County Archives

The president of the County Council of Bouches-du-Rhône, Martine Vassal, inaugurated on April 19 evening a banner in memory of the 1915 genocide.

The sentences were well constructed and the words chosen were strong. President South CCAF, Simon Azilazian set the tone for an evening where Armenians Bouches du Rhône were invited to County Council in Marseille for the unveiling of a banner in memory of the genocide victims.

“Despite the centenary of the many tragic events of 1915 marked by actions in France, Europe and around the world, led by Erdogan Turkey continues its disinformation campaign, and denial-fixing. It approves the Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. Today, Jihadism and Pan-Turkism are one. With Erdogan, Turkey has become an Islamo-fascist state that imprisons journalists. Between Daesch and Europe, Turkey has to choose. Our duty of memory beyond the framework of the Armenian Genocide. Our values are: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. We say yes to peace and no to war “insisted Simon Azilazian during his speech applauded at length.

Invited to speak, the MP Valérie Boyer said that “Nagorno-Karabakh is an Armenian land” and denounced “the indifference of the media that does not treat Azerbaijani aggression with the complicity of Turkey against the Armenians of this Republic.

President of the Departmental Council of Bouches-du-Rhône, Martine Vassal, believed “we need to have the United Armenian associations to demand the recognition of the Genocide of 1915. It is encouraging to see the new generation represented by Scouts continue this fight. I salute the spirit of resistance of the Armenian people and its dignity, courage and strength. We must combat Holocaust denial and must awaken consciences. It is time that the Turkish state is changing. I think the French government is cautious about what is happening in Karabakh, “concluded Martine Vassal which stated that on May 23, the County Council of the Bouches du Rhône will receive Charles Aznavour. In June, she will visit Armenia with a delegation of elected officials and members of the Chamber of Commerce French Armenian.

We noted in the audience attendance Maurice Di Nocera, Deputy Mayor of Marseille and Departmental Councillor Didier Parakian, Deputy Mayor of Marseille. JAF was represented by the President and by Pascal Julien Harounyan Chamassian. FRA Dashnaksoutioun was also represented. Raffi Delanian and Karen Khurshudian headed the delegation of the Apostolic Scouts. It also noted the presence of Pastor Gilbert Leonian and Father Aram, representing the Prado Cathedral.

Thursday, April 21, 2016,
Claire © armenews.com

By City News Service

LOS ANGELES >> The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to send a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to petition the Turkish government to recognize the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Supervisor Michael Antonovich marked the 100th anniversary of the slaughter and decried the “Turkish government’s continued denial of that genocide.”

Moving to “honor the 1.5 million victims,” Antonovich told his colleagues, “23 nations and our Pope Francis have declared this a genocide … it’s time that we also proclaim it a genocide.”

An Armenian priest told the board that the “eighth and final stage of genocide is denial.”

Recalling the Holocaust and reciting a list of other genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur and “today in the desert of Syria,” the religious leader told the board, “and we still say ‘never again.”’

Supervisor Hilda Solis told her colleagues that “any assault on humanity is an assault on all of us.”

Los Angeles is home to the largest Armenian population in America — more than 183,000 people according to the latest available U.S. Census estimates.

Tens of thousands of people marched to the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles last week to mark the anniversary and several public officials had harsh words for the President and Congress, who have failed to push Turkey, a NATO ally, on the issue.

During a visit to Washington, D.C. last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned that any use of the term “genocide” by Obama would have a “detrimental effect” on U.S.-Turkish relations, The Washington Post reported.

Turkey has cooperated with the U.S. in its fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.