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Twin Falls Times-News, Idaho
April 25 2014
Armenian Genocide Victims Paid Tribute in Twin Falls; Fight for
Acknowledgment Continues
April 25, 2014 2:00 am * By Tetona Dunlap - [email protected]
(
TWIN FALLS * One by one people walked across Twin Falls City Park with
red roses and yellow tulips in their hands.
They placed the flowers in front of a plaque on the ground that pays
tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed during the
Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. Then the group of 30 formed a circle
to pray for peace.
This year marks the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide that
occurred in present-day Turkey. It is a genocide that the Turkish
government has long denied ever occurred.
On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the
events "our shared pain" and acknowledged that the deportation of
Armenians had "inhumane consequences."
It is the first time a Turkish official has acknowledged the genocide,
but for Liyah Babayan, 29, an organizer of Thursday's commemoration,
Erdogan's words have no meaning.
"It's kind of mocking. If he meant it, then why is it a national crime
to speak about the Armenian genocide in Turkey?" Babayan said.
On Thursday, President Obama commemorated the massacre of 1.5 million
Armenians in 1915, but he once again avoided using the word
"genocide," failing to keep a campaign pledge he made in 2008,
reported the Washington Times.
There are 42 U.S. states that recognize the Armenian Genocide by
legislation or proclamation according to the Armenian National
Committee of America.
"How can you prevent something in the future if you don't acknowledge
mistakes of the past?" Babayan said. "We live in a world were the
government needs to be held accountable."
Babayan's family fled Baku, Azerbaijan when she was 10 and were
brought to Twin Falls with help from the College of Southern Idaho's
Refugee Program. From 1988 through 1990, the Armenian population in
Soviet Azerbaijan were beaten, tortured, murdered and expelled from
the city. Babayan is now 29 and has two children.
She still remembers the tanks and seeing people fighting. It's
something she doesn't want her children to experience and said
education is the key to making sure it doesn't happen again.
"The mob broke into our house and raped and murdered my aunt and threw
her off the eighth floor. My uncle was stabbed and my grandmother was
beaten. This was my childhood," Babayan said. "This memorial is also
important to a lot of us who lost family members in 1988-89 and never
had a chance to bury them. They have a headstone to go visit,"
The plaque that memorializes the Armenian genocide has been in Twin
Falls City Park since 2009. In 2004, Idaho became the 33rd U.S. state
to recognize the Armenian Genocide after former Governor Dirk
Kempthorne, proclaimed April 24 Idaho Day of Remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
Svetlana Petrosyan, who also fled Baku, has lived in Twin Falls for 10
years. She attended the memorial with her family.
"We've been coming every year to remember the tragedy that happened.
We want people in Twin Falls, the U.S., and the world to know that the
Armenian genocide did happen," said Svetlana as her son Artem
Petrosyan interpreted.
Catherine Talkington of Twin Falls said it was important for her to
attend because all people, not only Armenians and those of Armenian
descent, should know about the history of the Armenian genocide.
"It gives you a sense of how bad things can be for people. We have a
responsibility to stand up for other people in the world," Talkington
said.
http://magicvalley.com/news/local/armenian-genocide-victims-paid-tribute-in-twin-falls-fight-for/article_0748e203-99a9-5da2-9eef-d8d753cc3692.html
April 25 2014
Armenian Genocide Victims Paid Tribute in Twin Falls; Fight for
Acknowledgment Continues
April 25, 2014 2:00 am * By Tetona Dunlap - [email protected]
(
TWIN FALLS * One by one people walked across Twin Falls City Park with
red roses and yellow tulips in their hands.
They placed the flowers in front of a plaque on the ground that pays
tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed during the
Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. Then the group of 30 formed a circle
to pray for peace.
This year marks the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide that
occurred in present-day Turkey. It is a genocide that the Turkish
government has long denied ever occurred.
On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the
events "our shared pain" and acknowledged that the deportation of
Armenians had "inhumane consequences."
It is the first time a Turkish official has acknowledged the genocide,
but for Liyah Babayan, 29, an organizer of Thursday's commemoration,
Erdogan's words have no meaning.
"It's kind of mocking. If he meant it, then why is it a national crime
to speak about the Armenian genocide in Turkey?" Babayan said.
On Thursday, President Obama commemorated the massacre of 1.5 million
Armenians in 1915, but he once again avoided using the word
"genocide," failing to keep a campaign pledge he made in 2008,
reported the Washington Times.
There are 42 U.S. states that recognize the Armenian Genocide by
legislation or proclamation according to the Armenian National
Committee of America.
"How can you prevent something in the future if you don't acknowledge
mistakes of the past?" Babayan said. "We live in a world were the
government needs to be held accountable."
Babayan's family fled Baku, Azerbaijan when she was 10 and were
brought to Twin Falls with help from the College of Southern Idaho's
Refugee Program. From 1988 through 1990, the Armenian population in
Soviet Azerbaijan were beaten, tortured, murdered and expelled from
the city. Babayan is now 29 and has two children.
She still remembers the tanks and seeing people fighting. It's
something she doesn't want her children to experience and said
education is the key to making sure it doesn't happen again.
"The mob broke into our house and raped and murdered my aunt and threw
her off the eighth floor. My uncle was stabbed and my grandmother was
beaten. This was my childhood," Babayan said. "This memorial is also
important to a lot of us who lost family members in 1988-89 and never
had a chance to bury them. They have a headstone to go visit,"
The plaque that memorializes the Armenian genocide has been in Twin
Falls City Park since 2009. In 2004, Idaho became the 33rd U.S. state
to recognize the Armenian Genocide after former Governor Dirk
Kempthorne, proclaimed April 24 Idaho Day of Remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
Svetlana Petrosyan, who also fled Baku, has lived in Twin Falls for 10
years. She attended the memorial with her family.
"We've been coming every year to remember the tragedy that happened.
We want people in Twin Falls, the U.S., and the world to know that the
Armenian genocide did happen," said Svetlana as her son Artem
Petrosyan interpreted.
Catherine Talkington of Twin Falls said it was important for her to
attend because all people, not only Armenians and those of Armenian
descent, should know about the history of the Armenian genocide.
"It gives you a sense of how bad things can be for people. We have a
responsibility to stand up for other people in the world," Talkington
said.
http://magicvalley.com/news/local/armenian-genocide-victims-paid-tribute-in-twin-falls-fight-for/article_0748e203-99a9-5da2-9eef-d8d753cc3692.html