United Committee for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
1701 N. Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Contact: Greg Bedian
email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
April 24, 2005
Prof. Robert Krikorian Addresses Chicago Genocide Commemoration
Chicago, IL – Prof. Robert O. Krikorian addressed a crowd of over 350
people on Saturday evening, April 23, at an event organized by the
United Committee for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide held
at Shahnasarian Hall in the Armenian Community Center in Glenview,
Illinois.
The event opened with the presentation of the colors by the Chicago
Homenetmen Scouts and its newly formed Drum Corps. Following the
singing of the US and Armenian national anthems by Mary Khatcherian
and Melanie Mardoian, respectively, the hall fell silent to honor the
1.5 Million Armenians who perished in the Genocide 90 years ago, as
well as those who died in the pogroms in Sumgait, Baku, and Kirovabad.
In his opening remarks, United Committee Co-Chair Greg Bedian provided
an analysis of recent developments, citing the Bush administration’s
efforts to help Turkey clear the genocide recognition hurdle for its
entry into the European Union by establishing a
`recognition-without-reparations, crime-without-consequences
environment’ via the discredited Turkish Armenian Reconciliation
Commission and others. `Unfortunately, the administration’s latest
tactic appears to be the creation and promotion of a class of
`reasonable’ Armenians whose purpose is not to represent and serve
Armenia’s interests, but instead to unwittingly serve merely as
yes-men to help clear the way for Turkey to enter Europe without the
fear of reparations,’ he stated. `If we do nothing more tonight, we
must all be resolute and united in rejecting this attempt to divide
our community and stand firm in demanding both recognition and
reparations from Turkey in atonement for its crime,’ he concluded.
In his presentation to the community, Krikorian, who holds a PhD from
Harvard University in History and Eurasian Studies, described the
implicit and explicit links between the 1915 Armenian Genocide and the
development of the Armenian democratic movement of 1988-1991. He
began with a brief review of Soviet Armenian history, defining what he
termed a tacit `social contract’ created between Armenians and the
Soviets during the takeover of independent Armenia in 1920, namely
that the physical security of the Armenian people would be guaranteed
in return for their loyalty.
Krikorian then took the audience through the gradual loosening of
censorship regarding the topic of the Genocide beginning in 1965 and
continuing through the Glasnost era of the 1980’s. He outlined how
the Soviets allowed Armenian agitation against Turkey in order to
promote their own interests while reinforcing message that `without
the protective umbrella of Soviet power, the very existence of the
Armenian nation would be in doubt.’ He went on to describe how the
pogroms in Sumgait in February and March of 1988 shattered the myth of
Soviet guarantees of physical security, calling into question the
reason for remaining under Soviet rule, and detailed its impact on
political currents in Armenia at that time. He also cited his
research on the almost universal theme among Armenian self-defense
fighters who stated that `they were motivated to act by the desire for
the 1915 Genocide to never be repeated.’
The program also featured a musical interlude by the Chicago Hamazkain
Choral Group and an exhibit about the Genocide prepared by members of
the Armenian Youth Federation. In addition to this exhibit, the
Taniel Varoujan and Sahag Sislian Armenian Saturday schools displayed
essays prepared by their students on the experiences of their own
family members during the Genocide. During the program, Sahak
Zakarian of the Taniel Varoujan school shared his essay with the
community.
Messages from various political figures including Cook County
Treasurer Maria Pappas and a proclamation issued by Illinois Governor
Rod Blagojevich designating April 24, 2005, as `Armenian Martyrs Day
in Illinois, in honor of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide’ were presented to the community by ANC of Illinois
representative Karine Birazian.
The event was organized by the United Committee for the Commemoration
of the Armenian Genocide, which was formed by the Armenian Democratic
Liberal Party and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation last year to
prepare a series of events to mark the 90th Anniversary of the
Genocide. In addition to Krikorian’s lecture, these events include an
April 27th cultural program entitled `Snowflakes in April’ by actress
Nora Armani, accompanied by cellist Lusine Petrosyan, and an April
30th lecture featuring Turkish historian Professor Taner Akcam.