Mr. Robert Fisk

March 3, 2001 - "I used my car key to scrape away the mud, and the bones began to fall out of the earth into my hands," said Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent for The Independent, as he described his first-hand experience learning about the Armenian Genocide on a trip to the hill of Hurgada in northern Syria.

Fisk presented his moving remarks about the Armenian Genocide, its official denial, and the media's tendency to dilute the facts of the genocide, to those gathered for the Bay Area Armenian National Committee's annual "Hai Tad Evening," at Treasure Island on March 3rd.

Roxanne Makasdjian, spokesperson for the Bay Area ANC made opening remarks, reviewing the past year's Hai Tad activities.  Speaking about the last-minute removal of the Armenian Genocide resolution on the Congressional voting agenda, Makasdjian said, "Beyond our grief as Armenians, the defeat represents a much more disturbing reality for us as Americans:  We believe our government's response to Turkey has dangerous implications for U.S. foreign policy.  Our country, the most powerful and prosperous nation in the world, which boasts democracy, truth, and concern for human rights and justice, succumbed to the hysterical and outrageous threats of a junior ally, for the sake of a symbolic resolution that had no strings attached, except that it affirmed history."

Makasdjian spoke of the more recent successful Genocide resolutions passed in Europe.  As for the U.S., Makasdjian said, "For the ANC, the only question that remains is not "IF" our government will recognize the Genocide, but "WHEN" it will."  Emphasizing the need for Turkey itself to come to terms with the Genocide, she said Genocide recognition "goes a long way to strengthening the survival of Armenia itself... Turkey's denial posture amounts to an ongoing death threat against Armenia."

Progress on the Bay Area ANC's Genocide Curriculum Project were announced, and San Francisco teachers Anna Slavicek and Nancy Kaufman were introduced.  The teachers have just completed the creation of lesson plans for teachers on how to teach 10th grade students about the Armenian Genocide.  The ANC will be hosting a workshop for teachers in late April, introducing them to the curriculum, which also fulfills other state requirements for 10th grade history courses.

Makasdjian reviewed the ANC's political activities locally, including organizing campaign events for candidates, meetings with Bay Area representatives and officials, and hosting current events lectures for the community.

Based in Beirut, Lebanon, Robert Fisk has written often on the topic of the Armenian Genocide along with covering the wars in Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gulf, Kharabagh, Yugoslavia, and others.  "I believe, after 25 years watching the tragedy of the modern day Middle East, that history cannot be buried or denied beneath the earth," said Fisk.  "As long as a people cannot receive acknowledgment of their torment, it is never finished.  Until the history books are accepted and honored as true, the story has not ended."

Fisk spoke of his frustration that the genocide of Armenians was not treated by the press in the same manner as that of the Jews. "I found myself thinking, not long after I arrived in the Middle East, that the first act of genocide was so often referred to as a claim, when the second great act of genocide, the Jewish Holocaust, was accepted as a terrible fact of history." Of the New York Times reference to the event as "still hotly debated," Fisk said "How very 'fair' of the New York Times to remind us so tamely that a campaign exists to deny the truth of this Holocaust.  It's a lie every bit as evil, in my view, as those who wickedly claim that the Jewish Holocaust never happened."

After noting several officials of the Ottoman regime who courageously tried to protect Armenians from the atrocities, Fisk called on today's Armenians to acknowledge those people in some form.

"Armenians demand that the Turks acknowledge their Holocaust.  The Turkish authorities still call it all a myth.  But how would they react to an Armenian demarche to remember the Turks who showed bravery and honor during that time of atrocities?"

Special guests at the event also included Congressman Adam Schiff from Southern California, Assemblyman Joseph Simitian from the South Bay, and ANC Western Regional Executive Director Alex Sardar.

Sardar praised the activities of the Bay Area ANC, saying "Activists and Armenian communities across the country and even in Europe see the Bay Area ANC as a model chapter for activism."  Sardar introduced Congressman Adam Schiff, who is a member of the Armenian Issues Caucus in the House and on the House International Relations Committee.  As a State Senator, Schiff strongly supported the issues advocated by the Armenian National Committee.  Representing the most Armenian-Americans outside of Armenia, then-Senator Schiff initiated and passed several important resolutions, including those recognizing the Genocide, allocating funding for production of a Genocide documentary, preventing foreign governments from gaining undue influence in academic institutions, and taking steps setting the groundwork for a trade relationship between Armenia and California. 

Congressman Schiff, who was accompanied by his brother, Dan Schiff, impressed the audience with initial comments spoken in Armenian, then continuing, "And now, for the rest of you who don't speak Armenian, I'll make the rest of my remarks in English."

Speaking of a sense of belonging he feels with the people of his district, Schiff, told of how he was so warmly welcomed by his Glendale Armenian-American constituency when he first became State Senator.  Reading a poem by Avedis Aharonian, Rep. Schiff had to pause on several occasions, emotionally moved by the piece.

"Whether it is U.S. aid to Armenia, U.S. support for Nagorno-Kharabagh, the ban on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, or obtaining the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide, we will have our work cut out for us in the 107th Congress," said Schiff.  He pledged to oppose efforts to remove or weaken the ban on aid to Azerbaijan, allow Turkey or Azerbaijan to undermine America's adherence to its core values of justice and human rights.  

He announced plans to show the first segment of the documentary "Witnesses" about the Armenian Genocide in the Library of Congress, and spoke of the need for President Bush to make a clear and unambiguous statement about the Armenian Genocide. "It is high time we honor the memory of the 1.5 million men, women, and children with affirmation as well as prayer and recognize their loss and ours for what it truly was, genocide," said Schiff.

Schiff expressed his vision that Armenia become self-sufficient and fully integrated into the global marketplace.  "Armenia will persevere.  It will grow and it will thrive, and it will do so from the sweat and ingenuity of the Armenian people, but America can help with increased economic assistance and humanitarian relief," he said.

Emphasizing the need for the U.S. to take into consideration the history of Kharabagh when formulating policy, towards it, Schiff said, "Direct U.S. aid is integral to our commitment to Nagorno-Kharabagh's right of self-determination within secure borders."