Events of week signify unsettled historical debate about Genocide

By Jenny Blake
Daily Bruin Contributor

The Armenian Genocide is a foggy patch of world history that
most students know nothing about. But for those linked by family
and culture, whether Turkish or Armenian, this week’s events
signify an unsettled part of their political history.

This history is virtually silenced in the United States, which
does not recognize the murders in Armenia as a genocide, but rather
as an act of war.

Yesterday Armenian students participated in a silent march
across campus and held a candlelight vigil. Two days ago they
protested in front of Kerckhoff.

But there is another voice on campus that is not being heard.
Turkish students are on the defensive because their country
describes the deaths as an act of war instead of a genocide;
however, they have not responded publicly to the Armenian
students.

While political views may differ, many Armenian students have
experienced the suffering their country has endured firsthand.

After growing up and participating in nationwide marches in
Armenia for twelve years, Jasmine Hasmik Hajjyan, a fifth-year
psychology student and president of the Armenian Students
Association, was disappointed after moving to the United States
because the events were never mentioned in school.

“It was sad because I grew up knowing about the Armenian
Genocide but they never brought it up in any of my history
classes,” she said. “It felt like a part of my life was
gone ““ no one was talking about it, or even knew about
it.”

Turkish students are taught that the conflict was double-sided,
said third-year civil engineering graduate student Murat Melek. He
said his beliefs stem from Turkish schooling and further reading by
respected Turkish writers who do not deny the incidents nor
recognize them as genocide.

However, Melek acknowledges that even history is biased.

“I believe that history is written by people who are
victorious,” Melek said. “But it was a dirty world
““ I think that at that time no one was innocent.”

However, many Armenian students who have survivors as relatives
believe their family members were innocent victims of war.

Aside from political opinions, Hasmik reinforces her beliefs
with a family story ““ the account of her grandfather’s
escape when he was five years old.

Hasmik said her family is proud of her but is also afraid to
discuss such a sensitive part of their past.

“In Armenia we used to stand in line for hours just to put
a flower on a monument that represents the genocide,” she
said.

Her family still observes the Armenian Day of Remembrance by
staying home on April 24 each year.

Hasmik said her involvement in ASA and this week’s events
are not for her family, but for all of the Armenians who died.

“Our dream is to let people know what is going on,”
Hasmik said. “We are not looking for pity, we just want
justice and recognition for what happened.”

Melek accepts that the Turkish government is in denial but does
not feel that protesting is a way to mend the conflicting
perspectives of what happened.

“I think it’s good for (Armenian students) to have
events to keep it alive, but I don’t think it will change the
opinion of the Turkish government.”

He suggests an assembly in which historians get together and
study evidence and papers from that time period to reach consensus
and achieve a better sense for what happened.

“As a Turkish student, there is nothing I can do or say
right now,” Melek said. “Maybe in 20 years when
I’m at the top of Turkey we can all reach a
compromise.”