Correction Appended
The Armenian Graduate Students Association is hosting a blood
drive today in memory of Armenians killed over the course of two
days in 1915.
“The project is named “˜Life,’ because …
lives were taken and now we want to save someone else’s
life,” said Mike Mkhitar Moradian, the project director.
Though the U.S. government sympathizes with the tragedy, no
president has officially recognized the massacres as a genocide
since President Woodrow Wilson was in office.
The AGSA is teaming up with the UCLA Medical Center for this
event. All donated blood will go to the UCLA Medical Center to help
the community at large.
“This is especially symbolic. By saving lives here we are
remembering the lives lost,” said Shahe Soghomonian, a
fourth-year biology student who plans on donating blood today.
The AGSA, formed in winter 2002, hopes to make the blood drive
an annual event.
“The blood drive is open to any student, but the core of
the donors are Armenian undergraduate and graduate students,”
Moradian said.
Currently, 40 students are expected to donate, and the group
encourages others to stop by to give to the cause.
“This event is important because it not only commemorates
the forgotten genocide, but also helps to unite the UCLA
community,” said Arpi Setrak, financial officer of AGSA.
Armenians all over the world commemorate the massacre on April
24, the day the killings officially began.
On the evening of April 23 and the day of April 24, 1915, 300
intellectuals and government officials of Armenian descent were
captured and sent to jail by the Ottoman Empire, based around
modern-day Turkey, before they were killed.
Between 600,000 and 1.5 million out of a total population of 2.5
million Armenians were reportedly killed by the Ottoman Empire or
died of starvation as a result of the aggression. The killings and
deportation of Armenians to Syria and Mesopotamia lasted until the
early 1920s.
Currently, more than 30 states in the United States have passed
resolutions recognizing the genocide. California was one of the
first states to pass a resolution. Other countries, such as Canada,
Sweden and France also officially recognize it. But Turkey denies
that a genocide took place and maintains that a much smaller number
died in a civil war.
To commemorate this day, different groups around Southern
California have organized events that many UCLA students plan on
attending. The All Armenian Students Association will hold a
candlelight vigil at UC Riverside on Thursday.
“Every year the vigil rotates to a different campus.
Students from all Southern California campuses will attend,”
Moradian said.
The Shant Student Association, named after a writer who died
during the massacre, will hold a “Rally Against Denial”
in Glendale. National radio producer and author David Barsamian
will be the key speaker at the event.
This Saturday, Armenians will march in Hollywood. After the
march, they will organize to protest in front of the Turkish
consulate.
That night, rock band System of a Down will hold a concert at
the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park.
“All of the profits from the concert will go to campaigns
for recognition of the genocide,” Moradian said.
The blood drive will take place today from 2 to 7 p.m. in
Covel Commons.
Correction:The story should have stated
that then President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation in 1981
recognizing the deaths of between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians
in 1915 as a genocide.