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April 25 2005
Armenians relive Ottoman `genocide' on 90th anniversary
Posted on : 2005-04-25| Author : Darya Zarin
News Category : World
In what might seem like an almost ancient strife to many, the 90th
anniversary of the Ottoman mass slaughter of Armenians drew millions
of Armenians to gather together for the ceremony in Yerevan that
marked the 1915-1917 Armenian mass killings which have long been
considered as genocide.
Several Armenians, accompanied by top officials, conducted various
events for the commemoration solemnly, like masses, marches and
memorial ceremonies mainly across France and Europe. Armenian
President Robert Kocharian with French President, Jacques Chirac, led
a silent march and stood before the Armenian Monument in Paris after
placing a wreath.
Likewise, actor Dean Cain also joined the Armenian procession in the
Hollywood boulevard in Little Armenia, where people wore black
T-shirts with the words "We've Had Enough" inscribed on them. They
also raised sign boards that read "Truth always prevails". Leaders,
meanwhile, were seen releasing peace birds, doves into the sky.
As the Armenian mass killings by the Ottoman Turks have been
recognised as genocide by about 15 countries including Canada,
France, Russia and Poland, Turkey is yet to relent. The Turks still
dispute the accusation and justify the Armenian killings as fallout
of the Armenia and Turkey civil war where 30,000 Armenians were
killed, not 1.5 million as alleged by Armenia. Conversely, Armenians
believe that the massacre was nothing but a planned termination
crusade by the Turks since 1915 when the Ottoman Muslim Empire had a
considerable minority of Christian Armenians living in it.
The Armenians are still seething with anger and bitterness over their
discord with Turkey as they assert that Turkey caused the Armenian
population to starve to death, battle with sickness and face brutal
attacks by robbers in the following two years, till 1917, only to
wash out the entire Armenian race from the Ottoman Empire. This
resulted in perhaps, `the first genocide', as it is called by many.
The Armenians even teemed up with the Russians in their invasion of
Turkey at the time of the First World War in Europe.
Having no formal diplomatic relations, the two countries remain at
odds with each other over the issue. Nevertheless, with France
accepting the mass killing as genocide, Turkey is apparently under
pressure to yield and recognise the genocide if it wishes to join the
European Union.
Turkey has therefore offered for the first time, to discuss the case
in a joint commission, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
communicating in writing to the Armenian leader with the joint
commission proposition this month, saying, `Teams of historians from
both sides should conduct studies in [Turkey's] archives. We do not
want future generations to live under the shadow of continued hatred
and resentment.' Armenia apparently said that it would revoke its
demand of financial compensation once turkey recognised the genocide.
April 25 2005
Armenians relive Ottoman `genocide' on 90th anniversary
Posted on : 2005-04-25| Author : Darya Zarin
News Category : World
In what might seem like an almost ancient strife to many, the 90th
anniversary of the Ottoman mass slaughter of Armenians drew millions
of Armenians to gather together for the ceremony in Yerevan that
marked the 1915-1917 Armenian mass killings which have long been
considered as genocide.
Several Armenians, accompanied by top officials, conducted various
events for the commemoration solemnly, like masses, marches and
memorial ceremonies mainly across France and Europe. Armenian
President Robert Kocharian with French President, Jacques Chirac, led
a silent march and stood before the Armenian Monument in Paris after
placing a wreath.
Likewise, actor Dean Cain also joined the Armenian procession in the
Hollywood boulevard in Little Armenia, where people wore black
T-shirts with the words "We've Had Enough" inscribed on them. They
also raised sign boards that read "Truth always prevails". Leaders,
meanwhile, were seen releasing peace birds, doves into the sky.
As the Armenian mass killings by the Ottoman Turks have been
recognised as genocide by about 15 countries including Canada,
France, Russia and Poland, Turkey is yet to relent. The Turks still
dispute the accusation and justify the Armenian killings as fallout
of the Armenia and Turkey civil war where 30,000 Armenians were
killed, not 1.5 million as alleged by Armenia. Conversely, Armenians
believe that the massacre was nothing but a planned termination
crusade by the Turks since 1915 when the Ottoman Muslim Empire had a
considerable minority of Christian Armenians living in it.
The Armenians are still seething with anger and bitterness over their
discord with Turkey as they assert that Turkey caused the Armenian
population to starve to death, battle with sickness and face brutal
attacks by robbers in the following two years, till 1917, only to
wash out the entire Armenian race from the Ottoman Empire. This
resulted in perhaps, `the first genocide', as it is called by many.
The Armenians even teemed up with the Russians in their invasion of
Turkey at the time of the First World War in Europe.
Having no formal diplomatic relations, the two countries remain at
odds with each other over the issue. Nevertheless, with France
accepting the mass killing as genocide, Turkey is apparently under
pressure to yield and recognise the genocide if it wishes to join the
European Union.
Turkey has therefore offered for the first time, to discuss the case
in a joint commission, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
communicating in writing to the Armenian leader with the joint
commission proposition this month, saying, `Teams of historians from
both sides should conduct studies in [Turkey's] archives. We do not
want future generations to live under the shadow of continued hatred
and resentment.' Armenia apparently said that it would revoke its
demand of financial compensation once turkey recognised the genocide.