Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
By John Jabagchourian
Editor
Students, faculty, and community members gathered around a model of the Armenian Martyrs Monument at California State University, Fresno’s Free Speech Area, on Tuesday, April 24th, for the 86th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
“We need to raise our proud voices to give ourselves every reassurance that we will be around hundreds, even thousands, of years from now,” said Fresno County Supervisor and special guest speaker, Deran Koligian.
“We’ve done so much and come so far that to give up in our efforts now . . . would be to dishonor those who preceded us.”
On April 24, 1915, two hundred Armenian leaders were arrested and later killed by the Ottoman Turkish government. This date marks the beginning of the systematic attempt to exterminate all Armenians that resulted in the brutal slaying of two million Armenians.
“Since then [1915], Armenians have struggled to gain proper recognition of the Genocide,” Michael Harutinian, Armenian Student Organization president, said as he opened the ceremony at noon.
“Through a well-financed world-wide propaganda effort, the modern Turkish government attempts to revise history by denying the massacres took place,” Koligian said.
“The evidence is irrefutable and includes many eyewitness accounts and statements from the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey at the time. Unfortunately, today’s Turkish government is still persisting in their denial that the Armenian Genocide ever took place.”
“As a child of Armenian immigrants, I can tell you first hand that my beloved mother witnessed the Massacre that took the lives of three of her children. There is nothing ‘alleged’ about that,” Koligian said
Harutinian commended France for its lead among western nations to officially recognize the Genocide. However, the United States government, heavily influenced by the State Department’s military ties with Turkey, is reluctant to use the proper description of Genocide for the horrific events from 1915-1923.
ASO vice-president, Sevag Tateosian, read the poem “We Shall Say to God” by Vahan Tekeyan to the audience of 200.
He was followed by Armen Postoyan who recited the poem “To The Armenian Nation” also by Tekeyan.
ASO advisor Barlow Der Mugrdechian was the last speaker for the event
“We are here today for many reasons; one is to hold a day of respect in memory of those Armenians who died in the century’s first Genocide. We are here to bring the attention of all of humanity to this crime, because the Armenian Genocide was a crime against humanity. We are here also to remind students and faculty of the importance of this day. We will never forget what happened, and we will make sure that it never happens again…”
At the end of the event, members of the ASO passed out white and pink carnations to the assembled crowd. Everyone lined up with flowers in hand and slowly walked towards the monument in a procession and placed the flowers at the base of the structure built by the students three years ago. This follows a tradition that is done in Armenia every April 24, a tradition, which the ASO has now adopted.
Somber music played by Jim and Edward Karagozian filled the air as the crowd reflected upon their ancestors, many kneeling down and making the sign of the cross as they approached the monument.
Many members of the community commented on the appropriateness of the ceremony organized by the Armenian Students Organization.
The Armenian Students Organization and Armenian Studies Program have continually commemorated the Genocide on campus on April 24 for more than twenty-five years.