RISING FROM THE ASHES OF TRAGEDY: Armenia’s Triumph Over Its Genoc

1© Copyright 2015 by Garo Moumdjian and Chris Sassouni

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Mt. Ararat: Symbol of Armenian Existence and Endurance!


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Mt. Maratug in Sassoun


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A Tributary of the Tigris passing through a valley between Kulp and

Ahronk in Sassoun


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Garo Sassouni’s sons in Armenia, 1970s

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Armenia’s Triumph Armenia’s Triumph Over Its GenocideOver Its Genocide

© Copyright 2015 by Garo Moumdjian and Chris Sassouni

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In the Beginning…In the Beginning…


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Indo-EuropeanIndo-European Migration Migration RoutesRoutes

Armenian Highlands are the Armenian Highlands are the Posited Original “Proto-Fatherland”Posited Original “Proto-Fatherland”


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Initial Hittite Kingdom Initial Hittite Kingdom and Armenian Originsand Armenian Origins


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The Armenian Race Arises The Armenian Race Arises from from

the Hittite Empirethe Hittite Empire


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Hittite HieroglyphsHittite HieroglyphsCan only be deciphered by using ArmenianCan only be deciphered by using Armenian


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The Hamidian Massacres under Sultan Abdul Hamid II Why did they happen?

How many Armenians were massacred in the Hamidian Massacres 200,000 to 300,000 Armenians German Pastor Johannus Lepsius carefully collected data on the destruction and estimated the Hamidian Massacres led to: The death of 88,243 Armenians, the destitution of 546,000 Armenians The destruction of 2,493 Armenian villages, The residents of 456 villages were forcibly converted to Islam

The desecration of 649 churches and monasteries, of which 328 were converted into mosques

He also estimated the additional deaths of 200,000 Armenians due to famine and disease


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The Sultan is overthrown and a new government is established

The rise of the Young Turks Ottomanism: A failed ideology…after

the Adana Massacres of 1909 A Period of wars:

War in Yemen(1909) War in Libya (1911) The Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and Muslim deportation into Anatolia…

Turkishness: A new ideology starts to take root


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Talat Pasha Jemal Pasha Enver Pasha


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Complete denial – It never happened…

Not sure – there was chaos in the fog of World War I

To quell violent uprisings by Armenians

It was Armenians that slaughtered Turks


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Because it does not want to unveil to the Turkish people the truth about this awful chapter in their history

Because it has had the tacit support of the West to do so

Because it is afraid it would have to make reparations to Armenians the way Germany did to the Jews


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Article 2 of the Genocide Convention defines “genocide” as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, including:Killing members of the groupCausing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the groupDeliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in partImposing measures intended to prevent births within the groupForcibly transferring children of the group to another group


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Seeking evidence of a “smoking gun” to demonstrate the real intentions of the Young Turk government

Are there political documents that prove the intent to commit genocide?

What do you call “genocide” if the term did not exist at the time?

Deportation vs. genocidal intentions “The Armenian Question” – Fabricating a “counterinsurgency” to quell uprisings


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Armenian Abandoned Properties – Is this the “Smoking Gun”? Did Armenians abandon their properties or were they ordered to leave and be deported…or worse?

The Law of May 1915 – Temporary deportation to protect Armenians? Or was it a well-devised plan to eradicate Armenians from their homeland?

A second law is published one month later, in June 1915 allowing the Ottoman government to sell “abandoned Armenian properties”


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A Well Devised Plan to “Turkify” the Country “Temporarily” deport Armenians under the guise

that it is for their own safety Make sure that the deportations are “permanent”

by killing as many Armenians as possible. Claim that 1.5 million Armenians abandoned

their properties en masse Sign a law that allows the Turkish government

to sell “abandoned Armenian properties” Sell the “abandoned Armenian properties” to

Muslims Enact a law that mandates that the population

of Armenians even in the areas where they are deported cannot exceed 10%


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A friendly visit by the A friendly visit by the Turkish Police?Turkish Police?


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Is this not Is this not Systematic Extermination???Systematic Extermination???


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And what is And what is this???this???


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And this?And this?


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And their crime was And their crime was what?what?


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What is it when you target and What is it when you target and crucify Armenian women?crucify Armenian women?


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THE MEMOIRS OF A FEDAYEE WRITTEN IN 1943

English Read by Michelle SassouniArmenian Read by Zvart Jambazian


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Why It Has Taken So Long to Recognize the Armenian

Genocide

…and why the US and other countries, especially Britain, still do not officially

recognize it


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House Resolution 106 Why the US refuses to recognize the Armenian Genocide

43 states have recognized the Armenian Genocide

What will it take for the US to recognize the Armenian Genocide?


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FIRST, FIND THE ORPHANSFIRST, FIND THE ORPHANS


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NEXT, SHELTER THE ORPHANSNEXT, SHELTER THE ORPHANS


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Being Fed in Make-Shift Being Fed in Make-Shift OrphanagesOrphanages


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Making Lavash Bread to Making Lavash Bread to Feed the Hungry Armenian Feed the Hungry Armenian

OrphansOrphans


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THEN, FIND THE HIDDEN ARMENIAN THEN, FIND THE HIDDEN ARMENIAN WOMEN OF THE GENOCIDEWOMEN OF THE GENOCIDE


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Armenian Orphans were Taught to Armenian Orphans were Taught to Weave Rugs and Carpets to Earn a Weave Rugs and Carpets to Earn a

LivingLiving


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Carpet Manufacturing Was a Carpet Manufacturing Was a Means to SurviveMeans to Survive


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Armenian Orphan Girls Spent Armenian Orphan Girls Spent Their Days Weaving…and Their Days Weaving…and

Weaving…Weaving…


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And still weaving…And still weaving…


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Carpet weaving was all that they Carpet weaving was all that they did…did…


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And weaving…And weaving…


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They Even Weaved Carpets They Even Weaved Carpets Outside in the Sun…Outside in the Sun…


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Making Threads from Making Threads from Wool and CottonWool and Cotton


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Knitting Needlework for Knitting Needlework for European Households… European Households…


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Needlework of Needlework of Armenian Orphans…Armenian Orphans…


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Needlework with Needlework with Beautiful DesignBeautiful Design


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There are nearly 10 million Armenians in the world today.

They married, had children, and passed the Armenian torch to future generations.

Many went on to build very successful businesses.

Others went on to be the best in their professions.

Others went on to become very famous….


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http://www.listal.com/viewimage/3989900

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http://www.armeniapedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Aznavour_Cannes.jpg

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The next generation of The next generation of Armenians who will carry on Armenians who will carry on

the fight for recognition of the the fight for recognition of the tragedies and great tragedies and great

accomplishments of our accomplishments of our peoplepeople


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Help to identify and nurture the unique gifts and talents of the young Armenians

Identify opportunities to get young Armenians involved in projects of increasing challenge

Create opportunities for team-building to create trust and cohesion among the youth

Recognize, encourage, and mentor the youth Invite the youth to get involved in

Armenian church parish councils, service and study abroad in Armenia, and through Armenian political action groups.


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RISING FROM THE ASHES OF TRAGEDY: Armenia’s Triumph Over Its Genoc

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