PanARMENIAN.Net
AGMI to host international conference of Adana massacre
07.02.2009 14:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In an effort to reveal the unknown pages of Armenian
Genocide and its consequences Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute
(AGMI) is hosting an international conference with a broad scope of
issues related to genocide and its consequences. In the frames of the
two-day conference held in Yerevan, Armenia from April 20th to 21st,
2009, the AGMI press office reports.
The speakers will have the opportunity to present their papers and
share their knowledge about the massacre in Adana province and in the
city of Adana itself in spring 1909.
In 1908, the Young Turkish revolution brought some hope for change for
the Empire’s Christian minorities. However, the initial euphoria and
hopes for equal rights for Muslims and Christians were dashed in
brutal slaughtering of Armenian population in Cilicia and its center
Adana. This massacre revived the fear of the same approach of Ottoman
leaders towards ethnic minorities, particularly Armenians.
The Adana massacres of April 1909 became a symbolic prelude for the
state orchestrated and executed genocide policy against the Armenian
population of the Ottoman Empire. Marginal cleansings were carried out
even earlier, during the Hamidian massacres in 1894-1896. This
resulted in the killing of 300.000 Armenians, annihilation and
eviction of the Armenian population from their native lands.
The study of Adana pogroms reveals several interesting issues,
particularly in terms of crime investigation, reparation and
involvement of Turkish regular army in the massacre. These tragic
events resonated with the events of the earlier attacks on the
Armenians and brought back the feeling of the coming catastrophe.
The massacre in Adana and nearby regions left indelibly painful
memoirs among Armenians. Armenian intellectuals and public
organizations involved in humanitarian assistance to all those who
suffered brutalities and lost property were affected by these
atrocities.
The Adana massacres heralded a large-scale extermination policy, which
was implemented shortly after the breakout of the WWI. This resulted
in the genocide of Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during
1915-1922.