On the eve of April 24th, the AYF Central Executive has drafted a letter to President Barack Obama, demanding that he honor his campaign pledge and recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The letter reads:

Dear Mr. President,

In 2008 when you ran for president of the United States, thousands of American Armenians registered to vote to elect a president who would properly recognize the Armenian Genocide. Believing in your words that “as president, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide” the Armenian community supported your campaign, became civically active and voted for “hope” and “change.” We voted for hope that this nation would have a leader who stands up for human rights and for change from former Presidents who were complicit in genocide denial.

Yet your promise for hope and change to the American Armenian community to finally rectify past injustices remains unfulfilled. For the past three years, American Armenians have been glued to the television screen on April 24^th, expecting to hear the word ‘Genocide’ in your statement directed to our community.  Since your election, the American Armenians have been disappointed with your characterization of the Armenian Genocide as the “Medz Yeghern” and the like, which fall short of proper recognition. Not only have you failed to acknowledge the Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians; your statements also failed to bring the justice that was promised to us during your Presidential campaign.

Your record in regards to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915 to 1923 goes against the principled position adopted by your Administration on various human rights issues, including condemnation of Genocides.  Since your election, you have pursued a policy of sanctions and tough diplomatic rhetoric towards the government of the Sudan, which has conducted a genocidal policy against its own people in the region of Darfur.  There was no hesitation on your end to correctly classify the events in Darfur as Genocide.  We, the American Armenians, ask today:  why is it so difficult for you to use the same word in regards to the experience of the Armenian people?

As the first term of your presidency comes to a close and you seek re-election, the Armenian community feels deceived and betrayed.  We invested a lot of time, energy, and resources in your election and after almost four years in office, it is apparent that your promises were merely campaign rhetoric. But in the final hours of your first term, you have the ability to fulfill your campaign promise.

In 2008 you catalyzed a new voting block of young Americans, appealing to notions of universal justice, fairness, and decency. The American Armenians share those values and expect that our President will do what is right when it comes to an issue, which is important to every American Armenian.  This April 24^th, do not turn your back on our community.  We ask, once again, for you to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide and help bring justice to those who perished from the hands of the genocidal Turkish state.

Sincerely,

David Arakelyan
Chairman, AYF Western Region Central Executive

On March 9, the Armenian Youth Federation and the Hamazkayin Cultural Association Orange County chapters jointly hosted a presentation exploring documentary photographer Ara Oshagan’s book, Father Land.

Published by powerHouse books, Father Land explores life in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic through the lens of Oshagan’s camera and the poetry of his late father, whose prose serve as a narrative for the book’s photography.

Father Land is described by powerHouse Books as a “poetic and personal journey through the rugged, human-and-history-laden landscape of Karabakh” chronicled by a “unique collaboration between a photographer son and his famous, writer father.”

The event opened with a short introduction by Orange County AYF Chairperson, Hrache Novruzyan, who spoke of Oshagan’s roots in the community and his role among the founding generation of AYF members who started the Orange County “Ashod Yergat” Chapter. Oshagan delivered his slideshow presentation to a captivated audience of around fifty, who had come to the Orange County Armenian Center to follow Oshagan’s journey through Karabakh as it was depicted through his picturesque black and white photography.

Oshagan says, “Father Land is a project about origins and identity. A project about a place and a people
emerging out of a dark history, transforming, forging a new identity, searching for themselves and a new way of life. And also about a very personal becoming, an emergence.”

Oshagan presented a segment of images from the book Father Land and for each image summarized the origin of the photograph, and the process he took to capture the image.

“I loved the photos he captured of each moment and how he told his father’s story and his own journey throughout the book,” remarked Lara Tutunjian, a member of the audience. “Rarely do you stumble upon a set of images that enhances one’s viewpoint. The words that accompanied the images written by Vahe Oshagan truly highlighted his photos even more.”

If you are interested in purchasing Father Land or are simply looking for more information about this amazing story visit fatherlandbook.com. You can also read a review on the book at Asbarez  here or scan through excerpts from the book here.

For those who missed the presentation, a brief video about the book Father Land can be seen below.

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