Page 12 - Aruba Today 25 April 2015
P. 12
WORLD NEWS A11
Saturday 25 April 2015
Armenia marks centennial of killing of 1.5 million
From left, French President Francois Hollande, Rita Sarkisian, her went through,” Hollande Putin used his speech to Armenian genocide.”
husband Armenia’s President Serge Sarkisian, Serbian President said. warn of the dangers of na- Armenian President Serge
Tomislav Nikolic, Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis, and France is home to a size- tionalism as well as “Russo- Sarkisian expressed hope
Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a memorial service at able Armenian commu- phobia” in a clear dig at that recent steps to rec-
the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide memorial complex in nity. Among the French the West-leaning govern- ognize the massacre as
Yerevan, Armenia, Friday, April 24, 2015. On Friday, Armenians Armenians at Yerevan was ment in Ukraine. genocide will help “dispel
mark the centenary of what historians estimate to be the 90-year-old singer Charles Turkish Deputy Prime Min- the darkness of 100 years
slaughter of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks, Aznavour, who was born in ister Yalcin Akdogan crit- of denial.”
an event widely viewed by scholars as genocide. Turkey, Paris to a family of massa- iczed Putin’s participation, Armenians and Turks
however, denies the deaths constituted genocide and says the cre survivors. saying “They should look planned to march in Is-
death toll has been inflated. For many Armenians, the at their own past first ... the tanbul’s main square to
massacre anniversary is cruelties, the massacres, remember the Armenian
(Vahan Stepanyan/PAN Photo via AP) not only a moment of grief the genocides they have intellectuals who were
but also a reminder of the committed against their rounded up in the city 100
AVET DEMOURIAN that those killed were vic- resilience of the nation. own people.” years ago and to urge the
Associated Press tims of civil war and unrest. “We feel a big pain today, Earlier this month, Turkey government to recognize
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) On the eve of the cen- historic pain but at the recalled its ambassadors genocide. A small nation-
— The presidents of Russia tennial, Turkish President same time we feel a big to Vienna and the Vatican alist group planned a pro-
and France joined other Recep Tayyip Erdogan in- historic strength,” Nade- after Austria and Pope test denouncing the geno-
leaders Friday at ceremo- sisted that his nation’s an- zhda Antonyan, a teacher Francis described the kill- cide accusations.
nies commemorating the cestors never committed from Yerevan said on the ings as genocide. The Eu- Sarkisian welcomed the ral-
massacre of Armenians a genocide. sidelines of the ceremony. ropean Parliament has ly in Taksim Square to hon-
century ago by Ottoman The observances ended “We should not only sur- also triggered Turkey’s ire or the dead, calling them
Turks, an event which still Friday night with a torch- vive but we must live, be by passing a non-binding “strong people who are
stirs bitter feelings as both light parade by an estimat- strong and build our state- resolution to commemo- doing an important thing
sides argue over whether ed 30,000 people from the hood.” rate “the centenary of the for their motherland.”q
to call it genocide. capital’s central square to
The annual April 24 com- the hilltop complex memo-
memorations mark the day rializing the deaths. Partici-
when some 250 Armenian pants started the march
intellectuals were rounded by burning a Turkish flag.
up in what is regarded as Russian President Vladi-
the first step of the massa- mir Putin, French President
cre. An estimated 1.5 mil- Francois Hollande and oth-
lion died in the slaughters, er dignitaries assembled in
deportations and forced the morning at the memo-
marches that began in rial complex, called Tsitser-
1915 as Ottoman officials nakaberd, overlooking the
worried that the Christian capital, Yerevan.
Armenians would side with Each leader walked along
Russia, its enemy in World the memorial with a single
War I. yellow rose and put it into
The event is widely viewed the center of a wreath re-
by historians as genocide sembling a forget-me-not,
but modern Turkey, the a flower chosen as the
successor to the Ottoman symbol of the commemo-
Empire, vehemently rejects ration.
the charge. It says that the “We will never forget the
toll has been inflated, and tragedy that your people
Saturday 25 April 2015
Armenia marks centennial of killing of 1.5 million
From left, French President Francois Hollande, Rita Sarkisian, her went through,” Hollande Putin used his speech to Armenian genocide.”
husband Armenia’s President Serge Sarkisian, Serbian President said. warn of the dangers of na- Armenian President Serge
Tomislav Nikolic, Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis, and France is home to a size- tionalism as well as “Russo- Sarkisian expressed hope
Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a memorial service at able Armenian commu- phobia” in a clear dig at that recent steps to rec-
the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide memorial complex in nity. Among the French the West-leaning govern- ognize the massacre as
Yerevan, Armenia, Friday, April 24, 2015. On Friday, Armenians Armenians at Yerevan was ment in Ukraine. genocide will help “dispel
mark the centenary of what historians estimate to be the 90-year-old singer Charles Turkish Deputy Prime Min- the darkness of 100 years
slaughter of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks, Aznavour, who was born in ister Yalcin Akdogan crit- of denial.”
an event widely viewed by scholars as genocide. Turkey, Paris to a family of massa- iczed Putin’s participation, Armenians and Turks
however, denies the deaths constituted genocide and says the cre survivors. saying “They should look planned to march in Is-
death toll has been inflated. For many Armenians, the at their own past first ... the tanbul’s main square to
massacre anniversary is cruelties, the massacres, remember the Armenian
(Vahan Stepanyan/PAN Photo via AP) not only a moment of grief the genocides they have intellectuals who were
but also a reminder of the committed against their rounded up in the city 100
AVET DEMOURIAN that those killed were vic- resilience of the nation. own people.” years ago and to urge the
Associated Press tims of civil war and unrest. “We feel a big pain today, Earlier this month, Turkey government to recognize
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) On the eve of the cen- historic pain but at the recalled its ambassadors genocide. A small nation-
— The presidents of Russia tennial, Turkish President same time we feel a big to Vienna and the Vatican alist group planned a pro-
and France joined other Recep Tayyip Erdogan in- historic strength,” Nade- after Austria and Pope test denouncing the geno-
leaders Friday at ceremo- sisted that his nation’s an- zhda Antonyan, a teacher Francis described the kill- cide accusations.
nies commemorating the cestors never committed from Yerevan said on the ings as genocide. The Eu- Sarkisian welcomed the ral-
massacre of Armenians a genocide. sidelines of the ceremony. ropean Parliament has ly in Taksim Square to hon-
century ago by Ottoman The observances ended “We should not only sur- also triggered Turkey’s ire or the dead, calling them
Turks, an event which still Friday night with a torch- vive but we must live, be by passing a non-binding “strong people who are
stirs bitter feelings as both light parade by an estimat- strong and build our state- resolution to commemo- doing an important thing
sides argue over whether ed 30,000 people from the hood.” rate “the centenary of the for their motherland.”q
to call it genocide. capital’s central square to
The annual April 24 com- the hilltop complex memo-
memorations mark the day rializing the deaths. Partici-
when some 250 Armenian pants started the march
intellectuals were rounded by burning a Turkish flag.
up in what is regarded as Russian President Vladi-
the first step of the massa- mir Putin, French President
cre. An estimated 1.5 mil- Francois Hollande and oth-
lion died in the slaughters, er dignitaries assembled in
deportations and forced the morning at the memo-
marches that began in rial complex, called Tsitser-
1915 as Ottoman officials nakaberd, overlooking the
worried that the Christian capital, Yerevan.
Armenians would side with Each leader walked along
Russia, its enemy in World the memorial with a single
War I. yellow rose and put it into
The event is widely viewed the center of a wreath re-
by historians as genocide sembling a forget-me-not,
but modern Turkey, the a flower chosen as the
successor to the Ottoman symbol of the commemo-
Empire, vehemently rejects ration.
the charge. It says that the “We will never forget the
toll has been inflated, and tragedy that your people
