Tweet
Comité National Arménien du Canada
Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert Street,Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5G4
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian Tel: 514-265-4602/
Armenian-Canadians Will Gather in Ottawa to Congratulate Canada's
Stance against Turkey's Genocide Denials
On Tuesday, April 24th, Armenian-Canadians will gather in Ottawa to
commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, with its
annual noontime Parliament Hill observance and subsequent demonstration
in front of the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Canada. Some 1,500
Armenian-Canadians from across the nation are expected to gather on
Parliament Hill to hear Members of Parliament, dignitaries, and
community leaders honour the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians that
systematically perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turks beginning in 1915.
The observance will be followed by a planned march toward the Turkish
embassy for a peaceful demonstration against Turkey's decades-old
campaign of denial. "Armenians are resolved to pursue justice for the
horrendous genocide committed by the Turks against the Armenian people,"
stated Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of the Armenian National
Committee of Canada. "The government of Turkey will never succeed in
its constant attempts to rewrite history. The world will never forget.
Canadians will never forget. We are fortunate that, in Canada, both
Houses of Parliament, the government of Canada, and Prime Minister
Stephen Harper have officially recognised the Armenian Genocide. We
commend the efforts of our government and parliamentarians in ensuring
that truth and justice prevail."
For decades, successive governments of the Republic of Turkey have
embarked upon an active campaign of denial, fabrication, and
misrepresentation as it attempted, and continues to attempt, to cover-up
its crimes against humanity. In its attempts to rewrite history, Turkey
has consistently employed some of the world's leading lobbyists and
public relations firms, having spent tens of millions of dollars over
the years. In Canada, Turkey has in the past retained the services of
Fleishman-Hilliard and other lobbyists.
"Armenian-Canadians are asking their government to encourage Turkey to
stop its denials and come to terms with its past," stated Dr.
Basmadjian. "All Canadians should be proud of their parliamentarians for
standing firm against Turkish pressure to change Canada's position
regarding the Armenian Genocide."
_Backgrounder_
Since its inception, Turkey's credibility as a nation of peace continues
to be marred by its belligerent and arrogant actions --- continued acts
of genocide, the invasion of Cyprus, its treatment of the Kurds, its
blatant violation of human rights within its own borders. Numerous
international human rights organisations continue to single out Turkey
as being a gross violator of basic human rights including freedom of speech.
The Genocide of the Armenians by the Turkish government during World War
I represents a major tragedy of the modern age. In this the first
Genocide of the 20th century, almost an entire nation was destroyed. The
Armenian people were effectively eliminated from the homeland they had
occupied for nearly three thousand years. This annihilation was
premeditated and planned to be carried out under the cover of war.
During the night of April 23-24, 1915, Armenian political, religious,
educational, and intellectual leaders in Istanbul were arrested,
deported to the interior, and mercilessly put to death. Next,
the Turkish government ordered the deportation of the Armenian people to
"relocation centres" - actually to the barren deserts of Syria and
Mesopotamia. The Armenians were driven out brutally from the length and
breadth of the empire. Secrecy, surprise, deception, torture,
dehumanization, rape and pillage were all a part of the process. The
whole of Asia Minor was put in motion.
The greatest torment was reserved for the women and children, who were
driven for months over mountains and deserts, often dehumanized by being
stripped naked and repeatedly preyed upon and abused. Intentionally
deprived of food and water, they fell by the hundreds of thousands along
the routes to the desert.
--
R.Roupen Kouyoumdjian B.Sc., M.Sc.
Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of Canada, National Office
130 Albert Street, Suite 1007, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4
Tel.: 613-235-2622
Fax: 613-238-2622
E-mail: [email protected]
Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert Street,Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5G4
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian Tel: 514-265-4602/
Armenian-Canadians Will Gather in Ottawa to Congratulate Canada's
Stance against Turkey's Genocide Denials
On Tuesday, April 24th, Armenian-Canadians will gather in Ottawa to
commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, with its
annual noontime Parliament Hill observance and subsequent demonstration
in front of the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Canada. Some 1,500
Armenian-Canadians from across the nation are expected to gather on
Parliament Hill to hear Members of Parliament, dignitaries, and
community leaders honour the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians that
systematically perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turks beginning in 1915.
The observance will be followed by a planned march toward the Turkish
embassy for a peaceful demonstration against Turkey's decades-old
campaign of denial. "Armenians are resolved to pursue justice for the
horrendous genocide committed by the Turks against the Armenian people,"
stated Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of the Armenian National
Committee of Canada. "The government of Turkey will never succeed in
its constant attempts to rewrite history. The world will never forget.
Canadians will never forget. We are fortunate that, in Canada, both
Houses of Parliament, the government of Canada, and Prime Minister
Stephen Harper have officially recognised the Armenian Genocide. We
commend the efforts of our government and parliamentarians in ensuring
that truth and justice prevail."
For decades, successive governments of the Republic of Turkey have
embarked upon an active campaign of denial, fabrication, and
misrepresentation as it attempted, and continues to attempt, to cover-up
its crimes against humanity. In its attempts to rewrite history, Turkey
has consistently employed some of the world's leading lobbyists and
public relations firms, having spent tens of millions of dollars over
the years. In Canada, Turkey has in the past retained the services of
Fleishman-Hilliard and other lobbyists.
"Armenian-Canadians are asking their government to encourage Turkey to
stop its denials and come to terms with its past," stated Dr.
Basmadjian. "All Canadians should be proud of their parliamentarians for
standing firm against Turkish pressure to change Canada's position
regarding the Armenian Genocide."
_Backgrounder_
Since its inception, Turkey's credibility as a nation of peace continues
to be marred by its belligerent and arrogant actions --- continued acts
of genocide, the invasion of Cyprus, its treatment of the Kurds, its
blatant violation of human rights within its own borders. Numerous
international human rights organisations continue to single out Turkey
as being a gross violator of basic human rights including freedom of speech.
The Genocide of the Armenians by the Turkish government during World War
I represents a major tragedy of the modern age. In this the first
Genocide of the 20th century, almost an entire nation was destroyed. The
Armenian people were effectively eliminated from the homeland they had
occupied for nearly three thousand years. This annihilation was
premeditated and planned to be carried out under the cover of war.
During the night of April 23-24, 1915, Armenian political, religious,
educational, and intellectual leaders in Istanbul were arrested,
deported to the interior, and mercilessly put to death. Next,
the Turkish government ordered the deportation of the Armenian people to
"relocation centres" - actually to the barren deserts of Syria and
Mesopotamia. The Armenians were driven out brutally from the length and
breadth of the empire. Secrecy, surprise, deception, torture,
dehumanization, rape and pillage were all a part of the process. The
whole of Asia Minor was put in motion.
The greatest torment was reserved for the women and children, who were
driven for months over mountains and deserts, often dehumanized by being
stripped naked and repeatedly preyed upon and abused. Intentionally
deprived of food and water, they fell by the hundreds of thousands along
the routes to the desert.
--
R.Roupen Kouyoumdjian B.Sc., M.Sc.
Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of Canada, National Office
130 Albert Street, Suite 1007, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4
Tel.: 613-235-2622
Fax: 613-238-2622
E-mail: [email protected]