By Mary O’KEEFE

“The records of the State Department are replete with detailed reports from American Consular officers in Asia Minor, which give harrowing tales of the treatment of the Armenian Christians by the Turks and the Kurds. These reports have not been made public. They indicate that the Turks has undertaken a war of extermination on Armenians, especially those of the Gregorian Church, to which about 90[%] of the Armenians belong. The Turkish Government originally ordered the deportation of all Armenians, but, some time ago, after representations had been made by Ambassador Morgenthau, the Ottoman Government gave assurances that the order would be modified so as not to embrace Catholic and Protestant Armenians.” – The New York Times, Sept. 24, 1915, from www.armenian-genocide.org

For 103 years, the world has heard reports of the atrocities – the genocide – of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Government in Turkey. Each year the Armenian Genocide is commemorated on April 24. It was on that night in 1915 that the Turkish government arrested over 200 Armenian leaders in Constantinople; hundreds more were arrested later. They were sent to prison with most being executed. The Young Turks, which was a political party in power in the Ottoman Empire, had been arresting and systematically killing Armenians for several months. It was these arrests of prominent leaders, according to armenian-genocide.org, that turned the world’s attention to what was happening.

But to date, Turkey has not recognized the mass killing of the Armenian people as genocide. The genocide also has not been recognized by the American government, although 28 other countries, including Canada, Italy, France and Germany, have recognized as genocide what took place in 1915 by the Ottoman Government.

“The continued failure by Congress and successive Presidents to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide causes deep pain in the Armenian community and weakens our moral standing to act against genocide and atrocities around the world,” said Congressman Adam Schiff. “I will continue fighting for recognition of the 20th century’s first genocide to be recognized for what it is – a historical fact. We face determined opposition by Turkish interests who use coercion and threats to constrain the United States from speaking honestly about this dark chapter of human history, but I know that we will succeed, for the simple fact that we have truth on our side.”

There will be several events throughout Glendale that will commemorate the Armenian Genocide. One is student-organized by Armenian clubs at several schools in the Glendale Unified School District. Last night students from these clubs held an event at Glendale High School.

“They have been doing this since 2001; this is our 17th Annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration,” said Greg Krikorian, vice president of the GUSD Board of Education.

Krikorian was on the school board at the time of the first commemoration. He proposed the idea of the commemoration to then-board members Pam Ellis, Chakib “Chuck” Sambar, Lina Harper and Jeanne Bentley. The vote was unanimous to approve and they reached out to students.

“Because it is student-driven it brought [about] an educational moment and made it non-political,” Krikorian said.

He added that Wednesday’s event highlights the music, poetry, art, dance and drama talents of the students. Students from CV High School drama department were scheduled to perform on Wednesday, he said, and a group of high school students from Armenia was also scheduled to perform.

Krikorian’s father’s family immigrated to Hartford, Connecticut in 1896; however, his mother’s family came to America in 1915 to escape the genocide. Krikorian said although Wednesday’s event commemorates the Armenian Genocide, it was an event for all to attend, adding that many cultures have faced persecution due to race or religion.

“This is an educational moment for all cultures as a whole to recognize man’s inhumanity to man,” he said.

The City of Glendale will commemorate Armenian Genocide with two events. The first will be on April 24 at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd. at 7 p.m. There will be performances by Rose and Alex Pilibos, LA Balfry Choir, Davidian & Mariamian Educational Foundation and Hamazkayin Ani Dance Company. The keynote speakers for this event will be Dean Cain and Montel Williams, the producers of the feature film “Architects of Denial.” The documentary is a first-person account of genocide through the eyes of survivors.

On April 25, an event is being held titled “Man’s Inhumanity to Man,” sponsored by the City of Glendale and LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The event is also at the Alex Theatre and will include a screening of a documentary “Crows of the Desert: A Hero’s Journey Through the Armenian Genocide.” Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film will begin at 7 p.m. There will be a panel discussion after the screening. The film is presented in collaboration with the LA Harbor International Film Festival.

Both of these Alex Theatre events are free to the public; however, every person in attendance must have a ticket, with a limit of four tickets available per person. Tickets are available at the Alex Theatre, The Americana at Brand Concierge Services and Glendale Community College. For more information, contact (818) 548-4844.

  Mary Okeefe