Meet The Last Victim Of The Armenian Genocide!

Ambassador John Evans, participates in building a better Armenia...

He is John Marshall Evans, the American Ambassador to Armenia. As described Harut Sassounian in his last week's column , saying :

"As Armenians are commemorating the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this week, they should keep in mind that 91 years after the fact, a distinguished U.S. diplomat has become its latest victim!

John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, fortunately has not lost his life, but has sacrificed his diplomatic career for speaking out on the Armenian Genocide. He is being recalled by the State Department for publicly acknowledging the facts of the Genocide during his tour of the United States last year."

Ambassador Evans was officially recalled for publicly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. First the U.S. State Department forced Evans to publicly retract his statements and apologize, then coerced the American Foreign Service Association into an unprecedented move of rescinding the prestigious “Constructive Dissent” award he was granted, and now subsequently, the Ambassador is being recalled from his post and forced into early “retirement”.

It's might be surprising to see such muzzling of free speech in one of the "Civilized" countries, but it's "Shocking" when such thing happens in the United States of America, "The Land Of Free," and by the government which made it's job to spread "Freedom & Democracy" all over the world!

To support Ambassador Evans & to protest against official denial of the Armenian Genocide, a group of American Armenians and friends organized the "Yellow Ribbon Campaign." In which hundreds of thousands of marchers on April 24, 2006 will participants by tying yellow ribbons on 100-meter long ropes stretched along the walking path leading to the Genocide Monument in Tsitsernakaberd Memorial . This campaign adopted Martin Luther King's quote when he said:

"At the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

For more clarifications and explanations about the Yellow Ribbon Campaign, I asked Harut Sassounian few questions, and he kindly answered as follows:


Armenian Affairs: Who are the organizers of this campaign, we know that they call themselves "Armenian Americans", what are their names?

Harut Sassounian: In terms of the organizers, they are a small group of Armenian Americans who live in Yerevan and their friends in Armenia.


AA: Was Ambassador Evans "Officially Recalled"?

Sassounian: Ambassador Evans was officially notified by the State Dept. that he is being recalled.


AA: What is going to happen next to Ambassador Evans? Will he be retired, or degraded?

Sassounian: Ambassador Evans is losing his job.


AA: How would the messages of Yellow Ribbons be communicated to US State Department? Is there a plan to photograph or video tape the action?

Sassounian: The Armenian press and TV will cover the yellow ribbon campaign on Monday, April 24.



AA: Do you expect a positive reaction from the State Dept. or this campaign is mainly about Solidarity and support to the brave stance of Ambassador Evans?

Sassounian: I do not expect a change of position from the State Dept. However, I believe that we need to put pressure on them so that they would think twice in the future before taking an anti-Armenian decision.



AA: Is there an organization in Armenia that will help in spreading the Ribbons?

Sassounian: The organizers and volunteers of the yellow ribbon campaign in Armenia will distribute the yellow ribbons at the Genocide Monument.



AA: Is there any significance for the "Yellow" color? Is it a symbol or a sign for something?

Sassounian: Yellow ribbon is a well known symbol in the United States. Every American, especially American officials at the State Dept. would understand very well the meaning of this yellow ribbon campaign. It is a tribute for a fallen soldier or missing person. It is a tribute and a silent protest on behalf of Ambassador Evans.

So dear friend, if you are going to march on Monday April 24, 2006... make sure you won't forget tying the Yellow Ribbon in Support of this campaign. Below is the Press-Release of the Campaign.

Press Release

Yellow Ribbon Campaign to Protest
Recall of Ambassador Evans and Genocide Denial


In the end, we will remember not the words
of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

19 April 2006
Yerevan, Armenia – In response to the imminent recall of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans for publicly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, a “Yellow Ribbon Campaign” has been planned for April 24, 2006. The campaign is also in response to a number of recent instances in which high-ranking foreign diplomats in Armenia have denied the Armenian Genocide.

Organized by Armenian-Americans in Armenia and Friends, a newly created, ad-hoc group based in the Armenian Republic, the grassroots campaign will take place at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan. The monument is dedicated to the 1.5 million victims of the Genocide of the Armenians perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish Empire between 1915 and 1923.

On April 24, 2006, when hundreds of thousands of marchers will converge on the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in commemoration of the victims of the Genocide, the Yellow Ribbon Campaign will commence by participants tying yellow ribbons on 100-meter long ropes stretched along the walking path leading to the Genocide Monument.

“During the last number of years, we have witnessed public denials of the Armenian Genocide by several diplomats,” said Paula Devejian, a member of the group. “Such politically motivated actions are offensive and insulting. By attempting to dismiss the indisputable fact of the Armenian Genocide, those engaged in denial insult the memory of the victims, their descendents and the Armenian nation as a whole. In our present-day reality of a free and independent Armenian Republic, Armenians throughout the world feel the pain of denial even more when it’s perpetrated by representatives or leaders of countries that are otherwise acknowledged as friends and allies of Armenia.”

According to Devejian, the Yellow Ribbon Campaign was put into motion following what is widely regarded as the Bush Administration’s retribution against Ambassador Evans for publicly labeling the events in Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century as “genocide”. Soon after the Ambassador’s comments, (made in statements to Armenian-American leaders in February 2005), the U.S. State Department forced Evans to publicly retract his statements and apologize, then coerced the American Foreign Service Association into an unprecedented move of rescinding the prestigious “Constructive Dissent” award he was granted, and now subsequently, the Ambassador is being recalled from his post and forced into early “retirement”.

“It is difficult to see a great ally and friend of Armenia like the U.S. as an objective and unbiased mediator in the Nagorno-Karabagh peace process and Armenian-Turkish relations when our government is subject to Turkish pressure and blackmail, and resorts to censorship. We are amazed that the United States would allow a third country to affect the bilateral relations between itself and Armenia.” said Devejian.

“We believe that the American Government must be the standard bearer of free speech and human rights, and we are concerned that its actions against Ambassador Evans amount to less than an adequate commitment to these principles.”

The newly formed group also cited examples of foreign diplomats denying the Armenian Genocide while holding posts in Armenia, including Israeli Ambassador Rivka Cohen, who in 2002 dissociated the Armenian Genocide from the Jewish Holocaust, thereby questioning the fact of the Genocide; and U.K. Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt, who in 2004 denied the Genocide, causing outrage in Armenia and Armenian communities throughout the world.

“Such disrespectful acts against the Armenian people and nation will continue if we do not put an end to the complacent acceptance of such politically motivated diplomatic denial by these countries. States have an obligation to understand that the promotion of democratic values, principles and true freedom come through their own actions and examples,” Devejian explained. “The Yellow Ribbon Campaign is an _expression of protest against Genocide denial and punishment of free speech. It is an impassioned, peaceful call by Armenians from all walks of life for fairness and justice, in both political and humanitarian terms.”

# # #

Armenian Americans in Armenia and Friends
Yerevan, Armenia
Contact e-mail: genocide_ribbon@yahoo.com

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‘We Will Remember not the Words of our Enemies, but the Silence of our Friends’

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

April 20, 2006


As Armenians are commemorating the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this week, they should keep in mind that 91 years after the fact, a distinguished U.S. diplomat has become its latest victim!

John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, fortunately has not lost his life, but has sacrificed his diplomatic career for speaking out on the Armenian Genocide. He is being recalled by the State Department for publicly acknowledging the facts of the Genocide during his tour of the United States last year.

As Martin Luther King said: "At the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." This famous statement aptly describes the regrettable situation Amb. Evans and Armenians find themselves in. The U.S. Ambassador is a true friend of Armenia and Armenians. But, more importantly, he is a defender of the truth. His friends should not remain silent about his predicament.

By speaking out, Armenians would be defending not so much the Ambassador -- who deserves their full support -- but their own cause. They cannot remain silent when the State Department is indirectly trying to bury the truth about the Armenian Genocide. A noble messenger is being eliminated in order to silence his message!

The upcoming commemorative events of the Armenian Genocide are the perfect opportunity for Armenians to raise their voices in defense of the acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide, in solidarity with Amb. Evans. As Armenians gather in various cities throughout the world during the week of April 24, the keynote speakers at commemorative events in every city should condemn the shameful action of the State Department against one of its finest diplomats! They should urge their audiences to write to the State Department expressing their outrage about its inexcusable treatment of Amb. Evans.

A group of Armenian Americans and their friends in Yerevan are launching this week a "Yellow Ribbon" campaign in order to shatter the wall of silence surrounding this affair. As more than a million Armenians will be marching in a solemn procession to the Genocide Memorial Monument in Yerevan on April 24, volunteers will be asking each individual to tie a yellow ribbon on a rope along the path leading toward the Monument. The organizers have chosen the “Yellow Ribbon” campaign as a mode of silent and respectful protest that is so familiar to Americans. This activity will be publicized throughout Armenia as well as the Diaspora.

These actions and the ensuing publicity would add to the extensive media coverage in recent weeks of the State Department’s shocking recall of Amb. Evans. As the Los Angeles Times wrote in an editorial published on March 22: "Punishing an ambassador for speaking honestly about a 90-year-old crime befits a cynical, double-dealing monarchy, not the leader of the free world." In a similar harshly worded editorial published on March 24, the Fresno Bee wrote: "Shame on the State Department" for recalling Amb. Evans.

Prominent British journalist Robert Fisk wrote a scathing article in The Independent on April 8. He castigated the State Department for recalling Amb. Evans and took Pres. Bush to task for reneging on his campaign promise of acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. Fisk said that after getting elected, Pres. Bush "caved in, gutlessly calling it [the Armenian Genocide ] a ‘tragedy’ so that he wouldn’t get his fingers burned by that wonderful democratic NATO ally – and would-be EU member – called Turkey."

Despite extensive critical media attention and several letters of inquiry by members of Congress to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the State Department continues to stonewall and remain officially silent on the Evans affair.

If Armenians worldwide react strongly on this occasion, maybe in the future the State Department and the White House would carefully weigh the repercussions of their actions, before contemplating important decisions on Armenian issues. Silence and inaction are not valuable commodities in the pursuit of any cause, let alone a noble one!

Link to the article.

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A Review of Ararat Screening in Turkey

So Ararat was finally screened in Turkey, it was screened on KanalTurk TV station, which would give the opportunity to more viewers to watch it, certainly more viewers than if it would've been screened in a movie theater!

Although it was published few days ago, I still find the article in NorMarmara daily that was published April 14, the most interesting article that reviewed in details the screening of Egoyan's Ararat and the post screening discussion.

Before the screening of the movie started, Tuncay Ozkan appeared to on the screen to warn the viewers, now one would expect that to be a warning about an age limit to view the movie or something like that, but that was not what happened, although it was necessary to make a note that the movie is 18+ rated, but no that wasn't the kind of warning the viewers watched.

"Tuncay Ozkan, tried his best to influence and convince the Turkish TV viewers by classifying the movie as a propaganda preachings, and by telling the viewers that they should never never forget as they watch this movie that it was based on lies! Tunca also begged the viewers not to feel uncomfortable while watching some of the tough scenes in the movie, because those are all lies and things that never happened."

As reported the newspaper. And after that speech started the screening of the movie.

KanalTurk promised, and it's officials repeatedly stated that Ararat will be screened "uncensored and uncut," of course that did not happen, I am yet to see a Turk keep a promise he make about anything related to Armenians! I mean really, how anyone can trust KanalTurk (in this case) anymore if they can't keep their promises?

NorMarmara reported that:

"Unlike to what was announced, that the movie will be screened without censorship or cut, two important scenes, the one in which Turkish soldiers set on fire a group of Armenian girls and the scene that shows a Turkish soldier raping an Armenian woman, those scenes were removed. And the scenes that included swearing and insults, were simply silenced. No Turkish company was agreed to do the translation of the movie, therefore the Turkish translation [subtitle] was prepared by KanalTurk itself."


After the movie, and as planned a discussion panel started. The discussion announced to be featuring well known political columnist Orgeneral Kemal Yavuz, Agos editor Hrant Dink and Movie Critic Necati Sonmez, but at the begnning of the discussion program which was titled "Facts", by the way, came the announcement that "Hrant Dink is not going to partecipate in the discussion, and he had came all the way to the station's headquarters, then in the last minute he changed his mind and did not attend the show."

Anyway, the discussion program continued with Tuncay Ozkan adding that " in order to make this show more colorful we wished the Halil Brektay and Baskin Oran would also join this show, but they also refused to participate."

"Controling the discussion most of the time, columnist Orgeneral Kemal Yavuz, and as expected comprehensively critizing the movie, and classifiying it as preaching to serve the Armenian thesis. Yavuz continued his solo speech for a long time… he started by repeated all the well known [Turkish government's official] arguments, which were hardly approaching the subject in discussion . Offering various types of testimonials , he continuously argued that neither the International Court, nor even the American archives could find any evidence whatsoever to condemn with the charge of committing a Genocide, the Turkish officials who were presented to trial, and they were released as not guilty."

I don't know where did this General got his information from, but it must be from and ignorant source. The chief perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide were all "Sentenced to Death in absentia," because they were too coward to show up and face their crimes, and many others were sentenced with prison times varies from few years to life in prison. Yet, there were others, who were released after being condemned and found accomplice in the crimes against the Armenians, only to take part in building and ruling of the new Turkish republic.

And what Yavuz told his audience about United States' unability to find any evidence about the Armenian Genocide was simply "Misleading" and fabricated, because the United States Senate had already recognized those crimes against the Armenians in May 1920 [Harut Sassounian, THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE : The World Speaks Out 1915 - 2005. p.51]

From a different source, I learned that what did he present was "Turkish translation" of the "British Ambassador in Washington" letter, sent to the British Foreign Office in 1921... And I don't know how did the General found those Five Years LATE reports so conclusive to judge that there was no Genocide against the Armenians, by 1921 Armenians of Ottoman Empire WERE HISTORY!!

Coming to movie critic Necati Sonmez, he started by criticizing Tuncay Ozkan for his pre-movie speech, arguing that it was trying to influence the audience even before they start watching the movie, and that is a mistake and unfair against the movie. Sonmez said he also didn't like the movie which ,in his opinion, can be considered to be the most unsuccessful work of a very creative director like Atom Egoyan.

He also admired the movie's artistic techniques, and the creating of another movie within the movie, and the in keeping the balance and interaction between the two.

Reading more of Turks reactions to the screening of the movie, I read that many of them expressed that they movie was vague, too complicated, and contains mistakes … etc.

I had watched the movie some time ago, & in my opinion, Ararat is not a movie telling the story of the Armenian Genocide, and it's certainly not a WWI epic film. Ararat is a movie about "Feelings," each and every scene in the movie is an expression of feelings… It's about love, hate, anger, fear, unjust and all basic human feelings from an Armenian point of view. It's not a movie about the Genocide, it's a movie about the Survivors of the Genocide & their children, how they were adjusting and fitting in their new societies, how much the Genocide did changed their lives forever. Ararat is a symbolic movie, it's a message to "Remember" those people who were so needed to be remembered [as the comment about Gorky's photo]. It's a tribute to all the Armenian Genocide survivors, and to the great Armenian-American painter Arshel Gorky.

No one expected that after the screening of Ararat on Turkish TV, Erdogan or Gull will come out saying "Oh yes, we were wrong, Armenian Genocide did actually happen." But that screening was important, to put a picture to words, for example, when any Turk today hear the word "deportation" he might not imagine how was it like to Armenian women and children, how was the atmosphere of fear and terror among them …

But today, thanks to the screening of Ararat on Turkish TV, some Turks might have a picture in mind to connect to words like deportation, Armenian freedom fighters, terrified Armenian women and children, missionaries and the cruelty of Turkish soldiers.

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Their Voices Didn't Leave His Ears...

In an article titled Armenia, Revisited - Amid Protests, PBS Slates Film and Panel Show , Vahe Balabanian of Hyelog Blog reported the following:

On Monday, the public broadcasting network will air "The Armenian Genocide," a one-hour documentary that details both the horrors of that ethnic-cleansing campaign and the Turkish government's efforts to deny that what occurred qualifies as genocide. Narrated in somber tones by celebrities such as Juliana Margulies, Ed Harris and Natalie Portman, the film presents evidence that the slaughters were planned centrally, including letters from U.S. government officials and others who witnessed parts of the campaign. They describe forced deportations, during which many Armenians were killed or died, and government death squads that mopped up stragglers.

The film includes some of the first statements from Turkey-based academics agreeing that the genocide occurred, as well as oral histories from Turkish people who recall their own families' involvement. "There is something my grandfather did personally," one man, filmed on a Turkish street, says. "They caught Armenians and put them in a barn and burned them. My grandfather says their voices didn't leave his ears for years."

[...]

Andrew Goldberg documentary "The Armenian Genocide" airs in PBS on Monday, 10 p.m. EDT. (check local listings)

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Only In Iraq !!!

IT IS proving as hard to find a beauty queen as it is to find a prime minister in Iraq. Exhausted by the time their politicians are taking to agree on a leader, the country thought it had at least succeeded in choosing a Miss Iraq.

Miss Universe contest owner Donald Trump praised the bravery of the newly crowned Miss Iraq, who has been forced into hiding amid death threats.

"She is very proud to have won, and now she is in a very tough position," Trump said of Miss Iraq, Silva Shahakian. "She is extremely brave."

Shahakian, a Christian of Armenian ancestry, was crowned Sunday when the original winner stepped down after receiving threats from extremists.

"I'll take care," Shahakian, 23, told ABC's "Good Morning America." "I will change my living place. I will do my best."

Her whereabouts are currently unknown, although she is believed to still be in Iraq.
Trump said he and Miss Universe organizers were considering making a special salute to Shahakian at the July 23 pageant in Los Angeles.

"We've had countries in the contest before where it was not the most popular thing to do, but never like this," Trump said.

New York Post reported

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Salt Lake City Screening: Forgotten Tragedy "The Armenian Genocide"

Forgotten tragedy: "The Armenian Genocide," a documentary about the slaughter of a million people during World War I, will have a free screening Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Main Library auditorium, 210 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City. The screening is presented by Salt Lake City Film Center and KUED Channel 7.

The Salt Lake City Tribune reported today .

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