The Armenian Studies department of the University of California, Berkeley will be hosting an international conference about the Armenian Genocide on Saturday, April 20. The conference will take place on campus, at Dwinelle Hall, and will include a lunch break, Asbarez reports.

The unusually broad focus of this conference aims at assessing various historiographical aspects of the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath. Since the extermination of the Armenians was a central event leading to the creation of modern Turkey, this conference will also deal with the ideological, political, and cultural continuities and discontinuities from the period of the Committee of Union and Progress to the present, insofar as they shed light on the Armenian Genocide and its denial by the Turkish State.

Instead of in-depth original research into narrow historical topics, the participants were asked to present academic “think pieces” reflecting on crucial issues.

The forum will be divided into three sessions, one in the morning and two in the afternoon, where speakers will reflect on their research.

The panel will be introduced by Dr. Stephan H. Astourian, director of the Armenian Studies program and Associate Adjunct Professor of the History department at U.C. Berkeley.

Source: https://www.armenian-genocide.org

“The atrocities committed against the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire during W.W.I are called the Armenian Genocide. Genocide is the organized killing of a people for the express purpose of putting an end to their collective existence. Because of its scope, genocide requires central planning and a machinery to implement it.

This makes genocide the quintessential state crime as only a government has the resources to carry out such a scheme of destruction. The Armenian Genocide was centrally planned and administered by the Turkish government against the entire Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. It was carried out during W.W.I between the years 1915 and 1918. The Armenian people were subjected to deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and starvation. The great bulk of the Armenian population was forcibly removed from Armenia and Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was sent into the desert to die of thirst and hunger. Large numbers of Armenians were methodically massacred throughout the Ottoman Empire.

Women and children were abducted and horribly abused. The entire wealth of the Armenian people was expropriated. After only a little more than a year of calm at the end of W.W.I, the atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923, and the remaining Armenians were subjected to further massacres and expulsions. In 1915, thirty-three years before UN Genocide Convention was adopted, the Armenian Genocide was condemned by the international community as a crime against humanity.”

For more info, please check: https://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocidefaq.

html https://www.nytimes.com/…/burn-1000-armenians-turks-lock-th…

#WesternArmenia #24April #NeverForget

The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has held its annual White House vigil in Washington D.C. calling for a permanent U.S. policy on commemorating the Armenian Genocide and reminding President Donald Trump on their demand to officially recognize it, Voice of America reported. 

The representatives of the Armenian-American community emphasized during the event that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is necessary for restoring historical justice and preventing such tragedies in the future.

Participant of the vigil expressed special gratitude to those US states that had special contribution in helping the Armenian people one century ago.

“Alabama, California, Mississippi and Virginia, we will be eternally grateful for all the sacrifices that you’ve made for saving these people,” Nanar Kerkumian from the AYF said.

They reminded that US citizens had provided nearly 2,6 billion dollars worth aid to survivors of the Armenian Genocide in 1916-1930 as part of the American aid organization in the Middle East.

The Armenian Genocide issue has been included in the Syrian history textbooks at the initiative of Syrian Armenian MP Nora Arissian.

As a result of discussions with the country’s Center for Educational Programs Development, the topic has been included in the new history textbooks for 2019-2020 academic year, Rusarminfo reports.

The lawmaker raised the issue in the Syrian parliament back in September 2017.

The events of the early 20th century are featured in the political changes section of the textbooks. They will refer to the Turkish policy against Armenians, the 1915 Armenian Genocide, as well as the forced deportation of Armenians to Syria.

The textbooks are set to feature the materials of Syrian historians about the tragic events of the 20th century.

Because of the resilience of the Armenian Diaspora, residents of Glendale are perhaps more familiar with the links between dehumanizing language and genocidal violence.

We have an opportunity now to harness that resilience and knowledge to defend asylum seekers from leaders that try to cast them as our enemies.

Residents of Glendale must fight against dehumanizing language and support the fundamental humanity of people seeking a better life for themselves and their children.

Thankfully, we’re well practiced in this. The International Rescue Committee has a large office in Glendale and offers many volunteer opportunities. Similarly, many Glendalians are already active in Immigrant Families Together, and use the Immigrant Families Together-California Facebook page as a clearinghouse for opportunities to help families with immediate needs.

This April, when we reflect on the Armenian Genocide and the violence that proceeded it, is an excellent time to recommit to helping people of other nationalities who are fleeing violence.

Sara Hollar

Glendale

An Armenian MP of Turkish parliament Garo Paylan has written a tweet regarding the French and Italian steps on the Armenian Genocide.

Garo Palyan wrote: “The topic of the Armenian Genocide should be removed from the parliaments of Italy, France and the United States, and we should be brought into the country where the crime was committed, into the Turkish parliament.”

On April 10, President Macron signed a decree declaring April 24 as the national day of memory of the Armenian Genocide.

Italy’s lower house of parliament – the Chamber of Deputies – on Wednesday approved a motion calling on the government to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide and elevate the profile of the issue on an international level. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday that a decree signed by the French president designating April 24 as the day of commemoration for the Armenian genocide violated the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and the French Supreme Court, Ahval news reported.

According to the decree signed by President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, a commemoration ceremony will be held in Paris every year on April 24.

“Macron is making populist rhetoric by trying to fulfil the promises he made to the Armenians in his election campaign,” Cavusoglu said on Twitter, referring to the European Parliament elections in May.

“They should look at their dark history first. It has been quarter century since the Rwanda genocide,” the Turkish minister said in a likely reference to accusations that France backed the Rwandan government that carried out the 1994 mass killings.

Turkey on Wednesday also condemned the Italian parliament’s approval of a bipartisan motion officially recognising the Armenian genocide and said the decision would have repercussions on bilateral relations.

The motion, submitted by the country’s anti-establishment Five Star Movement to the Chamber of Deputies, and backed by the far-right Northern League – the Lega Party – passed on Wednesday with 382 votes in favour, none against and 43 abstentions.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move was a new example of using the issue for domestic political interests.

“It is not surprising that this motion was drafted by the Lega Party, led by Matteo Salvini, who is committed to sabotaging the relations between Turkey and Italy,” the ministry said.

The ministry said the Lega Party’s aim was to strengthen its position in European Parliament elections.

By Mike Karibian,

In the last letter my grandfather, Mooshek Karibian, living in Fresno,received from his brother Vahan, living in Moosh, Turkey, was the line, “Forgetting our unbearable sufferings, we were worried on your behalf.” My grandfather never heard from his brother or any other member of his family again.

The ominous letter was dated March 24th, 1915, exactly one month before what is regarded as the beginning of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Turkey. For the most part, the letter was a typical missive referencing the usual regards from family and friends, financial circumstances and welfare concerns of various members, but the mystery in this case is that the Turkish censors blacked out various lines in the letter, the meaning of which cannot be determined.

I conducted my own oral history interviews with a number of Armenian Genocide survivors before they all passed away, and found that their personal stories were quite similar regarding their losses and hardship. They had to endure privation and displacement to a degree we can’t imagine.

The Turkish authorities destroyed legal and church historical records, insurance documents and illegally appropriated Armenian homes and land without compensation.

With their property confiscated and families destroyed, still the refugees survived and prospered in America.

My grandmother, Verkin, was born in Erzurum, Turkey and migrated to America after her husband was killed by the Turks in 1915. She was exiled from her homeland and lost a baby daughter on the forced march out of Turkey.

My grandparents took great pleasure in family and friends, working to own vineyard property and see their sons prosper, essentially overcoming great tragedy.

On April 24, Armenians commemorate the loss of 1,500,000 people massacred.

I assume in that letter with those blacked out lines, a Turkish censor thought he could hide from the outside world some evidence of the conditions existing and the horror to come.

The last letter

Here is the last letter by Vahan Karibian from Moosh, Turkey to his brother Mooshek Karibian in Fresno, 30 days before the start of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by the Turkish government. Some lines of the letter were blacked out by the Turkish censors. Mooshek never heard from his family again.

March 24, 1915 of our Lord

Dearest and missed brother Mooshek Karibian

Dear and sincere brother, we received your letters dated February 10 and 11 and read them. All our friends, neighbors and their families were glad because we hadn’t received a letter from you for the last 9 months.

Forgetting our unbearable sufferings, we were worried on your behalf. Thanks to the Lord you comforted us with your two letters and we forgot our sufferings. If you ask about the nature of our sufferings, our situation is already known to you, I cannot write anymore.

My dear and honorable, my head’s crown brother if you deign to ask about us, thanks to the Almighty all of us are in good health in spirit and successful in our trade. If you ask about our livelihood, thanks to the Almighty and to you we are the best in the neighborhood and live honorably. About the 20 gold Liras you sent me, I sent a list of items with which I secured a good future for Aesho. She is now a business partner to Karkar of our neighborhood. Now with her business she can keep two families. You already know that if I work in a business, how little it may be, I work more than anyone. I want you to know that nobody in our neighborhood is as happy as we are, makes money as we do, we have everything a household needs.

Dear, if you ask about our military service. I, Dikran and our Godfather serve in the army. Godfather and Dickran went to war but I, thanks to some protectors, remain at home and look after my business. I make good money now, but I don’t know what will happen later. Godfather was sick in the Army so he got permission to come home. but Dikran on fell on the snow and lost the fingers on his of his feet. Reachins Khouly Hospital, his feet were healed. He sent a telegram asking for 2 Liras, which I immediately sent. Don’t worry about this, you shouldn’t worry on our behalf. Be calm and happy, and look after your business. Dear you you shouldn’t heed for what other people say about returning to the Fatherland, wait until you receive my letter to do so, then you will return without wasting your time.

With Eyes Full of Tears know that Harout and Krikor send their best regards, and ask about Michael and Misag, what are they doing, what are their news. Tell them to write to them. Stephan and efendi’s wife, Hero, asks about her son Souren. Our business partner Eco sends her best regards and ask about our Zakar, in what business is he? Tell him to write us.

I tell you again, you shouldn’t worry about our household. Keep your heart, because we haven’t had any hardships whatsoever.

I made everything ready for this year and the next and have no worries concerning money. The money you make keep it there. It will be a great asset for our future when the world will be calmer and you come back to the Fatherland, live in a happiness and forget the sufferings you endured in Diaspora. Dear, you should be glad that we have no hardship which can cause you to worry about us. Dear, give our best regards to our fellow countrymen and tell them what Vahan says: Now is the time we say to the dead, get out of your grave so we can lie in it. I would rather be a bunch of hair and stick to their skin. Let them be proud for living freely.

You had written to me dear soul, that I should go to Mister Alexan and take 5 Liras for myself and another 5 Liras for Hagop. Not needing money for myself I decided not to take the 5 Liras. He refused to give a Hagop the 5 Liras, so Hagop asked me to give him 2 Liras, but without your permission I didn’t give him.

Don’t you ever think to send me money now, when the country will be calm and I write you to send me money, then send it so as I can expand my business and prepare a great future for us. If you send money now, it’s useless because all the country is on strike. but tell our fellow countrymen and anyone who knows about your home’s situations for God’s sake, let him save some money for his home, otherwise, all of them will perish of hunger.

Your elderly mother sends her regards. Paghacouse and Lusentak send their regards and ask about their gifts. We sent them our photograph as a gift, he says, why doesn’t you send us our gifts? Levon Acharian and family kiss your hands. Arshag, the Godfather sends his regards and says: Don’t worry, till we are alive, we will work hard and not need anyone’s help.

Our folks, all the villagers and the neighborhood dwellers send you their best regards.

As for me, I send my best regards to Mr. Nahabed, to Hagop, Mardiros, Anush, Kkhitar and finally to all our compatriots.

Waiting for your honorable letter, your genuine and sincere brother Vahan H. Karibian

Mike Karibian is a photographer in Fresno.