RA PRESIDENT: OTTOMAN TURKEY AND ITS ASSIGNEES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 24 2006
YEREVAN, April 24. /ARKA/. Ottoman Turkey and its assignees are
responsible for Armenian Genocide in 1915, according to the message of
the RA President Robert Kocharyan regarding 91-year of commemoration
of Armenian Genocide throughout the world on April 24.
According to the Press Service of the RA President, Kocharyan appealed
to honour memory of victims of the Armenian Genocide, emphasizing that
all the posterior history of Armenian nation that suffered genocide
bared traces of that evil deed.
“Our sorrow and pain is all the bigger, since we have to struggle
for recognition and condemnation of this black page of the history”,
Kocharyan stated and emphasized that Armenia representing interests
of its citizens and Armenian Diaspora will continue this struggle.
Kocharyan also expressed gratitude to countries, organizations and
people, who support Armenian nation in its quest to achieve recognition
of the Genocide.
“Every year perception of the fact that it is a problem common to
all mankind and most effective way of preventing such crimes becomes
deeper and deeper”, he finds.
Kocharyan emphasized that, there is no vengeance implication in the
struggle of the Armenian nation. “We are looking into the future,
since strong state structure, prosperity and progress of Armenia must
become the best answer to denial of the Genocide”, he emphasized.
Armenian Genocide in 1915 – 1923 is considered to be the first
genocide of the XX century, organized and systematically conducted
by the government of Young Turks. In 1915, in Western Armenia, which
was part of Ottoman Empire, more than 1,5 mln Armenians were massacred.
The fact of genocide has been already recognized by many countries,
namely Uruguay (first in 1965 officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide), Russia, France, Argentina, Greece, Low Chamber of the
Italian Parliament, majority of states of the USA, Parliaments
of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium, Wales, National Council of
Switzerland, Chamber of Communities of the Canadian Parliament and
Seim of Poland.

MEMORIAL DAY OF VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN OTTOMAN TURKEY IN 1915 COMMEMORATED ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 24 2006
YEREVAN, April 24. /ARKA/. In April 24, the whole world commemorates
the day of victims of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire, first
such large-scale crime in 20th century. On this day in 1915, Turkey
began annihilating Armenian intellectual elite and went on with total
and utter extermination of Armenians on their historical territory.
This sorrowful date is commemorated not only in Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh but also in other foreign countries by foreign
Armenians and friends of the Armenian nation.
At 7 pm (local time), in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Diaspora a
minute of silence will be observed to commemorate innocent victims
of Genocide.
Today in Yerevan people will take flowers to the “Tsitsernakaberd”
Genocide Memorial. The Memorial will be visited by the RA President,
RA Government members and deputies of the RA National Assembly,
foreign diplomats and representatives of international organizations,
thousands of local inhabitants and representatives of Diaspora.
Today Armenian organizations of Diaspora intend to conduct meetings in
front of Turkish Embassies and demand recognition of Armenian Genocide.
After the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, the Christian peoples of
the Baltic countries threw off the yoke of the Ottoman Empire. By 1912,
the Ottoman Empire had lost almost all its territorial possessions
in Europe except for Istanbul and its suburbs. As a result, the
Armenians of Western Armenia were the largest Christian people that
remained under the imperial yoke. To retain power in the Asian part
of the territory, the imperial Government set itself the task of
violent assimilation or annihilation of Western Armenians that were
an obstacle to the formation of a pan-Turkic state.
The consistent policy of destroying Armenians in their historical land
was launched in the 90th of the 19th century and reached its climax
during World War I, when about 1.5mln fell victim to massacre and
deportation, and 350,000 Armenians fled to the Caucasus and Europe. As
a result only 150,000 Armenians remained in Turkey of the 2,000,000
that had resided in that country by early 20th century. The reason
why Turkish pogrom-makers could easily killed so many Armenians is
that the Armenian population and political parties were not prepared
for the impending danger of annihilation. However, in some places the
Armenian population offered resistance to Turkish vandals. The Van
Armenians organized self-defense and successfully rebutted the enemy’s
attacks. They succeeded in keeping the city under their control until
the arrival of Russian troops and Armenian voluntaries. The Armenians
in Shapin Garakhisar, Mush, Sasun, Shatakh offered armed resistance
to the enemy that exceeded them in strength many times. The defense
of Mount Musa in Suetin lasted for 40 days.
Armenians’ self-defense in 1915 is a heroic chapter of the people’s
national-liberation struggle.
The immediate mastermind of the Genocide was the Young Turkish
party Unity and progress, which was supported by the Government of
the Kaiser Germany, the ally of the Ottoman Empire in World Ware
I. The organizers of the crime managed to avoid punishment, but the
leaders of Young Turks were found and destroyed by Armenian patriots
in various parts of the world.
Modern-day Turkey does not consider the events genocide and has not
so far admitted this disgraceful fact, denying both the massacre
of hundreds of thousands of Armenians and moral, historical and
financial responsibility.
In 1965, in Soviet Armenia the movement for recognition of the Armenian
Genocide was revived in Armenia, which resulted by the recognition
of this fact by 15 countries and international organizations. Most
countries recognized the Armenian Genocide after 1998, when this
issue was put on the agenda of Armenia’s foreign policy. Over the
last few years, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been
widely advocated, and draft resolutions on the Armenian Genocide
have been put on the agenda of Parliaments and international
organizations. During the Genocide, the Armenian people was supported
by the best representatives of the world intelligentsia: Anatol France,
Franz Werfel, Valery Bryusov, Maxim Gorgy, Frittef Nansen and others.
The fact of genocide has been already recognized by many countries,
namely Uruguay (first in 1965 officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide), Russia, France, Argentina, Greece, Low Chamber of the
Italian Parliament, majority of states of the USA, Parliaments
of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium, Wales, National Council of
Switzerland, Chamber of Communities of the Canadian Parliament and
Seim of Poland.
The Armenian Genocide in Turkey caused a tremendous damage to the
Armenian people’s spiritual and material culture. In 1915-1916 and
following years thousands of Armenian manuscripts kept in Armenian
monasteries, hundreds of historical and cultural monuments were
destroyed, and the people’s holy places were defiled. The destruction
of historical and architectural monuments, misappropriation of the
Armenian people’s cultural values continues in Turkey now as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE COMMEMORATING THEIR FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN MASSACRED DURING THE 1915 GENOCIDE
ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 24 2006
YEREVAN, April 24 (Itar-Tass) – 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”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MERZLYAKOV: IT IS HIGH TIME FOR AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN FMS TO HOLD MEETING”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 24 2006
On April 21 within the framework of CIS countries foreign affairs
ministers meeting in Moscow, OSCE Minsk Group Russian co-chair Yuri
Merzlyakov had a private meeting with Azerbaijani foreign minister
Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian
separately.
Yuri Merzlyakov making statement to APA exclusively said that he
had thorough discussions with both ministers on the regulation of
Nagorno-Garabagh conflict. “Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov saying
current situation of the regulation process, co-chairs suggestions were
discussed, the future steps agreed, stated that it is high time for
Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers to hold meeting. Since the
time and the venue of the ministers were not discussed the co-chair
said that necessity of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents meeting
will be identified in the meeting of foreign ministers.
Expressing attitude to opinion “We haven’t been recommended new
suggestions of Azerbaijani officials Russian co-chair stressed
his agreement with these words: “It is true that no new suggestion
was advanced, but the main principles remains as it is, but some
precising, their realization opportunities and other issues need
to be reviewed. Though Russian co-chair did not announce details of
American co-chair Steven Mann’s last visit to the region, has called
the visit very significant and efficient.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A SOMBER HISTORY LESSON
By Fred Ortega, News-Press and Leader
TAMMY ABBOTT News-Press and Leader
Glendale News Press, CA
April 24 2006
The Armenian Genocide commemoration sought to educate the public
about the events leading up to the atrocities.
Documentarian J. Michael Hagopian showed “Germany and the Secret
Genocide” as part of the City of Glendale’s Commemorative of the 1915
Armenian Genocide at the Alex Theatre, Sunday.
Armenian Genocide commemorations tend to revolve around the cultural
and political repercussions of the genocide.
But city officials decided to use this year’s 91st anniversary of
the atrocities to focus more on educating the public about the events
that led to the systematic slaughter of more than a million Armenians.
And one of those educational moments came at Sunday’s event at the
Alex Theatre when the keynote speaker said a nation that has become
synonymous with genocide was complicit in the Turks’ extermination
of the Armenians.
J. Michael Hogopian, director of the documentary, “Germany and the
Secret Genocide,” used documents, archival footage and interviews with
survivors and German scholars in his film to suggest that Germany knew
about Turkey’s plans to eliminate its Armenian population during World
War I. And he goes further, saying that German authorities helped cover
up the massacres, and possibly even participated in them on occasion.
Hogopian shows correspondence between the head of the German-built
Berlin-Turkey-Baghdad Railway in his documentary that suggests the
German government knew the Turks were using the railway to transport
hundreds of thousands of Armenians to concentration camps and forced
labor sites in the Syrian desert.
The Turks’ use of German rail box cars — and even poison gas,
according to Hogopian — to eventually send 1.5 million Armenians
to their deaths foreshadowed the tactics that would be used by Nazi
Germany against Europe’s Jews during World War II.
Hogopian told the crowd of more than 500 at the Alex before the film’s
screening that his documentary is not meant to condemn Germany as a
nation or as a people.
“Instead, it is meant to show documentation, both visually and on
paper, of the Armenian Genocide by the Turks from the Turks’ own
mouthpiece, the Germans,” he said, noting that World War II Germany,
then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was allied with Ottoman
Turkey.
While most past genocide remembrances have taken on a cultural tone,
reinforcing the perseverance of the Armenian people, Councilman Rafi
Manoukian said this year the city decided to take a different tack.
“We are making it more educational, describing the geopolitical
situation in the years leading up to the genocide and the influence
the alliance between Germany and the Turks had on the events that
unfolded,” he said.
It is important to continue pushing for recognition of the Armenian
genocide, especially in light of the fact that the United States has
yet to officially accept the events of 1915 as a genocide, Councilman
Ara Najarian said.
“We are fortunate the city of Glendale is committed to recognizing
the genocide and educating the public,” Najarian said.
“We need to get the word out that Armenians will not forget the
genocide, that international recognition is a must, if nothing more
than to remember the slaughter of the innocents lost in 1915.”
Also present at Sunday’s event was Rep. Adam Schiff, who has introduced
legislation that would have the United States join other countries
such as Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Russia, Sweden and
Switzerland in recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
“Even as we move forward with legislation to recognize the genocide,
at the same time our government is trying to discipline our ambassador
to Armenia for having the guts to call the genocide a genocide,”
Schiff said.
“In a country as great as ours, this cannot stand.”

SCHOLAR RAGIP ZARAKOLU COULD FACE JAIL TIME
By Fred Ortega, News-Press and Leader
Glendale News Press, CA
April 24 2006
Publisher who acknowledges Armenian Genocide could be punished back
in Turkey.
When Turkish scholar and publisher Ragip Zarakolu returns home from
his visit to the United States, he could be facing some serious jail
time — all because he has written about a subject that many countries
consider a historical fact.
But Zarakolu, who was in Glendale over the weekend and spoke at
several Armenian Genocide memorial events, takes it all in stride. As
director of Belge International Publishers in Istanbul, he has been
engaged in an ongoing battle with the Turkish government for more
than 30 years, mainly because he has continued to publish and research
what he considers to be an essential truth: his country’s history of
injustices and atrocities against minorities including the Armenians,
Greeks and Kurds.
His latest books, two volumes about the Armenian Genocide, have
been labeled as “insulting and undermining the state” by Turkish
authorities. If convicted, he could face six years in prison. The
Turkish government to this day denies the genocide took place,
a position that has been condemned by many countries in the world
— but not in the United States, where the government has yet to
officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.
It would not be the first time Zarakolu goes to jail for his
convictions. In 1971, a military junta imprisoned him for three years
because of previous works he had published. Both he and his late wife,
Ayse Nur, were jailed by the Turkish government, and their publishing
offices were firebombed by right-wing groups.
But it is all worth it to Zarakolu, who sees his actions as simply
his duty to his fellow man. He described his efforts to expose what he
characterized as Turkey’s past atrocities as benefiting both those who
suffered under them, the Armenians, as well as the Turks themselves.
“We Turks must accept the Armenian Genocide took place in order
to build a true democratic country that provides the opportunity
for different cultures and beliefs to coexist,” said Zarakolu, who
has worked with Amnesty International on human rights issues in his
country since the 1970s and is a founding member of the Turkish Human
Rights Assn. “We must do this for Armenians, but also for ourselves,
for new generations and to prevent future tragedies.”
Zarakolu lived side-by-side with members of Turkey’s minority
populations at an early age. Growing up on the Prince Islands near
Istanbul, he said many of his Turkish family’s friends were Greeks,
Jews and Armenians.
But even in a seemingly tolerant society, no one openly talked about
the horrors of the past, he said.
“It was a silent period, and both sides did not want to speak of it to
save the children from bad memories,” said Zarakolu, who nonetheless
learned of the Armenian Genocide from his mother, who witnessed some
of the horrors first hand. His grandmother had even taken in Armenian
orphans in an effort to save them from extermination.
With the seed of the reality of the genocide planted in his head by
his mother, Zarakolu went on to Istanbul to study. There, he witnessed
a pogrom against Greek residents of the city and other minorities,
an event that further increased his resolve to speak out in favor of
his fellow countrymen, Turkish or otherwise.
The military coups in Turkey of the 1970s and 1980s helped remind
the people of the horrors committed in the past, he said.
“It raised empathy among the people,” he said. “At that time I began to
focus on studying the Armenian Genocide, and I had to conduct research
outside of the country because of the government’s censorship [and]
I could not find any documentation in Turkey.”
Zarakolu, who is wrapping up his tour of the United States courtesy
of the Organization of Istanbul Armenians Cultural Committee, has
impressed many with his ongoing efforts on behalf of his country’s
minorities. Glendale Councilman Ara Najarian called him nothing less
than a hero.
“He is one of the most courageous men I can think of,” Najarian said.
“Even in the face of hostility and incarceration at home, the fact
that he is not afraid to call what happened in 1915 a genocide makes
him one of the true heroes of the Armenian people.”
Former Glendale Mayor Larry Zarian, who interviewed Zarakolu during
a special airing of his weekly show “The Larry Zarian Forum,” said
Zarakolu’s actions were humbling and an example to all of humanity.
“This is bravery on the part of someone who doesn’t have to do this,
someone who can remain silent like many in his country and throughout
the world, and sell books and live a happy life,” said Zarian, whose
mother was a genocide survivor and who died before seeing the Turkish
government own up to the atrocities, her lifelong dream.
“This is someone who is committed to what is right, who is willing to
put his life on the line for the truth, and how can you thank someone
for that?” Zarian added.

FILM REVIEW: “THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”
By Jeff Klemzak
Glendale News Press, CA
April 24 2006
Written, produced, and directed by film maker Andrew Goldberg,
“The Armenian Genocide” is a well researched, well paced, and rather
interesting historical documentary. The film deals, for the most part
with events that unfolded in Turkey during and just after the First
World War.
Although Armenian people had lived in eastern Anatolia for centuries,
the overwhelmingly Muslim population had never allowed the Christian
Armenians to be truly integrated into Turkish society. Armenians
lived under restricted citizenship and were not permitted, among
other things, to join the military. When Armenians protested these
restrictions at the end of the 19th century the Turkish government
responded with violence and more restrictions.
By 1915 things had begun to further unravel for the Armenians. World
War I had broken out and Turkey sided with Germany and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. Armenian partisans however, aligned themselves
with Russia. The Turkish government, in an effort to rid themselves
of a “hostile” population within its own borders issued deportation
orders. For the unfortunate Armenians, the deportation quickly became
a death march and later, it further descended into an extermination
process, long before the phrase “ethnic cleansing” came into use.
Since that time, the survivors of this nightmare have, through a
lengthy Diaspora, established “homelands” in France, Lebanon, and in
the United States.
As explained in the documentary, Armenians, some ninety years after the
fact, are victims of “incomplete grief.” This is because the current
Turkish government has steadfastly refused to admit wrongdoing in this
sordid affair and without an admission of guilt many Armenians find it
difficult, even after all these years, to put this issue behind them.
This documentary appears to have been made as an appeal to the public
to put pressure on the Turkish government to own up to its role in
those bloody days of almost a century ago and because of this I think
it is fair that an audience be made aware that the film maker has
chosen sides in a sensitive political issue.
The film was presented as unrated with a running time of approximately
one hour.
Jeff Klemzak is a history buff who has always enjoyed a good
documentary.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ANNIVERSARY MARKED IN MOSCOW
Yerkir
24.04.2006 12:49
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – A series of events to mark the 91st anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide will be held in the Russian capital Moscow.
In the morning, the representatives of the Armenian Embassy in Moscow,
Armenian Apostolic Church’s Nor Nakhijevan and Russia Diocese and
Armenian organizations wreathed the khachkar (stone cross) at the
St. Harutiun Church of Moscow, followed by a service.
At 13:00, the Moscow Armenians will stage a demonstration outside
the Turkish Embassy in Moscow.
At 19:00, the Belgian “Arax” group will hold a charity concert,
organized by the Russian-Armenian Cooperation Organization. Following
the concert, automobile rally will be held to commemorate the victims
of the Genocide.

ARGENTINA SENATE CONDEMNS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Yerkir
April 21, 2006
The Argentinean Senate passed a statement April 19 on the 91st
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
As reported by the Armenian National Committee of America, the
statement condemns the crime committed against Armenians and expresses
condolences to the heirs of the Armenian Genocide victims.
The Senate also regrets over the consistent denial that generates
impunity and repetition of crimes. The document calls to re-assess the
activities of the international human rights protection organizations
for prevention of crimes against humanity.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION ENTERED NEW STAGE
Yerkir
April 21, 2006
The Armenian Genocide recognition process has entered a new
stage. Almost all of the leading states recognized this fact and even
the U.S. doesn’t deny it, National Assembly’s Armenian Revolutionary
faction leader and historian Levon Mkrtchian said in an interview
with the PanArmenian.net.
In his words, Armenia should take the advantage of the international
community’s positive attitude about the Genocide recognition and
pursue a more precise line towards Turkey. “It’s time to speak
of compensations, since without it the fact of recognition loses
sense. For Armenia the matter concerns not only moral and material
side but appears as a security issue as well,” the ARF leader said.
Levon Mkrtchian underscored that is the neighbor state doesn’t
acknowledge the crime committed against a whole nation the opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement can be protracted for an uncertain term.
At the same time the faction leader remarked that the Arab world
and Iran support Armenia in struggle for the Armenian Genocide
recognition. “Iran has not declared it at the state level but it sides
with Armenia. Actually, the majority of states arrived at a conclusion
that the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire should be recognized,”
Levon Mkrtchian said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress