LOS ANGELES—5,000 Armenian-Americans demanded that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide and make reparations during a protest Sunday, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation Western US Central Executive in front of the building housing the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles on Wilshire Boulevard.
The crowd was exponentially growing throughout the two-hour protest, which began at 4 p.m.
Demonstrators were chanting slogans expressing demands for Turkey to recognize the Genocide and expressing disappointment at President Obama for, once again, failing to honor his promise and recognize the Genocide.
Mistress of Ceremonies, Arda Hatspanian welcomed the crowd, thanking them for taking part in the demonstration on Easter Sunday.
She then invited Tro Krikorian who delivered a strongly-worded and eloquent message in Armenian.
“The Armenian Question did not start with the Genocide,” said Krikorian, explaining that the massacres created a new reality for the movement and Armenian demands and presented new challenges for the Armenian nation.
The speaker also criticized Obama, and successive administrations for failing the properly acknowledge the Genocide, saying that “Unfortunately, we live in a country, in whose dictionaries, human justice is viewed only from political interest perspective.”
“The US government is equally guilty, if not more. By denying [the Genocide] it not only tramples upon our just rights, but also encourages other countries to follow suit and ignore the reality of Genocide,” said Krikorian.
AYF member and UCLA student, Razmig Sarkisian followed Krikorian with fiery remarks delivered in English. His message: A new generation of educated, resilient, and united youth will continue the demands of the Armenian people until justice is served.
The event ended with a requiem service conducted by the Western Prelacy’s Father Bartev Gulumian, who also spoke about the unique coincidence of the Easter falling on April 24.
Asbarez will have expanded coverage of the AYF protest.
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So, what was the message from the 5,000 demonstrators? I saw a handful of signs, one of them said “1915 Never Again” – oh that’s profound! Another sign said “Justice Now”, that one really got the Turks. Yet another sign wrote “Erdogan Shame on you” that’s so touchy. And the hits just keep on coming .. “Turkey Repent” and “Turkey guilty”.
It seems to me the demonstration was a waste of time. One would have thought the Armenians knew what they wanted, such as “Erdogan: Eastern Turkey is Western Armenia” the message has teeth.
Or perhaps, “Genocide Acknowledgment with Accountability” – Accountability is something that freaks the Turks out. How about “Genocidal Turkey occupies Western Armenia” – now that one bites. How about “land, Reparation and Restitution” .
Yeah I agree. Some of the things the Armenians in Canada said at the march in Ottawa were much stronger and concise, pretty similar to what you have suggested.
Did you listen to a word the AYF speakers said? They articulated our demands very clearly and very loud. In sure none of the youngsters in the AYF would mind if you brought along your own signs.
no offence to anybody but this genocide story is inconsistant.the major problem you have is that you are a little community but you pretend that you are a great nation.your leaders miscalculated the situation you still seem to be doing the same.congraculation
may be instead of saying 1915 never again we say “america recognize the genocide”.
Why is it so important that Armenians have to cling to every word uttered by some American president? Never mind Obama’s or Turkey’s acknowledgment, State your demands on what matters: Land, Reparations and Restitution
Genocide Acknowledgment without Accountability is hollow and meaningless.
Haskanum-es Apkher Jan?
Here’s some good coverage of the event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suz70-DTDyw
How is it that 5,000 liars can congregate in front of another country’s counsel and block the enterance with placards of lies about a so-called event which never transpired? So, I guess we’ll see these same clowns this time next year!
Those clowns have kicked a goal you are talking about them…..now go find out what lies you’ve been told. You might not be so proud of the outcome.
Turkey is accountable for the crime of genocide: Land, Reparations and Restitution.
Robert, you may be the only one anti-armenian dog that having fun during April 24, but I hope one day soon your Allah touches your heart and guide you for a better decision making human being. Eyi gunler.
Granted! Armenians have no common policy toward Turks. However, I am certain about our fate to become supper power in the region. We need to hang there and wait for a proper leader to unit all Armenians and build a powerful nation.
Berge: If you think the signs at the protest were so laughable, why don’t you participate next year with signs of your own? What did you do this April 24th?
Well said Karnig ! Berge you have got the right idea all you need to do is make it count. Next year is not too late !!! Get off your computer and go marching and take a few friends with you.
Robert, I was one of those that you are calling liars. Do you really know without any reasonable doubt whatsoever that I was lying? Do you know me? do you know my past? Did you know my parents and grandparents? Did you see our wounds? Did you live in exile from your ancestors’ land since you were born? Did you? Did you? Did You? Did you? ……? Please don’t believe the lies of your brainwashers that stole our lands! We went there to demand our lands and Turkey must pay for the genocide it commited against all its minorities, we have all the proof that the Ottomans commited a genocide. If the Armenians are liers, are the Greeks, Assyrians, Kurds …. also liers? Shame on you!
In a community of 2 million Armenians only 5000 show up for the rally? Should i say this is sad or worse than sad? 5000 out of thousands of Armenians living in California show up? Come on! And we Armenians want recognition? How will we achieve recognition since we don’t show up on 24th of April as a duty which we have towards our ancestors? For me, any Armenian would did not participate in the rally (not only in the US) is not an Armenian.End of story. Move on with your lives, and don’t claim you are Armenian because you are not.
And @ Robert… you are a blind fool just shut the f.u.
Land, Reparations and Restitution.???Verry funny.Keep your dreams.World is swinging arround MONEY and POWER not humanity.İYİ GÜNLER…..
Atleast we are doing some monetary damage to Turkey, since they have to spend millions against recognition, right? That’s money.
By the way, 22 years ago it was a dream to have independent Armenia, guess what?
Garo2: “A community of 2 million Armenians” — I don’t know what community you are talking about. If you are talking about the United States, then that figure is approximately 1 million. Obviously, people from New York are not going to take a 5-hour flight to participate in a protest in Los Angeles. If you are talking about the Los Angeles region, then that figure is approximately 300,000. I agree that 5,000 from 300,000 is not an extraordinary proportion, nor is it commendable. However, 5,000 people is a sizeable number, especially on Easter Sunday. Don’t forget that many of the 300,000 Armenians in the Los Angeles area live many miles away (20 or more) from the Turkish Consulate.
Mustafa Kemal has naively and frankly admitted, that Turks have nothing to do with humanity!
Only “Money and Power”.makes the world go round. Hitler, Naoleon, Gengiz Khan n other Brutals, like
your bloody Red Sultan , also had Power , where are they now? In the garbage can of History!
Stolen Property from Armenians, Pontian Greeks, Iskandaroun region of Syria, Northern Cyprus,
The whole Eastern Greece( todays Western so called “Turkish Re’fabrik’ not Republic”) ,Kurdistan,
parts of Southern Bulgaria are the pride of Mustafa Kemal. Bloody and Dirty Money ! Do you fear God? I doubt it,
I think you’re worse than an aetheist! Let’s see what your Efendi’s will do when your banking system
collapses like Dubaii??? Denied by Europe, and now mesmerizing the Arab Sunni World , trying to
become their leader by phony theatrical shows in Davos, and sending your Troyan “Flotilla” trying to
save the Gazans! After being kicked out of Central Asia , and now trying to enter Africa with your ” Islmic
Masquerade”, .You will always be the Sick Man of Europe and Humanity, because the “Firsts will be the
Lasts, and The Lasts will be the Firsts”. Former allies of the Communists, now members in NATO.
Donald Rumsfeld was right when he said, that Turkey is going to pay a high price tag, by not allowing
the Allied forces to enter IRAQ thru the so called “South East Turkey” Western Armenia, and the Incirlik
base belongs to Armenian Individuals, where McDonalds and Burger King are paying their rental fees to
the wrong owners of property!!!!
Hrant,
It is suprising to see that you know too much about Turkey including small towns such as “incirlik”. Are you sure you are Ermenian?
Thank you for worrying about the future of Turkish Banking system but do not worry . As you can learn from the statistics, Turkish economy is getting bigger and bigger every next day on the contrary to the EU’s economy.
By the way , How is it going with Karabagh ?
Last one : Do not trust too much to the Kurdish . They will betray to anyone no matter who he is easly as we know in the world history. They will leave you alone after getting what they need.
Tomorrow is your turn if today is mine . isn’t it ?