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  • From The White House To The Turkish Embassy, Armenian Americans Prot

    FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE TURKISH EMBASSY, ARMENIAN AMERICANS PROTEST GENOCIDE DENIAL

    Asbarez
    Apr 30th, 2010

    Africa Action's Briggs Bomba gives a rousing speech urging the end
    of U.S. complicity in Armenian Genocide denial.

    WASHINGTON-Armenian Americans from throughout the Greater Washington
    DC area struck a blow to Armenian Genocide denial this week with
    protests at the White House and Turkish Embassy calling for proper
    U.S. and Turkish Government recognition of the murder of 1.5 million
    Armenians from 1915-1923 as 'genocide,' reported the Armenian Youth
    Federation (AYF) Washington "Ani" Chapter.

    >From Friday, April 23rd through Saturday, April 24th, the worldwide
    commemoration day of the Armenian Genocide, the AYF Washington
    Ani Chapter led a 24-hour vigil in front of the White House, urging
    President Obama to honor his campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian
    Genocide. The effort began with a press conference which included
    the participation of Africa Action Campaigns Director Briggs Bomba,
    AYF Ani Chapter representative Shogheeg Apkarian, ANCA Eastern Region
    Director Garo Manjikian, and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

    "We are here today to tell President Obama that a morally bankrupt
    genocide policy is unacceptable," said Apkarian in her remarks. "That
    real action is necessary to end the Genocide in Darfur once and for
    all. That euphemistic language to describe the brutal murder of 1.5
    million Armenian men, women, and children by the Ottoman Turkish
    government from 1915-1923 is an insult. An insult to the victims. An
    insult to the survivors and their descendants. An insult to American
    Foreign service officers who risked their lives to document and
    stop what U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau called 'race murder,'"
    continued Apkarian.

    Following the press conference, and throughout the night, the AYF
    members were joined by Greater Washington, DC area community members
    and youth from the local Homenetmen chapter, St. Mary's ACYOA and
    University of Maryland Armenian Students Union with mouths covered
    in red tape signifying Turkey's gag rule on U.S. recognition of the
    Armenian Genocide. Throughout the 24 hours, youth took turns to read
    from the official telegrams found in the U.S. National Archives sent
    by Ambassador Henry Morgenthau and U.S. consuls who witnessed the
    horrors of the Armenian Genocide first hand from 1915-1923. Thousands
    of tourists stopped to listen to the reading of the genocidal accounts,
    including many student groups and teachers, stopping to learn more
    about this crime against humanity and inquiring about educational
    resources to include the topic in their class curriculum.

    As the clock struck midnight and April 24th arrived, the White House
    vigil participants spoke with their counterparts in Canada - a group
    of 95 ARF-YOC members on a four-day trek from Montreal to Ottawa
    to mark the 95th anniversary - honoring the victims and survivors
    of this crime against humanity and collectively recommitting to the
    international campaign to end genocide denial. A similar conversation
    was held with AYF Western U.S. Representatives - working late into
    the night in preparation of the 10,000 plus protest in front of the
    Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles, CA.

    A typical sign from the Turkish-American counter-protest on April
    24th On Saturday, April 24th, White House vigil participants joined
    with over 300 local activists in front of the Turkish Embassy
    protesting the Turkish Government's denial of the Armenian Genocide
    and calling for justice. The Armenian American protest was met with
    Turkish counter-protesters - who blasted Turkish music in a shameful
    celebration of the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians. Following their
    disgraceful performance, Turkish protesters entered the Turkish Embassy
    compound, where, according to Turkish news sources, they were warmly
    greeted by Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Namik Tan. The Washington
    Turkish scene came in stark contrast to images from Ankara, Turkey,
    where an April 24th seminarorganized by Armenian and Turkish scholars
    discussed reparations for the Armenian Genocide.

    Following the demonstration, Armenian Americans gathered at the
    Armenian Embassy to hold a Requiem Service in memory of the Genocide
    victims, presided by Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian of Soorp Khatch
    Armenian Church and Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan of St. Mary Armenian
    Church. His Excellency Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia Tatoul
    Markarian and Nagorno Karabagh Representative Robert Avetisyan offered
    remarks as Washington DC Homenetmen Scouts stood at attention.

    Following the service, attendees gathered at Soorp Khatch Armenian
    Church for an expanded Requiem service and Madagh, prepared by the
    Soorp Khatch Armenian Church Ladies Guild, and an evening of Armenian
    patriotic songs, sung by Kris Arabian and accompanied by Anthony Deese.

    The text of complete remarks by Shogheeg Apkarian at the AYF's White
    House press conference follows.

    ***

    AYF Washington 'Ani' Chapter Statement At The 24-Hour Armenian Genocide
    Remembrance Vigil

    The White House April 23-24, 2010

    "The Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or
    a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an
    overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable.

    As a senator, I strongly support passage of the Armenian Genocide
    Resolution, and as President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide."

    These are President Obama's own words just months before his election.

    And just four days prior to his historic victory, the Obama campaign
    would emphasize the future President's commitment to genocide
    recognition once more.

    "Barack Obama strongly supports passage of the Armenian Genocide and
    will recognize the Armenian Genocide." This was the change in U.S.

    genocide policy we had been waiting for. To end the decades of U.S.

    complicity in Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide and to finally
    bring America back to the right side of this core human rights issue.

    And yet, within months of his election - in the face of intense
    lobbying by the Turkish Government and a misguided State Department
    bureaucracy which has made capitulation to Turkey a fetish - the
    President caved in to genocide denial.

    Suddenly "undeniable facts" became a matter of personal opinion. A
    clear statement of Genocide affirmation was replaced with euphemistic
    language and calls for Armenia - Turkey dialogue.

    Dialogue which has been riddled with Turkish Government pre-conditions.

    Dialogue designed to call into question the very existence of the
    Armenian Genocide.

    So today, a year and a half into President Obama's presidency,
    instead of change we see more of the same failed U.S. policies on
    the Armenian Genocide. We see Secretary Clinton using a so-called
    "historical commission" envisioned as part of Armenia-Turkey dialogue
    to oppose Armenian Genocide legislation.

    And sadly, President Obama's bankrupt policy on genocide does not
    end with the Armenian Genocide.

    Indicted war criminal, President Omer al-Bashir was thrilled to
    hear Mr. Obama's special envoy for Sudan, Maj. Gen. Scott Gration's
    prediction that the recent elections in Sudan would be "as free and
    as fair as possible" .

    Sudanese journalists and local civil society groups have all found
    these elections to be deeply flawed but all the Obama Administration
    could muster after the fact is a reference to "serious irregularities."

    Have we not learned from the past? Have we not seen that silence in
    the face of Genocide or its denial only serves to embolden future
    dictators to carry out similar crimes? The happy pictures of Turkish
    President Gul and Sudan's Omer al-Bashir, who has found safe-haven
    many a time in Turkey during his foreign travels?

    We are here today to tell President Obama that a morally bankrupt
    genocide policy is unacceptable. That real action is necessary to end
    the Genocide in Darfur once and for all. That euphemistic language
    to describe the brutal murder of 1.5 million Armenian men women
    and children by the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915-1923 is
    an insult. An insult to the victims. An insult to the survivors and
    their descendants. An insult to American Foreign service officers who
    risked their lives to document and stop what U.S. Ambassador Henry
    Morgenthau called "race murder."

    And so, as a reminder, during our 24-hour vigil - as we call
    on President Obama to end Turkey's gag-rule on Armenian Genocide
    recognition - we will be reading the telegrams and reports that U.S.
    foreign service officers sent to the State Department from 1915-1923 -
    detailing the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. A first hand account
    by our representatives in Turkey - documented in our own U.S.
    archives. Their message will be our message.

    Stand for truth, Mr. President. Stand for justice. And End the Cycle
    of Genocide.
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