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Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)
April 25, 2009 Saturday
Armenians march for recognition of genocide
Wendy Leonard Deseret News
Nearly every one of the estimated 5,000 Armenians living in Utah has
some link to what they believe was the first genocidal incident of the
20th century. Dozens marched at Utah's federal building Friday, urging
awareness of their ancestral deaths and seeking some form of official
recognition from governments locally and around the world. "It's
insulting to hear that my ancestors were rebels and terrorists," said
Zaven A. Sargsian, president of the Armenian Hyrenik Youth
Organization in Utah.
The University of Utah student said he's long fought the push by
Turkish nationals to reframe the killing and deportation of more than
1.5 million Armenian people by the Turkish government. A current
resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives would recognize the
incident as genocide, instead of the civil casualty case that many are
calling it. "It's inappropriate," Sargsian said. "You have to call it
what it is." As the record stands, during the night of April 23-24,
1915, Armenian political, religious, educational and intellectual
leaders in Istanbul ? the "cream of the crop," as Salt Lake City
resident Raffi Shahinian calls them ? were arrested, deported to the
interior and put to death. Soon after, Armenians remaining in Turkey
were deported and for years since then, the land-locked country has
been blockaded by Turkish officials. "As American-Armenians, this is a
moral issue, not a political one," Shahinian said.
"Our ancestors, grandparents and future generations will not forget
about how we suffered and it is time for the Turkish government to
confront its own historical responsibility." The Salt Lake
commemoration is held every year at this time and is dedicated to the
remembrance of those who lost their lives, as well as a demonstration
against the ongoing denial by the Turkish government and an appeal to
the U.S. federal government to recognize the events rightfully as
genocide. "It's a part of history that is just not represented," said
Agnesa Bakhshyan, who is often mistaken for being Hispanic. She says
many of her peers and acquaintances aren't aware of where Armenia is
located. Some of her family members were killed for keeping a record
of the 1915 incidents, long after the initial nation was
destroyed. "It's still happening, yet there are states and nations
that don't accept it even took place," Bakhshyan said. Red, blue and
orange Armenian flags, along with the Stars and Stripes, were carried
by those at the gathering, representing the citizenship they
claim. Others displayed posters demanding recognition for the
killings, claiming that genocide denial is an "official Turkish
government policy." Throughout the weekend, AHYO is sponsoring the
first Armenian film festival in Utah, with films produced in the U.S.,
France, Italy, Russia and Armenia that promote the awareness of
contemporary Armenian issues. Films are being shown from 3 to 10
p.m. Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday at the University of
Utah Olpin Union Building theater. ?E-mail: [email protected]
April 25, 2009 Saturday
Armenians march for recognition of genocide
Wendy Leonard Deseret News
Nearly every one of the estimated 5,000 Armenians living in Utah has
some link to what they believe was the first genocidal incident of the
20th century. Dozens marched at Utah's federal building Friday, urging
awareness of their ancestral deaths and seeking some form of official
recognition from governments locally and around the world. "It's
insulting to hear that my ancestors were rebels and terrorists," said
Zaven A. Sargsian, president of the Armenian Hyrenik Youth
Organization in Utah.
The University of Utah student said he's long fought the push by
Turkish nationals to reframe the killing and deportation of more than
1.5 million Armenian people by the Turkish government. A current
resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives would recognize the
incident as genocide, instead of the civil casualty case that many are
calling it. "It's inappropriate," Sargsian said. "You have to call it
what it is." As the record stands, during the night of April 23-24,
1915, Armenian political, religious, educational and intellectual
leaders in Istanbul ? the "cream of the crop," as Salt Lake City
resident Raffi Shahinian calls them ? were arrested, deported to the
interior and put to death. Soon after, Armenians remaining in Turkey
were deported and for years since then, the land-locked country has
been blockaded by Turkish officials. "As American-Armenians, this is a
moral issue, not a political one," Shahinian said.
"Our ancestors, grandparents and future generations will not forget
about how we suffered and it is time for the Turkish government to
confront its own historical responsibility." The Salt Lake
commemoration is held every year at this time and is dedicated to the
remembrance of those who lost their lives, as well as a demonstration
against the ongoing denial by the Turkish government and an appeal to
the U.S. federal government to recognize the events rightfully as
genocide. "It's a part of history that is just not represented," said
Agnesa Bakhshyan, who is often mistaken for being Hispanic. She says
many of her peers and acquaintances aren't aware of where Armenia is
located. Some of her family members were killed for keeping a record
of the 1915 incidents, long after the initial nation was
destroyed. "It's still happening, yet there are states and nations
that don't accept it even took place," Bakhshyan said. Red, blue and
orange Armenian flags, along with the Stars and Stripes, were carried
by those at the gathering, representing the citizenship they
claim. Others displayed posters demanding recognition for the
killings, claiming that genocide denial is an "official Turkish
government policy." Throughout the weekend, AHYO is sponsoring the
first Armenian film festival in Utah, with films produced in the U.S.,
France, Italy, Russia and Armenia that promote the awareness of
contemporary Armenian issues. Films are being shown from 3 to 10
p.m. Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday at the University of
Utah Olpin Union Building theater. ?E-mail: [email protected]