Armenian Genocide News

AZG Armenian Daily #102, 30/05/2008
Genocide
"THREE GENOCIDES AND ONE GENERAL STRATEGY"

Turkey condemns Greece for commemoration of the victims of Pontic
Greek Genocide

Turkish Foreign Ministry severely condemned Greece on May 26 for the
"Commemoration day of the victims of Pontic Greek Genocide".

It is mentioned in the statement that the events of the commemoration
day of the "so-called" Pontic Genocide organized corresponding to the
law adopted by the Greece parliament on February 24, 1994, contradict
the spirit of dialogue and cooperation of the two countries.

The statement cites, "We severely condemn that because of the
mentioned events our country and its founder Ataturk has become
targets of them. We notice with surprise that this approach is
incongruous with commonsense as it comes from the misunderstanding of
the history. Participation of the members of Greece parliament,
leaders of political parties, representatives of local authorities and
Greece government in this year's events evidently shows who support
the baseless allegations against our country".


To recall, according to February 24, 1994 decision of the Greece
parliament May 19 was proclaimed Day of Pontic Greek Genocide.

What about the commemoration events of the victims of Pontic Genocide
this year they started on May 18 with the holy mass in Aya Sofia
Church of Thessalonica and lasted a week, among them an event under
heading "Three genocides and one general strategy".

By the way, only Turkish Public TV mentioned of the event verbally
without touching upon it on the website. For that reason the details
of the event are not available. But we suppose that "the genocides of
1915-1923" refer to Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greeks, and "one
general strategy" assumes the international recognition of those
genocides.

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By Hakob Chakrian, translated by L.H.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 29 2008
`RAPHAEL LEMKIN'S DOSSIER ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE' PUBLISHED

YEREVAN, 29.05.08. DE FACTO. The Center for Armenian Remembrance (CAR)
published `Raphael Lemkin's Dossier on the Armenian Genocide', which
constitutes an important contribution for scholars, human rights
activists and others seeking to know what the originator of the term
genocide and the `father' of the Genocide Convention had to say about
the Armenian Genocide.
According to PanARMENIAN.Net, the book is the perfect antidote to the
denialist campaign that has lately intensified by the banning of a
book in Toronto and its replacement by books by denialist historians
Bernard Lewis and Guenther Levy.
`Raphael Lemkin's Dossier on the Armenian Genocide' is the fifth book
in the `The Armenian Genocide and the Armenian Case' series put out by
CAR Publishing.

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TURKISH HISTORIAN TO STUDY GENOCIDE
Boston Globe
May 29 2008
MA

Armenians praise appointment at Clark

It's like appointing a non-Jewish German to teach Holocaust studies,
but Clark University has already done that.

The Worcester school recently named a Turkish historian to be chairman
of Armenian genocide studies.

Taner Akcam, who was imprisoned in Turkey in the 1970s for his work on
the slaughter of Armenians at the end of the Ottoman period in Turkey,
was selected over several candidates of Armenian descent to hold the
Armenian genocide studies post and to become an associate professor
in the history department.

Despite a century of friction between Turks and Armenians, Akcam's
appointment has sparked little concern in the state's vocal Armenian
community.

"My appointment is a sign of change, with symbolic meaning," said
Akcam, who is leaving a post as a visiting professor of history at
the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

"It is not important, the ethnic origin of the individual in this
position; what is important is the approach of the individual to the
historic wrongdoing," Akcam said. "The position should not be an
issue between Turks and Armenians; this is an issue between those
who violated human rights and scholars and human beings who fight
against abuses of human rights."

Some local Armenians lamented that Akcam does not support Armenian
claims to Turkish land and that there are not enough positions in
academia to be filled by more scholars of Armenian descent.

Armenians have long called for more scholarship on the massacre of
more than 1 million Armenians during and after World War I in what
is modern-day Turkey.

Armenians, as well as nations including France, Argentina, and Canada
have recognized the killings as genocide. But the Turkish government
rejects the label and has opposed efforts in Congress to pass a
genocide resolution.

The issue has led some municipalities in Massachusetts to split
from the Anti-Defamation League-sponsored No Place for Hate program,
because the group has been hesitant to refine its stance on what many
consider genocide.

Local Armenians said they support the appointment of Akcam, who after
being released from a Turkish prison received a doctorate in Germany
and has since written extensively on the Armenian genocide, including
his most recent book, "A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the
Question of Turkish Responsibility," published in 2006.

"It's not troubling that he's of Turkish descent; if anything it's
encouraging," said Marc Mamigonian, director of programs at the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research in Belmont.

"It's important that non-Armenians be involved in this sort of work,"
he said. ". . . It's hard to miss the symbolism of it. But my hope
is that this is more than just symbolic and that he will continue to
make important contributions to the scholarship."

Sharistan Melkonian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee
of Massachusetts, said Akcam's willingness to go to prison for his
views shows the wisdom of his appointment.

"In this case, you put ethnicity aside for people who speak the truth,
and that's exactly what he has done," Melkonian said. "This is a
scholar who has distinguished himself."

Local Turks, however, questioned Akcam's appointment, as well as the
position, which they consider biased.

"Some Armenians may be very happy with his appointment, but how
productive will he be in creating an academic platform to resolve
these issues?" said Erkut Gomulu, president of the Turkish American
Cultural Society of New England in Boston.

"Akcam seems a little bit biased, and I don't know how objective he
will be," Gomulu said. "I would like to see more dialogue between
Turks and Armenians, but I don't think the academician should be
taking sides. He should be trying to find out what happened during
that period. This seems more like a political appointment."

Deborah Dwork, director of the Strassler Family Center for Holocaust
and Genocide Studies at Clark, said Akcam was chosen from more than a
dozen people who interviewed for the position. She said the appointment
follows her department's naming of Thomas Kuhne, a German Catholic
professor of Holocaust studies.

"Ethnic or religious identity is not crucial to any appointment,"
she said. "We hire the best scholars in the pool."

Akcam will become an associate professor and teach four classes
next semester at Clark, which has about 1,900 undergraduates and 650
graduate students.

He expects to face criticism.

"I assume that I will be the target of hate by Turkish nationalists -
I'm sure about that," he said.

He said his goal is to find ways to prod both Armenians and Turks
"to rectify the historic injustices."

"This is a position to educate students and the community about the
human rights abuses in the past," he said.

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MEMORIAL FOR THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE UNVEILED
Famagusta Gazette
May 29 2008
Cyprus

President Christofias has unveiled a memorial for the Armenian
genocide, saying that he remains committed to creating a better future
for all Cypriots, in a peaceful and reunited Cyprus.

The President referred to the integration of Armenians, who fled Turkey
and arrived on the island. He praised their successful entrepreneurial
spirit, saying they have made the country proud.

"This site is very symbolic; this is where the first Armenians,
who fled for their lives in 1915, first landed on the island.

"This memorial is an expression of appreciation shown by the Cypriot
people for the hospitality and support to Armenians who have since
made Cyprus their home," the President said, as he unveiled the
memorial in the southern coastal town of Larnaca.

Christofias reiterated his respect and solidarity as well as deep
feelings of love to the Armenian community here, noting that Cyprus
offered them a new beginning and was a refuge at difficult times.

Referring to the political situation in Cyprus, he said his government
would not cease to work for a united peaceful and prosperous country
for all its citizens, Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Armenians,
Latins and Maronites.

He noted that Cyprus has suffered from a military coup, Turkey's
invasion and the continuing occupation of its northern part. Thousands
of people have been displaced; many of them Armenians and people have
been separated.

"Our ultimate goal is to reunite our country and our people in a
bizonal bicommunal federation with one sovereignty, one citizenship
and one international personality," he stressed.

He closed his remarks by assuring the Armenian community that he
will continue to strive for a better future for the country and all
its people.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the Ambassador of Armenian Vahram
Kazhoyan said: "93 years ago Armenia was in tragedy. Genocide had
already started on the territory of historic Armenia. 93 years ago
we were mourning and we still mourn the victims, the memory of the
victims of the genocide which started ion 24th April 1915."

However, he said, "Armenia has survived and today is a day of
festivities for Armenia, it is a big holiday for Armenia, today is
the rebirth of our first Republic back in 1918. In 1918 in May after
victory in three major battles against Ottoman Turkey Armenians
established their first Republic after 700 years of non independence."

"After a lot of difficulties we have survived thanks to the help
of our friends, and amongst these friends was Cyprus. One of those
people was the Cypriot people who helped Armenia since the first days
of the genocide and who was among the first countries who recognized
the genocide officially in 1982," he pointed out.

Armenia and Cyprus since the independent of Armenia 70 years ago have
been in the international arena, as friends helping each other with
a lot of understanding between them, he noted.

"I am sure that the monument in the promenade of Larnaca will become
not only one of the major monuments dedicated to the Armenian genocide
all over the world, but I am confident that it will become one of the
beautiful landmarks of Larnaca," he added, and thanked the Municipality
of Larnaca and the government of Cyprus.

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