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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

CA Campuses Protest Denial Of The Armenian Genocide

Syuzanna Petrosyan |
January 30, 2014 | 8:33 p.m. PST

Executive Producer

UC Irvine (Neon Tommy)
UC Irvine (Neon Tommy)
University and college students across California hosted simultaneous demonstrations on Thursday in protest of the continuous denial of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey and the U.S. The silent protests, coordinated by the Confederation of All-Armenian Student Associations (ASA), were meant to demonstrate the effects of injustice and denial for the survivors as well as their descendants. 

With their mouths covered in red tape to represent the silence of the U.S. government towards the injustice of denial, students held signs which read "stop the cycle of genocide", "tomorrow's intellectuals against genocide", and "remembering and mourning the greatest unpunished crime in history."

University of Southern California, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, California State University Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona, Occidental College, and Glendale Community College campuses were some of the participants of the "Stain of Denial" movement. 

In 1915, amidst the chaos of WWI, the Turkish authorities of the Ottoman Empire carried out mass atrocities against their Armenian population, which became known as the first genocide of the 20th century. This atrocious act of annihilation, to which the Ottoman government referred to as the "final solution," resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians in addition to mass deportations. 

SEE ALSO: Turkey Covers Up The Armenian Genocide

The impact of these relocations is still evident today through the creation the Armenian Diaspora as thousands reside all around the world, with the biggest group located in Los Angeles. 

To this day, the Turkish government denies that a genocide took place. Although many governments around the world have recognized the genocide, including the European Parliament, France, Sweden, Canada and Italy, the U.S. has yet to condemn Turkey for the atrocities. 

The protests are an attempt to raise awareness, educate and reverse the trend of denial by bringing to light the tragic stories of victims and survivors who never saw justice.

SEE ALSO: 100 Years Ago Near East Relief Launched To Help Refugees In Syria

Reach Executive Producer Syuzanna Petrosyan hereFollow her on Twitter.



 

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