"20th Century's First Genocide Happened in This Land"

 “At dawn, we escorted by a military vehicle. We had Vırtanes Ağa from Kartal district who was suffering from a blood diarrhea, begged them to go by car. Because he had no strength to stand on his feet, not to mention to walk. The gendarmerie slapped and knocked him down. This is when we realized that we were dealing with monsters.

"We were meeting more Armenians every time our train was stopping. Some generous people gave us food without expecting anything. At night, we reached Engürü and got locked up in a cell. The next morning, some inmates were in joy, so we asked us why. 'We signed up to a gang,' one said. 'We are leaving tomorrow.'

"Just imagine. We were talking about these inmates who were pardoned by Sultan after signing up to a gang, are capable of doing. Of course without knowing that they were formed to annihilate Armenian people."

                                           From the memoirs of Püzant Bozacıyan, a genocide survivor

The morning of 24 April is observed as Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, where 240  prominent Armenian intellectuals were arrested and deported en masse in 1915. The incident marks the first genocide of 19th century according to many.

At 19:15 sharp last night, thousands gathered in downtown Istanbul to commemorate for those who disappeared 98 years ago that day.

During the commemoration ceremony, Armenian folk sings were amplified through speakers and memories of genocide survivors were shared. Demonstrators read aloud the very first genocide memorial statement proclaimed on 24 April 1919.

Demonstrators held pictures of genocide victims as well as Hrant Dink, an Armenian journalist assassinated in 2007, and Sevag Balıkçı who controversially died in his compulsory military service on 24 April 2011.

"The brain of Armenian community was targeted"

Addressing the vigil crowd last night, Gençay Gürsoy, former chairperson of Turkey's forensics institute and neurologist, said the arrest of Armenian intellectuals on 24 April 1915 aimed to prevent the international from knowing about what the annihilation politics.

"In a matter of days, the number of arrested Armenian people skyrocketed to 2345 including parliamentarians, poets and intellectuals. The brain of Armenian community was targeted. They were deported to Ayaş and Çankırı. Without any judicial proceedings, 761 of them were killed."

"Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were exiled to deserts, they had to leave behind their homes, work, belongings which were later on vandalized. They were killed by former Ottoman Secret Service (Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa) hitmen. 

“Families got divided. Children were left without parents, parents were left without children. Thousands perished en masse due to illness, hunger. Other were killed. 20th century's first genocide happened in this land."

"It is been 98 years. The denial resumes. Hatred against Armenians is still out there. Those who see Union and Progress Party as their ancestors took Hrant in 2007 and Sevag in 2011. Planners, collaborators and murderers are out there. These are all consequences of denial politics.

"There were also people with conscience who protected Armenians"

“But we certainly know that there were also people in this land with conscience who protected Armenians. They were few in number, but they were out there. We see ourselves as descendants of those with conscience and not those who vandalized, killed or exiled Armenians."

A group of 20 protestors from People's Liberation Party also gathered in downtown Istanbul, shouting slogans condemning American imperialism and Armenian Genocide. Police took precautionary measures. (EA/BM)