DC Community Demands US Reaffirmation at White House Protest

WASHINGTON—On April 21, Armenian-Americans from across the Greater Washington, D.C. area called for an end to U.S. complicity in Turkey’s genocide denial at a White House rally held just days before President Obama’s annual April 24 statement.

The “Let Your Voice Be Heard for Genocide Recognition!” protest was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) “Ani” Chapter, in coordination with a coalition of Armenian-American groups comprising the Greater Washington Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee.

“We are all gathered here today to commemorate and bring awareness to what New York Times Best-selling Author of The Sandcastle Girls, Chris Bohjalian, aptly called, ‘the slaughter you know next to nothing about,'” began AYF “Ani” Chapter Chairwoman Narineh Abrahamian. “The United States—President Obama—can play an important role in pressing Turkey to deal honestly with its dark past by speaking truthfully about this crime. Anything less only enables Turkey’s continued genocide denial. Anything less makes the United States complicit in that denial. Anything less sends the dangerous message to other despots that they too can get away with genocide,” she said.

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian relayed the hope of the community by talking about then-presidential candidate Obama’s pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide and the disappointment in the face of five years of subsequent U.S. kowtowing to Turkish government threats. “We are going to be the conscience of this great nation,” explained Hamparian. “We are going to put America—if not this April, but eventually—back on the right side on the Armenian Genocide issue and in so doing move American policy back to the right side in dealing with all genocides.”

Hamparian’s remarks are available on the ANCA YouTube channel http://youtu.be/urD0xKxNJcM.

Throughout the course of the protest, AYF members presented photos and survivor accounts detailed in the iWitness project, the oral and visual documentation of survivors of the Armenian Genocide by Ara Oshagan and Levon Parian. The photos and survivor series has been adapted into a lesson plan for 7^th-12^th graders by the Genocide Education Project. After the reading of each survivor account, protesters urged Obama to honor the lives of these and all survivors and recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Also presented were cables written by U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau and other U.S. consuls during the course of the genocide, documenting the deportation and murder of the Armenian, Greek, and Syriac populations from 1915-23.

“In Memory of the Millions,” a poem by noted Armenian author Jack Hagopian, was presented by spotlighting the strength and endurance of the Armenian people through the genocide. Armenian music was poignantly performed on saxophone by Jake Bournazian throughout the rally.

Images from the protest are posted on the AYF Ani Chapter Facebook page, and can be viewed by visiting www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151554995351760.1073741829.64424881759&type=1&uploaded=15.

President Obama, along with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry, each, as Senators, consistently and repeatedly recognized the Armenian Genocide, and called on former President George W. Bush to properly recognize this crime. In January 2008, Obama, in a statement to the Armenian-American community, stated “America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that president.” Over the past five years, the president has not honored his pledge; rather, his administration has gone so far as to oppose a House Armenian Genocide resolution and legislation calling on Turkey to return Christian churches to their rightful owners, the vast majority of which were confiscated during the Armenian Genocide.

Obama’s statements in support of Armenian Genocide affirmation as a Senator and presidential candidate can be viewed at http://anca.org/change/docs/Obama_Armenian_Genocide.pdf.

The April 21 White House demonstration was part of a series of Washington, D.C. area Armenian Genocide commemorative activities, which includes a demonstration in front of the Turkish Embassy and the annual Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance, both to be held on April 24.