Author: Badalian Vardan

“CENTENARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE; ANATOLE FRANCE” STAMPED CANCELLED

18:36, 23 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Today, on April 23rd 2015, within the framework of the forum “Against
the Crime of Genocide”, HayPost has officially cancelled and put
into circulation a postage stamp dedicated to the “Centenary of the
Armenian Genocide; Anatole France”.

The president of the General Council of the state Hauts-de-Seine,
member of the Parliament Patrick Devedjian, leader of France-Armenia
deputy friendship group Francois Roshblua, President of the National
Assembly of RA Galust Sahakyan and HayPost Trust Management BV
Managing Director Juan Pablo Gechidjian participated in the ceremony
of cancellation of the Anatole France postage stamp.

Anatole France (1890-1945) was an outstanding French writer,
academician and a Nobel Prize winner as well as the founder
and publisher of “Pro Armenia” journal in Paris. He has shown
a bigcontribution and humanitarian help to the survivors of the
Armenian Genocide.

FRENCH MEP: ABOVE ALL, WE ASK TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

21:26, 23.04.2015
Region:World News, Armenia, Turkey
Theme: Politics

Socialists and Democrats political group of the European Parliament
condemns all occurrences of crimes against humanity and genocide and
strongly deplores any attempts to deny them, the French MEP Sylvie
Guillaume told Armenian News -NEWS.am.

According to her, the European Parliament resolution came to a very key
moment. “Its message is clear: not only encouraging Turkish authorities
to use the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian genocide as
an opportunity for Turkey to continue its efforts to come to terms with
its past and prepare for reconciliation with Armenia, but above all,
we ask Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide,” the French MEP said.

On April 15 the European Parliament adopted by a majority vote a
resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide and calling on Turkey to
pave the way for reconciliation with Armenia.

GALLIPOLI BATTLE ANNIVERSARY: TURKEY’S AIM IS TO CONFUSE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY – DANIEL FEIERSTEIN

22:08 * 23.04.15

In an interview with Tert.am, in response to a question as to whether
he can make Turkey abandon its policy of denying the Armenian Genocide,
Daniel Feierstein, President of the International Association of
Genocide Scholars (IAGS), pointed out the need for spare no efforts
and continue struggle.

He welcomed the Pope’s remarks about the Armenian Genocide.

The developments are now following the right course. However, Turkey
should follow Germany’s example and admit the Armenian Genocide.

Sufficient evidence of the Armenian Genocide is available, and much
has to be done for all states to recognize the fact.

A Turkish ambassador visits countries that have mot recognized the
Armenian Genocide and warns of possible deterioration of relations if
they recognize the Armenian Genocide. US President Barack Obama is
well aware of the truth, but the question is whether he will accept
it or not, Mr Feierstein said.

Although all the states are well aware of the need to struggle against
genocide, recognition involves politics.

Mr Feierstein also hopes for Armenian-Turkish reconciliation.

As regards Turkish blockade of the borders, he agrees that this is
not a problem of the 21st century.

Although every country has a right to close its borders, they should
follow the way to Europe without borders.

Speaking of the events commemorating the Battle of Gallipoli Turkey
scheduled for April 24, Mr Feierstein said that Turkey’s aim is to
misrepresent the Armenian Genocide as part of that battle.

PACE ADOPTES WRITTEN DECLARATION “COMMEMORATION OF THE CENTENNIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”

by Tatevik Shahunyan

Thursday, April 23, 15:13

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a
written declaration “Commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian
genocide” on April 23.

The declaration authored by Rene Rouquet was signed by 171 delegates.

The text of the Declaration reads: “Genocide is an unconceivable crime
for a society which is founded on tolerance and protection of human
rights and fundamental freedoms. Early prevention of such crimes can
surely stop the escalation of conflicts, tragedies and humanitarian
catastrophes. The absence of unequivocal and timely condemnation of the
Armenian genocide largely contributed to the failure to prevent future
crimes against humanity such as the Holocaust and other genocides.

24 April 2015 marks the Centennial of the Armenian genocide. 1,500,000
Armenians perished as a result of this hideous crime perpetrated in
the Ottoman Empire.

The undersigned parliamentarians pay tribute to the memory of innocent
victims and condemn all forms of crimes against humanity and genocide
and deeply deplore attempts at their denial.

Prevention of genocides and crimes against humanity should be amongst
our priorities. Further development of the international capacities in
this regard is instrumental. The Council of Europe has an important
role to play within the international efforts in contributing to the
prevention of crimes against humanity. It should encourage its member
States to come to terms with their own past and prepare grounds for
future reconciliation between peoples.”

PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

April 23, 2015 11:15
EXCLUSIVE

President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades

Photo: huffpost.com

Yerevan /Mediamax/. President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades told
Mediamax today that the Armenian Genocide gave many important lessons
to the humanity.

Nicos Anastasiades told Mediamax about it on the eve of his visit to
Yerevan on April 24.

“Only by recognizing the magnitude of the catastrophe can we hope to
redeem humanity and civilization from its darkest pages.

I am visiting Armenia, upon the invitation of H.E. the President
of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, to attend a most important event, the
centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Our delegation visiting Yerevan, comprising of myself, the President of
the House of Representatives, as well as several members of parliament
and high level government officials, is here to offer a message of
solidarity, respect, and remembrance to the Armenian people; the
Medz Yeghern, can never be forgotten, and we will solemnly continue
to honour the memory of those who perished, out of respect for the
Armenian people, and ultimately, out of respect for humanity and the
sanctity of human life”, said the President of Cyprus.

He recalled that Cyprus is home to a vibrant Armenian community,
and a good friend of the Armenian state, and the official delegation
could not have been absent from the events due in Yerevan on April 24.

Cyprus has done a lot to serve this cause: it became a home and a safe
haven to thousands of Armenian refugees fleeing Ottoman persecution
and famine in the early part of the 20th century, it became the
first European country to have recognised the Armenian genocide and
most recently, it has criminalised the public claim of denial of the
genocide, by Parliamentary decree.

The lessons to be learned by the Armenian genocide, the first genocide
of the tumultuous 20th century, are many and important. We need to
keep alive the remembrance of the genocide by paying tribute to the
millions of lives lost, by serving their memory and legacy, and being
adamant that impunity cannot go unpunished”, said Nicos Anastasiades.

According to the President of Cyprus, the people of Armenia and Cyprus
share a lot, unfortunately also being victims of the same impunity.

“We also share universal values and principles: respect in
international law, peace, the independence and freedom of peoples
and respect for human rights. These characteristics stem from our
interwoven history and the struggles of our peoples who persevered
for survival and prosperity”, he said.

EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
For Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
Bruxelles, 1000
Belgique

Tel./Fax : +32 (0) 2 732 70 26 / 27
E-mail : [email protected]
Web:

Brussels, 22 April, 2015: The Austrian Parliament adopted a declaration
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, acknowledging the responsibility of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, at the time an ally of Ottoman Empire, calling on
Turkey to reconcile with the dark pages of its past. The declaration was
adopted unanimously by all political factions in the Parliament, before
adopting it, the deputies held a moment of silence in memory of the 1.5
million innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The declaration states that it is Austria’s obligation to recognize the
terrible events as genocide and condemn them. It also states, that it is
the duty of Turkey “to honestly face its dark and painful chapter of
the past, and the crimes committed during the Ottoman Empire against the
Armenians to recognize as genocide.”

The statement on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide, also pays homage
to Assyrians, Arameans, Chaldeans, Greeks, victims of the total
annihilation of minorities perpetrated by Turkey.

Garo Chadoian, chairman of the Austrian Armenian Committee for Justice and
Democracy (Hay Tad Austria) thanked the Armenian community of Austria, and
the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, for the persistent and coordinated
efforts over the past years, which resulted in this joint declaration
today, and praised the Austrian political parties for their courageous and
responsible stance on recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) said: “we congratulate the Austrian –
Armenian community for their tireless work, and welcome this historic
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Austria. It isi historic in the
sense, that Austria, acknowledging its responsibility for the past
regarding Austro-Hungarian Empire’s alliance with the Ottoman Turkey, could
serve as a noble example for Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and
come to terms with its past”.

“Armenian Diaspora’s activism, the Pope’s message, the European
Parliament’s resolutions on the Armenian Genocide have all contributed to
this declaration by the Austrian Parliament”. We very much hope, that
Germany as well, will shift its stance on the Armenian Question and
officially recognize the Armenian Genocide”, concluded Karampetian.

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SPEAKER OF HELLENIC PARLIAMENT: TOGETHER WE CAN PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS

12:26 23/04/2015 >> SOCIETY

Together we can win in the fight against the genocide, and we can
protect the future generations, Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament
Zoi Konstantopoulou said at the International Social and Political
Global Forum against the Crime of Genocide.

She expressed her solidarity in the fight for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.

“The Hellenic Parliament has expressed its gratitude to the Parliament
of Armenia for recognizing the genocide of Pontic Greeks,” Zoi
Konstantopoulou said.

ARAM I ARRIVES IN ARMENIA BRINGING RELICS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

10:50, 23 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 23 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. In the early morning of April 23,
His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia has arrived
in Armenia by a special flight to preside with His Holiness Karekin
II Catholicos of All Armenians over the canonization ceremony of the
Armenian Genocide victims. “Armenpress” was informed about this from
the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s official cite. His Holiness Aram I
was accompanied by the bishops and priests of the Congregation of
Catholicosate of Cilicia.

His Holiness has brought with him the relics of Genocide victims,
which were kept in the Chapel of the Holy Martyrs’ Altar of the Great
House of Cilicia.

After the canonization ceremony, at the same night Aram I Catholicos
will return to Antelias to preside over the ecclesiastical ceremony of
April 24, as well as to consecrate the renovated Armenian Genocide
first Memorial and deliver his pontifical speech of the 100th
anniversary to the people.

A L’ANCIEN MUSEE DE PEINTURE DE GRENOBLE, UNE EXPOSITION RETRACE LE DESTIN DES ORPHELINS DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

GRENOBLE
Nous sommes l’avenir, c’est le titre de l’exposition realisee par la
Maison de la Culture Armenienne du Dauphine. Elle lève le voile sur
un aspect meconnu de ce drame et retrace le destin de 200.000 femmes
et enfants, rescapes du genocide armenien,

Ce sont des Oublies de l’Histoire, les rescapes du genocide armenien,
dont on commemore le 100ème anniversaire….Ils n’ont pas pour
autant echappe a la souffrance. Ils furent près de 200.000, femmes
et enfants, abandonnes, disperses a travers tout le Proche-Orient,
enleves par des familles turques, kurdes ou bedouines, decidees a les
“assimiler” ou tout simplement a les utiliser comme des esclaves.

Dès 1918, les survivants armeniens, epaules parfois par des
associations occidentales sont partis a leur recherche. Ils en ont
retrouves, parfois meme rachetes…près de 120.000. Bon nombre d’entre
eux ont ete recueillis dans des orphelinats du Dauphine.

Reportage de Jean-Christophe Pain & Aurelie Massait-Salamanca

“Nous sommes l’avenir” Intervenant : Antoine Bedrossian, Commissaire
de l’exposition ” Nous sommes l’Avenir”

L’exposition “Nous sommes l’Avenir” est visible jusqu’au 3 mai.

jeudi 23 avril 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com

THOMAS DE WAAL READS THE TESTIMONY OF POGHOS VARDANIAN

April 23, 2015 09:34
EXCLUSIVE

Thomas de Waal

Photo: From personal archive

Mediamax presents 100 Seconds project devoted to Armenian Genocide
Centennial. The project is based on testimonies of Genocide survivors
published by the National Archive of Armenia.

Thomas de Waal is a British journalist and writer.

For 100 seconds project he reads an extract from Armenian Genocide
survivor Poghos Vardanian’s testimony.

National Archives of
Armenia Collection of Documents

Testimony of survivor Poghos Vardanian on the deportation and massacre
of Armenians of Karin

October 2, 1916, Karin

Night fell. It was very uncomfortable in the prison. The sweat was
flowing down like water from everybody’s forehead. Some even took off
their coats to wring them. Everybody wanted water. The gendarmes were
bringing water from the Euphrates in tin kerosene pots and giving in
to us through a hole in the lower part of the stable door, getting 1-2
kurush for each cup. But only those close to the door could make use
of it. Those at the far end couldn’t drink. It was impossible to sleep
and we were waiting for the dawn. The day hadn’t broken yet when the
prisoners thundered the air with a church ceremony (reciting the hymn
“Morning of Light”).

The day broke. Two soldiers searched me and took 138 kurush but didn’t
find the 14 gold coins tied on my back. Then a gendarme said to me:
“Hey, take off your shoes”. “I’ll be barefooted,” I said. “Put on
mine,” he said. “Yours are old”, I said. “You won’t wear off even the
old ones”, he said. When I heard this, I took off my shoes without
any resistance and put on his old ones.

Producers: Ara Tadevosyan, Yulia Petrossian Boyle Filming: Ross
Goldberg Post Production: Tumo LLC

The source of Poghos Vardanian’s testimony: National Archives of
Armenia, Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey, 1915, Testimony of
survivors, Collection of documents, Yerevan-2013.

VivaCell-MTS is the general partner of 100 seconds project.