Canada Recognizes April as Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month

On April 24, 2015, Armenians from all over Canada gathered in Ottawa for the Armenian genocide 1915 centennial commemoration massive event in Canada’s capital Ottawa. Over 10,000 participants, including representatives of other communities such as the Assyrian, Kurdish and Greek communities joined the commemoration event at Parliament Hill, which continued in a march to the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa. Children, women and men of all ages were sharing a spirit of unity in Canada’s capital Ottawa.

Federal and provincial officials from the Canadian government, parliamentarians, political party representatives, diplomats from the Embassies of Argentina, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, and leaders of community organizations joined the commemoration event.

Genocide Survivor, 106, Joined the Commemoration Event

Knar Bohjalian Yemenidjian, survivor of the Armenian genocide 1915, who witnessed the genocide committed by Ottoman Empire at the age of 6, crossed 200 kilometers at the age of 106 to participate in the commemoration event.

Forced to leave her home in Kayseri and bear different identities, she eventually fled to Egypt, where she lived for 40 years. In 1971, she chose to migrate to Canada – a country whose humanitarian efforts to rescue orphans of the Armenian genocide embody the values that she wanted to raise her family in. Canada did not let her down: in 2002 the Senate, in 2004 – the House of Commons, and in 2006 – the Government of Canada recognized the Armenian genocide. She came to Ottawa with her children and grandchildren to pass on her message, that “her children will follow her footsteps, if need be, another 100 years, until Turkey recognizes the Armenian genocide.”

Commemoration at Parliament Hill

Invited honorable guests and officials addressed their messages to the participants of the commemoration event.

Ambassador of Armenia to Canada, Armen Yeganyan, said denial opens a door for new crimes against humanity. “A pre-defined plan to annihilate Christians and create a pan-Turkic Islamic empire from Istanbul to the outskirts of China opened a path to the first genocide of the 20^th century, which set a practice of racial extermination as a tool of policy in the modern world,” said the Ambassador, and went on thanking the progressive powers of the world who fight against mass violence and crimes against humanity, “Thank you – to all states and organizations, and thank you – Canada, for your recognition of the Armenian genocide, and your consistent support to human rights in the international arena.”

Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defense and Multiculturalism of Canada, said that his colleague Chris Alexander, minister of Citizenship and Immigration was in Armenia with a Canadian delegation to participate in the centennial commemoration in Yerevan. Jason Kenney says that a moral society believes in memory. “We are here today as Canadians because we believe in memory. Canada believes in memory, and here we are today to remember the victims, whose lives were taken in brutal campaign. We remember – that is why, the new national Human Rights Museum in the heart of Canada, in Winnipeg, has a permanent exhibit to the greatest genocides of the 20^th century, including the Armenian genocide.” Minister Kenney said that MP Brad Butt had put forward Motion 587, which would be debated in the Parliament in a couple of hours, on April 24, to recognize April as a month of genocide remembrance, condemnation and prevention. Minister Kenney said that the government of Canada would support that motion. The minister highlighted the importance of recognizing past genocides and preventing ongoing ones: “As we speak here, the so-called “Islamic State” is attempting to affect a genocide against the Assyrians, Yezidis and Christians of Iraq and Syria, and as the minister of defense, I am proud to belong to a government that has deployed Canadian armed forces to work in prevention of another genocide in Iraq and Syria.”

March to the Embassy of Turkey in Ottawa

Following the commemoration event at Parliament Hill, the Ambassador of Armenia, Minister Jason Kenney and 106 year-old genocide survivor Knar Bohjalian Yemendjian put a wreath at the eternal fire, and the participants marched to the Embassy of Turkey in Ottawa.

The Armenian community was very well organized. According to the information of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee, over 8,000 people came to commemorate the memory of the genocide victims by buses, but many others came by their own vehicles too. Overall the estimated number of participants is 10,000.

As people were marching down the street, the Canadian Police closed the roads leading to the Turkish Embassy to provide security. Throughout the entire commemoration event the Police was acting very professionally, and were very kind to help anyone who needed help.

Armenians were holding posters demanding the international recognition of the Armenian genocide and prevention of future atrocities, and fellow community representatives were distributing flyers to Canadians to inform about the Armenian genocide and the importance of recognition for the sake of prevention of future atrocities.

Counter-Protest

Both at the Parliament Hill and at the Embassy of Turkey, Armenians were met by a group of Turks and Azeris with denialist posters and statements. Some of the posters wrote that it is “Armenia that supports Iran,” “Armenians are liars,” “Stop Motion 587” etc.

As you look at the participants of the counter-demonstration and the flags, slogans and hatred they spread, you understand that what started 100 years ago continues today, not only through denial but also in the hands of others in an attempt of exterminating national minorities. When you look at the aggressive hatred, you understand that one hundred years ago too the methods of massacres and mass atrocities in Ottoman Empire were similar to the methods ISIS is currently using with the goal of total extermination of the Christian and other minorities for the purpose of creating a Muslim state. By looking at the Turan flag, you understand that one hundred years ago too there was an attempt to create a pan-Islamic state with unacceptable methods, and Armenia was a wedge in the middle of the pan-Turkic Empire that would occupy vast territories in Asia Minor. Many individuals, states and organizations now understand this, and one of such individuals is Montserrat Caballé, the Spanish world renown operatic soprano, who entitled her recent album “The Island of Christianity: Armenia and Artsakh.” Indeed throughout the history Armenians have lived in peace and harmony with many religions, however the first genocide of the 20^th century was a dark page that made them a wedge, and obstacle for the creation of a pan-Turkic empire, similar to the methods and ambitions ISIS is chasing now.

The organizers of the Armenian groups asked everyone not to pay attention to the hatred spread by people on the other side of barricades, and continue their peaceful commemoration gathering.

Common Patterns Between Methods of Armenian Genocide and ISIS

Speakers in front of the Turkish Embassy compared the aspirations and atrocities committed by ISIS with those committed by the Ottoman Empire in an attempt to wipe out the region of Christians and other national minorities. Maksuni Oerde, a representative of the Canadian Kurdish community, compared the atrocities in the past, those that are happening now and the role of bystanders as they fail to recognize and condemn. Maksuni Oerde said, “Ottoman Empire exterminated one and half million Armenians in an attempt of turkization of Anatolia, which is now known as the first genocide of the twentieth century. We demand from the international community to recognize the Armenian genocide. This is not a question of race, this is not a question of culture – this is a question of humanitarianism. Even today, ISIS is receiving support by having its people and goods be transported freely through the Turkish territory.”

People on the other side of the barricades were shouting slogans and holding posters reading “Stop Motion M-587.” As the Turkish counter-protest participants were screaming louder and louder, and Armenians were continuing their peaceful commemoration event without paying attention to the aggressive calls, good news had yet to come.

Thank You, O Canada!

During the commemoration event not far from the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa the organizers were informed that Motion-587 was unanimously adopted by the Canadian Parliament, declaring April as a month of genocide remembrance, condemnation and prevention in Canada.

The participants thanked the Government of Canada by singing the hymn of Canada and Armenia.

They Tried to Bury Us, But They Did Not Know We Were Seeds

As Ambassador Yeganyan said, “The centennial commemoration is not the end – it is the beginning; it is the beginning of the foundation of a stronger Armenian nation, a stronger statehood, and a beacon of brighter future.”

When you look at fellow Canadian Armenians, you understand that their passion and spirit is the same as that of their parents – you feel that the same energy is being transmitted to their children. Families had gathered in Ottawa to commemorate, and they were with their children, who will hold the flag for them tomorrow, and if needed, they will pass on the same energy to their grandchildren, and their grandchildren will hold the flag for them, “if needed, for another hundred years, till the genocide is recognized by Turkey.” Like the 106 year-old survivor crossed hundreds of kilometers to get her voice heard, tomorrow her children and grandchildren will be standing there firm on their feet to demand justice, recognition, and remember the victims and honor the saviors of survivors.