LOUSAPATZ-981-2013-4-27.‏ LOUSSAPATZ THE DAWN

ԹԻՒ 981 ՇԱԲԱԹ, 27 ԱՊՐԻԼ 2013

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The Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument Better known as Montebello Genocide Memorial is a monument in Montebello, California, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915–23.

ՊՈԼԻՍ ՀԱՅ ԵՐԳԻՉԻՆ՝

ԱԶԷՐՊԱՅՃԱՆՑԻ ԵՐԵՍՓՈԽԱՆՈՒՀԻԻՆ ՄԵԿՆԱԾ ՁԵՌՔԸ ՎԷՃԻ ՆԻՒԹ ԴԱՐՁԱԾ Է

Թրքական կայքէջի մը կողմէ կազմակերպուած մրցանակաբաշխութեան երեկոյթի մը ընթացքին, պոլսահայ ծանօթ երգիչ Հայկոյին (Թաթարեան) յանձնուած է «Պատուոյ մրցանակ՝ ցկեանս արհեստի համար»: Նոյն երեկոյթին, «Միջազգային բարեկամութեան եւ յաջողութեան մրցանակ»ն ալ շնորհուած է ազէրպայճանցի երեսփոխանուհի Կենիրէ Փաշայեւային: Պահ մը, Հայկօ գացած է այս վերջնոյն սեղանը եւ թօթված՝ անոր ձեռքը: Հայ երգիչին այս նախաձեռնութիւնը վէճի նիւթ դարձած է: Մանաւանդ, որ Փաշայեւա իր երկրին մէջ ծանր ամբաստանութիւններու թիրախ դարձած է, «Հայու երկարած ձեռքը ընդունած ըլլալուն համար»: Ազէրպայճանցի երեսփոխանուհին այս քննադատութիւններուն պատասխանելով ըսած է, թէ եղելութիւնը կը չափազանցեն, կը փորձեն զանազան իմաստներ վերագրել անոր, ապա ինքզինք արդարացնելու համար ըսած է, որ «թուրք ժողովուրդը չի մերժեր իրեն մեկնուած ձեռքը»:

Փաշայեւա արդէն իր դիրքը այդ երեկոյթի ընթացքին իսկ յստակացուցած է, իր ելոյթին մէջ ընդգծելով, որ «Անոր (Հայկոյին) մեկնած թեւը բաւարար չէ հաշտութեան համար: Հաշտութեան համար հարկ է, որ հայկական բանակը քաշուի գրաւած ազէրպայճանական հողերէն եւ աւելի քան մէկ միլիոն ազէրպայճանցի տեղահանուածներ կարենան վերադառնալ իրենց բնօրրանը»:

«Նոր Յառաջ» երկօրեայ թերթին քաղուածքը, Ապրիլ 20, թիւ 498 ԹՈՒՐՔ ՄԱՄՈՒԼԸ ԱՐԱՍ ԷՕԶՊԻԼԻՍԸ ԳՐԵԹԷ ՈՐՊԷՍ ԴԱՒԱՃԱՆ ԿԸ

ՆԵՐԿԱՅԱՑՆԷ

Ներկայիս Ռուսաստանի Գուպան ակումբին մէջ խաղացող հայ ֆութպոլիստ Արաս Էօզպիլիս, վերջերս ռուսական հեռատեսիլին տուած հարցազրոյցի մը ընթացքին, լրագրողին ըսածները սրբագրելով, ճշդած էր որ ինք Հայ է եւ ոչ՝ Թուրք:

13

Թրքական «Միլլիյէթ», «Ես Թուրք չեմ, Հայ եմ» խորագրուած գրութեան մը մէջ այնպէս մը կը նկարագրէ Հայաստանի հաւաքականի կիսապաշտպան Արասը, որ կարծէք դաւաճան մը ըլլար։

Թերթը յիշելէ ետք վերոնշեալ հարցազրոյցի ընթացքին՝ Արասի կատարած ճշդումը, գրած է նաեւ թէ երբ ան կը խաղար հոլանտական Այաքս ակումբէն, հրաւիրուեցաւ Թուրքիոյ հաւաքական, բայց Արաս նախընտրեց Հայաստանի հաւաքականը։

Այս յօդուածին ազդեցութեան տակ, քանի մը թուրք ընթերցողներ Արասի հասցէին բացասական մեկնաբանութիւններ ըրած են, սակայն բանիմաց ընթերցող մըն ալ դիտել տուած է, որ ան Թուրք չէ եւ անհասկնալի է, որ անոնք այդքան կը բարկանան։

Արաս Էօզպիլիս ծնած է Պոլիս, հայ ընտանիքի մը ծոցը, որ հաստատուած է Հոլանտա։ «Նոր Յառաջ» երկօրեայ թերթին քաղուածքը, Ապրիլ 20, թիւ 498

ՄԱՐՄԱՐԱ

«Թուրքիայում գործող հայկական «Նոր Զարթոնք» նախաձեռնությունը Հայոց ցեղասպանության 98-րդ տարելիցի կապակցությամբ հաղորդագրություն է տարածել։

«Այսօր հայերի, քրդերի, թուրքերի եւ այլ ազգերի միջեւ հաստատվելիք խաղաղությունը ոչ թե Ցեղասպանության ժխտմամբ, այլ միայն եւ միայն խաղաղամետ կեցվածքով եւ ժողովուրդների համատեղ պայքարի արդյունքում է հնարավոր։ Այդ պատճառով՝ Ցեղասպանության մեղավորների հրապարակումը, ռասսիստական-ֆաշիստական կուսակցությունների հետ չհամագործակցելը, նման կառույցներին չաջակցելը բոլորիս պարտականությունը պետք է լինի»,-ասված է կազմակերպության տարածած հաղորդագրության մեջ։

Կազմակերպությունը նշում է, որ Հայոց ցեղասպանության 100-ամակին ընդառաջ Թուրքիայում վերջին տարիներին իրականացվող հիշատակի միջոցառումները նպաստում են ժողովուրդների միջեւ առկա կապի ամրապնդմանը եւ օժանդակում են լուծում գտնելու գործընթացին։

«Սակայն այդ հիշատակումները միայն մարդկային խիղճը մաքրելու սեանսների չպետք է վերածվեն։ Քաղաքական շրջանակները պետք է բացեն Հայ-թուրքական սահմանը, սփյուռքահայությանը քաղաքացիություն տան, ճանաչեն Ցեղասպանությունն ու ներողություն խնդրեն, դասագրքերում եւ լրատվամիջոցներում նշվեն ցեղասպանության մեղավորները»,-ասված է հաղորդագրության մեջ, որում նաեւ հիշեցվում է, որ 1915թ.-ից հետո թուրք բուրժուազիայի կուտակած կապիտալը եւ Ցեղասպանության տուժածների հետնորդներին փոխհատուցում տրամադրելու պահանջ է ներկայացվում։»

Նոր Զարթօնքի Մամլոյ Հաղորդագրութիւնը՝ Հայոց Ցեղասպանութեան Մասին

24 Ապրիլ՝ Ցեղասպանութիւն եւ Ուրացում

Օսմանեան Կայսրութեան շրջանին հայերու ուղղուած առաջին զանգուածային ջարդերը կատարուեցաւ Սուլթան Համիտի հրամանով 1894-1896 թուականններուն Համիտիյէ ջոկատներու կողմէ: Ասոր յաջորդեցաւ 1908-ի Մէշրութիյէթէն վէրջ իրականացուող 1909-ի Ատանայի ջարդերը: Իսկ 24 Ապրիլ 1915 թոականին՝ հայ մտաւորականներու ձերբակալութիւնը՝ ջարդուելու համար եւ յաջորդաբար բռնի կատարուող կանոնաւոր աքսորները եւ ջարդերը, հայաշատ Անատոլիան հայազուրկ դարձուց: Այս ընթացքին հազարաւոր տուներ, եկեղեցիներ եւ վանքեր կործանուեցան. Անատոլիայի Քրիստոնեայ ժողովուրդները ծրագրուած աքսորով մը ոչնչացուեցան կամ արմատախիլ եղան: Հայոց ցեղասպանութիւնը, այժմու թրքական պուրժուայի նիւթական կուտակումին մայր

20

աղբիւրներէն մէկը հանդիսանալով կազմեց ազգ-պետութեան դրամագլուխը, այն ազգ-պետութեան որ արդէն հայկական գոյքերու կեղեքման վրայ հիմնուած էր:

Հանրապետութեան Կամ Ցուլման Պատմութիւնը

Բնաջնջումի, ուրացման եւ ձուլման քաղաքականութիւնը շարունակուեցաւ հանրապետութեան շրշանին եւս: Ամէն տեսակ տոհմիկ եւ կրօնական տարբերութիւն անտեսուեցաւ եւ միօրինականութեան ենթարկուեցաւ: Պաշտօնական եւ ոչ պաշտօնական քաղաքականութիւններով մայրենի լեզուները արգիլուեցան եւ այս արգելքները պաշտպանուեցաւ «Հայրենակից Թրքերէն Խօսէ» արշաւով: Դրամագլուխի թրքացման քաղաքականութիւնը շարունակուեցաւ հանրապետութեան շրջանին, ինչպէս՝ 1936-ի յայտարարագիրը, 6-7 Սեպտեմբերի ջարդերը եւ «Վաքըֆներու օրէնք»ը եւ այլք:

Իսկ այսօր ուժի մէջ է փոքրամասնութիւններու մասին ժամանակավրէպ օրէնքի համազօր որոշմնագիր մը, որ իրական լուծում մը չի ներկայացներ եւ որուն միջոցաւ վերադարձուած է միայն մի քանի գոյք: Գալֆաեան որբանոցի պատկանող շէնքի մը ապասեբականացումը, Թուզլայի ճամբարի բռնագրաւումը եւ նման բազմաթիւ ոտնձգութիւններ ցոյց կու տայ տիրապետող մտայնութիւնը:

Պէտք է Առերեսուիլ Ցեղասպանութիւնով

Բոլոր այս քաղաքականութիւններու հետեւանքով Անատոլիայի աշխարհագրութիւնը մշակութային տեսանկիւնէ երաշտացաւ, բազմաթիւ լեզուներ եւ մշակոյթներ ոչնչացման դատապարտուեցան: Անատոլիայի ժողովուրդները եւ ճզմուողներն ալ անձայն մնալով Հայոց ցեղասպանութեան դիմաց, ուրացման քաղաքականութեան աջակցեցան եւ նոր ջարդերու գետին պատրաստեցին:

Այսօր հայերու, քուրտերու, թուրքերու եւ այլ ժողովուրդներու միջեւ հաստատուելիք խաղաղութիւն մը, ցեղասպանութեան ուրացումով չէ՝ այլ այս ժողովուրդներու խաղաղապաշտ վերաբերումով եւ հասարակաց պայքարով է որ պիտի իրականանայ: Այս պատճառով, մեր բոլորին քաղաքական պատասխանատւութիւնն է՝ ցեղասպանութեան գլխաւոր գործիչներու յայտնաբերումը, ցեղասպան աւանդութիւնը եւ մտայնութիւնը շարունակող ցեղապաշտ-ֆաշական կուսակցութիւններու հետ չգործակցիլը եւ ասոնց չաջակցիլը:

Այս շրջագծով, երբ կը մօտենայ հայոց ցեղասպանութեան 100րդ տարելիցը, Թուրքիոյ մէջ վերջին տարիներուն տեղի ունեցող ոգեկոչման հանդիսութիւնները իրենց օժանդակութիւնը կը բերեն միջժողովրդային կապերու եւ լուծման գործընթացի հաստատման: Բայց այս ոգեկոչումները պէտք չէ սահմանաբակուի միայն խղճի մաքրագործման ընթացքով, այլ՝ պէտք է նկատի առնուի նաեւ քաղաքական շրջագիծը, ինչպէս՝ Թուրքիոյ-Հայաստան սահմանադռան բացումը, սփիւռքահայերու անցագիր ստանալը, ցեղասպանութեան ընդունումը եւ ներողութիւն խնդրուիլը, ցեղասպանութեան գործիչներու հրապարակումը՝ զանգուածային լրատուամիջոցներու եւ դասագիրքերու մէջ, թրքական պուրժուայի հաշուետւութիւնը եւ հատուցում:

ՆՈՐ ԶԱՐԹՕՆՔ

Armenia Marks 98th Anniversary of Genocide

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YEREV AN -- Tens of thousands of people marched silently to the hilltop Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd in Yerevan on Wednesday to pay respect to the memory of 1.5 million Armenians killed in Ottoman Turkey during World War I in the first Genocide of the twentieth century.

The traditional procession marked the 98th anniversary of the arrest of hundreds of Armenian intellectuals in Istanbul. They were subsequently executed amid mass killings and deportations of Armenians across the crumbling Ottoman Empire.

“Today, we bow to the memory of innocent victims,” President Serzh Sarkisian said in a written address to the nation. “The great majority of these

victims didn’t even have graves.” “One of the indigenous and most ancient peoples of the region was exterminated on its own land

or during its forced exile,” he said. The daylong commemoration began in the morning with a prayer service held by Catholicos of All

Armenians Karegkin II by the eternal fire of Yerevan’s Tsitsernakabert Genocide Memorial in the presence of Sarkisian and other top state officials. An incessant stream of people laid flowers there in the following hours.

In his statement, Sarkisian reaffirmed his government’s commitment to seeking greater international recognition of the Armenian massacres as genocide. “It is our duty to realize and to bring the attention of the international community to the fact that denial of the Genocide constitutes direct continuation of that very crime and that crime is continuing in modern-day Turkey,” he said.

“Some are trying to persuade us ‘not to reopen the hundred-year-old wounds but to look forward.’ Our response to this counsel is the following: [Turkish writer] Orhan Pamuk and [Turkish-Armenian journalist] Hrant Dink were not brought to trial a hundred years ago. They were tried right before our eyes. For the Armenian as well as for the Turkish societies this issue is current and urgent,” added the Armenian leader.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, Catholicos Karekin II and the Lebanon-based Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, similarly said that the Turkish state should not only acknowledge the genocide but also “fully compensate the Armenian people for their losses.”

They said this must include returning hundreds of worship sites and other properties that belonged to the Armenian Church until 1915. Most of them were located in what is now eastern Turkey, an area that was part of ancient and medieval Armenian kingdoms.

President Obama Remembers

‘Meds Yeghern’ in Annual Statement

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. President Barack Obama again declined to refer to the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as genocide on Wednesday, essentially repeating carefully worded statements on the subject made during his first term.

Obama used instead the Armenian phrase Meds Yeghern, or Great Calamity, to commemorate the 98th anniversary of the start of the massacres in the Ottoman Empire. Below is the full text of the statement:

Today we commemorate the Meds Yeghern and honor those who perished in one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. Ninety-eight years ago, 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. We pause to reflect on the lives extinguished and remember the unspeakable suffering that occurred. In so doing, we are joined by millions across the world and in the United States, where it is solemnly commemorated by our states, institutions,

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communities, and families. We also remind ourselves of our commitment to ensure that such dark chapters of history are not repeated. I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view has not changed. A full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future. We appreciate this lesson in the United States, as we strive to reconcile some of the darkest moments in our own history. We recognize those courageous Armenians and Turks who have already taken this path, and encourage more to do so, with the backing of their governments, and mine. The history and legacy of the Armenian people is marked by an indomitable spirit, and a great resiliency in the face of tremendous adversity and suffering. The United States is stronger for the contributions Armenian-Americans have made to our society, our culture, and our communities. In small measure we return that contribution by supporting the Armenian people as they work toward building a nation that would make their ancestors proud: one that cherishes democracy and respect for human liberty and dignity.

Today we stand with Armenians everywhere in recalling the horror of the Meds Yeghern, honoring the memory of those lost, and affirming our enduring commitment to the people of Armenia.

Armenian Genocide Commemorated

in Diyarbakir for First Time

DIY ARBAKIR, TURKEY -- A large crowd gathered at the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality Theater on April 23 to commemorate the Armenian Genocide.

The event, commemorating the 98thanniversary of the destruction of the Armenian community in the city, was organized by the Diyarbakir Bar Association (DBA) and the Diyarbakir Municipality, and featured a panel discussion with historian Ara Sarafian and the head of the DBA, Tahir Elci, the Armenian Weekly reported.

In his opening remarks, Elci noted that as Armenian intellectuals and community leaders were being rounded up in Istanbul on April 24, 1915 and during the weeks that followed, a similar process unfolded in Diyarbakir.

Stressing Kurdish participation in the genocide in Diyarbakir, Elci said that confronting the reality

of the genocide by Kurds today is inevitable. Moreover, he argued that Kurds should support Armenians in the struggle against the state’s ideology and denialism.

“We grew up with the stories of our grandparents about the massacres of the Armenians. Denialist discourse does not withstand legal and historic scrutiny,” he said.

“Today, we commemorate the genocide in Diyarbakir for the first time. This is a very important day for us. We bow respectfully before the memory of our Armenian brothers who were murdered in 1915, and condemn the genocide,” Elci concluded.

Sarafian focused on the process of the destruction of the Armenians in Diyarbakir in 1915. He noted that he had come to Diyarbakir to conduct research on the genocide, and that locals had been very helpful.

After the meeting, members of the audience headed to the banks of the Tigris River and threw flowers in the water in memory of the Armenians killed there during the genocide.

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Preventing Genocides is Preventing Denials

By Lena Manougian

"The Best way to stop Genocide, is to prevent it from happening." The world's worst intentional human rights problems are caused because of genocides. There are two reasons why genocides are still committed in the world: 1. Not enough international institutions needed to predict and prevent it. 2. Lack of political will to stop it. In order to prevent genocide , we must first understand it. We must study and compare genocides

and develop a working theory about the genocidal process. "Preventing Genocides is an achievable goal. When a state engages in atrocity it forfeits its

sovereignty". says vice president Joe Biden. 1.5 million Armenians. 3 million Ukrainians. 6 million Jews. 250,000 Gypsies. 6 million Slavs.

25 million Russians. 25 million Chinese. 1 million Ibos. 1.5 million Bengalis. 200,000 Guatemalans. 1.7 million Cambodians. 500,000 Indonesians. 200,000 East Timorese. 250,000 Burundians. 500,000 Ugandans. 2 million Sudanese. 800,000 Rwandans. 2 million North Koreans. 10,000 Kosovars. Genocides and other mass murders killed more people in the twentieth century than all the wars combined.

The role of the whole world in preventing genocides should never be overlooked. Every individual should take part in the long and hard process of preventing cruelties against other genders, individuals and people.

Preventing genocides is preventing denials, which are repeatedly - the continuation of all genocides.

The Cost of Denial

In his studies of genocide, Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of International Association of Genocide Scholars and President of Genocide Watch discovered that the process of every genocide has predictable stages that are not linear, because they usually operate simultaneously. But there is a logical order to them, because a later stage cannot occur without a logically prior stage. It is also useful to distinguish them, because they can help us see when genocide is coming and what governments can do to prevent it.

The first is Classification, when we classify the world into "us" versus "them".

The second is Symbolization: when we give names to those classifications like Jew and Aryan, Hutu and Tutsi, Turk and Armenian.

The third is Dehumanization: when perpetrators call their victims rats, or cockroaches, cancer, or disease; so eliminating them is actually seen as cleansing the society, rather than murder.

The fourth is Organization: when hate groups, armies, and militias organize.

The fifth is Polarization: when moderates are targeted, who could stop the process, especially moderates from the perpetrators' group.

The sixth stage is Preparation: when the perpetrators are trained and armed, victims are identified, transported and concentrated.

The seventh stage is Extermination; what we legally define as genocide: the intentional destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

And the eighth stage in every genocide: "Denial" It is actually a continuation of the genocide, because it is a continuing attempt to destroy the

victim group psychologically and culturally, to deny its members even the memory of the murders of their relatives. Denial has a profoundly negative impact on everyone concerned.

Denial harms the victims and their survivors. That is what the Turkish government today is doing to Armenians around the world and this is exactly how they planned the horrific genocide against Armenians.

"Denial is double killing, as it strives to kill the memory of the event. Denial harms the perpetrators and their successors. Denial harms the bystanders." We believe the US government should not be party to efforts to kill the memory of a historical

fact as profound and important as the genocide of the Armenians, which Hitler used as an example in his plan to exterminate the Jews.

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Around the world, victims of genocide ask first for recognition of the crime committed against them. It is as essential to healing as closing an open wound. Without such healing, scars harden into hatred that cripples the victim and cries out for revenge.

Studies by genocide scholars prove that the single best predictor of future genocide is denial of a past genocide coupled with impunity for its perpetrators. Genocide Deniers are three times more likely to commit genocide again than other governments.

The next step that Turkey must take to become a real democracy is to acknowledge its own past and first admit its own problems.

As Armenians worldwide commemorate the 98th Anniversary of the 1st brutal Genocide of the 20th century, we urge the U.S. to acknowledge it , by heeding to democratic and human values and by expressing its own moral and intellectual views and principles.

COVER PAGE

The Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument, better known as Montebello Genocide Memorial, is a monument in Montebello, California, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915–23. The monument, opened in April 1968, is a tower of eight arches supported on 75-foot-tall (23 m) white concrete columns. The memorial was designed by Hrant Agbabian. It is the oldest and largest memorial in the United States dedicated to the Armenian Genocide victims.

The inscription on the memorial plaque reads:

Armenian Martyrs Memorial Monument: This Monument erected by Americans of Armenian descent, is dedicated to the 1,500,000 Armenian victims of the Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish Government, 1915–1921, and to men of all nations who have fallen victim to crimes against humanity.

As part of the Genocide Remembrance Day, thousands of Armenians from different parts of Greater Los Angeles area and American politicians gather in Montebello memorial every year on April 24 and lay flowers to the victims of the genocide.

History

After the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 1965, the Armenian community of Los Angeles decided to build a memorial, which would serve as a permanent location for commemorating the Armenian Genocide victims. Months later, the City of Montebello secured a location in a public park. Armenians from around the world participated in the fundraising, which gathered $125,000.

Garin K. Hovannisian (son of politician Raffi Hovannisian and grandson of historian Richard Hovannisian), in his 2010 book Family of Shadows, described the building of the monument as a "milestone for the Armenians of the United States". Then he continues, "it had taken almost five years of city hall meetings, town hall debates, and community fund- raising to consecrate, in public park, a monument". He also notes that "ARF, Ramgavar, Armenakan, Apostolic, Catholic, Protestant, and every other category of Armenian converged at Bicknell Park for the opening ceremony". According to Hovannisian more than ten thousand Armenians attended the dedication ceremony. Then State Senator George Deukmejian, who would later become Governor of California, read Governor Ronald Reagan's proclamation.

Signs showing the location of the Genocide Martyr's Monument were installed along the freeway near the Garfield/Wilcox exits on March 22, 2011.

The monument is set to be listed as a historical landmark during the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 2015.

False Accusation Linking Armenian

To Boston Bombings Should Be Condemned

By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier

Many unanswered questions remain in the wake of the barbaric Boston Marathon bombings last week. In the absence of established facts, it is difficult to reach an informed conclusion and find a motive for the murderous actions of the Tsarnaev brothers -- Tamerlan, 26, and Dzhokhar, 19. It is interesting to note that Tamerlan carries the name of a vicious 14th century Turkic warlord who razed entire cities to the ground and butchered millions of innocent people.

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Instead of jumping to unwarranted conclusions and making generalizations about Chechens, Muslims, and the Tsarnaev family, some probing questions are in order:

-- Back in 2011, when the Russian intelligence services asked the FBI to investigate Tamerlan’s radical Islamist ties and plans to join underground groups, how thoroughly did the FBI carry out this task? If the FBI agents did a thorough job and found nothing sinister, why did they not follow up a few months later when Tamerlan returned to the US in 2012, having spent six months in the troubled Russian republics of Chechnya and Dagestan? And why did US law enforcement agencies fail to investigate the Jihadist videos and links to radical Islamist websites found on Tamerlan’s computer?

-- If the Russian tip was not seriously pursued by US officials, was their decision based on political considerations or a proper assessment of the risk of terrorism? Since Chechen insurgents were fighting Russia for independence, did US officials prefer not to meddle in an internal Russian conflict? Did the US view Chechen "terrorists" as "freedom fighters," concluding that they represented no threat to the United States? More significantly, what role did the anti-Russian stance of influential neo-conservative American circles play in assessing the warnings on Tamerlan?

-- Did the Russian intelligence services thoroughly investigate Tamerlan when he fell in their lap while visiting Dagestan and Chechnya for six months, particularly if they were dissatisfied with the FBI's lukewarm response to their earlier request?

-- Would this terrorist act killing four Americans and injuring close to 200 now prompt US intelligence agencies to cooperate more fully with their Russian counterparts to jointly combat terrorism regardless of international political concerns?

-- Will the US investigate the 10-day visit to Turkey in July 2003 by Tamerlan and three of his family members, as disclosed by Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler? What was the purpose of Tsarnaevs’ visit to Turkey and who were their contacts?

Turning to Ruslan Tsarni, the talkative uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers, who made controversial and contradictory comments disseminated worldwide by CNN, NBC, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Time magazine, among others. Uncle Tsarni accused an unnamed Armenian convert to Islam in Cambridge, Mass., for radicalizing T amerlan!

Tsarni, a Maryland resident, told the NBC Today show that one of his Armenian acquaintances informed him about an "outside influence" on Tamerlan: "He [the acquaintance] said, there is someone who brainwashed him [Tamerlan], some newly convert to Islam. I would like to stress [the acquaintance] was of Armenian descent."

However, Uncle Tsarni, gave CNN a completely different explanation for the despicable actions of his nephews. He had accused them of being "losers," claiming that they had brought shame on their family and the Chechen people. But, he later told NBC Today that he had called his nephews "losers" out of anger, and that he was now sure their crime had nothing to do with Russia or Chechnya. Tsarni also contradicted himself on CNN by claiming that the person who had "brainwashed" Tamerlan was the "new convert to Islam of Armenian descent," not the acquaintance!

The question is, who is Tsarni and why is he accusing an Armenian? A cursory internet search reveals that he has had direct ties to western energy companies involved in the Caspian region. He has worked for Big Sky Energy, Golden Eagle Partners, and Nelson Resources Ltd., all three with direct investments in Caspian Sea energy projects. Could Tsarni’s ties to these energy companies explain his accusation against an Armenian?

Finally, why hasn't a single Armenian organization or official complained to the news media about their dissemination of Tsarni’s baseless and libelous statements, accusing an Armenian for radicalizing Tamerlan? A similar situation occurred years ago, when an Australian newspaper, The Canberra Times, reported: "Pope Shot by Armenian Gunman." In reality, Pope John Paul II was shot by Mehmet Ali Agca, a Turk!

It is high time that Armenians organize an anti-defamation organization that would vigorously pursue all those who libel and defame them around the world.

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22 April 2013

Historian Taner Akçam says Armenian border should be opened for normalization of relations

19 April 2013 /SAMET ALTINTAŞ, İSTANBUL

As the anniversary of the forced migration of Armenians in 1915 from Anatolia to other parts of the Ottoman Empire approaches, historian Taner Akçam suggests Turkey open its borders with Armenia as a step to normalize relations between the two countries. Talking to Today's Zaman Akçam claims that the Armenian issue cannot be solved unless diplomatic ties are established.

Akçam, who describes the 1915 events as “genocide,” says that Turkey should stop wasting its time with the argument that 1915 was not genocide

“by exploiting people's ignorance about this matter and creating an unnecessary debate.” He argues that 1.2 million Armenians were forced to relocate under the rule of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) during the Ottoman Empire.

He also argues that thirst, hunger and diseases were among the main reasons for the deaths, but the groups that were forced to migrate were intentionally led to take the longer routes and were not provided water and food during their journey.

As far as acts of revenge are concerned, Akçam acknowledges that after the Russians withdrew from Eastern Turkey during the Bolshevik revolution, some Armenian gangs committed some vengeful acts in 1918 and 1919. However, he believes that they were small in proportion to the number of Armenians killed.

How many Armenians in the Ottoman territories faced forced relocation in 1915?

The booklet, attributed to Talat Paşa and referred to as the "Black Relocation Book," gives the number of relocated Armenians as 924,158. From some Ottoman documents, we understand that Talat Paşa had completed this booklet possibly in early 1918. Therefore, this figure should be considered as the most accurate number of relocated Armenians. But the list has also some major shortcomings. The list does not include the names of about 15 settlements from which Armenians were sent to exile particularly including İstanbul, Edirne, Aydın (İzmir), Bolu, Kastamonu, Çanakkale, Kütahya and Urfa. Adding the Armenians relocated from these provinces to the list, we get an estimated 1.2 million Armenians who faced forced relocation.

How many people died during the relocation?

The new Ottoman government that came to power after the CUP in November 1918 established a commission to investigate Armenian losses. This commission made public its findings in May 1919. Thus, the number of Armenians who died in the process was 800,000. In 1928, the Turkish General Staff published a book on the casualties during World War Ir. According to the statistics provided by the General Staff, "Some 800,000 Armenians and 200,000 Greeks died due to killings or relocation or in labor battalions." These figures do not include those who died of hunger, disease or massacres in Caucasus after 1918. If all of these figures are added together, we get a total number of over 1 million.

Taner Akçam (Photo: Cihan)

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How did these deaths occur?

One can distinguish at least four different methods. First, as we know from the cases in Trabzon, Samsun and Ordu, Armenians were forced to board small boats and eventually drowned. After the CUP lost its hold on power in October 1918, the Ottoman parliament started to discuss this issue openly. For instance, in a session held on December 11, 1918, Trabzon Deputy Mehmet Emin Bey, noting that he was a nationalist, said that he himself witnessed how Armenians were forced to board boats and how those boats capsized, killing the Armenians. "I directly saw this incident, I mean the real Armenian incident," he said, adding: "There was a district governor in Ordu. Under the pretext of sending Armenians to Samsun, he ordered that Armenians board boats, and in this way, he paved the way for the destruction of Armenians." From the eyewitness testimonies made during a trial held in 1919 in Trabzon, we know that Armenians were killed through a similar method in Trabzon as well.

Second, in some regions, Armenians were not even forced to migrate, but they were killed on the spot. Even in some places, they were gathered together in churches and these churches were burned down. In a written testimony, Vehip Paşa, who was appointed as the Third Army commander after 1916, provided examples of this method, which he witnessed in Bitlis and Muş.

Third, the Intelligence Service forces or Kurdish clans attacked the convoys and massacred people at certain locations. Norwegian Caregiver Wedel-Jarsberg, who was working in Erzincan, prepared a report of the accounts of Armenians who survived the massacre by playing dead and the soldiers who witnessed the massacre.

Massacres continued in Syria and Iraqi deserts, which were identified as the destination of relocated Armenians. Here, gendarmerie troops and Circassian gangs played a major role. The number of Armenians who died in Deir ez-Zor deserts in 1916 is estimated to be around 200,000.

Still, we can say that deaths resulted mostly from hunger, thirst, disease and climate conditions. Deportation convoys were intentionally forced to travel along longer routes, and water and food were denied to people in resting places, and no measure was taken as regards the ill people who were forced to move on. The Ottoman documents referred to the epidemics in Armenian convoys by saying: "Do not bring them closer to military troops. Do not allow them to approach cities. Make them move on." In other words, Armenians were destroyed through intentional use of hunger, thirst and disease.

Do you believe there was genocide in 1915? Why?

Few people know this, but the Armenian genocide was one of the main reasons why the word "genocide" was first coined. Raphael Lemkin is the person who coined this word and admits that the Armenian genocide was decisive in this coinage. In his memoirs, he talks about it. In 1921, he was a university student in Poland when an Armenian named Soghomon Tehlirian killed Talat Paşa. During the trial of Tehlirian, he asked his professor why a person who was responsible for the deaths of about 1 million people [Talat Paşa] was not arrested, but a person who killed one person [Tehlirian] was jailed and tried. His professor's answer was interesting. "Think about a farmer who has chickens," he said. "The farmer kills the chicken. Why not? It's none of your business. If you meddle with it, you go too far." The professor implied that the state officials cannot be tried for their actions due to the principle of national sovereignty. Lemkin's answer to this was simple: "But people are not chickens."

After recounting this story, Lemkin says as he was impressed, he decided to abandon philology and attend the law faculty. "Sovereignty does not mean the right to kill 1 million people," he said, and started to work on a bill that would allow state officials to be tried for the murders they committed. In this way, he found a definition for genocide and exerted great efforts to ensure that this was passed as law. He eventually became successful. In 1950s, he promoted his coinage in his writings and speeches.

The drafter of the 1948 Genocide Convention says, "I coined this word in order to describe what happened to Armenians," and we still claim that 1915 was not genocide. Isn't this a bit odd?

I think we should stop wasting our time and energy in arguing, "1915 was not genocide." This insistence is useless. In the end, those groups who seek to deny 1915 by exploiting people's ignorance about this matter are creating an unnecessary debate.

What do you think about Armenians' killing Turks?

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Acts of revenge are known to follow every massive collective massacre. After Russians withdrew from Eastern Turkey with the Bolshevik revolution, some Armenian gangs were responsible for actions that can be described as revenge in Erzurum, Erzincan and Kars in 1918 and 11919. Murder is murder. Revengel acts cannot be justified in any manner. We feel sorry for any person who dies. But you cannot place the uncontrolled acts of some gangs against a state's massacring its 1 million citizens and argue that there was a conflict in which two sides were mutually engaged. After 1945, there were acts of revenge targeting Germans in Poland and Czechoslovakia, but no one tried to argue, "There was no Holocaust," by using these acts as justification. The acts of revenge that occurred after 1918 cannot/should not be used as an answer to the question whether the Ottoman government systematically destroyed its own citizens. Under the influence of their nationalist policies, the CUP destroyed about 1 million people of this country just because their religion and language differed. This is the main point.

How can the Armenian issue be settled?

I think we should focus on a "Turkish issue" rather than on the "Armenian issue." First of all, we, Turks, must learn to talk about what happened in the past. We must learn both what the truth was and how we can discuss it. To know the history and to talk about it are two different things. In my opinion, the first thing to do is to learn how this can be understand and share sorrows. We must be able to listen to Armenians as they talk about their heart-wrenching experiences.

On the state level, a government which really intends to solve this issue must first change its wording and style. The language of peace and fraternity is different from that of strife. First of all, a language that would facilitate the settlement must be created. To this end, the publications including official websites of certain ministries that are rife with hatred and animosity against Armenians must be shut down. The Board of Coordination for Combating Unfounded Genocide Claims, subordinated to the National Security Council (MGK), must be abolished. As long as there is such a board, it is a fancy to believe Turkey will launch an initiative about genocide.

The second step is to open up border crossings. We can solve a past issue only by normalizing ties today. As long as the border crossings are kept closed and no diplomatic ties are established with Armenia, this issue cannot be solved. If people don't know each other and if they don't talk to each other, how will they settle a problem among themselves? Dialogue is a sine qua non component of communication among people. If Turkey opens up the border crossing with Armenia and calls it "Hrant Dink Border Gate," this would be a good gesture.

The third step is to pay an apology. In our time, heads of state and government pay apologies in connection with past tragedies. When they do, this does not humiliate them. Rather this boosts their prestige. Turkey must take this step. Given the fact it expected Israel to pay an apology for an attack against a vessel, Turkey should know that Armenians nurture similar expectations about the death of about 1 million people in 1915. This problem cannot be solved if the Turkish government does not accept the fact that 1915 incidents were a crime that cannot defended ethically. For two societies and sides to make peace, Turkey must denounce the crimes against the Ottoman Armenians in 1915 and declare that those crimes were morally/ethically unacceptable.

The third step is to launch a number of moves to compensate for the past's losses. In this scope, Armenians who have roots in Anatolia may be automatically granted Turkish nationality. Another step may be to recognize and promote the Armenian cultural heritage in Turkey. In this framework, religious, cultural and historical Armenian buildings may be renovated. Reviving the destroyed or damaged Armenian cultural heritage and civilization in Anatolia will be the best response to the past's subversive mentality.

Another symbolic yet significant step might be to return the churches, buildings and fields seized in Çukurova region that belonged to Sis Katolikos Church, which is of secondary or even equal importance to Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.

There are also things we, as a society, can and should do. For instance, we may organize mevlit ceremonies at major mosques such as Kocatepe of Ankara or Sultanahmet of İstanbul on April 24 to commemorate the victims of 1915. It is religious duty for everyone to pay respect to the people who died

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tragically. Other religious ceremonies may be organized as well. Religions teach us how to pay respect to human beings. Therefore, I assume, religious ceremonies would be very meaningful for the victims of 1915.

Another thing we can do is to raise awareness of people. To ensure public access to correct information and eliminate the negative effects of 100-year old brainwashing and denial policies, programs may be organized to inform the public, through participation of Armenian scholars, and via the press. Joint committees at various levels (Parliament, universities, etc.) between two countries may be established and civilian initiatives to boost relations may be developed.

The primary purpose is to eliminate prejudices. To this end, we must learn to develop and use a language that fosters peace and solution. After these steps, the parties may start to talk about what they can do to redress the past injustice.

What do you expect to happen in 2015 as the 10th anniversary of forced relocation?

If Turkey does not seriously change its policies and if the US, the UK and Israel do not modify their stance, I don't think anything special will happen. And there is nothing to suggest that these countries will change their position. I think people will conduct demonstrations and repeat the same arguments. And then April 25 will come.

Is Turkey Overcoming The Armenian Taboo? By: Orhan Kemal Cengiz for Al-Monitor Turkey Pulse Posted on April 22.

Until recently, the Armenian question was a dreadful taboo that couldn’t be spoken about in Turkey. If you talked about it, you could be prosecuted, receive endless threats and even be physically assaulted.

It was impossible to carry out a reasonable debate that went beyond the official state narrative — that the Armenians were deported in 1915 because of the circumstances of World War I.

In 2005, when Bogazici University attempted to organize a Conference on Armenians to debate the official narrative, the country shook. For days, Turkish nationalists organized angry protests in front of the university. The minister of justice of the time, Cemil Cicek, referred to organizers of the conference when he said, “They are stabbing us in the back.” When a group protesting the conference took the matter to the court, the conference was banned. The organizers were forced to hold the conference in a tense atmosphere at Bilgi University, a private institution, instead of at a state university as originally planned.

Also that year, Orhan Pamuk, Turkey’s only Nobel Prize-winning novelist, told the Swiss periodical Das Magazin: “On this soil, 30,000 Kurds and one million Armenians were killed.” He was threatened with charges based on article 301 of the Penal Code, which bans denigrating Turkism. A short time later, largely because of the court case and threats he received, Pamuk left the country.

Another world-famous Turkish novelist, Elif Safak, was also prosecuted under article 301 following a dialogue on the Armenian question in her novel Baba ve Pic [“Father and Bastard”]. In 2006 and 2007, many intellectuals were investigated for their views on the Armenian question, all under the notorious penal code article. One of those trials ended with a tragedy. Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of the Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos was tried under article 301 because of his articles on the Armenian question. That trial made him a target of Turkish nationalists, and on Jan. 19, 2007, he was shot and killed in front of the Agos offices in Istanbul.

Those who filed complaints against intellectuals were the same people who congregated in front of the courts to insult the defendants when the cases were brought to trial. Many of these people were eventually detained and imprisoned, starting in 2008 with the Ergenekon case that tried those accused of planning coups against the government. Prosecutors charge that these people collaborated with military personnel planning coups. Although the Ergenekon trials are heavily criticized, it is generally agreed that threats and assaults have declined against religious minorities and intellectuals who express views challenging official narratives.

Three factors have contributed to ending the Armenian taboo and ushering Turkey into its current environment of free debate. The first was the serious blow inflicted on “deep state” structures with military personnel at their cores. The second was the emotional rupture caused by Dink's murder. Protests with hundreds of thousands of

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marchers carrying placards reading “We are all Armenians” illustrated that a sizable segment of the population didn't subscribe to official state narratives. The third important factor was the government decision in 2008 to amend the infamous article 301 of the Penal Code, to require permission from the Ministry of Justice for court cases under this article. This “filter” has made it difficult to try people under that article.

Because of these changes, the serious taboo on the Armenian issue no longer exists, and changes that were impossible to dream of a decade ago have become a reality. Since 2010, on each April 24, those who lost their lives in Turkey in 1915 are remembered in public meetings held in the streets and halls.

The change of language of the announcement used by the Dur De [“Say Stop to Racism and Nationalism”] initiative, which organizes these meetings, helps demonstrate the gradual erasing of the Armenian taboo in Turkey. In 2010, the announcement of the commemorative events began with the words, “This pain is our pain.” In the text, the events of 1915 were described as "the great disaster," the Turkish equivalent of the phrase "Meds Yegem" used by Armenians. Cengiz Algan, spokesman for Dur De, says they received many threatening messages despite that "soft terminology." The language became "clearer" over the years, and the number of threats declined. On the 2011 announcement, the title said only "April 24, 1915." The text read, "This is the date when the extermination of the Armenians began." The title of last year's announcement read, "This is a pain of all of us," while the text spoke of the tragedy of the Armenian people at length. The text of this year’s announcement is even more daring. It begins, “We are remembering the victims of genocide,” and it continues, “With the campaign of extermination that began on April 24, 1915, the Armenian people were eradicated en masse.”

Algan provides interesting statistics about these commemorative meetings. In 2010, the only meeting was in Istanbul, and between 700 and 800 people participated. In 2011, meetings were also organized in Ankara and Izmir, and roughly 2000 people participated in the Istanbul meeting. Last year, Bodrum and Diyarbakir were added as locations, and the number of participants in Istanbul rose to 3000. Algan notes that initially Armenians living in Istanbul were reluctant to participate, but they are increasingly coming. Every year, these meetings are protested by right-wing and left-wing nationalists. Algan says this year they expect an even larger attendance at the meeting, including participation of Armenians from abroad, and they expect the usual protests. The police will provide a human buffer between the protestors and participants in the meeting. Algan says each year his organization gets in touch with state officials during their planning process, and every year they get a better reception.

Turkey is changing from a country where the very term "the Armenian question" couldn’t be uttered, to a country where groups are marching in the streets referring to the "Armenian genocide." We'll have to wait to see whether these changes will radically alter the state's official policies — for example, resulting in an apology and compensation to the Armenians for 1915. But until then, it will be interesting to observe the commemorative meeting on April 24 in Istanbul.

CONGRATULATIONS to SEROUJ for the JUNO Award!!!

The Toronto-based Amici Chamber Ensemble, Joaquin Valdepeñas (clarinet), David Hetherington (cello) and Serouj Kradjian (piano) has just WON the Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble for their CD 'Levant' produced by ATMA Classique.

This marks Amici's FIRST Juno win. Previously, they have been nominated in the same category for 'Armenian Chamber Music' (2011), andtheir recordings of Messiaen and Brahms in 1996 and 1999 respectively. The group's first (self-titled) recording featured the 1994 Juno-winning work Among Friends by Ka Nin Chan.

The Amici Chamber Ensemble artistic directors, are joined by Benjamin Bowman (violinist), Stephen Sitarski (violinist), and Steven Dann (violist) on this Juno Award winning disc.

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Two Orthodox bishops kidnapped in Syria

Two Syrian Orthodox bishops have been kidnapped on the outskirts of Aleppo. While both clergymen are believed to be alive, their driver was killed during the attack.

Syriac Orthodox bishop Yohanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Archbishops of Aleppo Paul, who also happens to be the brother of Patriarch John of Antioch and All The East were abducted en route to Aleppo from a town on the Turkish border where they were carrying out “humanitarian work.”

As they neared the city, they were met with an armed group in the village of Kfar who forced them out of the car. The driver, who was also a deacon was killed during the attack.

The bishops are believed to be alive and efforts are ongoing to secure their release, NNA reports.

The Greek Orthodox diocese of Aleppo declined to comment on the incident. The Russian orthodox church has condemned the act.

Earlier, Metropolitan Hilarion, the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations, noted that his close contact with the bishops of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, made him believe that “in those places where the authorities are replaced by the rebel groups, Christianity is being exterminated to the last man: Christians are expelled, or physically destroyed,” quotes Itar-Tass.

He recalled that “Syria has taken more than two million Iraqi refugees, thousands of whom are Christians.” But now the Metroplitain says “thousands of militant extremists under the guise of opposition forces unleashed a civil war in this country. Extremist groups armed and trained by means of foreign powers are deliberately killing Christians, ” Metropolitan Hilarion said.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the act but member of the National Coalition, Abdulahad Steifo, told Reuters that the clergy were abducted on the road to Aleppo from the rebel-held Bab al Hawa crossing with Turkey and that “all probabilities are open” as to who could have kidnapped the bishops.

In North America, where Patriarchate of Antioch has about 250 parishes and 400 priests, Bishop Basil, Secretary of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America has asked for prayers from the followers.

In May 2011, International Christian Concern group suggested that the Christian minority in Syria are more afraid of the opposition forces than of the government, because under the Assad regime there has been tolerance towards religious minorities.

Abductions have become common in Syria as the country is locked in a two-year internal conflict. Ten days ago the home of bishop Paul was attacked by rocket fire.

Syria's 10 percent Christian population is particularly vulnerable to such attacks especially from the opposition groups as they have remained largely neutral or supportive of the government.

Archbishop of Aleppo Paul has been given a mission to minister the parishes of the diocese of Antioch, where a large part of the Arab Orthodox population is located. This came despite the fact that the road connecting Aleppo and Antakya is extremely dangerous: it is constantly shelled and there are frequent cases of kidnappings, Syria-based RT correspondent Nadezhda Kevorkova reported.

Antioch, which is located in Turkey, is the ancient capital of the Antiochian Patriarchate. Its ruins lie near the modern city of Antakya. The territory was annexed by Turkey in the early 20th century.

Currently, it is the only Christian community in Turkey. There, the oldest Christian holy places – the Cave Church of St. Peter and the St. Simeon’s Monastery – are located.

The Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch was established about 2,000 years ago, and is the largest and the most ancient Christian church in the East, founded by apostles Peter and Paul. Its traditional territory includes Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and also parts of Turkey. Church services there are conducted in Arabic.

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Will Pope Francis Repeat Cardinal Bergoglio's Words on the Genocide? By: HARUT SASSOUNIAN Publisher, The California Courier

Shortly after Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis I, Armenian and Turkish media outlets rushed to inform their audiences that the Argentinean Archbishop had acknowledged the Armenian Genocide on a number of occasions.

When Catholicos Karekin II visited Buenos Aires on April 23, 2004, Cardinal Bergoglio joined him in an ecumenical liturgy and spoke during the commemoration of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The Cardinal stated: "We are united in grief over a genocide -- the first of the 20th century -- a genocide that powerful empires seek to silence and cover up by all means."

In his congratulatory letter to Pope Francis I, Karekin II "fondly remembered" their joint meetings and prayers in Argentina, and praised the Catholic Pontiff "as a courageous, wise, and righteous shepherd." The Catholicos recalled Cardinal Bergoglio's "sincere affection toward the Armenian people," adding: "We gladly confirm that the historical relationship between our churches is marked by fraternal warmth. We greatly value the progress registered by our churches as a result of collaborative efforts undertaken during the pontificates of ourselves and our predecessors. This has been manifested during mutual visits and elaborated through a multitude of educational and charitable programs."

On April 22, 2006, during a program commemorating the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Buenos Aires, Cardinal Bergoglio urged Turkey to unconditionally recognize the Armenian Genocide as the "gravest crime of Ottoman Turkey against the Armenian people and the entire humanity."

More recently, in 2011, after an Argentinean Federal Court found Turkey guilty of committing genocide against Armenians in response to a lawsuit filed by survivor Krikor Hairabedian, Cardinal Bergoglio issued a statement condemning "the abominable crime of genocide that the Turkish state committed against the Armenian people between 1915 and 1923."

Both Armenians and Turks are now wondering if in his new capacity Pope Francis I will repeat the words he uttered as Cardinal Bergoglio. Armenians are delighted that a close friend of their community in Argentina has been elected the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, the Turkish press has expressed great concern that "the new Pope could be influenced by [Armenian] lobbying groups."

Now that he has ascended to the highest office of the Roman Church, no one really knows what position Pope Francis would take on Armenian issues. One must remember that the Pontiff has two distinct functions as head of the Catholic Church and the sovereign city-state of Vatican. In other words, he is both a spiritual leader and head of state. Hence, depending on the issue, he may not necessarily express the views he held as Cardinal Bergoglio. At times, he may assume positions on political matters that diverge from his personal views and coincide with Vatican's more worldly interests. As head of the Vatican state, the Pope may be forced to act as any other politician, such as Pres. Obama, who said one thing before the election and changed his tune afterward. However, as the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and a man of strong moral values, the Pope cannot simply ignore or contradict his deeply held convictions.

Realizing that all Popes are not alike, it may be useful to review recent papal pronouncements on the

Armenian Genocide. Pope John Paul II, on two occasions, used the term Armenian Genocide -- on November 9, 2000 and September 27, 2001. However, unlike his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI refrained from using that term, preferring to qualify the Genocide as "martyrdom" and "unspeakable suffering."

In the case of Pope Francis I, there is no need for Armenians to insist that he use the term Armenian Genocide; as the Vatican has twice acknowledged the Armenian Genocide. Thus, no purpose is served by demanding that every new Pope reaffirm the facts of the Armenian Genocide all over again. It is important, however, that Pope Francis I not retreat from his earlier position on the Armenian Genocide; substitutes and euphemisms would not be

Given the Vatican's positive record on the Armenian Genocide, it would be best to go beyond this issue and look for other areas in which the Pontiff could be supportive, such as pressing for the security of Armenians and other Christians in Syria. Efforts should also be made to strengthen the existing amicable ties between the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches, and friendly relations between the Vatican State and the Republic of Armenia.

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Deputy Speaker of Iranian Majlis to Turkey: Hand covered with blood of Armenians is now covered with blood of Syrians

The hand covered with the blood of the Armenians is now covered with the blood of the Syrians, First Deputy Speaker of Iranian Majlis Mohammad Hassan Abutorabi-Fard is quoted as saying by the Alik daily of Tehran.

In his remarks at an event organized by the Armenian National Committee of Tehran as part of the programs to mark the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Deputy Speaker of Iranian Majlis mentioned the Armenians and Assyrians killed during the Genocide, saying, in part, “If military and political strength and wealth do not unite with high human and divine values, they will lead to such horrible crimes as the genocide of our Christian sisters and brothers. The hand which was yesterday covered with the blood of the Armenians is now covered with the blood of our sisters and brothers in Syria.”

Armenian MP in the Iranian Majlis Karen Khanlarian in his remarks expressed the hope that Iran will recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide.

PANAROMA>> AM April 23

Alan Whitehorn: “Silence Wall” of Armenian Genocide breaks in Turkey

18 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS: Due to the consistent work carried out by the international structures and scientists in the field of the human rights protection, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is inevitable. Such opinion was expressed to Armenpress by the poet Alan Whitehorn, who just arrived from Canada. According to him, in this case the recognition of the Genocide would become inevitable for Turkey as well, though that country continued its denial policy.

“Notwithstanding the denying policy of Turkey, the issue of the Armenian Genocide still remains in different modern international circles. The occurrence, happened in 1915, has been proved and obvious and it is quite exciting that the young generation

is currently more interested in the Armenian Genocide issues both in Turkey and outside its borders”, - stated the Canadian poet.

Alan Whitehorn mentioned that there were brave journalists, who via their publications broke the “Silence Wall” in Turkey. Though Turkey is not ready yet to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the number of the countries, officially recognizing the Genocide, is gradually increasing.

“My grandmother was also a victim of the Genocide. She never knew about her real age and name. She was a refugee not knowing even the name of the village, where she was born”, - added the author.

Alan Whitehorn referred to his roots in his book “The Armenian Genocide: Resisting the Inertia of Indifference” (co-author with Lorne Shirinian), where the author wrote about the life of the Armenians of the Diaspora, who survived the Genocide. The book represents the challenges, which face the modern Armenian society.

Alan Whitehorn is a professor of Political Science at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. He arrived in Armenia by the invitation of the Union of Armenian Writers to participate in the international festival taking place on April 16-21 in Yerevan. The participants of the International Poetry Festival visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial on April 17 and laid a wreath in the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

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My apology from all the peoples and faiths of Anatolia subjected to genocide

I apologize for every single day that we have remained silent since the days of genocide.

I apologize for our grandfathers who cooperated with the murderers carrying out the brutal massacre of 1.5 million people in Anatolia.

I apologize from your young girls for permanently burying their hopes into their dowry chests.

I apologize from all your people left dead without a proper burial, shroud or cemeteries.

I apologize for causing you to add the word 'converted - Donme' to your vocabulary.

I apologize from all your girls and women abused and raped, forcefully converted to Kurd, Turk, Alevi or Islam.

I apologize for forcing you to become the Diaspora and scatter like pomegranate seeds to all corners of the world.

I apologize for forcing you to long for your homeland with broken hearts from the faraway deportation points.

I apologize for preventing you from giving your children proper names and education in your mother tongue, a basic human right.

I apologize for confiscating your houses, properties, lands, farms, orchards, and shops to create our national economy, based on a disease of racism in this country.

I apologize for denying even the very existence of the original peoples of these lands after subjecting them to economic, cultural and political genocide.

I apologize for confiscating your places of worship (monastery, church, synagogue, Jem house, etc.), and converting them to mosques, museums, community centres or stables.

I apologize from the survivors of the genocide for even forbidding them from dreaming in their own language.

I apologize for forcing racism on you by making you repeat every morning 'So happy to be a Turk'.

I apologize for presenting your properties as gifts to your own murderers.

I apologize for transforming the Anatolian garden of different peoples to a cemetery of different peoples.

I apologize for realizing too late that the sorrow expressed in the song 'Sari Gelin' was in reality the sorrow of the genocide.

I apologize for wiping out the various original peoples of Anatolia living on these lands long before the arrival of the Turks, and for trying to create a single nation state.

I apologize for creating a hell of murders in this country, instead of a heaven of humanity.

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I apologize for burying all the people named Agop, Kiriakos, Samuel, Ani, Maria or Sarkis in my city Smyrna (Izmir) as well as the rest of the country, and also burying our humanity in the process.

I apologize for committing crimes against humanity for one thousand and four hundred years in these lands.

I apologize for not realizing that fascism would eventually arrive and start killing us as well in these lands.

I apologize for not being able to put a stop to the denial and assimilation policies for one hundred years.

I apologize especially for our inhumane behaviour during the genocides of the Armenians, Assyrians, Pontic Greeks, Yezidis and Alevis.

And I apologize once again on this April 24 genocide commemoration day, for our inability to protect you and preserve our humanity.

Zeynep Tozduman, Izmir, Turkey

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