2008 Woodie Awards
Reflecting on the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Students Union-sponsored event features music and dancing.
Tiffany Farmakis, Alexandra Brunetti and Greg Kandaharian
Issue date: 4/27/05 Section: News
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Group organizers adorned in shirts that read, "90 years of denial, remember the Armenian Genocides 1915," were eager to point out the importance of remembering an event that took the lives of 1.5 million Armenians.
Monday, a group of about 30 students commemorated the 90-year anniversary of the Armenian genocide with song, dance and history.
"We want to show everyone we care, we want people to remember and accept what happened," said Armenian Student Association President, Gayane Markosyan. "The genocide was a very important part of history and we want to show every culture what the Armenian history is all about."
On the night of April 24, 1915, the Turkish government placed under arrest more than 200 Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople. Among them were some of Armenia's most prominent doctors, lawyers, government officials and writers who were sent to prison and executed.
The ruling political party of the Ottoman Empire known as the "Young Turks" organized the genocide. The group was led by Mehmed Talat, Ismail Enver and Ahmed Djemal. This triumvirate headed the deportation, torture, massacre and starvation of the Armenian populace.
Following the massacre of the Armenian intellectuals, the Turkish government began to disarm Armenian men in the army and send them off under the false pretense of fighting in World War I. These men would never return home. With the men and intellectuals murdered, only the elderly, women and children were left.
The remaining Armenians were taken from their homes, marched into the desert, and killed by the thousands. During the march many of the women were raped, children were starved, and the elderly beaten.
