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Fresno Bee (California)
April 21, 2006 Friday
FINAL EDITION
Armenian genocide to be recalled;
Slate of events planned to mark the 91st anniversary of killings.
Vanessa Colón The Fresno Bee
Valley events to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian
genocide will begin Saturday with a flag-raising ceremony in Fresno.
Armenian-Americans have been gearing up for Martyrs Day on Monday.
The secular holiday recalls the killing of hundreds of Armenians who
were arrested and taken from their homes in Constantinople before
dawn on April 24, 1915.
The day marks the beginning of the massive killings. Between 1915 and
1923, 1.5 million Armenians were executed at the hands of the Ottoman
Empire. The modern-day republic of Turkey evolved from the empire.
Commemorations also will include church and cemetery services, vigils
and a poetry reading.
The Turkish government denies that genocide occurred. Turkish
officials have repeatedly said that thousands of Turks as well as
Armenians died during World War I.
Armenian-American organizations hope to sway the U.S. government to
recognize the Armenian genocide.
"It's the truth. We want the truth recognized," said Hygo
Ohannessian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee of Central
California. Many Armenians perished after they were forced to march
from northeast Turkey toward the deserts of Syria.
Ohannessian said she's frustrated that the U.S. government has not
recognized the genocide while European countries such as France and
Russia have. Turkey is a U.S. ally and its geographic location in the
Middle East plays a role in why the U.S. government won't call the
killings a genocide, Ohannessian said.
"They [U.S. government] are just playing politics. It's not in their
interest," she said.
Varoujan Der Simonian, executive director of the Armenian Technology
Group Inc., said, "The key is for the Turkish government to recognize
it."
Der Simonian sees a glimmer of hope because he said there's a trend
among Turkish scholars, especially those outside of Turkey, to call
the killings a genocide. "We are going in the right direction," he
said.
Earlier this week, a lecture and performance were given in Fresno on
Arshile Gorky, an Armenian-American artist who came to the United
States to escape the Armenian genocide.
Der Simonian said of the genocide: "It's time to speak out about the
past so we can avoid future atrocities which is [already] happening
now in Africa."
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559)
441-6313.
INFOBOX
If you go
Highlights of Armenian Martyrs Day and Armenian genocide
commemorations
Saturday
Flag-raising ceremony, Fresno City Hall, 10 a.m.
Sunday
Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church requiem service, 2226 Ventura
Ave., 11:15 a.m.
Service honoring Armenian hero at Masis Ararat cemetery on Hughes and
Belmont avenues, 1 p.m.
Poetry reading, Fresno Art Museum, 2233 N. First St., 3 p.m.
Film and candlelight vigil, California State University, Fresno,
McLane Hall, Room 121, 7:30 p.m.
Monday
Armenian Martyrs Day Commemoration, St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N.
First St., 7 p.m.
May 13
Genocide seminar, Armenian Community Center, 2348 Ventura Ave., 9:30
a.m.
Details: www.armenianmuseumfresno.org
--Boundary_(ID_9OSlO uocug4IVSyUokitlA)--
April 21, 2006 Friday
FINAL EDITION
Armenian genocide to be recalled;
Slate of events planned to mark the 91st anniversary of killings.
Vanessa Colón The Fresno Bee
Valley events to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian
genocide will begin Saturday with a flag-raising ceremony in Fresno.
Armenian-Americans have been gearing up for Martyrs Day on Monday.
The secular holiday recalls the killing of hundreds of Armenians who
were arrested and taken from their homes in Constantinople before
dawn on April 24, 1915.
The day marks the beginning of the massive killings. Between 1915 and
1923, 1.5 million Armenians were executed at the hands of the Ottoman
Empire. The modern-day republic of Turkey evolved from the empire.
Commemorations also will include church and cemetery services, vigils
and a poetry reading.
The Turkish government denies that genocide occurred. Turkish
officials have repeatedly said that thousands of Turks as well as
Armenians died during World War I.
Armenian-American organizations hope to sway the U.S. government to
recognize the Armenian genocide.
"It's the truth. We want the truth recognized," said Hygo
Ohannessian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee of Central
California. Many Armenians perished after they were forced to march
from northeast Turkey toward the deserts of Syria.
Ohannessian said she's frustrated that the U.S. government has not
recognized the genocide while European countries such as France and
Russia have. Turkey is a U.S. ally and its geographic location in the
Middle East plays a role in why the U.S. government won't call the
killings a genocide, Ohannessian said.
"They [U.S. government] are just playing politics. It's not in their
interest," she said.
Varoujan Der Simonian, executive director of the Armenian Technology
Group Inc., said, "The key is for the Turkish government to recognize
it."
Der Simonian sees a glimmer of hope because he said there's a trend
among Turkish scholars, especially those outside of Turkey, to call
the killings a genocide. "We are going in the right direction," he
said.
Earlier this week, a lecture and performance were given in Fresno on
Arshile Gorky, an Armenian-American artist who came to the United
States to escape the Armenian genocide.
Der Simonian said of the genocide: "It's time to speak out about the
past so we can avoid future atrocities which is [already] happening
now in Africa."
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559)
441-6313.
INFOBOX
If you go
Highlights of Armenian Martyrs Day and Armenian genocide
commemorations
Saturday
Flag-raising ceremony, Fresno City Hall, 10 a.m.
Sunday
Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church requiem service, 2226 Ventura
Ave., 11:15 a.m.
Service honoring Armenian hero at Masis Ararat cemetery on Hughes and
Belmont avenues, 1 p.m.
Poetry reading, Fresno Art Museum, 2233 N. First St., 3 p.m.
Film and candlelight vigil, California State University, Fresno,
McLane Hall, Room 121, 7:30 p.m.
Monday
Armenian Martyrs Day Commemoration, St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N.
First St., 7 p.m.
May 13
Genocide seminar, Armenian Community Center, 2348 Ventura Ave., 9:30
a.m.
Details: www.armenianmuseumfresno.org
--Boundary_(ID_9OSlO uocug4IVSyUokitlA)--