ARMENIANS SEEK OBAMA AFFIRMATION
John Ellis
Fresno Bee
Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2009
As a presidential candidate last year, Barack Obama declared that the
Armenian people were victims of genocide. Now, local Armenians are
expecting Obama, as president, to stand by that statement. They’ll
likely find out Friday. Armenians consider Martyrs Day the day the
genocide began in 1915, and U.S. presidents typically issue a statement
about the mass killings — without calling them genocide.
Past presidents, unwilling to create a diplomatic rift, have
disappointed the Armenian community on Martyrs Day. Campaigning in
2000, George W. Bush referred to a "genocidal campaign" against
the Armenians, only to drop any reference to genocide after his
election. His father did the same.
But Barlow Der Mugrdechian, coordinator of the Armenian Studies Program
at California State University, Fresno, thinks Obama will finally be
the president to use the word genocide. "I think he’s going to surprise
people and do something really positive," Der Mugrdechian said.
Varoujan Der Simonian, executive director of the Armenian Technology
Group, a Fresno-based nonprofit group that provides support for
Armenian farmers, agreed. "If he doesn’t, will I be disappointed? A
lot of people will, I think," he said.
An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923
while living in lands that were part of the Turkish Ottoman
Empire. Armenian-Americans and many scholars say it was genocide,
but the modern Turkish republic contends that wasn’t the case. The
secular Muslim democracy has worked to have the U.S. avoid using the
term genocide.
Turkey is a critical U.S. ally that hosts the American air force at
the Incirlik Air Base, borders both Iraq and Iran, holds a strategic
position on the Black Sea and has played a vital role in efforts to
strike a peace deal between Israel and Syria.
Obama visited the country this month and did not use the word
"genocide" in referring to the mass killings of Armenians. Some
local Armenians were disappointed, but others were encouraged by what
they heard.
Der Simonian felt Obama "prepared the groundwork" by telling Turkey
to "face reality and deal with its neighbors." And Der Mugrdechian
liked that Obama drew a parallel with the slavery issue in the United
States. "Acknowledge it and get past it," he said of Obama’s underlying
message. "It was there. It was a very clear subtext."
Rich Sanikian, a member of the Armenian National Committee,
said Obama was "in the middle of 80 million people, most of
whom oppose the genocide issue. I would be cautious as well in my
terminology." Sanikian said Obama appears to be more knowledgeable on
the issue than past presidents. And, Sanikian added, he has Samantha
Power as a National Security Council staffer. Power, who wrote a
book on genocide in general, filmed an Obama campaign video aimed at
Armenian-American voters.
"He’s got people around him that know the issue pretty well and I’m
sure are talking to him on the inside as well," Sanikian said.
The key day, however, is Friday.
Locally, there will be a Walk for Remembrance from the David of Sassoun
statue at Tulare and M streets to Fresno’s City Hall, where the annual
flag raising will take place. During the day, however, the local
Armenian community will be looking to Washington and waiting for Obama
to use the word genocide in a message commemorating the mass slaughter.
"We’re always hopeful," said Hygo Ohannessian, who chairs the local
chapter of the Armenian National Committee of America.
"There is always hope. Never give up on hope."
From: Baghdasarian