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ARMENIAN PEOPLE: PAIN, FAITH, & HOPE
Elias Bejjani
American Chronicle, CA
April 25 2008
Chairman for the Canadian Lebanese Coordinating Council
On the ninety-third anniversary of the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman
Empire government's military forces which took place in 1915 in what
is known today as Turkey, we, from the Lebanese Canadian Coordination
Council (LCCC), offer our heartily felt condolences to the Armenian
people all over the world, share their grief, pain and anguish,
as well as their on going cry for justice.
Many historians believe that contemporary history has not yet witnessed
a more terrible crime - a crime against humanity - than that of the
Armenian genocide. There is no doubt that the faithful and patriotic
Armenian People shall keep vivid this sad memory that has touched
deeply and extensively their lives, hearts, conscience, and hopes.
With the Armenians, and all people world-wide who believe in Human
Rights, justice and enforcement of law and order, we ask Almighty God
to grant the souls of the genocide 1.5 million victims the eternal
resting peace dwelling in His Holy Heaven alongside saints and angels.
With great admiration, we salute the Armenian people for their great
courage, tireless perseverance and stanched witnessing for what is
righteous and just. For ninety three hard and tough painful years
they've held their cause alive and never allowed themselves or the
world to forget the genocide crime that the Ottoman Empire inflicted
with cold blood on their families.
It is worth mentioning that on April 1915 the Ottoman government
embarked upon the systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian
population. The persecutions continued with varying intensity until
1923 when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by the
Republic of Turkey. The Armenian population of the Ottoman state was
reported at about two million in 1915. An estimated one million had
perished by 1918, while hundreds of thousands had become homeless and
stateless refugees. By 1923 virtually the entire Armenian population
of Anatolian Turkey had disappeared.
The Ottoman Empire was ruled by the Turks who had conquered lands
extending across West Asia, North Africa and Southeast Europe. The
Ottoman government was centered in Istanbul (Constantinople) and
was headed by a sultan who was vested with absolute power. The Turks
practiced Islam and were a martial people. The Armenians, a Christian
minority, lived as second class citizens subject to legal restrictions
which denied them normal safeguards. Neither their lives nor their
properties were guaranteed security. As non-Muslims they were also
obligated to pay discriminatory taxes and denied participation in
government. Scattered across the empire, the status of the Armenians
was further complicated by the fact that the territory of historic
Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Russians.
The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the "Young Turk" government
of the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916 (with subsidiaries to 1922-23). One
and a half million Armenians were killed, out of a total of three
million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Armenians all over the world
commemorate this great tragedy on April 24, because it was on that day
in 1915 when 300 Armenian leaders, writers, thinkers and professionals
in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were rounded up, deported
and killed. Also on that day in Constantinople, 5,000 of the poorest
Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes.
The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by the Central Committee of
the Young Turk Party (Committee for Union and Progress [Ittihad ve
Terakki Cemiyet, in Turkish]) which was dominated by Mehmed Talât
[Pasha], Ismail Enver [Pasha], and Ahmed Djemal [Pasha]. They were a
racist group whose ideology was articulated by Zia Gökalp, Dr. Mehmed
Nazim, and Dr. Behaeddin Shakir.
The Turkish government today denies that there was an Armenian
genocide and claims that Armenians were only removed from the eastern
"war zone." The Armenian Genocide, however, occurred all over
Anatolia [present-day Turkey], and not just in the so-called "war
zone." Deportations and killings occurred in the west, in and around
Ismid (Izmit) and Broussa (Bursa); in the center, in and around Angora
(Ankara); in the south-west, in and around Konia (Konya) and Adana
(which is near the Mediterranean Sea); in the central portion of
Anatolia, in and around Diyarbekir (Diyarbakir), Harpout (Harput),
Marash, Sivas (Sepastia), Shabin Kara-Hissar (þebin Karahisar), and
Ourfa (Urfa); and on the Black Sea coast, in and around Trebizond
(Trabzon), all of which are not part of a war zone. Only Erzeroum,
Bitlis, and Van in the east were in the war zone.
The Armenian Genocide was condemned at the time by representatives of
the British, French, Russian, German, and Austrian governments--namely
all the major Powers. The first three were foes of the Ottoman Empire,
the latter two, allies of the Ottoman Empire. The United States,
neutral towards the Ottoman Empire, also condemned the Armenian
Genocide and was the chief spokesman in behalf of the Armenians.
Up until now, the Turkish government has consistently refused to
recognize the Armenian genocide and keeps on exerting a great deal
of pressure on countries that do. Meanwhile more than 20 countries,
including Belgium, Canada, Poland and Switzerland, have officially
recognized the killings as genocide. In 2006, French lawmakers voted
to make it a criminal offence to deny that Armenians were victims of
genocide. But still many countries, including Britain and the United
States, refuse to use the term to describe the events, mindful of
relations with Turkey. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee's
endorsement of a resolution labeling the killings as genocide last
October sparked fury in Ankara, which recalled its ambassador to
Washington. Under intense pressure from the White House, the authors
of the bill later asked Congress not to hold a debate on the issue.
We call on all the European countries to make the full scale
recognition of the Armenian genocide conditional for Turkey's future
membership in their Union, and we urge all the free world countries
to pressure Turkey to recognize the horrible Armenian massacre and
accordingly abide by all due international laws that needs to be
enforced in such cases like apologies, recognition and compensations.
The entire free world should not rest until justice is served to
the Armenian people and the Ottoman genocide against them is fully
recognized.
Elias Bejjani Chairman for the Canadian Lebanese Coordinating Council
(LCCC) Human Rights activist, journalist & political commentator.
Spokesman for the Canadian Lebanese Human Rights Federation (CLHRF)
E.Mail [email protected] LCCC Web Site http://www.10452lccc.com
CLHRF Website http://www.clhrf.com
--Boundary_(ID_8otmERi0WHRYi xMDhLXrdw)--
Elias Bejjani
American Chronicle, CA
April 25 2008
Chairman for the Canadian Lebanese Coordinating Council
On the ninety-third anniversary of the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman
Empire government's military forces which took place in 1915 in what
is known today as Turkey, we, from the Lebanese Canadian Coordination
Council (LCCC), offer our heartily felt condolences to the Armenian
people all over the world, share their grief, pain and anguish,
as well as their on going cry for justice.
Many historians believe that contemporary history has not yet witnessed
a more terrible crime - a crime against humanity - than that of the
Armenian genocide. There is no doubt that the faithful and patriotic
Armenian People shall keep vivid this sad memory that has touched
deeply and extensively their lives, hearts, conscience, and hopes.
With the Armenians, and all people world-wide who believe in Human
Rights, justice and enforcement of law and order, we ask Almighty God
to grant the souls of the genocide 1.5 million victims the eternal
resting peace dwelling in His Holy Heaven alongside saints and angels.
With great admiration, we salute the Armenian people for their great
courage, tireless perseverance and stanched witnessing for what is
righteous and just. For ninety three hard and tough painful years
they've held their cause alive and never allowed themselves or the
world to forget the genocide crime that the Ottoman Empire inflicted
with cold blood on their families.
It is worth mentioning that on April 1915 the Ottoman government
embarked upon the systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian
population. The persecutions continued with varying intensity until
1923 when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by the
Republic of Turkey. The Armenian population of the Ottoman state was
reported at about two million in 1915. An estimated one million had
perished by 1918, while hundreds of thousands had become homeless and
stateless refugees. By 1923 virtually the entire Armenian population
of Anatolian Turkey had disappeared.
The Ottoman Empire was ruled by the Turks who had conquered lands
extending across West Asia, North Africa and Southeast Europe. The
Ottoman government was centered in Istanbul (Constantinople) and
was headed by a sultan who was vested with absolute power. The Turks
practiced Islam and were a martial people. The Armenians, a Christian
minority, lived as second class citizens subject to legal restrictions
which denied them normal safeguards. Neither their lives nor their
properties were guaranteed security. As non-Muslims they were also
obligated to pay discriminatory taxes and denied participation in
government. Scattered across the empire, the status of the Armenians
was further complicated by the fact that the territory of historic
Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Russians.
The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the "Young Turk" government
of the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916 (with subsidiaries to 1922-23). One
and a half million Armenians were killed, out of a total of three
million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Armenians all over the world
commemorate this great tragedy on April 24, because it was on that day
in 1915 when 300 Armenian leaders, writers, thinkers and professionals
in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) were rounded up, deported
and killed. Also on that day in Constantinople, 5,000 of the poorest
Armenians were butchered in the streets and in their homes.
The Armenian Genocide was masterminded by the Central Committee of
the Young Turk Party (Committee for Union and Progress [Ittihad ve
Terakki Cemiyet, in Turkish]) which was dominated by Mehmed Talât
[Pasha], Ismail Enver [Pasha], and Ahmed Djemal [Pasha]. They were a
racist group whose ideology was articulated by Zia Gökalp, Dr. Mehmed
Nazim, and Dr. Behaeddin Shakir.
The Turkish government today denies that there was an Armenian
genocide and claims that Armenians were only removed from the eastern
"war zone." The Armenian Genocide, however, occurred all over
Anatolia [present-day Turkey], and not just in the so-called "war
zone." Deportations and killings occurred in the west, in and around
Ismid (Izmit) and Broussa (Bursa); in the center, in and around Angora
(Ankara); in the south-west, in and around Konia (Konya) and Adana
(which is near the Mediterranean Sea); in the central portion of
Anatolia, in and around Diyarbekir (Diyarbakir), Harpout (Harput),
Marash, Sivas (Sepastia), Shabin Kara-Hissar (þebin Karahisar), and
Ourfa (Urfa); and on the Black Sea coast, in and around Trebizond
(Trabzon), all of which are not part of a war zone. Only Erzeroum,
Bitlis, and Van in the east were in the war zone.
The Armenian Genocide was condemned at the time by representatives of
the British, French, Russian, German, and Austrian governments--namely
all the major Powers. The first three were foes of the Ottoman Empire,
the latter two, allies of the Ottoman Empire. The United States,
neutral towards the Ottoman Empire, also condemned the Armenian
Genocide and was the chief spokesman in behalf of the Armenians.
Up until now, the Turkish government has consistently refused to
recognize the Armenian genocide and keeps on exerting a great deal
of pressure on countries that do. Meanwhile more than 20 countries,
including Belgium, Canada, Poland and Switzerland, have officially
recognized the killings as genocide. In 2006, French lawmakers voted
to make it a criminal offence to deny that Armenians were victims of
genocide. But still many countries, including Britain and the United
States, refuse to use the term to describe the events, mindful of
relations with Turkey. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee's
endorsement of a resolution labeling the killings as genocide last
October sparked fury in Ankara, which recalled its ambassador to
Washington. Under intense pressure from the White House, the authors
of the bill later asked Congress not to hold a debate on the issue.
We call on all the European countries to make the full scale
recognition of the Armenian genocide conditional for Turkey's future
membership in their Union, and we urge all the free world countries
to pressure Turkey to recognize the horrible Armenian massacre and
accordingly abide by all due international laws that needs to be
enforced in such cases like apologies, recognition and compensations.
The entire free world should not rest until justice is served to
the Armenian people and the Ottoman genocide against them is fully
recognized.
Elias Bejjani Chairman for the Canadian Lebanese Coordinating Council
(LCCC) Human Rights activist, journalist & political commentator.
Spokesman for the Canadian Lebanese Human Rights Federation (CLHRF)
E.Mail [email protected] LCCC Web Site http://www.10452lccc.com
CLHRF Website http://www.clhrf.com
--Boundary_(ID_8otmERi0WHRYi xMDhLXrdw)--