MANY SEEK TO REMEMBER THE 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
ures/many-seek-to-remember-the-95th-anniversary-of -the-armenian-genocide-1.1477598
By Alissa Medina
Highlander Newspaper – UC Reverside
May 11 2010
Contributing Writer Alissa Medina examines how some are remembering
the tragedy
Photos courtesy of armgenocide.wordpress.com
Riverside is home to a small, tight-knit Armenian community consisting
of avid church-goers, many of whom are involved in the Western Diocese
Armenian church organization. With meetings every first Sunday of the
month on Terracina Drive past University Avenue, many people gather
together to greet others of their same ethnicity and partake in a
culture that has once been struck by tragedy. Many Armenians across
California hold ceremonies remembering the genocide on April 24 every
year in honor of those who have been lost but never forgotten.
On April 24, for the first time in San Francisco, 700 members of the
Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee strutted across the Golden
Gate Bridge to remember the 1.5 million Armenians who died during
the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Known as the "Walk for Remembrance,"
the march not only commemorated the genocide, it honored members of
the Native American, Jewish, Sri Lankan and Rwandan communities as
a part of the organization "All Crimes Against Humanity."
The walk began with the introduction of special guests: members
of the Native American, Sri Lankan, and North Bay Jewish Community
alongside the ANCA National Director, Aram Hamparian, and members of
the Armenian Orthodox Christian clergy.
Marchers held signs stating "We Want Justice" and "Turkey: Stop
Denial."
Armenians have been struggling for genocide recognition in the
past three years since President Barack Obama’s speech on the
importance of US-Armenia relations back in 2008. "I also share
with Armenian-Americans–many of whom are descended from genocide
survivors–a principled commitment to commemorating and ending
genocide," said Obama. Although, for many, Obama’s speech only came
as a whisper as 35,000 Facebook members made the call for 1.5 million
signatures before Obama’s Genocide Address on April 24th, 2010. The
group looks towards advancing Obama’s promise, honoring his pledge
and having him contribute to genocide remembrance once again.
"We want the world to know the truth […] we show the world to
remember the ones we lost, our ancestors," said Arpi Nakashian of
Las Positas College, who attended the April 24 march.
Armenia, a country no bigger than Maryland in the northern Middle East,
consists of roughly 4 million people. A nation that once harbored
feelings of sadness and ambiguity is now a calm, spiritual and
cultural home for many. Although it persists in Armenia’s history,
many put the genocide behind them as they begin to push the warming
of Armenia-Turkey relations. In the beginning of the year, the U.S.
congress pushed to state that the killing of Armenians throughout the
Ottoman Empire was genocide, yet the resolution did not pass due to
the risk of offending alliances with Turkey.
The Foreign Affairs Committee approved a genocide resolution in 2007,
yet it is still not certain where the affirmation lies in possible
resolution; Turkey, to this day, continues to deny the genocide.