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THE ALLIANCE FOR GENOCIDE AWARENESS AND REMEMBRANCE CONDEMNS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH IN DER ZOR
10:10, 07 Oct 2014
The Alliance for Genocide Awareness and Remembrance (AGAR) vigorously
condemns the destruction of a historical memorial church commemorating
the Armenian Genocide in Der Zor, by the terrorist forces of the
Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The Der Zor Armenian Genocide Memorial Church, located in present-day
Syria, was built at the site where there were the remains of countless
Armenian Genocide victims who arrived in the area as the last stop
of the mass deportation of Armenians, orchestrated by Ottoman Turkey
in 1915. Armenians who survived the deportation and reached Der Zor
were executed by the Turks. Several years later, an Armenian Genocide
Memorial Church was erected on the site, to serve as a reminder to
future generations of this black page of Ottoman Turkish history. We
are concerned that the destruction of this site of great significance,
which serves as a beacon to prevent crimes against humanity and
genocide received little media coverage and is not known by the
general public.
'This horrendous act aimed at the Armenian people, many of whom
have the remains of their ancestors buried under the memorial, is
something that we vigorously condemn,' said Mr. Mheir Karakachian,
representing the board of AGAR. 'This site is the Armenian equivalent
to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, where many Jews died during the
Shoah,' Mr Karakachian continued.
Despite the international recognition of the mass deportations of
Armenians from 1915-1923 that led to the death of 1.5 million Armenians
as genocide, today's Turkey still denies this historical fact.
AGAR additionally calls on The Right Honorable Prime Minister
Stephen Harper to denounce this act of genocide denial and this
shocking disregard for the victims of the Armenian genocide and their
descendants. Such memorials must serve as places of commemoration
and education for all citizens of the world.
AGAR is composed of communities marked by the scars of genocide and
crimes against humanity. The objectives include working together,
survivor communities and their descendants to raise awareness about
genocide, to foster education, and to effectively and vigorously
combat denial. The Alliance members are: The Armenian Genocide
Centennial Committee of Canada; The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre;
PAGE-Rwanda; Centre Khemara; Ukrainian Information & Anti-Defamation
Committee.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/10/07/the-alliance-for-genocide-awareness-and-remembrance-condemns-the-destruction-of-the-armenian-church-in-der-zor/
10:10, 07 Oct 2014
The Alliance for Genocide Awareness and Remembrance (AGAR) vigorously
condemns the destruction of a historical memorial church commemorating
the Armenian Genocide in Der Zor, by the terrorist forces of the
Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The Der Zor Armenian Genocide Memorial Church, located in present-day
Syria, was built at the site where there were the remains of countless
Armenian Genocide victims who arrived in the area as the last stop
of the mass deportation of Armenians, orchestrated by Ottoman Turkey
in 1915. Armenians who survived the deportation and reached Der Zor
were executed by the Turks. Several years later, an Armenian Genocide
Memorial Church was erected on the site, to serve as a reminder to
future generations of this black page of Ottoman Turkish history. We
are concerned that the destruction of this site of great significance,
which serves as a beacon to prevent crimes against humanity and
genocide received little media coverage and is not known by the
general public.
'This horrendous act aimed at the Armenian people, many of whom
have the remains of their ancestors buried under the memorial, is
something that we vigorously condemn,' said Mr. Mheir Karakachian,
representing the board of AGAR. 'This site is the Armenian equivalent
to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, where many Jews died during the
Shoah,' Mr Karakachian continued.
Despite the international recognition of the mass deportations of
Armenians from 1915-1923 that led to the death of 1.5 million Armenians
as genocide, today's Turkey still denies this historical fact.
AGAR additionally calls on The Right Honorable Prime Minister
Stephen Harper to denounce this act of genocide denial and this
shocking disregard for the victims of the Armenian genocide and their
descendants. Such memorials must serve as places of commemoration
and education for all citizens of the world.
AGAR is composed of communities marked by the scars of genocide and
crimes against humanity. The objectives include working together,
survivor communities and their descendants to raise awareness about
genocide, to foster education, and to effectively and vigorously
combat denial. The Alliance members are: The Armenian Genocide
Centennial Committee of Canada; The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre;
PAGE-Rwanda; Centre Khemara; Ukrainian Information & Anti-Defamation
Committee.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/10/07/the-alliance-for-genocide-awareness-and-remembrance-condemns-the-destruction-of-the-armenian-church-in-der-zor/