ARMENIANS worldwide are feeling overwhelming amounts of sadness
and unrest as we mark the centenary this year of the Armenian
genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century, and one of the
greatest humanitarian catastrophes of modern times.
On 24 April 1915, the Ottoman Turkish government imprisoned and
then killed hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community
leaders, setting in train the terrible slaughter of 1.5 million
men, women, and children. This mass slaughter, carried out between
1915 and 1918, was planned and perpetrated by the Turkish
government against the entire Armenian population of the crumbling
Ottoman Empire, under cover of the chaos of the First World
War.
The Armenian population was subjected to massacre, deportation,
abduction, torture, and starvation. Many were forcibly marched into
the Syrian desert with the intention that they would die of thirst,
hunger, and disease. The property and personal possessions of the
Armenian people were stolen from them as they were expelled from
their ancestral homeland.
The Armenian genocide was, above all, a human and a national
tragedy. Armenians were killed not because of what they did, but
because of who they were. People were massacred because of their
ethnic origin and their Christian faith. They were forcibly removed
from where they had lived for millennia, and deprived of their
cultural heritage: monasteries and churches, schools, and other
community and individual property. It was an attempt to erase us
from history.
ARMENIANS were the first people to adopt Christianity as a state
religion, in AD 301. In roughly AD 405-406, St Mesrob Mashtots
created the Armenian alphabet, and translated the Bible into the
Armenian language, enabling Armenians throughout the country to
read, learn, and practise the lessons taught in the Bible. Over the
centuries, many foreign invaders tried to force Armenians to
renounce their faith.
These attempts at forced conversions had the opposite effect,
encouraging Armenians to remain resilient, and underlining to them
both the importance of their faith and the distinctive nature of
their Church. Perhaps these earlier persecutions helped to prepare
the Armenians for the "Medz Yeghern" or the Armenian
genocide 100 years ago.
THE existence of Armenia's global diaspora testifies both to the
crime that took place and to the determination of Armenians not
only to endure but to thrive. As the American-Armenian author
William Saroyan wrote: "I should like to see any power of the world
destroy this race, this small tribe of un-important people. . .
"See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread
or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not
laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in
the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia."
When a party of Western Capuchin missionaries arrived in Lhasa
in 1707 believing themselves to be the very first Christians to
reach the forbidden city of Tibet, they found five prosperous
Armenian merchants already in residence.
A CENTURY has passed, and Armenians still carry within them the
pain of that horrible tragedy, a hurt made worse by modern Turkey's
continued denial that it took place. The President of Armenia
initiated a process aimed at normalising relations between our two
countries. It could have resulted in the establishment of
diplomatic relations and the opening of the border between Turkey
and Armenia - the last closed border in Europe; but the Turkish
government proved unable to ratify the protocols - signed by
Armenia and Turkey in Zurich in 2009.
It is only right to note here that there are many principled
people in Turkey who acknowledge the reality of the genocide, and
question their government's position.
We, the descendants of the survivors, wait with expectation for
other states to place themselves on the right side of history and
recognise the murders of our ancestors. And we require Turkey's
government, successor to the Ottoman Empire that carried out the
genocide, to find the courage and the wisdom needed finally to face
up to its past.
In the mean time, Armenia contributes strongly to international
efforts aimed at the prevention of genocide. On 27 March, for
example, a Genocide Prevention Resolution initiated by Armenia was
adopted by consensus at the UN Human Rights Council. The resolution
affirms that impunity for those who carry out genocide is a
fundamental obstacle to the promotion of international peace and
security.
THE centenary commemorations in Armenia will be attended by heads
of state and government representatives from all over the world.
Yesterday, the victims were canonised at the Holy See of
Etchmiadzin - the oldest cathedral in existence and the spiritual
focus of Armenians around the world. Today, a solemn ceremony is
being held at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in the capital,
Yerevan.
A series of events has also been planned by the Armenian
community of the UK. We are organising a Music for Armenia concert
at the Royal Festival Hall on 3 May; and the Armenian commemoration
service in Westminster Abbey on 28 October, will be attended by the
Catholicos of All Armenians, and members of the royal family and
the British Government.
As we remember the events of 100 years ago, we look forward to a
time when we can live in harmony with all of our neighbours,
including Turkey.
Dr Armen Sarkissian is Armenian Ambassador to the UK, and
was Prime Minister of Armenia from 1996 to 1997.