Times Square Commemoration Defies Mother Nature (Updated)

NEW YORK—Rain failed to dampen the spirit of some 3,000 Armenians who turned out Sun., April 25, to commemorate the 95^th anniversary of the genocide.

The event was sponsored by the Ararat Lodge, Knights of Vartan, and drew busloads of people from Greater Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and Providence, adhering to the theme “Turkey is the Question, America Is the Answer.”

New York Governor David A. Paterson issued a proclamation for the Empire State declaring: “It is fitting that all New Yorkers recognize the hardships Armenians faced, for the purpose of preventing future genocides from reoccurring and to appreciate America’s role as a refuge for all oppressed people.”

A number of political figures were on hand to offer remarks, along with various Armenian and American organizations including the Guardian Angels. Several individuals hoisted signs bearing such inscriptions as “Reparations and Restitution, not Reconciliation.”

Two survivors managed to attend. Seated in the front row with their red carnations were 100-year-old Perouz Kalousdian, originally from Palou, and 98-year-old Oronik Eminian, born in Izmir. Both are residents of the Armenian Home in Flushing, N.Y.

Perouz was six when she witnessed the genocide. She reports that the Turks took males over the age of 15 (including her uncles), tied them up two by two, and threw them over the bridge into the Euphrates River.

In 1915, Oronik was playing ball when the Young Turkish officers came on horseback. One of the gendarmes struck her with a rifle, leaving a scar. They took her father’s bloodied clothes from a bag and said, “Here’s your father.” When her mother cried out, they shot and killed her, and a grandmother; they threw her two-month-old brother against the wall, killing him too.

The two survivors were repeatedly acknowledged from the podium by a litany of speakers as the afternoon wore on. Both handled the attention quite honorably.

Among those addressing the crowd were U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), U.S. Senator Chuck E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), New York City Comptroller John C. Liu, New York City Councilman Peter F. Vallone Jr., and U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.). Also present was attorney Mark J. Geragos, who helped lead groundbreaking federal class action lawsuits against New York Life and other insurance companies for insurance policies issued to Armenians living in Turkey prior to the genocide.

Presiding over the ceremonies were Dr. Dennis Papazian, founding director, Armenian Research Center, University of Michigan; and Dr. Mary A. Papazian, provost and senior vice-president for Academic Affairs at Lehman College in New York.

Several remarks pointed to current affairs and the protocols affecting Turkish-Armenian relations and the closed borders in the Caucasus.

“There’s no question that when genocide goes unpunished, it makes other perpetrators discount the possibility of being held accountable for their crimes against humanity,” said Papazian. “It was the Armenian Genocide that opened the door to all other genocides of the 20^th century.”

Perhaps the most provocative speaker was Harut Sassounian, publisher of the California Courier, whose columns appear regularly in the Armenian Weekly and other publications.
   
Sassounian took to the podium and said President Barak Obama turned his back on the Armenian people by refraining from the use of the word “genocide” in his statement April 24th.
   
He pointed to the fact that it’s time America joined the alliance of other countries in recognizing the first genocide of the 20th Century, especially when 43 states have complied.

“Let us move onto the next step,” he told the large gathering. “Let us pursue justice for our cause instead of just genocide recognition. Turkey must be held accountable. Armenians are entitled to just compensation of homes, land and houses of worship.” 

In a true testament to unity and collaboration, participating churches included both the Diocese and Prelacy, the Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Evangelical Union, and Armenian Catholic Eparchy.

They were joined by several Armenian organizations, including the Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian National Committee of America, Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, and Armenian Council of America.

Winners of an essay contest sponsored by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan and Facing History and Ourselves were Ani Papazian, first, New Jersey; Alexander Tavlian, second, California; Talin Baghdadian, third, New Jersey; and Katrice Karanfilian, honorable mention, New Jersey.

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Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.

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