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  • Cairo: Armenian Egyptians commemorate 100th anniversary of Armenian

    Egypt Independent
    April 19 2015

    Armenian Egyptians commemorate 100th anniversary of Armenian genocide

    Al-Masry Al-Youm


    Hundreds of Armenian Egyptians have commemorated the 100th anniversary
    of the Armenian genocide, perpetrated by the Ottoman government on the
    territory of the present-day Republic of Turkey. The total number of
    people killed in the massacres, which began in April 2015, has been
    estimated at between 1 and 1.5 million.

    The Armenian community prepared an exhibition, held at the Armenian
    Houssaper Club in Cairo, which included items brought to Egypt by
    their ancestors, as they fled from the massacres. The exhibition was
    divided into four sections, depicting the regions most affected by the
    massacres, namely Urfa, Gaziantep, Van and Kayseri.

    "We thank Egypt for sheltering our ancestors," says Garin Garibian
    adding that the Armenian community still waits for Turkey to recognize
    the genocide, "a massacre of a million and a half Armenians since
    1915."

    "The European Union's recognition of the Armenian genocide is major
    step," she added.

    Nanoor Sohrabian recounts how Ottoman soldiers tortured and killed her
    ancestors. "They raped the women, as they were trying to escape," she
    said. "We will never forget that al-Azhar issued a fatwa 100 years
    ago, prohibiting those acts, because they violate Islam."

    "What Turkey did was no different than what ISIS is doing now in the
    name of religion," she said, urging Egypt to recognize the genocide.

    Armin Mazloumian, the supervisor of the committee commemorating the
    genocide, said there are nearly 8,000 Armenians currently living in
    Egypt. The community had as many as 60,000 members in the 1950s, but a
    large number of Armenians have since emigrated to other countries.

    "After the migration, we have formed the Armenian Diaspora in America,
    Australia and the Arab countries," she explained. "Armenians worldwide
    have their own schools and churches."

    Mohamed Refaat Imam, head of the History Department of of Damanhur
    University, said the first massacres began in 1894 and lasted until
    1896, claiming the lives of 300,000 Armenians. The second wave of
    killings took place in April 1909 in Adana under the Union and
    Progress Committee, when 30,000 Armenians were killed, whereas the
    third phase occurred during World War I, when a million and a half
    Armenians died.

    He said Turkey continues to refuse to recognize the massacres. "The EU
    recognition of the genocide means Turkey is not accepted in Europe,"
    he said. "However, I do not expect international sanctions, as United
    States has strong ties with Turkey and seeks an alliance with Saudi
    Arabia and Iran."


    Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
    http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/armenian-egyptians-commemorate-100th-anniversary-armenian-genocide




    From: A. Papazian
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