THE GAZETTE MAY 6, 2014
By: Arek Markarian Mont Royal

I applaud The Gazette’s April 26 article titled “Two minutes to recall the horror” outlining Israel’s official Holocaust Remembrance Day. This was a dark period in humankind’s history.

However, I, as well as the entire Armenian community, am shocked and dismayed how The Gazette did not report the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th.

There was the annual march to the Turkish embassy, where they were met by Turkish demonstrators who ridiculously challenge that the genocide ever took place. The Armenian Genocide is widely accepted by 21 countries such as Canada, Russia, France, Germany, Switzerland and Vatican City. It is generally accepted, although not officially (due to economic and military lobbying and threats from Turkey), by the United States.

Scholars and historians agree on this historical fact. However, Turkey refuses to accept this black mark in its history, evidently for fear of having to pay restitution for their crimes.

The EU community has continuously scolded Turkey that if they ever have a chance to join the Union (which they desperately want to be part of), they must recognize the genocide.

On the same page of the April 26 issue, there is another article titled “Learn Lessons of the Holocaust: Netanyahu”. It speaks about Benjamin Netanyahu issuing a “stern warning Sunday to the world the lessons of the past and prevent another Holocaust.”

Yet, why is there no mention in the April 24 edition of the paper, or even the next day’s edition, of the systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenians by the Turkish Ottoman Empire in 1915? Shouldn’t the world know about this to prevent another genocide?

Why not have the world remember the Jewish Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide, in an effort to prevent this happening again in any foreseeable future?

The word “Genocide” is generally recognized as the plight of the Armenian people as it was the first one of the 20th century, just as the word “Holocaust” is associated with the Jewish people.

Both people have suffered an unimaginable horror in such relative recent history.

It is reported that Hitler stated to his commanders, right before invading Poland, the following: “Who, after all, speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians’? If the world had acknowledged and reported this atrocity of the Armenian people, what affect might that have had on the Holocaust?

We’ll never know for sure.

Why not report both tragedies? Surely, this would be a good thing for the world to remember, and be wary of following a similar path one day? Acknowledging one atrocity would not detract from the severity and horror of another. It would only strengthen the message we need to send to the world that this must never happen again.

There are close to 50,000 Armenians living in Montreal, and it is surprising that The Gazette would not report such a historic and monumental anniversary that affects such a sizable portion of its reader base.

Next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Let us hope that The Gazette will show that it is a credible and respected form of media in one of greatest cities in the world, by reporting the centennial anniversary of this tragic event.

I hope on April 24, 2015, this milestone will be given the attention and respect it deserves, so that the world will not forget what horrors man can do to fellow man.

Arek Markarian

Mont Royal