A Rally in Saint Petersburg (Russia) for Memory of victims of Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey
and a Petition of Rally participants
(translation of an article in “Yerkramas”
newspaper)
On April 22, 2012 in Sankt Petersburg, Russia near Consulate General of
Turkey took place a `Rally for Memory of victims of Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Turkey’. As Information Center of “Yerkramas” (a newspaper of
Armenians in Russia) reports basing on information from Rally organizers,
200 people of all ages and professions have gathered to the rally, people
whose ancestors lived in the different places of both West and East
Armenia. The objectives of the rally were: informing of citizens about
physical extermination of Armenians and Armenian cultural heritage on their
historical Motherland, blaming Armenian Genocide and the continuing policy
of false, history falsification and Genocide denying by Turkish government,
demand for official recognition by Turkey of masterminded by its
authorities Armenian Genocide.
This was a first in XXI century civil rally in Sankt Petersburg (Russia) on
Armenian Genocide. With a written welcoming letter to rally participants
addressed Yuri Navoyan, co-chairman of Moscow commission for coordination
of activities dedicated to 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. The
rally started with a melody of duduk and finished with a patriotic song
`Gini Lits’, that is about a panishment action made by Soghomon Teylerian
to Talaat Pasha, one of the major organizers of Armenian Genocide.
Rally was organized by newly created independent initiative group of
Armenians living in Saint Petersburg and surrounding Leningrad District.
During two hours of rally the following people spoke: Prof. Anatoly Akopov
(the official rally organizer), the chairman of Armenian Comradeship of
Saint Petersburg and Leningrad District Vahan Babakhanov, the writer Levon
Adyan, a representative of youth Sergey Melkonyan, a representative of
`Spisok Nadezhdy’ (List of Hope) Movement Arthur Aghajanyan, a
representative of Armenian Clannishness of Saint Petersburg Narek
Sarukhanyan, the poet Eduard Poghosyan, Ph.D. in military sciences Sergey
Ter-Gabrielyants, vice-president of the Union of Russian Diasporas Anthuan
Arakelyan. Among guests, who spoke was also Dr. Boris Vishnevsky, the
member of Saint Petersburg Legislative Assembly, Deputy chair of its
Standing commission.
During a rally participants had accepted and signed the Petition to Consul
General of Turkey in Sankt Petersburg Mr. Tanju Bilgich.
The rally was very rich by informative content. Large colored banners
reflected different aspects of the theme, in that number:
– a special Statement adopted by Russian State Duma (parliament) from April
14, 1995,
– a process of acknowledgment of Armenian Genocide by countries and world
regions,
– a fact of intentional extermination of Armenian elite on April 24, 1915
–
a day of Holy Resurrection of Jesus Christ and a historical statement by
World Churches Council in 2011,
– a map of the most bloody areas of Armenian Genocide in Turkey,
other banners like a city of Bitlis with known saying of William Saroyan
and a city of Musa Dagh with a portrait of France Werfel.
Besides named new banners old residents of Saint Petersburg brought old
banners that were used publicly back in 1990s before the interruption of
civil rallies on Genocide theme.
However the main banner with a scale of 4×7 meter reflected two sacral
pictures – Greater Ararat, soaring in its grandeur upon clouds and a
picture of Grigor Khanjian `Vardanank’.
A Petition to Consul General of Turkey in Saint Petersburg, Russia
April 24, 2012
Press Release on Rally (in English)
Details on Rally (in Russian)
To Consul General of Republic of Turkey in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mr. T. Bilgich
Copies to:
Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mr. G. Osmanov
Consul General of Republic of Armenia in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mr. V. Hakopian
Mr. T. Bilgich!
On April 24 Armenians and all the progressive world community observes
sorrowful date – 97 years of the beginning of Armenian Genocide. The
Armenian Genocide was masterminded and realized by authorities of the
Ottoman Empire and Republic of Turkey in 1894-1923, as a result about 2
millions Armenians were killed and half a million of survived were
forcefully deported from their historical Motherland to the lifeless Der
Dzor desert.
We, Armenians of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad District, Russia have
gathered not only to pay a tribute for Memory of Armenian Genocide victims,
but also to raise our voice, our Anger and a request for a Justice and for
barring of such crimes in the world.
We demand from the Turkish Government to put an end to the state policy of
history falsification, as well as of many years blockade of Armenia and
continuing vandalism of destruction of the Armenian cultural and historical
heritage from the ancient times to XX century on the modern Turkey
territory and finally unconditionally acknowledge the fact of Armenian
Genocide. The authorities of the country founded on the lie, that continue
the falsification of the history at the rank of state policy, are doomed
for court of the world nations and court of International Tribunal.
The initiative group of Armenians of Saint Petersburg and Leningrad
District, Russia
Accepted at the `Rally for the Memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide
in Ottoman Turkey’
Saint Petersburg, Russia
April 22, 2012
Photos:
Vardan Gharajyan
http://bvahan.com/art/brief_april22eng.asp