105; The Armenian Genocide

Opinion piece by Annabelle Ghanem, Staff Writer

April 25th, 2020

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . 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,”

William Saroyan

Yesterday marked the 105th anniversary of the treacheries inflicted upon the nation of Armenia by the Ottoman rule. An event that had murdered over a million people, forcing migration upon an even greater number, and changing the lives of future Armenians forever.  The year 1915 had left Armenians, filled with trauma and sorrow, scouring for refuge all over the globe, with a current number of 8 million Armenians living abroad, and only 3 million residing within its borders. The Turks pushed for the elimination of what makes Armenia a state, changing its geographical size, stealing its autonomy, and attempting to disable its permanent population. However, that very population is what prompted me to write this piece to begin with. I’ve come to learn that the Armenian Genocide of 1915 might have caused irreparable damage in the areas of history and ethnicity, but it created an even stronger nation, one that holds its nationality with such pride and power, reminding us of the 3000-year-old Armenia prior to the events of 1915. The 24th of April marks the day the Armenian population faced its hardest test, a test that should never be witnessed within a human civilization. You would assume people losing so much of their identity and history would be lead to cut the thread connecting them to their ethnic roots, but the Armenians are living proof that you can take a person out of his or her country, but you can never take a country out of its people. What has the Armenian Genocide really led to?

The events of 1915 were inhumane in every sense of the word, but the political reaction that followed is what truly baffled many, including myself. A genocide is defined as “the deliberate killing of a large group of people,” particularly within a nation. Yet despite factual evidence verifying the events that had occurred within Armenia, its recognition as a mass Genocide has been a controversial topic debated on by various nations, such as Turkey and, until recently, the United States of America. The Turkish government has been denying and influencing others to oppose the recognition movements made towards the Armenian Genocide. Exploiting its stance as a fellow NATO ally, Turkey has held its grip on the United States, threatening that bilateral relations would be put in jeopardy if the powerhouse were to recognize the events beginning in 1915. However, the hundreds of thousands Armenian-American citizens would not rest until they were given the recognition they deserve, screaming that their past is not to be overlooked, especially by the international community. Ultimately, defying both President Trump and President Erdogan, the US Senate voted unanimously to finally recognize the Armenian Genocide last year, a long-awaited victory for the Armenian-American community. It’s these situations that question where the line between political gain and humanity is drawn. Despite the Turkish government acknowledging the occurrence of mass killings led by the Ottoman Empire, they use the time frame in which the events took place to justify their opposition against recognition, claiming that it was a time of war, and death was circulating all across the world. However, the historical period in which the mass killings happened does not overshadow the fact that they have indeed occurred, and its utilization as a means of justification is prolonging a cold war battled on the line of humanity and rightfulness, one the Armenians are surely waiting to win.

For eight long years, Armenians were subjected to a life of fear and torture within the borders of what they once called home. Instead of advancing over the course of almost a decade, their past, their history, and their identity were rendered to ashes along with the agenizing screams of over a million people. “I wondered what my family tree looked like,” notes Melissa Ajamian an Instructor at the American University of Beirut, “or which part of Armenia I’m from. I don’t have the facts,” she said, further clarifying that “a lot of this information was lost when my grandmother passed away”. The Genocide had taken far more than the lives of innocents. It left a nation so curious of its origins out in the open, forced to search for answers as to who they are. “Being Armenian is like having a phantom limb,” Ajamian continued, “it’s an identity that you feel is there but can’t seem to reach”. But that same phantom limb, that very feeling of sadness and anger present within the hearts of 12 million Armenians, is what has created one of the most unified nations I, personally, have ever come across, building on that one commonly known historical moment and re-establishing a stronger Armenia, one its citizens are so proud to be from. “When I meet another Armenian,” explained Marina Markarian, “it’s an instant click. It’s one of those moments where you’re like oh my god, you’re like me!” continued the young student. The Armenian Genocide has indeed caused irreparable damage over the course of the last 105 years, but it also formed an unbreakable bond between millions, and that itself will always bring power to the nation of Armenia.  

The 24th of April symbolizes a lot more than the deaths and hardships staining the vivid history of Armenia. Every year, Armenians gather all across the world in remembrance, of a point in time that has so distinctively shaped the course of each and every one of their lives. In the year 2015, marking the genocide’s 100thanniversary, the Republic of Armenia used a forget-me-not flower as an official emblem, commemorating the fallen lives of the innocent, and representing the past, present and future of Armenians all over the world. The dark center in the middle represents the past, 1915 and all its tragedies. The light purple petals represent unity and solidarity, Armenian qualities so vastly stretched across all five continents, which are represented by the five dark purple petals. The flower incorporates the scrambled essence of the nation, representing everlasting faith, creativity, light and hope. It serves as a reminder of their strength and advancement, beginning from that small dark center representing a moment just as dim, and flourishing into a beautiful flower found across the entirety of our world. A summary of what it means to be Armenian. 

Although the past cannot be unwritten, and recognition might not be universal, I believe that 1915 created something far beyond the Ottoman Empire’s expectations. A unity so rare and powerful reaching all blocks of our planet. The Armenians were faced against horrible acts, exposed to the world with nothing but the love they have for their country. Nevertheless, they triumphed passed and through their history and uncertainty, and managed to re-inforce what it means be to Armenian in a post-genocide world. A survivor. A warrior. A forget-me-not flower.