Apigian-Kessel: Exiles, Survivors Commemorate Genocide
Fri, May 6 2011
By: Betty Apigian-Kessel
Their hearts may have been filled with immense sadness at the
senseless loss of life, but it was superseded by steeled determination
for justice.
On the evening of April 25, hundreds of Armenians filled the sanctuary
of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in Dearborn, Mich. If the
preceding day of Easter Sunday marked the resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ, then Martyr’s Day in 2011 was a promised renewal of
dedication, with a large gathering saying `Never Forget’ on this 96th
anniversary of the 20th century’s first genocide.
I refer to Armenians as `exiles’ because it was through no choice of
their own that they were ejected from their homes, and were either
killed or sent on a death march to the Der Zor desert in northern
Syria.
Villages and cities were emptied of their Armenian citizens. Layers of
history were peeled away by the Turks with their bloody yataghans. The
mass killings from 1915-23 saw 1.5 million Armenians dead, with
hundreds of thousands of Pontic Greeks and Assyrians. It remains a
permanent, shameful mark on human history denied by the heirs of the
perpetrator state, present-day Turkey.
The memorial on April 25 was held under the leadership of the Metro
Detroit Committee. Participating clergymen included Rev. Fr. Daron
Stepanian of St. Sarkis Church, Rev. Makarios Darawi of the Armenian
Congregational Church, and Very Rev. Andon Atamian of St. Vartan
Armenian Catholic Church.
Raffi Ourlian, the chairman of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) `Azadamard’ Gomideh, gave the opening remarks. Oghi Mouradian
was again honored as one of the few remaining survivors in the area.
Guests included U.S. Congressmen Thad McCotter (R-11) and Hansen
Clarke (D-13), both members of the Armenian Caucus. For them to be
present on this ultimate day of mourning was a tribute to the
character of these elected government officials.
McCotter has earned a high degree of respect from the Armenian
community for his years of support of Armenian issues. He acknowledged
the day as a `solemn occasion in the presence of the sole survivor,’
stating, `I am honored to walk beside you. If it is asked by the
martyrs if we remember them, the answer is a resounding Yes!’
Clarke, who was newly elected to his post in 2010, said, `This is a
very solemn occasion. I want to underscore the fact my colleague
McCotter and I stand together as Republican and Democrat in support of
you. The only way we will have peace in the world if we stand
together. You can count on me.’
Shogher Ourlian recited Siamanto’s heart-rending and graphic `Dance of
the 20 Brides,’ which lives on in poem form as a major reminder of
Turkish brutality foisted upon innocents for the sake of their
bedeviled pleasure. Kanoun music was provided by Ara Topouzian.
Guest speaker Ara Sanjian, Ph.D., of the University of
Michigan-Dearborn and the Armenian Research Center, focused on where
we presently stand just four years away from the 100th year
anniversary. He said, `The [Turkish-Armenian] protocols were not
signed, they are frozen, all is static. What this year holds we will
not know until the June Turkish elections.’
`The Turks are trying to convince themselves and the world of their
innocence. The `good Armenians’ of Turkey say what the Turks want them
to say, and the Diasporan Armenians are the Turks’ source of
consternation. It was against all odds that this issue would become an
international issue but it has. Twenty countries have recognized the
Armenian Genocide. Every president has promised to recognize the
genocide but later reneged,’ he said
`We are the exiles but we also are the inheritors of Hai Tahd. Our
demands must be firmly formulated concerning reparations and
restitution. More and more people in Turkey are talking about the
genocide. There are those who agree the Turks committed the genocide
and others who say `No, it was the fault of the Armenians.”
`Our efforts in the diaspora must continue. We now have the financial,
political, and intellectual clout and we are making a difference. It
is only since the late 50’s and early 60’s that the diaspora has
picked up speed in the effort for justice and we have made a
difference. We must continue to push forward.’
The program concluded with a film called the `Orphans of the
Genocide.’ If you have ever peered closely into the face and eyes of
photos of Turks and instead saw an Armenian looking back at you it is
no wonder. Thousands of Armenian youth were placed in orphanages and
Turkified. One of these notorious sites was in Antoura, Lebanon, where
the children, if they survived, were given Turkish names and converted
to Islam.
Madagh, roasted lamb sandwiches, prepared by the St. Sarkis Ladies
Guild, were given to everyone who attended the commemoration services.
Others who helped organize the event were the Armenian Relief Society
(ARS) Mid Council and the `Maro,’ `Shakeh,’ `Sybille,’ `Tsolig,’ and
`Zabel’ Chapters, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Detroit Chapter,
Detroit Homenetmen, Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Society,
Vosbouragan Society and Musa Lehr Society, and Ladies Guild and
Fellowship Club.
From: A. Papazian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/05/06/apigian-kessel-exiles-survivors-commemorate-genocide/