Author: Badalian Vardan

HUGE LOS ANGELES MARCH COMMEMORATES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

22:38, 24 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Thousands of people are marching in Los Angeles to commemorate the
100th anniversary of the killings of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians
under the Ottoman Empire, AP reports.

Throngs have joined Friday’s six-mile walk from the Little Armenia
neighborhood to the Turkish Consulate, carrying flags and signs.

The event comes after President Barack Obama once again stopped short
of calling the 1915 killings a genocide.

Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, and earlier
this month recalled its ambassador to the Vatican after Pope Francis
described the killings as genocide.

Huge Los Angeles march commemorates Armenian Genocide

LE 24 AVRIL SUR FRANCE 24

Genocide

Le 24 avril sur France 24 :

Dès 06h30 et tout au long de la journee, France 24 retransmettra en
direct et en trois langues les ceremonies qui se tiendront dans la
capitale armenienne, en presence de nombreux chefs d’Etat.

A 12h15, l’emission culturelle de France 24 A l’affiche ! ( Encore !

sur la chaîne en anglais) sera egalement dediee aux artistes armeniens
avec une emission speciale realisee a Erevan. Sonia Patricelli et
Eve Jackson recevront notamment Tigram Hamazyan, pianiste de jazz,
et le photographe Antoine Agoudjian.

La chaîne ponctuera egalement ses editions d’information par des
interventions et des reportages de ses correspondants et envoyes
speciaux en Armenie, en France et a travers le monde. Enfin, cette
programmation speciale sera agrementee par la rediffusion d’extraits
des recents entretiens exclusifs avec les presidents armenien et turc,
Serge Sarkissian et Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

France24.com proposera aussi un webdocumentaire inedit consacre aux
survivants du genocide de 1915 qui ont reussi a transmettre leur
histoire et leur culture millenaire aux generations suivantes. Les
internautes pourront decouvrir quelques portraits de descendants de
rescapes qui ont repris le flambeau en cultivant, a leur manière,
l’heritage de tout un peuple.

vendredi 24 avril 2015, Claire (c)armenews.com

RUSSIAN STATE DUMA ADOPTS STATEMENT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENARY

15:32, 24 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, has passed
a draft statement on Friday in connection with the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, TASS reports.

The document submitted by the State Duma Committee for CIS Affairs,
Eurasian Integration and Ties with Compatriots expresses “deep sympathy
to fraternal Armenia in connection with the centenary of the Armenian
Genocide and also to other peoples who suffered during the tragic
events of the First World War.” “Complex historical issues need to
be resolved by peaceful means, including by diplomatic efforts – for
the sake of establishing lasting peace and security on the planet,”
it says.

The State Duma believes that the “Eurasian continent can and
should become an example of good-neighborly relations and equitable
cooperation, a space of peace and creative endeavor.” “Multifaceted
activities in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, the
Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization are aimed at achieving this goal,” the draft resolution
says, noting that these organizations “were designed to ensure
sustainable development, prosperity of our peoples and the triumph
of humanistic ideals.”

The document adds that the lawmakers are guided by “the principles
of equity and support the striving of all people for preserving the
historical memory.”.

PARIS : 100EME ANNIVERSAIRE DU GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS

Publie le : 24-04-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Une ceremonie en hommage
aux Armeniens morts pour la France et pour la commemoration du 100e
anniversaire du genocide des Armeniens en 1915 aura lieu a Paris,
le 24 avril 2015. Le Collectif VAN publie ici le programme des
manifestations commemoratives, organisees par l’ANACRA (Association
nationale des Anciens Combattants et Resistants armeniens) qui auront
lieu aujourd’hui, a la capitale francaise.

Rappelons-nous, rassemblons-nous et manifestons tous ensemble

Une ceremonie en hommage aux Armeniens morts pour la France et pour
la commemoration du 100e anniversaire du genocide des Armeniens en
1915 aura lieu a Paris, le 24 avril 2015. Le Collectif VAN publie ici
le programme des manifestations commemoratives, organisee par l’ANACRA
(Association nationale des Anciens Combattants et Resistants armeniens)
qui auront lieu aujourd’hui, a la capitale francaise.

Programme

Le 24 avril 2015

– 18 h – Ravivage de la flamme du soldat inconnu a l’Arc de triomphe
avec l’ANACRA

Le rassemblement aura lieu sur les Champs-Elysees, a l’angle de
la rue Balzac, Metro Georges V ou Etoile, qui sera suivi du defile
d’une ampleur inhabituelle sur les Champs-Elysees, accompagne par la
musique militaire.

Les nombreuses gerbes ( une trentaine ) seront portees par
l’ambassadeur d’Armenie en France, les representants du gouvernement
francais, les elèves de l’Ecole Tarkmantchadz et les Scouts armeniens.

A l’issue de la ceremonie, dispersion rapide pour rejoindre les cars
qui seront mis en place autour du perimètre de l’Etoile.

– 19h15 – Les cloches des eglises de France sonnent en memoire des
victimes

– 19h30 – Discours de Manuel Valls a la statue de Komitas

– 20h – Le discours sera suivi par un defile vers l’ambassade de
Turquie vers.

Lire aussi :

Agenda – Paris : Commemoration du Centenaire du genocide

POUR LES ETATS-UNIS, NI GALLIPOLI, NI EREVAN

USA

Les Etats-Unis ne devraient pas etre presents aux manifestations
organisees par la Turquie a Istanbul le 24 avril pour commemorer le
centenaire de la bataille de Gallipoli, a en croire le journal turc
Sozcu, qui a precise qu’aucune delegation americaine officielle ne
serait presente ce jour-la. Mais la Turquie se console car le president
americain Obama ne sera pas present non plus a Erevan le meme jour,
pour les commemorations du centenaire du genocide des Armeniens dont
il fait savoir qu’il ne l’appellera pas, cette annee encore, de son
nom, a la grande satisfaction des autorites turques, qui ont organise
les ceremonies de Gallipoli a seule fin de torpiller les celebrations
armeniennes. L’ambassadeur americain en Turquie, John Bass, devrait
toutefois assister aux ceremonies de Gallipoli, auxquelles participant
une vingtaine de dirigeants etrangers. Le Vatican, qui avait reaffirme
que les massacres des Armeniens de l’Empire ottoman etaient un fait de
genocide, lors d’une messe du pape Francois a leur memoire le 12 avril
en la basilique Saint Pierre de Rome, a aussi decline l’invitation
de la Turquie, qui avait d’ailleurs critique en termes très vifs les
declarations papales. La chancelière allemande Angela Merkel, ainsi
que le president Joachim Gauck, ont egalement refuse de se rendre a
Istanbul, alors que le Parlement allemand s’appretait a voter une
resolution portant sur la reconnaissance du genocide armenien, au
sujet duquel la position de l’Allemagne a toujours ete ambiguë. Une
telle reconnaissance serait un geste fort de reconciliation avec les
Armeniens, la Turquie n’ayant pas besoin d’un tel geste de la part
de l’Allemagne, dont elle etait l’alliee durant la première Guerre
mondiale et qui a ferme les yeux sur les massacres perpetres contre
les Armeniens de l’Empire ottoman.

La Turquie organise en effet les commemorations de Gallipoli au nom
de la reconciliation avec les anciennes puissances alliees qu’elle
combattit et vainquit durant cette grande bataille de la Première
guerre mondiale, et les Australiens et Neo-Zelandais, qui prirent
part a cette bataille dans les rangs franco-britanniques, seront
representes en nombre a Gallipoli.

vendredi 24 avril 2015, Gari (c)armenews.com

DEMOCRATIC LEADER NANCY PELOSI’S STATEMENT ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

18:44, 24 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today released the following statement
in remembrance of the centennial of the beginning of the Armenian
Genocide:

“The facts are clear: 100 years ago, from 1915 to 1923, the leaders
of the Ottoman Empire conceived and carried out a genocide against
the Armenian people. More than 1.5 million Armenian men, women
and children were killed in one of the greatest atrocities of the
20th century. Today, 100 years after the first acts of the Armenian
Genocide, we mourn the loss of the victims and once again share the
story of this nightmare with the world.

“This solemn centennial calls on us to renew our insistence on the
truth and our dedication to justice. We all have a moral responsibility
to remember the Armenian Genocide for what it was – for if we ignore
history, we know we are condemned to repeat it.

“We must speak the truth and not dishonor those who died by refusing
to acknowledge the calculated, widespread extermination of millions of
Armenians. On this centennial of the Armenian Genocide we will also
continue to speak out against attempts to silence those who document
the facts about this harrowing time in history.”

ROMANIA’S PARLIAMENT CALLS TO ANNOUNCE APRIL 24 DAY OF GENOCIDES

17:13, 24 April, 2015

BUCHAREST, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: The Human Rights Commission of the
Chamber of Deputies of Romania spread on April 24 a statement on the
occasion of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

“April 24 marks the 100th anniversary of the massacres, implemented
against the Armenians in 1915 in the east of Turkey. This crime against
the humanity should not be forgotten, as the Pope Francis of Rome
says, as it is the first genocide of the 20th century and preceded
the genocides, committed by the Nazi and Stalin”, – says the statement.

LA RECONNAISSANCE DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN, >

LIBAN
À l’occasion du centenaire qui sera commemore demain vendredi 24 avril,
la classe politique libanaise et la communaute armenienne du Liban
se mobilisent pour la reconnaissance de ce massacre par la Turquie.

Le depute de Beyrouth, Michel Pharaon, s’est rendu hier au
catholicossat de Cilicie des armeniens-orthodoxes a Antelias pour faire
part de sa solidarite avec la cause armenienne et la revendication
du droit a la reconnaissance du genocide. , a-t-il precise. Il a egalement invite
les autorites turques >. Il a enfin remercie les pays arabes,
et plus particulièrement la Syrie et le Liban, pour avoir accueilli
les Armeniens.

L’hommage de Samir Geagea À Maarab, où s’est deroulee une ceremonie sur
le thème de l’arrivee des Armeniens
au Liban, le chef des FL a evoque >
de ce peuple et > pour se reconstruire, >. >, a-t-il martele. . De son côte, le depute Kataëb, Samy
Gemayel, a affirme que .

Dans une interview recueillie par l’Ani, le patriarche de Cilicie
des armeniens-catholiques Nerses Bedros XIX a invite la Turquie > les victimes. Il a
qualifie les propos du pape Francois en ce sens de >. Le catholicos a rappele que l’objectif de l’Empire ottoman
etait >. Et de preciser
que >.

Depuis l’Armenie, Raï appelle les Libanais a casser le conflit
politique qui brise le dos du Liban

Le patriarche maronite Bechara Raï est arrive hier en Armenie pour
une visite de quatre jours a l’invitation du patriarche supreme et
catholicos de tous les Armeniens, Karekine II. Après avoir salue la
memoire de tous les martyrs armeniens, tombes il y a cent ans, et mis
l’accent sur l’importance de l’aspect religieux de cette commemoration,
Mgr Raï a invite les Libanais >, a-t-il souligne a ce propos.

ISRAEL, THE DENIER OF ANOTHER NATION’S HOLOCAUST

The country has always had its cost-benefit analyses and global
interests to consider — now the issue is Turkey at the Armenians’
expense.

By Yossi Sarid | Apr. 24, 2015 | 11:06 AM

A memorial march marking the 100th anniversary of the mass of Armenians
by Ottoman Turkish forces, in Berlin, April 23, 2015. Photo by Reuters

Today, April 24, 1915, marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide. But Pope Francis erred this month when he referred to it
as “the first genocide of the 20th century.” The first took place
in German South West Africa, what is now Namibia. Tens of thousands
of tribespeople were annihilated. But blacks apparently don’t count
as much.

The pope neglected to mention them when he cited the 1.5 million
Armenians killed and called on the countries of the world to recognize
the Ottoman Turks’ crime against the Armenians and humanity. Still, he
should be commended. It’s not easy for him to take on the conservative
Catholic establishment, which is only surpassed in its backwardness
and corruption by the Israeli rabbinical establishment.

Will “the Jewish state” heed the Christian’s call? Or will it prefer,
as usual, to focus on a different pope, accusing him of ignoring the
destruction during those most awful times? True, Pius XII didn’t go
out of his way to save Jews. But we too aren’t so quick to empathize
with others’ suffering and rush to their aid. In its own way, Israel
is also a denier of another nation’s holocaust.

Dozens of countries have already answered the Armenian plea and
recognized the genocide, to the dismay of Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and despite his government’s threats. The European
Parliament just decided to break its silence too.

For what are the Armenians and their diaspora asking for? Not aid,
just recognition. No one need be endangered for their sake; just show
some sympathy and understanding. When eyes insist on remaining shut,
wounds will keep on reopening.

But Israel hasn’t been willing to forgo its monopoly on victimhood
or share its exclusive right to be the persecuted. It always has its
cost-benefit analyses and global interests to consider — whether
with apartheid South Africa or the juntas of Argentina and Chile.

And who’s going to preach to us, “the most moral” of them all? After
all, official Israel also has custody of the universal conscience. As
far as we’re concerned, the Armenians can go jump in a lake. We don’t
jump first, because we’re no dummies. And we’ll be the last ones to
resume relations with Cuba, as an arrogant American satellite.

Exactly 15 years ago today, I was invited to the Armenian Church in
Jerusalem. “I’ve come to be with you on your remembrance day — as a
human being, a citizen of the world, a Jew, an Israeli and the Israeli
education minister,” I said. “You have been alone for too many years.

Today, for the first time, you are less alone.”

Since then I’ve have been asked many times whether I consulted with
the prime minister and the foreign minister. Why bother to ask when
the answer is predictable and permission will not be granted? And I
wasn’t exactly a child.

Sure enough, Prime Minister Ehud Barak hastened to distance himself
from my comments, and others said the Armenian genocide must be left
to the historians. And I was declared persona non grata in Turkey;
to this day, Ankara isn’t waiting for me.

In the wake of the 2010 Mavi Marmara episode, when Israel-Turkey
relations soured, there were encouraging signs. Perhaps now — so
belatedly — the injustice will at last be corrected. What’s there
to lose?

And this month came a new glimmer of hope with Kim Kardashian’s visit.

What the Jewish head hasn’t accomplished the Armenian derriere would.

But this hope failed too. Yes, the Knesset is sending MKs to the
Armenian capital for the centennial — Likud’s Anat Berko and Zionist
Union’s Nachman Shai — but these are backbenchers briefed by the
Foreign Ministry. What difference does it make if they go or not?

It’s hard to understand why Turkey refuses to be different. Recently
it seemed to be softening, but now it’s returning to its same old
path. It’s not to blame for its ancestors’ sins, nor should it have
to bear the historical responsibility for the Armenian Nakba. The
wheel cannot be turned back, it can only be pulled out of the mire
of blood and resentment, and be turned in new directions.

FRENCH PRESIDENT: RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS AN ACT OF PEACE (VIDEO)

15:07 | April 24,2015 | Politics

In his speech at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan, Serbian
President Tomislav NikoliÄ~G said he had come to Armenia to express
their modest but firm support for Armenians.

“Today historical facts are distorted and used for petty interests.

Legal acts are applied by double standards and turned to absurdity,
Genocide victims are presented as criminals. Could we choose not to
come here today? Could we betray the memory of millions of victims and
all those who believe that only the truth will save us from the bloody
past? No, we could not and we would not dare not to be present here,”
said Mr NikoliÄ~G.

In his speech, President of France Francois Hollande reminded that
the Armenian Genocide started with the killing of intellectuals. “We
gave shelter to all Genocide survivors who came to France with one
suitcase. The role of Armenians in France is invaluable. They have
developed our country with their talent and assiduous work,” he said.

Mr Hollande said historical facts cannot and must not be forgotten.

“We do not discriminate between countries. That is why I allowed
opening the Rwanda genocide archive. We condemn each infringement
against humanity. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide does not
mean starting a new process, it means remembering the innocent
victims and excluding the repetition of similar crimes. I want to
see the Armenian-Turkish border opened, I want to see the two nations
reconciled,” he stressed.

The French president also referred to the Karabakh peace deal.

“Together with our partners we will do our best to solve the problem
in a peaceful way. Peace is our motto,” Mr Hollande said adding that
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is an act of peace.