
the local community in regards to the genocide of 1915.
`April 24, 1915, was when the Ottoman Turkish government gathered all
the Armenian intellectuals in the Ottoman empire and killed them,’
said ASA President Ani Daniyelyan. `What followed was eight years of
suffering, cries and despair.’
Through historical documents, video and photographs, the events
leading up to and after the genocide were depicted at large before
students, faculty and staff.
`Even though we’re in Glendale, there’s so many people that still
don’t know about the genocide,’ said Daniyelyan.
Aside from educational material on display, the afternoon was also
filled with speeches, a performance by Tina Issa and Marina Terteryan
of the ASA at Cal State Northridge, and lyricist Knowledge, who
rapped about the Armenian genocide.
`All the other genocides came from that [Armenian genocide],’ said
Knowledge, who believes that if everybody in the United Nations had
been on the ball and given recognition to the Armenian genocide, the
number of deaths as a result of mass murders would be significantly
lower.
As a sign of solidarity, yellow ribbons were handed out in order to
show support for John Evans, the American ambassador to Armenia whose
job is in jeopardy for publicly acknowledging the mass extermination
of Armenians as a genocide.
`He did nothing but speak the truth,’ said Daniyelyan. On Monday,
several hundred members of the Armenian community, including members
of the ASA at Glendale College, made their presence felt at the
annual march held in Little Armenia, located in Hollywood.
`We demanded justice, nothing else,’ said Musheg Akopyan, ASA club
advisor. `But we have to work everyday to get Turkey to recognize the
Armenian genocide.’
Los Angeles City councilman, Eric Garzetti, gave an opening speech
and explained the special connection that L.A. has with the Armenian
community.
`Eight months ago I left Little Armenia to go to big Armenia,’ said
Garzetti. `I spent time by the solemn plain in the capital of
Yerevan, the largest city of Armenians in the world, bringing
greetings and friendship to the second largest city of Armenians in
the world, Los Angeles.’
Garzetti’s trip to Armenia spawned an agreement between Yerevan and
L.A. to become sister cities so that Armenia’s past would never be
forgotten.
`We lost too many fellow brothers and sisters, and their memories are
not forgotten, but they are uplifted,’ he said.
Entire families participated in the mass procession, from youngest to
oldest. They waved flags, carried banners with slogans such as `shame
on Turkey,’ and shouted out demands for justice. The youngest member
of the Garapetian family, 3 1/2-year-old-Stepan, proudly waved an
Armenian flag made out of construction paper and a straw.
Garapetian, like almost every other child participating in the
protest, were all in agreement that the reason as to why they were in
attendance was because their people were struggling.
On her way to the march former GCC student Anahid Davidian,
reminisced about her grandmother’s struggle during the Armenian
genocide.
Davidian’s grandmother was a survivor of the genocide and raised her
own child as well as orphaned Armenian Children.
Due to her family’s struggle in the genocide, Davidian makes it a
point to participate in the protests.
`The Armenian genocide is like blood running through every Armenian’s
veins,’ she said. `It is a part of all of our lives and that is why
it is important for us to honor and remember our people.’