18/04/2011 14:35
Memoirs of Genocide survivors published
Ethnographer and folklorist Verzhine Svazlyan presented today a work - collection of evidence of survivors of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government in 1915, titled “Armenian Genocide: Testimony of the Eye-Witness Survivors.”
According to the expert, there are many works about the Armenian Genocide in different languages, many scientific studies, document collections, nevertheless they do not feature the voice of the people experiencing the Genocide.
“In 1955 I started to collect evidence of eye-witnesses and to put it down. I have collected 700 units of materials,” V. Svazlyan said.
She collected memoirs not only in Armenia but also in the Diaspora.
“The people is the greatest witness of this major political crime,” the folklorist said adding that the testimonies have much legal value and can make a great contribution to the resolution of the Armenian Cause and recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
The book “Armenian Genocide: Testimony of the Eye-Witness Survivors” has been translated into English and Turkish.