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1,500 attend commemoration of Armenian genocide at Montebello monument

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Montebello Bicknell ParkBy Mike Sprague
mike.sprague@sgvn.com

MONTEBELLO “” Don’t forget what happened to the 1.5 million Armenians massacred in 1915 by the Ottoman Turks. That was the message speakers delivered Wednesday at the commemoration of the 98th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

About 1,500 people were present at the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument at Bicknell Park in Montebello.

“We must take a sacred vow to never forget and always remember the Armenian genocide,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

“This monument is a sacred place,” Villaraigosa said. “It’s a marker of one of the 20th century’s greatest crimes. The Armenian genocide is not a matter of debate. It is a matter of fact. ”

The United Armenian Council for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, which represents about 50 groups, sponsored the event.

Turkey, a close U.S. ally, has long denied there was a systematic campaign to kill Armenians.

The event is held on April 24 because 98 years ago on that date in 1915 is when the Ottoman Turkish government captured and imprisoned about 300 intellectuals, said John Kossakian, one of the chairpersons of Wednesday’s commemoration.

“We want to keep the memory alive,” Kossakian said.

“It’s not like any other genocide,” he said. “This genocide also comes as a package with the loss of land. Armenians were deported off their land and are immigrants all over the world.

The Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument was unveiled in April 1968 to honor the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government from 1915 through 1921, as well as to honor all victims of crimes against humanity.

Wednesday’s event was one of many held in Southern California this week. A rally and vigil was held Tuesday night at the monument, a march was held Wednesday in Hollywood and two more were held in Pasadena.

Geoffrey Robertson, a former international judge from London, said Armenians should demand justice from Turkey.

“The attempt to exterminate a race is not just unforgettable,” Robertson said.

“It is unforgiveable unless and until the perpetrators make amends,” he said. “This shouldn’t be a day of sadness. It should be a day of anger and a day to demand justice. ”

Robertson said justice would be an apology and reparations.

It wasn’t just the speakers who said the genocide must be remembered.

“We can never forget,” said Sara Nahapetyan of Montebello, who comes every year to the event. “1915 “” never again. “

Never Forget Armenian Genocide – Kim Kardashian

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April 24, 2013 | 22:00

Famous American celebrity of Armenian descent Kim Kardashian posted a link on her Celebuzz webpage, where she stresses the importance to honor the 150492memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed in the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

“I am incredibly proud of my Armenian roots and that is why it is so important for me to spread the word about the Armenian Genocide. It is so important for me to honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed in the 1915 Armenian Genocide. My thoughts and prayers will always be with all my fellow Armenians. I will never forget the fear and pain this has caused my ancestors and those close to me and will continue to do everything in my power to educate those around me so that there is a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide. I love my heritage so much, this will be a part of me forever. Xo,” reads Kardashian’s post.

 

Armenian Genocide commemorated in Bulgarian cities

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April 24, 2013 – 19:40 AMT

On April 24, Armenian ambassador to Bulgaria Arsen Shoyan, the embassy staff, former MP Katar Khachikian and representatives of the Armenian 155687community laid flowers at the Genocide memorial in Sofia. Ambassador Shoyan delivered a speech, stressing the need for the international recognition of the Genocide and condemning the denial policy. A liturgy was further served in Sofia’s St. Mary’s Church.

The Armenian Genocide commemoration events will also be held in Bulgaria’s other cities such as Varna, Plovdiv, Ruse, Burgas, Dobrich and Sliven.

Armenian Genocide 98th anniversary marked in Aleppo

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April 24, 2013 – 20:20 AMT

155709PanARMENIAN.Net – A liturgy was held in Aleppo’s Church of the Holy Mother of God in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide 98th anniversary, followed by a solemn event, with Syria’s Armenian Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical community heads present.

Upon completion of the event, Consul General Karen Grigoryan delivered a speech on the Genocide international recognition campaign, as well as efforts aimed at genocide prevention and condemnation.

Protesters mark Armenian Genocide, demand compensation (BEIRUT)

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Thousands walked from Dora to Downtown Beirut as part of the annual commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. (The Daily Star/Hasan Shaaban)

BEIRUT: Thousands marched through Beirut Wednesday to call on Turkey to recognize the genocide that involved the systematic slaughter of 1.5 168255_mainimgmillion Armenians nearly a century ago.

Draped in the colors of the Armenian flag – red, blue and orange – over 10,000 people marched across east Beirut to Martyrs’ Square in Downtown. Families sang the Armenian national anthem and carried banners condemning the Turkish government, occasionally pausing to stomp on Turkish flags spread along the route.

“Turkey should recognize the genocide and take action for restitution,” goldsmith Paul Halebian said at the rally. “It’s our right, our land, our dignity.”

Armenian groups claim they are owed large swaths of land in Turkey after their ancestors were forcibly displaced during the partition of the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and 1916 at the end of World War I.

Many Armenian families took refuge in what is now Lebanon as a result of Ottoman attacks on their community. There are currently some 100,000 Lebanese of Armenian origins who are represented in Parliament by five MPs.

“Erdogan Don’t Forget: Eastern Turkey is Western Armenia,” read one banner directed at Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The day was both solemn and festive as both young and old rallied to commemorate their ancestors who died while reaffirming their identity and nationhood.

Armenian political parties Henchag Tashnag and Ramgavar are divided between Lebanon’s two major coalitions – March 14 and March 8 – but they come together for the yearly genocide commemoration. Party scout troops marched and played music together while banners paid for by the parties were draped along the walking route.

“All the associations are here; there is no dispute over the Armenian Genocide,” said Sossy Manoukian, a teacher and school coordinator. “There isn’t a person here who is not directly connected to the genocide.”

A number of non-Armenian Lebanese also joined parts of the rally. After several hours of marching, people rallied in Downtown Beirut, where political and religious speakers delivered speeches about the importance of recognizing the genocide and what is owed to the Armenians.

Leaders decried what they saw as a “conspiracy” aimed against the Armenians to displace them from their lands, and called for the Turkish government to fully compensate them.

“We will not forget our martyrs and our civilization and the cultural heritage in Armenia and … our possessions that were looted by killers,” said the Tashnag Party’s Secretary-General Hovig Mekhitarian.

At a Mass earlier in the day at the Catholicosate in Antelias, Catholicos Aram I Keshishian of Cilicia called for Armenian churches, endowments and heritage in Turkey to be restored as the “first stage of our national struggle.”

Representatives from the families of the nine abducted pilgrims in Syria also marched with the rally alongside several other political figures. But despite the occasional promotion of signs of the conflict in Syria and other political agendas, the rally remained largely focused on Armenia and its history.

Generations have passed since the genocide, but the event and its official recognition by foreign governments still colors politics around the world.

Some 21 countries and most states in the U.S. have officially recognized the genocide, while many other countries have not, partially due to their relationship with Turkey. Ankara maintains the death of some 500,000 people at the time did not constitute genocide.

The rally that began in Armenian areas of greater Beirut attracted many young people who see the yearly commemoration as an important part of their identity, marking an event largely ignored by the rest of the world.

“After two years it will be a century and the world will forget,” said 15-year-old Bedig Alexanian. “We do this to keep the world from being silent.”

Armenian Genocide commemorated in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

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All 14 Armenian communities of Kazakhstan, a number of big Kazakh cities hosted Armenian Genocide commemoration events on April 22-24.

KasakhastanCommemoration events dedicated to the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide were also held in Bishkek with the participation of the Armenian community of Kyrgyzstan, Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reported.

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and condemned by Uruguay (1965), the Republic of Cyprus (1982), Argentina (1993), Russia (1995), Canada (1996), Greece (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998), Italy (2000), Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003), Slovakia (2004), The Netherlands (2004), Poland (2005), Germany (2005), Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden (2010). The Armenian Genocide has been recognized by Vatican, the Council of Europe and the World Council of Churches.

Georgia shows progress in recognition of Armenian Genocide – activist

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Vahagn Chakhalyan, the Javakhk-based Armenian political and public figures, arrived in Armenia on Tuesday to visit the Memorial to Armenian Genocide victims (Tsitsernakaberd) on Wednesday.

22“Our NGOs applied to Georgia’s Parliament for recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Interestingly, Georgian governmental organizations applied even earlier, which means certain progress,” Chakhalyan told journalists.

“Georgia’s new authorities are well aware that it is difficult for them to recognize the Armenian Genocide, with Georgia located between Turkey and Azerbaijan. However, refusing recognition would be a crime as well, what the Saakashvili regime calls it,” Chakhalyan said.

“More than 300,000 Georgians were massacred in the Ottoman Empire, but very few people dare to mention the fact. This is the reason why we cannot accuse Georgians of not dealing with the Armenian Genocide,” Chakhalyan said.

Still, leading Georgian intellectuals are publicly speaking of the Armenian Genocide and Georgian massacres, which is progress.

Armenian MP calls on Iran to recognize Armenian Genocide

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Iranian Armenians expect the Islamic Republic of Iran to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Armenian MP in the Iranian Majlis Karen Khanlarian is quoted as saying by Isna.ir.

Referring to the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in his remarks in Majlis, the Armenian MP said, in part, “In the course of the history, the g_image.php-2Armenians, together with their Muslim, Assyrian, Jewish and Zoroastrian brothers, protected Iran, sparing no effort for its development and progress and therefore I expect the Islamic Republic of Iran to recognize the Armenian Genocide, in which 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.”

Recently the Deputy Speaker of Iranian Majlis mentioned the Armenians and Assyrians killed during the Genocide, saying, in part, “If military and political strength and wealth do not unite with high human and divine values, they will lead to such horrible crimes as the genocide of our Christian sisters and brothers. The hand which was yesterday covered with the blood of the Armenians is now covered with the blood of our sisters and brothers in Syria.”

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and condemned by Uruguay (1965), the Republic of Cyprus (1982), Argentina (1993), Russia (1995), Canada (1996), Greece (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998), Italy (2000), Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003), Slovakia (2004), The Netherlands (2004), Poland (2005), Germany (2005), Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden (2010). The Armenian Genocide has also been recognized and condemned by Vatican, the Council of Europe and the World Council of Churches. Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

Iranian Armenians hold protest near Turkish embassy in Tehran

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The Iranian authorities have allowed Iranian Armenians to hold a protest near the Turkish embassy in Tehran, Hayeli.com reported.

g_image.php-1Iranian Armenians attended a commemoration service for the victims of the Armenian Genocide at St. Sarkis Church in Tehran this morning before they marched to the Turkish embassy in Tehran.

The protesters were carrying placards reading: “The Armenian Genocide is the first genocide in the 20th century.”

Armenian Genocide rally held in Beirut

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Thousands of Armenians called on Turkey to recognize the Genocide in Beirut on Tuesday, The Daily Star reports.

During a mass rally in Martyrs’ Square commemorating the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Lebanese of Armenian origin and supporters held g_image.phpsigns and chanted slogans against Ankara which maintains that the deaths of some 500,000 were not a result of genocide.

“Turkey should recognize the genocide and take action for restitution,” Paul Halebian, one of the protesters, said. “It’s our right, our land, our dignity.”

“Turkey: It’s time for recognition and repatriation,” one of the signs read. “Justice and restitution for the Armenian Genocide,” another said.

There are around 200,000 Lebanese of Armenian origin represented by five ministers in the Cabinet.