This Terrible Ordeal Cannot Be Forgotten

It is perhaps too painful to imagine the trauma a young boy would undergo, having witnessed his father being burned alive in an oven. And yet, such an incident actually occurred, 70 years ago this month, in the small country of Armenia. That young orphan, who miraculously survived--though never forgot--the terrible ordeal, grew to be my grandfather. He was merely one of the many thousands who witnessed and became a victim of such atrocities.

My grandfather left me a legacy, that is, a testimony of the anguish, terror, and humiliation suffered by the Armenian people. It is a legacy shared by all Armenians--one that undoubtedly touches every facet of Armenian life. Ask any Armenian--young or old--and see how one would recall the nightmares, for the stories seem endless. You will hear accounts of men, women and children uprooted from their homes and led on death marches through the scorching desert of Der-el-Zor, innocent babies thrown into rivers, young women and girls sold as slaves, prolific writers and community leaders kidnaped and tortured, children dying from starvation, feelings of fear, horror, and helplessness emanating from faces. Although disturbing and horrifying, such accounts are real. They can not be erased from history nor can they be forgotten.

This massacre of 1.5 million Armenians, which was perpetrated by the Turkish Ottoman government in 1915, became the first genocide of the 20th Century. Since then, it has been well-documented, confirmed, and officially recognized by notable American, European and Armenian figures. And yet, surprisingly enough, justice has not been done to the Armenian lives, the destruction of property, and the confiscation of historic lands that rightfully belong to Armenia.

Furthermore, the Turkish government today refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by simply denying and distorting history. And in doing so, it proves itself to the world. It not only continues to do an injustice to the 1.5 million souls who became victims of genocide and to the survivors who bear witness to such atrocities, but to its future generations as well.

LINDA MAKASJIAN

Los Angeles