ARMENIANS REMEMBER VICTIMS OF 1915 MASSACRE
By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff

The Daily Star, Lebanon
April 25, 2006

Turkey still denies targeting minority community

BEIRUT: Thousands of Armenians from all over Lebanon gathered at Bourj
Hammoud Stadium on Monday to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian genocide, demanding that Turkey “recognize and apologize for”
the massacre committed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915.

“It was the first massacre of the 20th century to which the whole world
turned a blind eye,” former Minister Alain Tabourian told the crowd.

The gathering was attended by 35,000 Armenians who came wearing the
Armenian flag but singing the national Lebanese anthem as they marched
into the stadium in the Armenian suburb of Beirut.

“Turkey tried to wipe us out of existence, but we survived and were
reborn with new citizenships,” said Tabourian, who also thanked
Lebanon for having welcomed Armenian refugees who fled Turkey. “We
never forgot our roots.”

He also thanked representatives from the government and President
Emile Lahoud, along with Lebanese Forces MP Strida Geagea, who attended
the commemoration ceremony.

Beginning on April 24, 1915, Armenians say about 1.5 million Armenians
“were massacred” by the Ottoman Turks as part of a government-led
“genocide,” a term Turkey has fiercely and consistently rejected for
decades. Ankara also says the dead numbered 300,000-500,000.

Survivors fled to Syria and Lebanon, with the latter now home to the
largest Armenian community in the Arab world, made up of about 75,000
descendants of those who fled the 1915-1917 violence.

“In order for the Armenians to open a new page with Turkey, it has
to acknowledge and admit its crime against us, and apologize for
committing the highest kind of atrocities possible against human
beings,” Tabourian said.

“Their admission of this crime would benefit them and help them
accomplish their dream of entering the European Union, and would give
us our peace and compensation which are rightfully ours,” he added,
referring to EU demands that Turkey face its past and expand freedom
of speech before it can qualify to enter the union.

Apart from the speeches, which were mainly delivered in Armenian, white
balloons were released in honor of those killed in the bloodletting
and in hope that peace can finally be realized between Turkey and
the Armenians.

“It is rather unlikely they Turkey will admit it, but we have to
prove that as Armenians, we still exist, and just as Palestinians are
fighting for their land, so are we,” said one participant at the event,
Anto Narguizian, 17.

“Turkey’s alliance with the United States is very strategic, both
economically and geographically, so the United States will not agree
that such a mass genocide occurred, even if most European states
have agreed to this,” he added. “But if America does not agree,
Turkey will not return the land it has taken from the Armenians,
and will not repay all the damages it has caused.”

Narguizian’s mother, Maral, who did not attend the commemoration,
told The Daily Star: “Everyone has their way of expressing their
beliefs and what they stand for; I would rather express myself through
monetary aid to local charities and churches.”

But she added that these “protests need to be done, to ask for our
rights, which have long been ignored.”

RECOGNISE THE ARMENIAN AND ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE
By Peter Marshall

Assyrian International News Agency
April 24, 2006

On Saturday 22 April, around a thousand Armenians living in the UK
marched from Marble Arch to the Cenotaph in Westminster where a wreath
was laid to draw attention to their demands for the recognition of
the Turkish genocide of 1915-23 in which around 1.5 million Armenians
were killed.

Genocide has been around throughout history, but it was only in
the twentieth century that the term was invented. It was needed to
describe both the fate of the Jews under the Nazis and the earlier
Turkish crimes against the Armenians.

Ethnic groups such as the Armenians just didn’t fit in with the concept
of a new Muslim Turkey held by the Young Turks in the early years of
the twentieth century. The only solution was to kill them.

The Turks started on the job on 24 April 1915 by arresting 1000
intellectuals and other leaders and executing them.

Next they conscripted 300,000 male Armenians for army service, but
but instead of sending them to the trenches, they were alleged to be
traitors, disarmed and killed.

Finally, the remaining Armenians – women, children and the elderly –
were dealt with my mass killings and enforced marches into the desert
where they starved. Rape and other atrocities were common.

The Armenians had been living inside what became modern Turkey for
some 3000 years. At the start of 1915 there were over 1.5 million of
them. Most were killed during that year, and by 1923 there were only
around 50,000 left.

The Turkish government still refuses to accept this genocide
occurred. In 1916, a UK parliamentary report by Lord Bryce and Arnold
Toynbee, ‘Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 1915-16’
detailed these systematic politically motivated killings, and many
other reports, including some from the UN have given simiilar accounts.

Over recent years, many governments and other organisations around the
world have passed resolutions affirming that the Armenian genocide
occurred. Like the Nazi holocaust, it is a fact of 20th century
history, and like that, totally reprehensible.

Various Early Day motions in the British parliament have called upon
our government to take some action. The most recent, sponsored by
Stephen Pound MP, “calls upon the UK and Turkish governments publicly
and officially to recognise the Assyrian and Armenian genocide of
1915” and for the “UK Government to call on the European Union to
make official Turkish recognition … one of the pre-conditions for
Turkey’s membership of the EU.” So far this has only attracted 38
signatures – only one from a Conservative.

The march was one of a number of events this year organised by the
Campaign for the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide, CRAG, together
with other Armenian community groups. Among those leading the march
was Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, Primate of the Armenian Church of
Great Britain.

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TODAY IS A DAY TO REMEMBER, THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ABC 7, CA
April 24, 2006

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923 in the
waning days of Turkey’s Ottoman Empire

Flags will fly at half staff in West Hollywood today to honor Armenian
victims of genocide.

An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died between 1915 and 1923 in the
waning days of Turkey’s Ottoman Empire.

Today is the 91st anniversary of what many Armenians consider the
start of the genocide, when Turkish authorities arrested two hundred
Armenian community leaders.

The Turkish government says allegations of genocide have never
been proven.

Turkish Ambassador Nabi Sensoy, in response to the Public Broadcasting
Service documentary “Armenian Genocide,” said last week that
“Armenian allegations of genocide have never been historically or
legally substantiated.”

The West Hollywood City Council has passed a resolution “condemning
the human rights violations of the Turkish government,” according to
City Councilman Jeffrey Prang’s office. The resolution was introduced
by Prang and Councilwoman Abbe Land.

SEN. ALLARD TO HANG OUT WITH ROCK STARS
By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News

Rocky Mountain News, CO
April 24, 2006

Concern over Armenian genocide is bringing together soft-spoken Sen.
Wayne Allard and one of the loudest heavy metal bands in the business
this week.

The Armenian-American group System of A Down, known for an eclectic
repertoire and rapid, screaming lyrics, is scheduled to visit Allard’s
office Wednesday afternoon.

The visit is to thank Allard for co-sponsoring symbolic legislation
casting a spotlight on the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million ethnic
Armenians under Ottoman Empire rule in the early 20th Century.

The band, known for political lyrics, has made remembering the Armenian
genocide a cause celebre, and its web site urges fans worldwide to
pressure their representatives to remember crimes against humanity.

On the surface, Allard and the band would seem to have little in
common.

While Allard is quiet and conservative, the band is, uhm, not.

Its song list includes the song “F— the System.” One song,
“B.Y.O.B.,” includes the lyrics “Why don’t presidents fight the war?

Why do they always send the poor?”

And then there are profanity-laced songs like “Cigaro,” which includes
bragging references to various male physical attributes and repeated
lines like, “My s— stinks much better than yours…”

(That’s one of the more family-friendly lines.)

So is the band’s music on Allard’s iPod?

“Sen. Allard does not yet own an iPod,” chief of staff Sean Conway
reports.

“Sen. Allard is aware the band is heavy metal and has strong ‘political
lyrics’ in their songs, but he admires the band members for their
standing up for what they believe in, and for their strong support
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution,” Conway said.

AZERI SPEAKER MEETS AUSTRIAN OFFICIALS IN BAKU

AUSTRIA TODAY
April 24, 2006 Monday 7:47 PM (Central European Time)

Speaker of Azeri Parliament Oktay Asadov met with a delegation
headed by the State Secretary of Austrian Foreign Ministry Hans
Winklerin, Trend reports with reference to press service of the Azeri
Parliament. Speaker said at the meeting Azerbaijan’s priority-driven
politics is the integration in Europe.

“Azerbaijan intends to extend relationships within Europe’s new
neighbourhood programme. In this respect, the republic officials are
leading conversations on development of an action plan. We should
note also that in some political issues, in particular Armenian-Azeri
conflict, the European Commission is not taking Azerbaijan’s concerns
in consideration,” he said. Speaker also said that staring 1992
European commission has provided our country over USD 400 million and
highly appraised cooperation under such programs as TACIS, TRASECA,
INOGATE and Food programme. The speaker informed the guests about
the development of interparliamentary relationships, preliminary work
performed in conjunction with re-elections of May 13.

LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA

Baltic News Service
April 24, 2006 Monday 3:06 PM EET

Vilnius

Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus is to leave for a two-day official
visit to Armenia on Tuesday.

During the visit, Adamkus is scheduled to meet with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian.

According to a press release from the Lithuanian president’s press
service, the meetings are planned to focus on prospects of bilateral
relations, regional cooperation, Armenia’s reforms and determination
to achieve its Euro-Atlantic goals.

A bilateral agreement on the promotion of investments and mutual
protection will also be signed during the visit.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BODY OF INDIAN STUDENT ARRIVES FROM ARMENIA

The Statesman (India)
April 24, 2006 Monday

Statesman News Service SILIGURI, April 23: Shell-shocked family
members received the body of Prashant Anchalia, who died on Thursday
after apparently falling from the sixth floor of the Yerevan State
Medical Universitys hostel in Armenia, at Bagdogra airport around
1.30 pm today. A pall of gloom descended on the town as Prashants
body reached his residence at Church Road here from Bagdogra airport.

A large number of people had gathered outside the residence of
the Anchalias to bid adieu to Prashant, whom they used to know as
a brilliant student, who he died in mysterious circumstances in
Armenia. Puja Goel, who too hails from Siliguri and studies at YSMU
in Armenia, and Abhishek, Prashants friend, accompanied the body as
it reached Siliguri from Armenia, via New Delhi.

The duo was so shocked with the death of their friend that they could
not even speak to the media. Later in the evening, they narrated
the entire incident, and the lackadaisical attitude of the YSMU
authorities, to the victims family members. The grief-stricken family
members of Prashant, after hearing the duo, alleged that Prashant was
murdered. We demand a high-level inquiry into the circumstances that
led to Prashants death, Mr Pankaj Anchalia, the victims elder brother,
said. Puja and Abhishek, eyewitnesses of the incident, alleged that
they wanted to give their friend first aid but policemen and the
medical department dean of YSMU, Ms Anna Sargsayn, didnt allow them,
saying that they must wait for an ambulance.

The ambulance arrived in 50 minutes without any doctor, the necessary
medicine and oxygen. The Indian students approached the YSMUs newly
appointed rector, Mr Gohar Kjalyan, but the latter insulted them,
instead of offering help. Mr Pankaj Anchalia said what they heard from
Puja and Abhishek was unfortunate. Either the CBI or the Interpol
should probe the incident, he demanded. Mr Anchalia also lashed
out at the Prime Ministers Office for not responding to their fax
message. The Government of India should have helped us bring the
body from Armenia. But they did not. Had the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr
Somnath Chatterjee, not intervened, the body would not have reached
Siliguri today, he said. Mr Somnath Chatterjee had contacted the
Indian amabassador in Armenia, Mrs Reena Pandey, and instructed her
to extend all possible help to us. He also sent his condolences to us,
Mr Anchalia added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSMAN EMPIRE, ITS SUCCESSOR FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 1915 GENOCIDE
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 24, 2006 Monday 03:45 AM EST

The Osman Empire and its legal successor bear full responsibility for
the 1915 Armenian Genocide,” President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan
stated here on Monday. “The entire subsequent history of the Armenian
people, who had lived through the horrors of genocide, is scarred by
the grave consequences of the committed crime,” the leader of the
republic stressed in his address to the fellow-countrymen on the
occasion of the commemoration of the 1915 Genocide of Armenians in
the Osman Turkish Empire.

“We are even more pained by the fact that we have to strive for
the recognition and condemnation of this dark page of history,”
the president noted. “The Republic of Armenia, being as it is the
mouthpiece of the national interests of the Armenians, who are now
living in their native land or abroad, will continue these efforts,”
Kocharyan stressed.

The Armenian president expressed gratitude to the countries,
organisations and personalities, who sympathise with the Armenians.

In his opinion, “the realisation that this is a problem of the entire
humanity is growing from year to year”.

“The efforts of the Armenians have nothing to do with vengeance,”
Kocharyan stressed. “We are looking far ahead of us, knowing that
the best response to the non-recognition of the 1915 Genocide should
be our powerful statehood, prosperity and progress of Armenia,”
the president of the republic stressed.

COMMEMORATION OF 1915 GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 24, 2006 Monday

Armenians all over the world are commemorating on Monday their
fellow-countrymen, who were massacred during the 1915 Genocide in
the Osman Turkish Empire.

According to tradition, thousands of people gather at the Memorial
to the Genocide Martyrs in the Yerevan park of “Tsitsernakaberd”. An
eternal fire is burning there in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians
who were massacred in 1915. Similar ceremonies are being held in
several other countries because an Armenian diaspora had appeared on
all the continents of the world after the genocide.

Efforts to get the genocide internationally affirmed and recognised
are among the priority tasks of Armenia’s foreign policy. The first
genocide of the 20th century was affirmed by several countries of the
world and by the European Parliament. It is worth noting that Greece
and France had adopted corresponding laws in this connection. The
Russian State Duma issued a statement in 1995, condemning the Genocide
of the Armenian People.

The Armenian President decreed to award special prizes to people,
known for their outstanding contributions to the cause of getting
the Armenian Genocide affirmed and recognised. The first to get such
prizes were historian Verjine Svaznyan for his book “Armenian Genocide
and Historical Memory of People” and German writer Edgar Hilszenrat
for his novel “The Death Tale”.

GENOCIDE IN RWANDA: COULD IT HAPPEN HERE?
By Lee Bycel
Special to The Aspen Times

Aspen Times, CO –
April 24, 2006

I recently returned from Kigali, where the people of Rwanda observed
the 12th commemoration of that nation’s haunting genocide. On April
7, 1994, the nightmare began. Eight hundred thousand Rwandans were
killed in 100 days. That event seems unfathomable now, but the pain
in Kigali is still raw. At various memorial ceremonies, adults and
children wailed at the loss of loved ones, devastated families and
man’s inhumanity to man. The agony of their mourning is palpable.

Kigali has been rebuilt; it is a beautiful city yet haunted by its
past. It is beyond my understanding how, just a short while ago,
neighbor killed neighbor, relative killed relative, friend killed
friend with machetes, guns and knives. The slaughter took place
while most of the world stood by as dispassionate observers. I came
to Kigali to learn more about the legacy of genocide and grapple with
why we have repeated it so frequently in the last century, including
Armenia, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda and now Darfur. Why is our
indifference so profound?

This week, Armenians, Jews and concerned human beings all over
the world commemorate the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust that
collectively took the lives of nearly 12 million people. For the
most part, the world stood by and watched or claimed we were not
aware of the situation. I know that we have advanced in so many
areas, but have we advanced in human terms – measured by compassion,
peace, ability to realize that every one in this world deserves to
be treated with dignity and protected by universal rights? I think of
the world in which these two horrific and incomprehensible genocidal
catastrophes took place. Why were we and why do still fundamentally
remain so indifferent? No longer can we claim lack of knowledge. Has
the modern world, complete with information overload and escapist
technology, led to our collective numbness to the growing storms of
trouble around the world? Are we incapable of learning from the past?

Indifference is like an untreated cancer, spreading through our hearts,
minds and souls. Indifference seriously affects all of us. As Martin
Luther King wrote, “The day we see the truth and cease to speak is
the day we begin to die.” We must fight indifference and cultivate
a society where people act courageously, speak out and pursue justice.

How do we do that? Rwanda offers a timely example. I met with the
dynamic president of Rwanda, Paul Kagami. He is fully committed to
building a society based on civility and justice – his vision and
energy are resolute. He has witnessed the devastating consequences
of a society where ethnic conflict and cruelty run rampant. He lives
with the pain of genocide, it continues on in the lives that have
been torn apart.

Kagami’s vision for his country’s future is based not on rebuilding
what was, but in shaping something that has not been. His vision will
become a reality based on forgiveness, reconciliation, understanding
and a deep resolve to creating a viable society out of the ashes of
ethnic hatred.

Could genocide happen here? I don’t know, but the question keeps
me up at night. I have great faith in our democratic processes and
the safeguards that mark our society. I have deep confidence in the
American people and the reasons we shaped and maintain the principles
of this country. Yet I wonder what moved the Rwandan people from living
together, often with difficulty and amidst the problems that affect
many African countries to murdering one another. I am troubled by our
intolerance of others, our inability to respect other viewpoints and
our willingness to silently witness the small but important injustices
that occur each day. I worry about a society where there are so many
social, educational, economic and health disparities. Yet I am certain
that we have the resources to resolve these issues.

The connection between indifference and genocide is significant.

Perhaps genocide cannot occur without societal or global
indifference. Rwanda reminds me of the importance of never taking
our rights and privileges for granted – and the need to make a deeper
personal commitment to shaping a society where all are protected.

This requires actively addressing our social problems and making a
commitment to civil and respectful discourse with each other.

I left Kigali wondering how to cure the plague of indifference that
has enveloped our world. I remain deeply hopeful about America and our
ability to wrestle with difficult issues. Rwanda informs us, troubles
us – and, hopefully, stirs us to reevaluate and strengthen the ethical
and social framework of our society. We must act: nurturing our own
humanity and taking responsibility. Our personal actions and our
collective deeds are the antidote to indifference.

Rabbi Lee Bycel is senior advisor, Global Strategy of International
Medical Corps and a senior moderator at the Aspen Institute.