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ARMENIANS STILL FEEL PAIN OF 1915 DEATHS; PROTESTS MARK 99TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONFLICT WITH OTTOMAN EMPIRE
Ottawa Citizen
April 25, 2014 Friday
by Sammy Hudes, Ottawa Citizen
Nearly a century after hostilities between Turkey and Armenia
culminated in mass casualties, a pain that has spanned generations was
on full display once more Thursday in downtown Ottawa. What appeared
to be nearly 1,000 demonstrators gathered at Parliament Hill with
many marching to the Turkish Embassy to call on Turkey's
government to formally recognize the conflict that occurred with
Armenia 99 years ago as genocide.
The rally was met by a much smaller group of counter-protesters who
waved Turkish flags and held up signs that denounced the cause as
"genocide mongering."
"It's going to be 100 years next year that Turkey is still denying
the genocide, so it's sad to see that," said Hrag Jinjinian, who said
his Armenian ancestors were victims of the violence.
Some historians estimate that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in
1915 by the Ottoman Empire in the region now known as Turkey. The
battle over how that legacy will be remembered continues to this day.
Turkey rejects the term "genocide," and says the death toll is
inflated.
This week, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan called the deaths
"inhumane" and offered his condolences. But his remarks failed to
satisfy Armenians, who say compensation and official recognition are
what's needed.
On Thursday in Ottawa, the two groups of demonstrators were separated
by a fence and by police, as many shouted across the barrier.
Kevork Kazanjian said he is a "fourth generation survivor" of the
genocide because he still feels its effects every day while living
in Canada.
"I'm living outside of my homeland ... One and a half million Armenians
were slaughtered including my great-grandparents. The perpetrator of
this crime is not punished yet and they're still denying it."
Kazanjian said another reason for the rally was to thank Canada for
recognizing the Armenian genocide.
The House of Commons first did so in 1996, but those on the other
side of the fence disputed the validity of this recognition.
"No court in the world or reputable world organization has accepted
that there's been a genocide over there," Javat Zarrin said.
Zarrin, who is from Azerbaijan, said he came to stand in solidarity
with Turkey.
"It was a world war and people were killed from both sides - Turkish
sides, Armenian sides, Russian, German, you name it," said Turkish
protester Abdullah Bayat. Bayat said Canada has unfairly supported
Armenia in the conflict.
On Thursday afternoon, far removed from the land that gave rise to
the conflict, police kept an eye on demonstrators on both sides,
making sure no trouble developed on the street outside the embassy.
GRAPHIC: Chris Mikula, Ottawa Citizen; Armenian and Turkish protesters
are separated by crowd barriers outside the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa
on Thursday, the 99th anniversary of what Armenians call a genocide.;
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Ottawa Citizen
April 25, 2014 Friday
by Sammy Hudes, Ottawa Citizen
Nearly a century after hostilities between Turkey and Armenia
culminated in mass casualties, a pain that has spanned generations was
on full display once more Thursday in downtown Ottawa. What appeared
to be nearly 1,000 demonstrators gathered at Parliament Hill with
many marching to the Turkish Embassy to call on Turkey's
government to formally recognize the conflict that occurred with
Armenia 99 years ago as genocide.
The rally was met by a much smaller group of counter-protesters who
waved Turkish flags and held up signs that denounced the cause as
"genocide mongering."
"It's going to be 100 years next year that Turkey is still denying
the genocide, so it's sad to see that," said Hrag Jinjinian, who said
his Armenian ancestors were victims of the violence.
Some historians estimate that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in
1915 by the Ottoman Empire in the region now known as Turkey. The
battle over how that legacy will be remembered continues to this day.
Turkey rejects the term "genocide," and says the death toll is
inflated.
This week, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan called the deaths
"inhumane" and offered his condolences. But his remarks failed to
satisfy Armenians, who say compensation and official recognition are
what's needed.
On Thursday in Ottawa, the two groups of demonstrators were separated
by a fence and by police, as many shouted across the barrier.
Kevork Kazanjian said he is a "fourth generation survivor" of the
genocide because he still feels its effects every day while living
in Canada.
"I'm living outside of my homeland ... One and a half million Armenians
were slaughtered including my great-grandparents. The perpetrator of
this crime is not punished yet and they're still denying it."
Kazanjian said another reason for the rally was to thank Canada for
recognizing the Armenian genocide.
The House of Commons first did so in 1996, but those on the other
side of the fence disputed the validity of this recognition.
"No court in the world or reputable world organization has accepted
that there's been a genocide over there," Javat Zarrin said.
Zarrin, who is from Azerbaijan, said he came to stand in solidarity
with Turkey.
"It was a world war and people were killed from both sides - Turkish
sides, Armenian sides, Russian, German, you name it," said Turkish
protester Abdullah Bayat. Bayat said Canada has unfairly supported
Armenia in the conflict.
On Thursday afternoon, far removed from the land that gave rise to
the conflict, police kept an eye on demonstrators on both sides,
making sure no trouble developed on the street outside the embassy.
GRAPHIC: Chris Mikula, Ottawa Citizen; Armenian and Turkish protesters
are separated by crowd barriers outside the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa
on Thursday, the 99th anniversary of what Armenians call a genocide.;
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress