Throughout April, Turkish Americans nationwide steadfastly advocated the formation of the Türkiye - Armenia Historical Commission and reconciliation based on truth.  ATAA local chapters from California to New York, as well as in Canada, hosted Professor Türkkaya Ataöv to speak on "What really happened on April 24, 1915".  At the Capitol Hill lecture on April 15th, I expressed that the events of 1915 are very important to ATAA, and that the ATAA Capital Forum and National Speakers Bureaut will actively bring qualified speakers to Congress and grassroots America to hear the contra-genocide perspective on the events of 1915.
 
Throughout April, House support for H.Res. 252 continued to weaken.  Armenia's recent suspension of rapprochement with Türkiye cast doubt on the sincerity of the Armenian side.  President Obama's April 24 Proclamation continued U.S. policy not to characterize the events of 1915 as a crime.  The Proclamation described the events of 1915 with the Armenian word for "catastrophe" or "calamity", an expression we first see used in the March 1923 public address of Hovhannes Katchaznouni, the Prime Minister of the gerrybuilt Armenian Republic that lasted from 1919-1922.  Katchaznouni blamed the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-Dashnak) for the "Armenian calamity" that culminated during the Armenian Revolt (1880-1919).  Katchaznouni expressed that by an "extraordinary mental aberration" ARF/Dashnak believed that the Allied Powers were reliable and that Armenian Revolt could actually succeed.  Katchaznouni concluded, "We ought to have negotiated peacefully with the Turks."
 
President Obama's April 24 Proclamation commended Turks who helped Armenians during the "calamity".  I say, "of course we did," for we did not carry hatred or malice in defending Anatolia against AR/Dashnak and the Russians.  As Turks helped injured Anzacs in Gallipoli, they helped similarly situated Armenian combatants and non-combatants during the Armenian Revolt.  Courage and mercy were Turkish qualities then, as they are today.
 
ATAA formed Vanguard to remember the victims of modern Armenian terrorism as well as more than 40,000 Turks who were massacred in the March 1915 Armenian Revolt in Van.  Between April 22-24 in Washington DC, over 150 Turkish Americans, mostly college students, gathered in front of the Turkish Embassy to show solidarity with Türkiye and to support US-Turkish relations, while an equal number of ARF-ANCA members protested against Turkey and condemned President Obama for not endorsing the Armenian Cause.  It was the first time ever that the size of the Turkish American group equaled that of ARF.  In New York, ATAA, lead by VP Ali Çınar, participated in the Young Turks Protest in Times Square.
 
On behalf of ATAA Board of Directors, Board of Trustees and staff, I thank the Turkish American community and our component organizations for their dedication to and diligence in promoting US-Turkish relations and our Turkish heritage.
America may be a big country, but as a Turkish proverb says, "the shortest distance is the road from heart to heart."  It's a pleasure and honor to serve you!

 

Sevgi ve saygılarımla,
 
Günay Evinch
President
Assembly of Turkish American Associations