In Israel, 500 demonstrators in Tel Aviv for the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

April 27, 2014 By administrator

In Tel Aviv (Israel) about 500 protesters gathered on April 24 in front of the Turkish Embassy to demand the recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey. The demonstrators were mostly members of the Armenian community of Israel from many cities. According Medel Korsounski, Secretary of the Armenian Cultural Association “Noyan Tapan”, members of Israeli youth organization had joined the protest, as well as members of the Israeli Social Democratic Party “Meretz”. The writer and Israeli journalist Yair Oron was also present. The latter, in his speech called on the Turkish authorities to recognize the Armenian Genocide. He also asked the government of Israel to cease its military cooperation with Azerbaijan. After the event, a mass was given to the Armenian church in Jaffa.

Krikor Amirzayan

99th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Montebello, CA three part Video

April 27, 2014 By administrator

LOS ANGELES—The Armenian community of Greater Los Angeles commemorated the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on Thursday, April 24, at the Armenian Genocide Monument at Bicknell Park, 910 Via San Clemente, Montebello, CA.

99th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Montebello, CA three part Video Part 1

99th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Montebello, CA three part Video Part 2

99th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Montebello, CA three part Video Part 3

A Ninotzminda (Javakheti, Georgia) unveiling of a statue dedicated to the Armenian Genocide

April 26, 2014 By administrator

Samtskhe-Javakhk the region with strong Armenian majority in Georgia took place on April 23 Mass at the Church of Surp Sarkis Ninotzminda in memory of Armenian Genocide victims. Then in the courtyard of the house of the Armenian culture of the city took place the ceremony of inauguration of a statue dedicated to the genocide. Was this Hovhannes Manoukian Ambassador of Armenia to Tbilisi. “This statue dedicated to the Armenian Genocide is one more step in our friendly country, Georgia, in recognition of the genocide,” he said in his speech. H. Manoukian called on Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Among those present, the archbishop of Georgia Nikoloz, the representative of the Georgian Church for the region Akhalkhalak, the benefactor Armen Gharslyan, Georgian MPs, politicians in the region, as well as many Armenians and Georgians came from Javakhk and Tbilisi.

Krikor Amirzayan

Spain, April 24 hundreds of Armenians protested in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante

April 26, 2014 By administrator

The set of a series of events the 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide began on April 22 in Madrid (Spain) by a photographic exhibition dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the cultural center “Casa de Cantabria” in the capital. Many foreign diplomats, elected officials, representatives of associations, intellectuals and members of the Armenian community of Spain attended the opening of the exhibition. Among the speakers, José Antonio Gurriaran “friend of the Armenians,” Karén Martanian the president of the association “Armenians in Madrid.” At this meeting was the proposed BBC documentary entitled “The Armenian Genocide” translated into Spanish. On April 24, hundreds of Armenians demonstrated in Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante. Armenian Spain-issue for a large majority by refugees from Armenia settled in the country in recent years-only community is estimated at about 80 000 members.

Krikor Amirzayan

Hundreds of Armenians demonstrated in Tehran on April 24 against the Turkish Embassy

April 26, 2014 By administrator

On April 24, hundreds of Armenians demonstrated outside the Turkish Embassy in Tehran (Iran) on the occasion of 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

According to the website Armenian-Iranian Hyeli.com attended the event the Armenian Member of Parliament Iranian Karen Khanlarian and a large number of associations and religious leaders. K. Khanlarian has noted in his speech that the statements of Erdogan expressing condolences to the Armenians was a “positive step” Turkey in the way of recognition of the Armenian genocide. A manifesto calling on Ankara’s recognition of the genocide was to the Turkish Embassy.

Krikor Amirzayan

CNN Slams Obama’s Failure to Recognize Genocide (Video)

April 26, 2014 By administrator

NEW YORK—On April 24, CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent Jake Tapper reported on President Barack Obama’s dramatic retreat from his pledge – for the sixth year in a row – to properly characterize the murder of 1.5 million Armenians as “genocide.”
Using video of then Senator Obama,and Samantha Power’s campaign pitch for the President in 2008, Tapper concluded that the facts once characterized by Obama as undeniable, are in fact, for the President “quite deniable.”
“For the sixth year in a row, President Barack Obama has broken his promise to the Armenian community, made when seeking their votes as a senator and a presidential candidate, to use the word “genocide” to describe the massacre of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire a century ago. He did this in deference to the government of Turkey, which – historical revisionism aside – the Obama administration regards as a more crucial ally,” Tapper wrote in an article.
The disappointment from Armenian-Americans is all the more profound because not only did then-Senator Obama promise to call the massacre a “genocide,” he held up his willingness to do so as an example of why he was the kind of candidate the nation needed, noting as a presidential candidate that in 2006 he had criticized then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for firing U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans “after he properly used the term ‘genocide’ to describe Turkey’s slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915. I shared with Secretary Rice my firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence.”
“The facts are undeniable,” Obama said then, though today he denied them.
“America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides,” he said in 2008. “I intend to be that president.”

France: Marseille 1200 demonstrators demanding recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish Consulate face protected by dozens of CRS

April 25, 2014 By administrator

More than twenty cars CRS and numerous barriers had barricaded the Turkish Consulate in Marseille on Avenue du Prado. A measure requiring some 1,200 protesters around the barricades and install a few dozen meters from the Turkish Consulate.

Holder parolle CFC-Marseille-Provence, Julien Harounyan, began by thanking those present. Among them Vartan Sirmakes, General Consul of Armenia in Marseille with his vice-consul. He also thanked the ecclesiastical many churches present at the event, as well as elected Armenian, Didier Parakian (Deputy Mayor of Marseille) and Garo Hovsepian (Councillor). He also thanked Pascal Chamassian member of the national CFC and Isidore Aragonès Marseilles responsible CRIF.

Finally he thanked the Greek communities, and Assyrian-Chaldean Cypriots for their participation in the ceremonies of the 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Donabédian Jacques, president of CFC-Marseille-Provence has been during his speech, widely booed by youth. Following remarks criminalizing Armenian youth, the latter replied by large whistles … Jacques Donabédian nevertheless continued his long speech, recalling the stages of the recognition of the Armenian genocide and the right to justice of the Armenian people.

Then Julien Harounyan concludes another very energetic speech-but leave the floor to two elected Armenians and Garo Hovsepian Didier Parakian that would nevertheless deserved to be heard, then invited the audience to gather around a Mass at the Cathedral Armenian Prado, located within walking distance. One hundred young people still smoke burned face tens of CRS protecting the Turkish Consulate chanting slogans and calling for Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide. The morning near 2,500 protesters marched through the streets of Beaumont (12th arrondissement) to gather on the square of 24 April.

Krikor Amirzayan, text and photo-reportage

see more picture on http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article=99310

California Governor: Armenian Genocide a deliberate attempt by Ottoman Empire to eliminate all traces of thriving civilization

April 25, 2014 By administrator

April 25, 2014 | 12:20

Governor of California Jerry Brown issued a proclamationdeclaring April 24, 2014 as “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide” in the State of California.

The proclamation says Armenians were subjected to torture, starvation, mass murder and exile from their historic homeland between 1915 and 1923.

“1.5 million lost their lives. The Armenian Genocide, also known as the “First Genocide of the Twentieth Century,” represented a deliberate attempt by the Ottoman Empire to eliminate all traces of a thriving, noble civilization.

Armenian communities all over the world commemorate this tragedy on April 24. On this day, we honor the victims and survivors of the genocide, and reaffirm our commitment to preventing future atrocities from being committed against any people,” the proclamation reads.

French president says not enough progress in Turkey policy on Armenian Genocide

April 25, 2014 By administrator

April 25, 2014 | 12:51

President of France Francois Hollande said he would participate in the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan next year.

Speaking at commemoration event on Thursday, Hollande stated readiness to continue working for international recognition of the Armenian Genocide during which 1.5 million people were killed, Le Nouvel Observateur reported.

“The only name of this tragedy is genocide. There is no other term,” Hollande said addressing thousands gathered in the center of Paris.

Asked to comment on the statement of Turkish PM Erdogan, Hollande noted progress in Turkish policy, but said it was not enough.

Earlier Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made his first message in connection with Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

“The 24th of April carries a particular significance for our Armenian citizens and for all Armenians around the world, and provides a valuable opportunity to share opinions freely on a historical matter,” said the Turkish prime minister. He offered condolences to the Armenians, but described the events as “shared pain”.

Canada Ottawa, Tensions flare during 99th anniversary of Armenian genocide

April 25, 2014 By administrator

BY DENIS ARMSTRONG ,OTTAWA SUN

The annual Armenian march to commemorate the 1915 genocide threatened to boil over into a violent confrontation when they were met by an estimated 500 Turkish nationals.

Ottawa police and RCMP officers were on high alert for the annual march when hundreds of vocal Turks crashed ceremonies on Parliament Hill to mark the 99th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Armenia alleges Turkey’s Ottoman government waged a covert campaign to ethnic cleanse an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in 1915, a year into the First World War.

While it admits many Armenians were killed in the civil unrest that lead to WWI, the Turkish government denies it participated in ethnic cleansing of Armenians, claiming thousands of nationals from Bulgaria, Russia, Kurdistan, Syria and Palestine as well as Turkey and Armenia were killed at the outbreak of war.

Canada officially recognized the Armenian killings as genocide in 2004.

Separated by barricades and dozens of officers, both sides taunted the other as members of the Armenian community and federal MPs including Royal Galipeau and recently retired Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis who became emotional as he addressed the crowd.

“The presence of the Turks here shows their shame is all over them, otherwise they wouldn’t be here,” he added. “What brainless idiot let them assemble here? I’m deeply disturbed by the presence of antagonists like this on Parliament Hill.”

The Turks were gone by the time Karygiannis finished speaking. The Armenian Archbishop and members of the Foundation placed flowers at the Eternal Flame before marching to MacDonald Gardens Park and the Turkish Embassy where they were met by about 2,000 equally vocal Turks staging a counter demonstration.

Separated by a cordon of police, both sides continued to yell and taunt each other until police closed the park.

Armenians have been staging their annual march every April 24 for the last 40 years but the last two years, the number of Turkish nationals accompanying the Armenian protesters has grown, and neither side is backing down.

Armenian nationalists say they will stage the annual march until the Turkish government officially accepts responsibility for the Armenian genocide.

“I’d like to see an apology from the Turkish government and hear them admit they committed genocide the same way the Germans apologized that the Nazis killed Jews,” said Sebouh Kabajouzian, who drove from Toronto with his family to be a part of the march. “We’ll keep coming until the criminals admit their mistake and are punished.”