It was a powerhouse event featuring a dynamic duo, ANCA Eastern Region Freedom Award winners Baroness Caroline Cox and firebrand national community leader Mourad Topalian who willingly electrified an overflow crowd of 400 people on the evening of April 27 at Livonia Stevenson High School. The stellar evening was presented with the cooperation of the Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of Greater Detroit.
A beautiful sight was the Homenetmen presentation of the United States flag, the Armenian tri-color, and the Michigan state and Artsakh flags during the singing of the national anthems, and the AYF singing of the National Anthems (with Helen Mempreian Movsesianon playing the piano). The youth actively participated in the event.
As co-chair Michael Hagopian indicated, “We are here to commemorate the 98th year of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-23 perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire and still denied by the present-day Turkish government regardless of positive proof to the opposite. Our martyrs say don’t mourn us avenge us, and our youth must start taking the lead. All Armenians lost loved ones.” To the Turkish state Hagopian said emphatically, “We are here and we are here to stay.”
Hagopian introduced the keynote speaker Baroness Caroline Cox. Baroness Cox is like Eleanor Roosevelt and Mother Theresa rolled into one. Mourad Topalian is reminiscent of Detroit’s late Hagop Mouradian and Arthur Giragosian of Providence, who with their fiery oratory could shake the very foundation of any venue. No better compliment could be given to any man and when told this Mourad showed a broad smile, knowing he was in great company. Together, Baroness Cox and Topalian gave the Metro Detroit audience an evening to remember—one that rallied them to become more involved in the fight for Armenian justice, and awakened them to the existing danger by the growing bully strength of present-day Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Baroness Cox was accompanied by good friends and area residents Robert and Gayane Kachadourian. She greeted the audience with “Parev tsez,” and spoke of her “tribute to a Nation whose people not only survive but create beauty from the ashes of destruction.” She has made 78 remarkable visits to Armenia and Karabagh, strongly believing in the right to self-determination of the Armenians of Karabagh. She is the chair of the British Armenia All-Party Parliamentary Group.
When I asked her how to properly address her, she replied in a down to earth manner, “Call me by my Christian name, Caroline.” She endeared herself to all by being involved in the rehabilitation of the disabled through the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART), which has become an internationally recognized “Center of Excellence.”
She told her horror stories of the Karabagh War and bombed out homes, of families hiding in basements with no light or heat, of children being born in basements, but said their spirit always carried them through ordeals valiantly. She told of a lack of medication and legs amputated without the aid of anesthesia, and how she loaded up in London on the proper drugs to take to the injured in Artsakh (Karabagh). “The pogroms were horribly reminiscent of 1915. The Azeris must be held accountable.”
While trying to get to Sissian on a cold and icy Christmas Eve, her bus was stuck in the dark of night on the mountain pass with other cars. Zory Balayan rescued the others, putting his life in danger in the below 50-degree temperatures to transfer people into the baroness’s bus. “What a privilege to be of help,” she said modestly.
I told her afterwards, “God has taken much from the Armenians, but he has given us you,” and she graciously thanked me. Baroness Cox has no air of importance or superiority about her. She has even taken 8 of her 10 grandchildren to Karabagh without fearing for their lives. She has even climbed down to the pit of Khor Virab, where St. Gregory was imprisoned for years. If each Armenian took the initiative to do 1/10th of what she does, how quickly we could advance justice!
She reminded the audience of HART’s motto: “I cannot do everything, but I must not do anything.”
The ARF presented HART with a very generous donation to carry on its fine rehabilitation work.
It was when thirty fatigue clad Hamazkayin Arax Dance Ensemble youth performed a spirited precision drill type dance called “Ariunod Trosh” (bloody flag) with audible Hoo Ha’s, the Armenian fighting spirit came through clearly.
Adi Asadoorian represented the Armenian Youth Federation and gave an encouraging account of how the youth intend to carry on the mantle of their elders in the quest for justice.
A letter of support was read sent by Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, Reading of proclamation was accomplished by Ms. Anya Bieciuk representing Gov. Rick Snyder, Klint Kesto state representative from the 39th District was in attendance.
Co-chair Raffi Ourlian then read Mourad Topalian’s biography, describing him as a prominent member and political activist of the Armenian community. Topalian was chairman of the ANCA and the International Hye Tahd Committee for 12 years. He was awarded the Freedom Award for his dedication to advancing the Armenian Cause. With several master’s degrees to his credit, Topalian has also taught college level courses.
Mourad Topalian is a true and loyal patriot of Armenia and justice. He says, “We don’t have to ask for the genocide to be recognized by any president. It was already done years ago. We know the genocide happened, most of the world knows it happened.”
“Detroit, you stood by me during difficult times,” he said, emotionally. “My daughter had cancer, but now is healthy and a college student.” He quoted from the US Constitution, Abraham Lincoln, and Patrick Henry: “Give me liberty or give me death.”
“The killers took everything we own. They took our farms, our lands, our businesses, our orchards, raped our girls, went on a killing rampage, sent us into the desert barefooted, naked, and starving. They destroyed our villages. We want reparations, we want restitution, we want our lands, we want our bank accounts, we want justice! We want what is ours!” He spoke of Simon Vratzian, saying our martyrs did not die needlessly.
Topalian is passionate man who leads the way with his knowledge of the Armenian situation and how things work in Washington. He had access to the White House, Congress, and the powers to be. He remains an outspoken humanitarian for Armenian justice. Can each of us not give him our backing, can we not give a little more of ourselves when we have to stand up now, more than ever before, for Armenian rights and our martyrs?
“We the diaspora have to be the second army,” he said. “There are 80 million Turks. They fear the diaspora. A recent poll taken in Turkey showed 80 percent of them hate Americans, and yet we allow them to build over 200 charter schools here in our country. What is our nation thinking? They are out to eliminate every one of us, you and me.”
“Return our churches,” he continued. “More than 2,500 churches were turned into stables or barracks or were otherwise destroyed. Where are the American principles? We must do more, get angry. We seek nothing more than what is ours, the restoration of our homes, lands, farms, our dignity, and churches. Where are American principles concerning Armenians?” He added, “Our dreams were written on the blood of the Lisbon Five and others.” Topalian, like many, still carries on his shoulders the weight of the Armenian Genocide. He is a man on a mission. Many of us in the audience had attended a Mid-West conference in the late 1950’s in his hometown of Cleveland, where his family, with roots in Malatya, were working on the Armenian Cause.
The evening concluded to standing ovations with the speakers being thronged by a congratulatory crowd.
The commemorative committee consisted of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Armenian Youth Federation, Armenian Relief Society, ANCA of Michigan, Armenian Community Center, Homenetmen of Detroit, Hamazkayin Arm. Ed. & Cultural Society, St.Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Congregational Church, and St. Vartan Armenian Catholic church.
Benediction was given by Rev. Fr. Hrant Kevorkian and Badveli Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian.
An afterglow was held at George’s Senate Coney Island in Northville where guests were hosted to convivial conversation and a marvelous buffet dinner.
In recent years the Detroit Armenian community has returned to its former strength and greatness under youthful leadership injecting new life into the spirit established by the survivor generation. The committee is to be commended for providing the community with an exceptional evening. Comments from supporters were nothing but positive.
Betty Apigian-Kessel
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Excellent reporting! Wish I was there! Helen Arakelian Cirrito
Is Baroness Cox talking about the same Zori Balayan who written a racist book called “The Revival Of Our Souls.”
you lying denialist nomadic savage liar: Zory Balayan has written no such book.
you denialist nomadic savages still cannot comprehend how those lowly ‘gyavurs’ of Artsakh cleaned the clock of the 5X numerous super-race Turkic askyar invaders, so you denialist liars resort to manufacturing fiction – like everything else in your miserable denialist loser lives – to soothe your shattered so-called Turkic ‘pride’.
you nomadic denialist savages thought you could repeat the murderfest of 1915, didn’t ya ?
did’t expect indigenous Armenians would hose the invading nomadic hordes into Hell with a torrent of hot lead, did ya ?