Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
By John Jabagchourian
Staff Writer
Remembrance is the key, and the students at California State University, Fresno showed that their generation will continue to remember.
On Friday, April 23, 1999 the Armenian Students Organization along with the Armenian Studies Program at Fresno State held a rally and public commemoration for the 1.5 million martyrs of the Armenian Genocide in the Free Speech area on campus.
Armenian students gathered in front of a scale model of the Armenian Martyrs Monument built by the ASO and began to pass out black ribbons and set up for the rally. The main goals of the rally were to keep the memory of the martyrs alive and inform those who knew little or nothing about the Genocide. Posters, sidewalk chalk and a huge mass of students caught the attention of those who were passing by.
The rally began at noon when a lantern was lit in the middle of the martyrs monument to represent the eternal flame and eternal memory of those who were massacred. ASO president Arakel Arisian welcomed those in attendance. He opened the event with a poem and then went on to speak of the atrocities that occurred during the Genocide.
Arisian stressed to the audience that we must continue to remember and understand that the Turkish government did not just commit crimes against the Armenians but rather against humanity. ASI president David Emerzian followed with remarks challenging non-Armenian students to ask questions that would help to understand the Armenian cause and to become actively involved in projects that help in remembering and informing about the Genocide.
The students and staff on hand also welcomed and honored special guest speakers Fresno City Council Members Chris Mathys and Tom Boyajian. Council member Chris Mathys opened his re-marks with “Inch bes es?” (Armenian for how are you?) and continued by expressing his sympathy for the struggles that the Armenian people have faced throughout their history. Mathys followed by crediting much of the success of Fresno to the Armenian people. Council member Tom Boyajian opened by saying “I am proud to be Armenian.” He commented on the fact that he was proud of his Armenian heritage and the unity of the Armenian people. “It’s time to remember and to communicate and educate to people what happened,” Boyajian said. Boyajian set an example for the students on remembrance by telling his personal family story. He illustrated that the only way to continue to remember is to speak out.
Other students approached the podium and spoke to the crowd that grew as the rally went on. Rita Aramian recited a poem by Vahan Tekeyan titled The Armenian Spirit, followed by Heidi Dunbar who recited a poem titled To the Armenian Nation.
Shant Postoyan spoke out about the U.S. government’s reluctance to push for Turkish recognition of the Genocide. “Everyone here should continue to support the Armenian cause and continue to commemorate,” Postoyan said. Faculty remarks were made by professor Michael Krekorian as he recited a poem by Hovaness Toumanian that used words to illustrate the Armenian spirit and perseverance for the Armenian homeland.
Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian closed the program by giving a special message to the students in attendance. “We are a living legacy; we represent the Armenian people.” He stressed that each student must keep the memory alive inside them and collectively must unite as they have at this rally. April 24, which commemorates the beginning of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to 1923, is a national holiday for the Armenian people. On that day, Armenians within the country of Armenia and the world visit the Armenian Martyrs Monument, which is located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The people walk to the monument and place flowers at the base.
In a new tradition at Fresno State that started last year, students handed out carnations to those in attendance so that they could place the flowers at the base of the Monument in honor and memory of those killed by the Ottoman Turks during the Genocide. With Armenian Church music from the Armenian Divine Liturgy playing, the students, staff and guests lined up and approached the monument in silence and paid respect to the martyrs.
Commemoration of the Genocide is reaching a critical period as the last of the survivors are dying. But the students have shown that the memories of the Genocide will live on with their generation. At the end of the ceremony, those in attendance were urged to take a piece of chalk and write the names of those who they knew died in the Genocide on the walkway of the free speech area.
This year marks the 84th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, the first Genocide of the twentieth century. Unfortunately it was not the last. If the Turkish government is allowed to continue to deny the Genocide, then horrors like this will also continue. That is why Armenians here at Fresno State and Armenians around the world continue to remember and speak out.