In London, Vincent Lima and Ara Sarafian Discuss the Future of the Armenian Question

Standing Room Only for Youthful Audience

Reading (Berks), U.K (27 November 2000) — "It was so refreshing to attend a talk and hear something new and thought-provoking for a change." That was Maral Ovanesoff’s take on a lecture delivered by Vincent Lima and Ara Sarafian on Sunday, 26 November 2000, at the Gulbenkian Hall in London.

The topic of the talk was "Recognition, So What? The Armenian Question in the Twenty-first Century." The speakers are the editors of the journal Armenian Forum.

Vincent Lima Lima, who had flown in from Princeton, New Jersey, spoke first. He said that Armenians insist on official use of the word "genocide" in the dubious belief that Turkey would suffer certain consequences as a result. He suggested that Armenian communities must actively consider what they want those consequences to be. Invoking ethical concerns and Armenian interests, he questioned positions advocating war, changes in state frontiers, and the displacement of people in the region.

Lima made specific, innovative suggestions about what goals fit the interests of Armenians in the twenty-first century, and how these goals might be achieved.

Lima’s main point, however, appeared to be that informed debate about such issues is essential. He made reference to a number of contributions to such a debate in Armenian Forum. For example, articles by Professor Dickran Kouymjian and attorney Anahid Ugurlayan have proposed new ways to safeguard and gain access to the Armenian cultural heritage in Turkey today. Lima also stated that the next issue of the journal would include an exchange of articles by several political scientists about the purposes of pursuing official recognition of the Genocide.

Ara Sarafian spoke next. He emphasised that Armenian communities do have the intellectual resources to tackle these issues in a serious manner. He drew especial attention to the role of public intellectuals, people who do not professionally engage in Armenian studies. As an example he mentioned Dr. Hrayr Karagueuzian, who is a professor of pharmacology at the UCLA School of Medicine. Karagueuzian spent ten years following the trail of unpaid life insurance policies from the time of the Armenian Genocide. His groundbreaking study is featured in the current issue of Armenian Forum.

Sarafian also spoke about the role of the Republic of Armenia in pursuing the consequences of the Armenian Genocide. He recalled that former president Levon Ter-Petrossian had sought to absolve Turkey of responsibility for the Genocide. Although the current administration takes a different position, Sarafian argued, the fact remains that Armenia has its own interests as a state and cannot be expected to speak and act on behalf of all Armenians.

The presentations were followed by an open discussion. Andy Kevorkian, an American journalist in London, raised questions about the practicality of some of the proposals floated by the speakers.

There was a discussion of the large number of Muslim Armenians living in Turkey. Responding to points raised by other members of the audience, a woman from Turkey said that there is nothing odd about the idea of Muslim Armenians.

Dr. Razmik Panossian of the London School of Economics made the point that Armenian Forum covers much more than the consequences of the Genocide.

Bishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, the pontifical legate and primate, had the last word. He put the evening’s discussion in a biblical context.

Sarafian and Lima will make similar presentations in Philadelphia (1 December) and at Columbia University in New York (4 December). More information is available online at www.gomidas.org or by calling 1-888-927-6369.

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