WORCESTER, Mass.—The Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Clark University is sponsoring an interdisciplinary conference, “Beyond the Armenian Genocide: The Question of Restitution and Reparation in Comparative Review,” organized by Taner Akcam, the Robert Aram ‘52 and Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marion Mugar Professor of Armenian Genocide Studies. The conference is presented in partnership with the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) and Eric Weitz, the Arsham and Charlotte Ohanessian Professor at the University of Minnesota. NAASR’s participation is supported by the Ethel Jafarian Duffett Fund.
The conference opens on Thurs., Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. with a public keynote address in Tilton Hall on the Clark University campus. John Torpey, a professor of sociology at the Graduate Center, CUNY, will give the opening address, “A Comparative Perspective on Reparations for Historical Injustices.” Torpey is the author of Making Whole What Has Been Smashed: On Reparations Politic (Harvard University Press, 2006). “Reparations,” he says, “can be symbolic, such as apologies or the creation of memorials and museums. They can also be economic, such as financial compensation to individuals or collectivities, or material redress, such as settlement of the land claims of indigenous peoples. These measures can reflect cultural or legal claims to reparations, or both.”
The conference continues throughout the day on Fri., Oct. 28, with a series of panels for participants and invited guests. Leading scholars will examine questions of post-conflict justice in a comparative review of the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, and the Native American Genocide. The participants will consider different aspects of compensation, including the return of stolen art and artifacts; the restitution of personal and communal property; and how post-war agreements and treaties shape discussions about compensation. The Holocaust case offers a model for restitution and reparation that has achieved significant success, but also frustrating disappointments and delays. The Native American case provides a valuable example of the importance of pursuing justice at home and for all peoples. Discussions about the Armenian case will consider why efforts to secure compensation emerged so late and the influence of developments in securing justice for victims of the Holocaust.
Turkish recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been an enduring goal of Armenian communities at home and internationally. Yet, the political, financial, and legal consequences that might emerge in the wake of recognition have not been fully articulated. Recently, scholars and lawyers have pursued concrete efforts to secure reparation, restitution, and compensation; they are proceeding independent of groups lobbying governments to acknowledge the genocide. These initiatives demonstrate that the pursuit of justice through financial means can progress without necessarily resolving the complicated politics of genocide recognition.
Recent court cases against American and French insurance companies have resulted in reparations and have given encouragement to newly filed lawsuits in the U.S. These developments demonstrate that financial redress for the Armenian community may be possible on a broader scale. New lawsuits addressing theft of artifacts, properties, and bank accounts have been filed against the Turkish government and private Turkish companies. They seek compensation for both individual and collective losses suffered during the genocide.
For more information, contact the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (508-793-889; chgs@clarku.edu) or NAASR (617-489-1610; hq@naasr.org).
I don’t want “symbolic” reparations. I want my father’s land. I want my grandfather’s sheep. I want my grandmother’s fruit trees. I want what my people owned when they were murdered. As for the “memorials and museums” – return our land; we are the artists and builders; we will erect our own memorials and museums. The notion of “Symbolic” reparation is offensive. As for discussing “why efforts to secure compensation emerged so late” – what do you expect from people who had lost their homes, and their families, and witnessed unspeakable barbarity? When they arrived in lands with a totally different language and culture, do you think they would have immediately filed lawsuits? First, they had to get a job, learn a language, fit in with a strange culture. And they needed to do this during a time of world-wide financial depression, and their own personal psychological depression. They came here raped, brutalized, penniless, alone. They didn’t arrive looking for a lawyer. They arrived looking for someone who spoke their language and understood what was done to them. They looked for silent places to grieve in, to weep for their children, their homes. I have no idea how these courageous people survived the trauma of what was done to them, of what they witnessed. They somehow went forward and made significant contributions to every country they went to. We demand more than a worthless “Apology” and “Symbolic reparation,” not only for those who did not survive, but also for those who somehow escaped and endured the unspeakable trauma of witnessing what was done.
At the end of the conference – what changes, what concrete actions are going to take place as a result? What new hope will there be?
I am glad that we are finally sitting down to decide what we we demand from Turkey. Various Armenian individuals and organizations have, of course, different ideas about the nature and dimension of what Turkey legally owes us. Through this type of meeting, we can define, crystallize, articulate our just demands. I hope to see similar conferences in Armenia and in the Diaspora.
With all due respect to the participants at the conference, beautifully phrased headings as rgds the issues mentioned, to be discussed,comes to mind the one missing,which I would dare say is the core of this important Conference. Namely a claim that has no any ¨adjustments¨, compromise if you will,when culprit has been condemned officially ,not at conference-again with much respect to organizers – but at a COMPETENT Int´l Court of justice,as well as pertinent institutions of a nature such as the UN.
May I suggest that primary Claim should be for ¨Blood Money¨ for that has precedent,viz. the loss of life that can in no way be compared to even land,riches.
That is exactly what the Jews demanded from Germany and got compensated for.
And since they had no land claim-not having lived on their ancestral lands,such as ours-then they could not claim further for land lost.
thece our next in line claim, ought to be lands,homes houses, churches , monasteries, schools and the like confiscated.These have to be restored to real owners and/or heirs. Please forgive ,if I´m very brief. for I wish to bring to attn.of our dear professors and historians that we have to be very practicable,reealistic and unshakeable as rgds our fathers, grandfathers,mothers blood,loos of life.
Especially so with a nation/state that has for long been on the receiving side and has enjoyed still receiving even after the looting of the Armenian ¨rayas¨ who lived there for millenia on their ancestral habitat. Time will bring that into focus and on stage, a bit further ahead. At present ,time to settle accounts which is in relation to CRIME.
I totally Agree with Perouz in her remarks of; “We demand more than a worthless “Apology” and “Symbolic reparation,” .
Look how politicians manipulate the “Armenian Genocide”.
Mr Sassounian in his article on 10/12/11 in California Courrier describes one such famous Politician; President Sarkozy who after arriving in Yerevan recently was “asked if France would adopt a law to prosecute those who deny the genocide, the French president said, “If Turkey revisited its history, faced its bright and dark sides, this recognition of the genocide would be sufficient. But if Turkey will not do that, then without a doubt it would be necessary to go further.”
So Mr Sarkozy is already establishing a political scenario for Turkey; that if they recognize the Genocide, that would be sufficient and Him and France are done with the issue. Ms Perouz, myself and worldwide Armenians including French Armenians will be extremely disappointed with this politician who, like other presidents, knows how to use The Armenian Genocide to his advantage. Mr Sarkozy or any other President has no right to decide what is sufficient for reparation of 1.5 million martyr’s lives, and restitution of 6 Villayets with 100s of thousands of acres of land and riches.
Which brings the question of who are our intellectuals, scholars, accountants,economists, attorneys,politicians who will represent our true claims in these conferences, and Courts of laws. ANCA, Armenian Assembley, AGBU, The Diaspora Armenian parties , The 2 Catholicossates, independent scholars, and The Armenian Government should get together and start preparing to address these issues, and may be on the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide we may have a committee who can represent US.
To Garo and all others who are not acquainted with my thesis of a Re-organized Diaspora.- It enlaps the Hoge collectiviteis of our ¨Professional Colleagues Associations¨ PCA´s .5 on the SCENE already ,1. The Medical/Health,2.Engineeers& Sci.3. THE BAR, 4. The Sportive, 5. The Jdewellers(should enlap all furnishings) plus 10 more like &.Transport& trave, 7, The Consturction filed 8. The mines and Industreis (Banking & Financxe, 9.The Agricultural. 10. Communications IT. 11. Food & Catering,12. Environmental & Forestry,13.The Press & Advertising, 14. Education & Culture(amalgamation of these) .Forgive, don´t recall the 15th,.These are 100,000 strong in all of our community countreis.Much more than the political party members.
these in every Armenian dense Townships form , the from each 3 person Elite (elected delegates to the Inter-profession9 and ask request 3 ea from the politico and one ea from our s`piritual denominations, Thus a Central Council is formed, On to the Central Council( in capital city) of ea commuynity country ….on to th Supreme council of the diasporfa with 5 department.
this I have developed of 30 yrs after participating at FIRST WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS IN PARIS IN 1979 ,BEING ELECTED BY 370 PARTICIPANTS TO temporary Execx. Board. I shall elaborate further on abovfe. Now time to take care of mysself, for the Armenians listen read then forget. And I have to do this again and again.OR LES
One pops up in Moscow with same n ame as oiurs, another in L.a. who when where the next one In sydney or Vancouver, or maybe beirut Boston.
For so is the Armenian mindsest <WE DO NOT WISHY TO BE A DISIPLINED COMMUNITY DIASPORA , ELECTED FOR M E R I T S .WHICH , IS APPLICABLE TO THOSE 3 Inter professional Delegates z to be elected. One endowed with most advanced in his her prof. the other Culturally national & Int´l and with networking capacity and 3rd Economicall.One com`pliments the other 2.So long till my next post here.
best to alñl
Bravo Perouz, Jirair, Garo, Gaytzag! Absolutely.
Dear fellow participants here.Do please forgive me for very BAD erroneous teyping above. I was agitated.Anyhow, Icannot correct it-shall try-but then ..pleae discard it if reading results strenuous…
Thanks
Gaytzag Palandjian
To the editors on this site
Please help Gaytzag Paladian and correct his article…
Thee has a lot of information for us to learn…
Our mother tongue is not English…most of Us we need help…
English is my third language…and for many Armenians as well…
Thanks…
SP
Dear MD(Medical doctor ?)Poetry
Please forgive me if I SOMETIMES write badly. I believe I did mention I was agitated .When I told that to wife she told me either do not write or if you wish to do ,write without anger, calmly,however the subject matter is agitating. I shall do so now on.
Write now thoug I wish to write on another thread/caption here (most important) under Ms. Hillary Clinton´s .
You guys talk too much, you gave me a headache just by reading your wishful lists. What part of ,Teshnamin Zenkov arav mer hoghereh ; Ouremen, Zenkov bid Vera-arnenk mer hoghereh, don’t you understand?
TO JAY,
Right you are!!!
But stop to think a minute.We are in another time frame now, not the Kevork Chaush times.In order to do-if needed-what you have suddenly decided on, you need organized RAnk & File,plus ultra modern DEKHNIKA(this a term given in RA to near all) here I wish to convey ultra modern equipment…Go figure out what i mean.
But even prior to all that we need to a re-organzied Diaspora, with head!!!!
We are terribly fragmented and Homeland does not will not take us seriously,not even the Haybachdban forming in France, a few got together there and established registered Western Armenia Council with even a president and Constituion.
This bloke(though i like the idea) does not understand that with few followers nothing can be achieved.We NEED TOTAL MOLILIZATION.Latter apparently does not suit the RA Govt. and stooges around it, the Oli…they prefer to have a couple dozen or less BENEFACTORS who give lavishly,so they can turn theirr back on the collectivities of our people in the Diaspora the 100,000 strong Professionals(/if organzied9 capich
This is the G.Damned situation and unfortunately on this , as welll same approach is applied, meaning our BBB´s as per ARA Baliozian Bishops Bossess and benefactors , are happy to be those who deal with RA Govt. leaving the aforementioned as yet unorganized collectivities behind.
So stop imagining things please!!!!