We would like to thank the following for their generous support Anonymous, $5,000 Zohrab Tazian, $250 George Aghjayan, $2,500 Harry Parsekian, $250 Mr. and Mrs. Hagop Tankian, $1,000 Jeannette John, $250, in memory of Markrid Hagop Apamian-Magarian and Angele Hovhannes Magarian Mr. and Mrs. Aurelian and Anahit Mardiros, $500 Lloyd B. Bellows, $500, in memory of Baytzar Ned Apikian, $250 Haygazian and his mother Alice Haygazian-Berman Mr. and Mrs. Hrayr and Zaroug Kabakian, $250 Avik Deirmendjian, $400 David, Ani, Christopher, and Helen Attar, $250, Robert Setrakian, $250 in memory of Unger Roupen Fermanian and Shoushan Fermanian Mr. and Mrs. George and Shake Basmajian, $250, in memory of Boghos and Hanm Basmajian ARF Boston “Sardarabad” Gomideh, $200 Mr. and Mrs. Megerdich and Angele Manoogian, $250 Mr. and Mrs. Seroj and Eliz Khachatourian, $200 Mr. and Mrs. Ara and Carolyn Manoogian, $250 Mr. and Mrs. Hrair and Arpi Arzoumanian, $200 The Armenian Weekly NOTES FOR THE RECORD 3 Editor’s Desk 6 Confiscation & Colonization: The Young Turk Seizure of 4 Contributors Armenian Property—By U˘gur Ümit Üngör 15 Shattering Fifty Years of Silence—By Michael Bobelian PERSPECTIVES 19 A Demographic Narrative of Diyarbekir Province Based on Ottoman Records—By George Aghjayan 33 ‘A Question of Genocide’...and More Questions —By Marc Mamigonian ARTS & LITERATURE 37 Genocide Recognition and a Quest for Justice —By Harut Sassounian 23 Narek’s Prayer—By Knarik O. Meneshian 39 April 24th: Remembrance Devoid of Inspiration and 29 Wilmington Students Lobby for Armenian Genocide Commitment—By Michael G. Mensoian Stamp—By Tom Vartebedian 41 One Hundred Years of Abandonment—By Talin Suciyan 32 Lost Innocence—By Kristi Rendahl and Ayda Erbal 32 The bare-bare bone—By Burcu Gürsel 46 ‘Reparations’ as an Essential Element of any Just Resolution of Genocide—By Henry C. Theriault ON THE COVER: Cover design by 3rd Eye Communications/Vanig Torikian Cover photo by Khatchig Mouradian Editor’s Desk Justice as Cure BY KHATCHIG MOURADIAN consensus among academic and political circles—Armenian and other—that the battle for recognition of the Armenian Genocide hen on Dec. 11, 1946, after months of lobbying by has been, to a large part, won (see Sassounian). Yet as Turkish offi- Raphael Lemkin, the UN General Assembly unani- cial denial continues, the battle for discourse wages on (see Wmously passed a resolution condemning genocide, an Mamigonian and Erbal). editorial in the Hairenik Weekly noted: “The Armenians were In parallel, genocide scholarship is increasingly paying closer robbed of their historic provinces, they sacrificed a cool million attention to the human and material losses Armenians suffered and a half human lives, and another million were made expatri- during the Genocide (see Aghjayan and Üngör), and emphasis on ates. In compensation of this colossal wrong the United Nations justice for the Armenian genocide as the only way for conciliation offers them a ‘Genocide.’ The Genocide is hardly the cure for is also increasing (See Theriault). Armenian wounds.” The single thread that weaves together most of the articles fea- The 50th anniversary of the Armenian genocide was a water- tured in this magazine is a commitment to truth and justice. A shed event. Armenians moved from mourning to demanding commitment we renew in April of every year through the voices of recognition and justice (see Bobelian). As we approach the 100th scholars, journalists, and activists from both sides of the Atlantic, anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, there seems to be growing and with the continued support of our readers. April 2011 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | 3 Contributors George Aghjayan is a fellow of the holds a postdoctoral fellowship at Forum Transregionale Studien, Society of Actuaries. His primary area of Berlin. Who knows where she will be next year. Burcu considers her- focus is the demographics of western self a beginner in things Armenian. Armenia and is a frequent contributor to the Armenian Weekly. He is chairman of Marc A. Mamigonian is the Director of the Armenian National Committee (ANC) Academic Affairs of the National Association of Central Massachusetts and resides in for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). Worcester with his wife and three children. He is the editor of the publications Rethinking Armenian Studies (2003) and The Armenians A graduate of the University of of New England (2004) and is the author or Michigan Law School and Columbia co-author of several scholarly articles on the University Graduate School of writings of James Joyce. Journalism, Michael Bobelian is a lawyer and author whose work has cov- Knarik O. Meneshian was born in ered issues ranging from corporate Austria. She received her degree in literature wrongdoing to foreign affairs to higher and secondary education in Chicago, Ill. education. His reportage has appeared on Forbes.com, in the Her works have been published in “Teachers American Lawyer Magazine, Legal Affairs Magazine, and the As Writers,” “American Poetry Anthology,” Washington Monthly. Bobelian is the author of Children of Armenia: and other American publications. She has A Forgotten Genocide and the Century-Long Struggle for Justice, the authored a book of poems titled Reflections, critically acclaimed book published by Simon & Schuster in 2009. and translated from Armenian to English Rev. D. Antreassian’s book The Banishment of Zeitoun and Ayda Erbal is writing her dissertation in the Suedia’s Revolt. department of politics at New York University. Her work focuses on the politics of changing Michael Mensoian, J.D./Ph.D, is historiographies in Turkey and Israel. She is professor emeritus in Middle East and polit- interested in democratic theory, democratic ical geography at the University of deliberation, the politics of “post-nationalist” Massachusetts, Boston, and a retired major historiographies in transitional settings, and in the U.S. army. He writes regularly for the the politics of apology. She is a published Armenian Weekly. short-story writer and worked as a columnist for the Turkish- Khatchig Mouradian is a journalist, Armenian newspaper Agos from 2000–03. writer and translator. He was an editor of the Lebanese-Armenian Aztag Daily from 2000 Burcu Gürsel grew up in Istanbul, to 2007, when he moved to Boston and received her degrees from the University of became the editor of the Armenian Weekly. Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania He is a PhD student in Holocaust and (Comparative Literature), and currently Genocide Studies at Clark University. His The Armenian Weekly The Armenian Weekly ENGLISH SECTION THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY The opinions expressed in this April 2011 Editor: Khatchig Mouradian (ISSN 0004-2374) newspaper, other than in the edi- torial column, do not necessarily Copy-editor: Nayiri Arzoumanian is published weekly by the Hairenik Association, Inc., reflect the views of THE Art Director: Gina Poirier 80 Bigelow Ave, ARMENIAN WEEKLY. Watertown, MA 02472. ARMENIAN SECTION Manager: Armen Khachatourian Sales Manager: Karine Galstian Editor: Zaven Torikian Periodical postage paid in TEL: 617-926-3974 Proofreaders: Garbis Zerdelian Boston, MA and additional FAX: 617-926-1750 USPS identification mailing offices. Designer: Vanig Torikian, E-MAIL: statement 546-180 3rd Eye Communications This special publication has a [email protected] print run of 10,000 copies. WEB: www.armenianweekly.com 4 | THE ARMENIAN WEEKLY | April 2011 articles, interviews and poems have appeared in publications Henry C. Theriault earned his Ph.D. in worldwide. Mouradian has lectured extensively and participated Philosophy from the University of in conferences in Armenia, Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Massachusetts, with a specialization in social Austria, Switzerland, Norway and the U.S. and political philosophy. He is currently Professor in and Chair of the Philosophy Originally from a family farm in North Department at Worcester State University, Dakota, Kristi Rendahl lived and where he has taught since 1998. Since 2007, worked in Armenia from 1997–2002 and he has served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the visits the country whenever possible. She peer-reviewed journal Genocide Studies and Prevention and has works with non-profit organizations in been on the Advisory Council of the International Association of her consulting practice (www.rendahlcon- Genocide Scholars. His research focuses on philosophical sulting.com) and is pursuing a doctorate approaches to genocide issues, especially genocide denial, long- in public administration. Through her term justice, and the role of violence against women in genocide. travels, she has met Armenians in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, He has lectured widely in the United States and internationally. Ethiopia, and across the U.S. Currently, Kristi resides in St. Paul, Minn. She is a columnist for the Armenian Weekly. U˘gur Ümit Üngör is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for War Harut Sassounian is the publisher of Studies, University College Dublin. He was The California Courier, a weekly newspa- born in 1980 and studied sociology and his- per based in Glendale, Calif. He is the pres- tory at the Universities of Groningen, ident of the United Armenian Fund, a Utrecht, Toronto, and Amsterdam. His main coalition of the seven largest Armenian- area of interest is the historical sociology of American organizations. He has a master’s mass violence and nationalism in the mod- degree in international affairs from ern world. He has published on genocide, in general, and on the Columbia University and an MBA from Rwandan and Armenian genocides, in particular. He finished his Pepperdine He has been decorated by the president and prime Ph.D., titled “Young Turk Social Engineering: Genocide, minister of the Republic of Armenia, and the heads of the Nationalism, and Memory in Eastern Turkey, 1913–1950” at the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient department of history of the University of Amsterdam. of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Tom Vartabedian is a retired Talin Suciyan is an Istanbul Armenian journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, journalist who lived in Armenia from where he spent 40 years as an award- 2007–08.