1992_05 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper May 1992

              The Newspaper of the California State University, Fresno
Armenian Students Organization and Armenian Studies Program
Fresno, CA 93740
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Hye Sharzhoom
May1992
Volume 13, No. 4
Supplement to the Daily Collegian
Armenian Genocide remembered
By Armen Aghishian
 Staff Writer	
At noon on Friday, April 24, in the
Free Speech Area at CSU Fresno, the Armenian Students Organization (ASO) held
an Armenian Genocide Rememberence
commemorating the death of 1.5 million
Armenians in the first genocide of the 20th
century. On hand were California Congressman Richard Lehman and Fresno
City Councilman Tom Bohigian. The
event attracted an audience of well over
three hundred people.
The program began with a brief message from ASO President Richelle No-
royan, who then introduced Professor
Barlow Der Mugrdechian of the Armenian Studies Program. "The intent of the
Turkish government was the complete extermination of the Armenian people," Der
Mugrdechian stated. "Armenians of all
religious denominations were targeted in
the Ottoman Empire's successful political
operation of annihilation of a people within
their borders."
Tamar Chaderjian, a student at Fresno
City College, then stepped to the podium
to recite a touching poem entitled "I am an
Armenian", which included the theme of
hope and of never reliving the Genocide
again.
The next speaker was Dr. Dickran
Kouymjian,   Director of the Armenian
Studies Program. He began by stating
that, "life is full of injustices." Kouymjian
further elaborated that, "An injustice to
one group is an injustice to all groups - especially when the injustice is a Genocide."
Left to Right* Richelle Noroyan. Janice Caprelian, Sato Ohannessian,
Michelle Maroot, and Rosig Kalpakian at April 24 Rally
Kouymjian said that the Armenian Genocide is the single most important injustice
which should not be tolerated by not only
the Armenian people, but also the entire
Diaspora and every country which comprises it He urged everyone to, "join the
battle against the injustice of the Armenian Genocide as it is a slap in the face of
humanity."
Fresno City Councilman Tom Bohigian stressed uiai aii persons, Armenian or
not, need to remember the Genocide and
its many victims. He remarked that though
people may have the tendency to deny
history and the truth, the reality is that the
Genocide did happen and must be admitted by all people, not only the Turks.
The final speaker, Richard Lehman, a
strong voice of the Armenian people in the
U.S. Congress, stated that working for the
Armenian Cause has given him the most
pleasure of any of his accomplishments.
He further stated that, "If we turn our
backs on history, the same atrocities will
occur over and overagain." Lehman, who
was recently in Armenia to observe the
referendum and elections for Armenia's
president, reiterated that we, the voters
must hold all elected officials responsible
for their actions in this regard.
Community Observes April 24
\
By Armen Aghishian
Staff Writer
With the participation of clergy and leaders throughout the San Joaquin Valley, a
community-wide April 24th "Martyr's Day
Commemoration" was held at the First
Armenian Presbyterian Church in Fresno,
at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24,1992.
Over six hundred were in attendance to
participate in and witness the religous and
civic observances. The events were organized by the Armenian Community Council
which is comprised of the political, religious, and cultural organizations throughout
the central San Joaquin Valley.
The main part of the civic observance
consisted of a speech by guest speaker Dr.
Dickran Kouymjian, Haig and Isabel Ber-
berian professor of Armenian Studies 'at
California State University. Fresno. Dr.
Kouymjian earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has chaired Armenian
Studies departments in Beirut and Paris and
in April 1989 he became the holder of the
first endowed Armenian Studies Chair at
California state University, Fresno. Dr.
Kouymjian is also the Director of the Sarkis
and Melin6 Kalfayan Center for Armenian
Studies.
Dr. Kouymjian began by stating that the
See Observance, page 8
Inside Hye Sharzhoom
Index
The Little Things
Q What constitutes being an Armenian? Perhaps
it's knowing that you'll always have the 'little
things' to look forward to. Page 2.
Letters to the Editor
£ CSU Fresno students respond to the March
1992 edition of the Hye Sharzhoom. Page 3.
Hye Profile
0  A local farmer and Armenian Studies Advisory
Board member is profiled. Page 4.
Editorials
pages 2 and 3
Letters
page 3
Hye Profile
page 4
Local News
pages 4 and 5
Gifts to the ASP
page 6