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EXPERTS MEET IN YEREVAN TO STRATEGIZE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENARY
11:21 26/03/2013 " ANALYSIS
Over 40 Armenian Genocide specialists from nine countries met
in Yerevan on March 22-23 to strategize on how to devise a legal
framework to mitigate the consequences of the Genocide, counter
Turkish denialism, and organize genocide studies programs and museum
exhibits. The conference was organized by the State Commission
coordinating activities leading to the 100th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
In his message to the conference, Pres. Serzh Sargsyan expressed regret
that the Armenian Genocide has gone unpunished which paved the way for
the Jewish Holocaust. He hoped that the 100th anniversary would be an
occasion to demonstrate Armenian unity and resolve to alleviate the
consequences of the Genocide, secure restorative justice, and pass
on to the next generation new methods of struggle and survival. The
President welcomed the fact that more conscientious elements of
Turkish society are shattering the wall of silence and denialism,
and reexamining the revisionist policies of their country.
The President asked conference participants to recommend suggestions
to the State Commission for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide.
Here is a summary of the comments made by some of the genocide experts
participating in the March 22-23 conference:
Israeli scholar Yair Auron criticized the State of Israel for not
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, pointing out, however, that a large
segment of the Israeli public acknowledges it. Having experienced
a similar tragic fate during the Holocaust, Israel should have been
the first country to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, stated Prof.
Auron.
Historian Richard Hovannisian of Los Angeles urged the State Commission
to plan artistic and cultural events rather than academic conferences
to reach out to more people around the world. He suggested organizing a
pan-Armenian philharmonic orchestra that would tour the world during
the months leading to April 24, 2015. He also expressed the concern
that the Turkish government is better prepared to counter the Centenary
activities than Armenians are in planning them.
Hayk Demoyan, Secretary of the State Commission and Director of the
Genocide Museum in Yerevan, presented to conference participants the
plans for the expansion of the museum by 2015.
Prof. Vahakn Dadrian of New York commented that when a denialist
country is weak, it accepts its crimes more easily. As long as
Turkey remains a powerful country, it will not recognize the Armenian
Genocide, Dadrian observed.
Researcher Mihran Minassian from Aleppo, Syria, suggested that
commemorative events be jointly observed with Greeks and Assyrians. He
pointed out that Turkish denialists had not accused members of these
two ethnic groups of joining the Russian Army or forming armed bands,
yet they too became victims of mass violence and genocide.
Prof. Nikolay Hovannisyan of Yerevan explained that contrary to
popular belief, the Ottoman Empire, not Uruguay, was the first
country to recognize the Armenian Genocide through court verdicts
in 1919-1926. Uruguay's Parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide
in 1965.
Vladimir Vardanyan, Head of International Treaties Department of
Armenia's Constitutional Court, stated that the concept of Crimes
Against Humanity was first used on May 24, 1915 in a joint declaration
issued by Britain, France and Russia, warning Turkish officials that
they would be held responsible for the Armenian massacres. Similarly,
after World War II, the Nuremberg Tribunal accused Nazi war criminals
of committing Crimes Against Humanity rather than genocide. Vardanyan
suggested that the Republic of Armenia set up a permanent state body
that would research and develop the legal framework for the pursuit
of genocide-related demands from Turkey in international courts.
Ragip Zarakolu, a prominent Turkish human rights activist from Istanbul
who has been frequently jailed for publishing Armenian Genocide books,
spoke about the "growing denial industry in Turkey."
He suggested that denialism encouraged terrorism in Turkey.
As a participant in the genocide conference, I spoke about the need
to pursue "justice" rather than mere "genocide recognition," which
has already been accomplished. The concept of justice comprises
all Armenian demands from Turkey: moral, financial, and territorial
restitution.
I also suggested that before planning any specific activities for the
Genocide Centenary, Armenians worldwide first develop a single message
and agreed upon set of goals. Otherwise, they would be sending mixed
messages to Turkey and the international community as to what they
really want and seek to accomplish on April 24, 2015.
Finally, the pursuit of Armenian demands must not end in 2015. They
should persist in seeking their just demands from Turkey until they
accomplish "justice" for their cause!
Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier
Source: Panorama.am
From: A. Papazian
11:21 26/03/2013 " ANALYSIS
Over 40 Armenian Genocide specialists from nine countries met
in Yerevan on March 22-23 to strategize on how to devise a legal
framework to mitigate the consequences of the Genocide, counter
Turkish denialism, and organize genocide studies programs and museum
exhibits. The conference was organized by the State Commission
coordinating activities leading to the 100th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
In his message to the conference, Pres. Serzh Sargsyan expressed regret
that the Armenian Genocide has gone unpunished which paved the way for
the Jewish Holocaust. He hoped that the 100th anniversary would be an
occasion to demonstrate Armenian unity and resolve to alleviate the
consequences of the Genocide, secure restorative justice, and pass
on to the next generation new methods of struggle and survival. The
President welcomed the fact that more conscientious elements of
Turkish society are shattering the wall of silence and denialism,
and reexamining the revisionist policies of their country.
The President asked conference participants to recommend suggestions
to the State Commission for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide.
Here is a summary of the comments made by some of the genocide experts
participating in the March 22-23 conference:
Israeli scholar Yair Auron criticized the State of Israel for not
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, pointing out, however, that a large
segment of the Israeli public acknowledges it. Having experienced
a similar tragic fate during the Holocaust, Israel should have been
the first country to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, stated Prof.
Auron.
Historian Richard Hovannisian of Los Angeles urged the State Commission
to plan artistic and cultural events rather than academic conferences
to reach out to more people around the world. He suggested organizing a
pan-Armenian philharmonic orchestra that would tour the world during
the months leading to April 24, 2015. He also expressed the concern
that the Turkish government is better prepared to counter the Centenary
activities than Armenians are in planning them.
Hayk Demoyan, Secretary of the State Commission and Director of the
Genocide Museum in Yerevan, presented to conference participants the
plans for the expansion of the museum by 2015.
Prof. Vahakn Dadrian of New York commented that when a denialist
country is weak, it accepts its crimes more easily. As long as
Turkey remains a powerful country, it will not recognize the Armenian
Genocide, Dadrian observed.
Researcher Mihran Minassian from Aleppo, Syria, suggested that
commemorative events be jointly observed with Greeks and Assyrians. He
pointed out that Turkish denialists had not accused members of these
two ethnic groups of joining the Russian Army or forming armed bands,
yet they too became victims of mass violence and genocide.
Prof. Nikolay Hovannisyan of Yerevan explained that contrary to
popular belief, the Ottoman Empire, not Uruguay, was the first
country to recognize the Armenian Genocide through court verdicts
in 1919-1926. Uruguay's Parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide
in 1965.
Vladimir Vardanyan, Head of International Treaties Department of
Armenia's Constitutional Court, stated that the concept of Crimes
Against Humanity was first used on May 24, 1915 in a joint declaration
issued by Britain, France and Russia, warning Turkish officials that
they would be held responsible for the Armenian massacres. Similarly,
after World War II, the Nuremberg Tribunal accused Nazi war criminals
of committing Crimes Against Humanity rather than genocide. Vardanyan
suggested that the Republic of Armenia set up a permanent state body
that would research and develop the legal framework for the pursuit
of genocide-related demands from Turkey in international courts.
Ragip Zarakolu, a prominent Turkish human rights activist from Istanbul
who has been frequently jailed for publishing Armenian Genocide books,
spoke about the "growing denial industry in Turkey."
He suggested that denialism encouraged terrorism in Turkey.
As a participant in the genocide conference, I spoke about the need
to pursue "justice" rather than mere "genocide recognition," which
has already been accomplished. The concept of justice comprises
all Armenian demands from Turkey: moral, financial, and territorial
restitution.
I also suggested that before planning any specific activities for the
Genocide Centenary, Armenians worldwide first develop a single message
and agreed upon set of goals. Otherwise, they would be sending mixed
messages to Turkey and the international community as to what they
really want and seek to accomplish on April 24, 2015.
Finally, the pursuit of Armenian demands must not end in 2015. They
should persist in seeking their just demands from Turkey until they
accomplish "justice" for their cause!
Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier
Source: Panorama.am
From: A. Papazian