06 04 25 - FRANCE : 91st COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Jean Eckian from www.inhomage.com

Several memorials were inaugurated in France at the time of 91st commemoration of Armenian genocide.

In Marseilles, city which has the strongest Armenian community in France, 3000 people attended the inauguration of a memorial.
The ceremony proceeded in the presence of the president of the Armenian National Assembly, Arthur Baghdassarian, which revealed with the local political personalities the monument, entirely financed by public funds (State and communities).

This one is a counterpart on smaller scale of that of Erevan and presents "twelve stones laid out rings some which symbolize the twelve provinces despoiled by Turkey". For this occasion, the deputy of socialist party of the area of Bouches du Rhone , Christophe Masse, indicated that he would be the reporter of a private bill sanctioning the negation of the Armenian genocide at the time of the parliamentary meeting of initiative on May 18.

In Lyon, another memorial, protected by a video system, was inaugurated in the center of Lyon, under high police protection, in the presence of the minister of Equipment, Dominique Perben. It is composed of 36 "white stone sheets" 3,46 m height drawn up towards the sky. It was set up place Antonin Poncet. Its construction was punctuated incidents during last months.
March 18, 3000 representatives of Turkish community had ravelled in the streets of Lyon by holding up signs denying the armenian genocide.
One month later, the monument had been profaned.

In Paris, eight giant "steles" out of paperboard were drawn up Sunday in front of the cathedral Our-injury with the memory of the genocide and against the refusal of the Turkish authorities to recognize it. They were installed by collective VAN (Armenian Vigilance against the negationnism).

The commemoration of Paris was held in front of approximately 7000 people, in front of the statue of Gomidas father, and during which several representatives of the French political parties affirmed their support to the descendants of Genocide of 1915, indicating that Turkey was to recognize the Genocide to be able to use the European Union.
The deputy Patrick Devedjian assured the assembly which "the negationnism will not pass."

By counting all the areas and small cities sheltering of French Armenian origin, they are 30 000 people who attended all the commemorations of France on a population of 500 000.
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