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Professor wants Turk apology
WORCESTER-- The Turkish government should acknowledge its part in the Armenian Genocide, pledge never to let it happen again and make reparation, a Worcester State College professor said yesterday, as he helped commemorate the 86th anniversary of the killings.
"Denial is a way today to despise Armenians," said Henry Theriault, an assistant professor of philosophy at WSC and a visiting lecturer at Clark University's Center for Holocaust Studies.
More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Turks and another half-million forced to leave their homeland during the government-backed siege, which started April 24, 1915, and lasted eight years. The anniversary will be observed tomorrow.
Armenians had lived under Turkish rule for centuries, but became the focus of violence when Turkey sided with Germany in the early stages of World War I.
Mr. Theriault was the keynote speaker at the commemoration ceremony at the Armenian Church of Our Saviour Cultural Center at 34 Boynton St. About 300 Armenians, elected officials and others attended.
Denial, the professor said, strikes at the heart of Armenians today, causing them to feel the pain that their ancestors endured. Before true healing can begin, he continued, Turkey must get rid of its anti-Armenian attitudes.
"Until that happens," he said, "Armenians are not safe."
Traditionally, survivors of the genocide who live in this area attend the ceremony. Yesterday, three of them were on hand, Noemzar Sarkisian, John Kasparian and Sara Sahakian.
U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Worcester, said he is
co-sponsoring a measure this year that would allow the United States
to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide. A similar measure failed
last year.
Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News Archives