Emulate Krikor observing the Genocide

Vaհe H Apelian

I read that the Prelacy of the Armenian Apsotolic Church of Lebanon, the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate, and the Central Body of the Armenian Evangelical Churches have issued a call for solidarity to commemorate the 111^th anniversay Armenian Genocide in Lebanon.

I have attached my translation of the call for solidarity  along the original in Armenian.

The call reminded me of a,similar call for closing all Armenian institutions and businesses in Lebanon during early years of the 1970's. I do not remeber the year, but surely it was before 1975 because the infamous bus incident took place on April 13, 1975 ushed the country to its protracted civil war that lasted for the next 15 years.  The 1970's Genocide commemorating call was spearheaded by the ARF Zavarian Student Association. Internet was not invented. There was no socail media. The call was spread through flyers the students of the Zavarian Student Association had printed for the occasion. The flyers were distributed whichever way distribution was possible and feasible, but mostly by handing the flyers personally to business owners, and to individuals.

The community responded. On April 24 of that particular year, at noon time, I left the American University of Beirut I attended and went to the inn, my father operatied. Hotel Lux was located in down Lebanon, a short distance from the Lebanese parliament, on Allenby Street, a few blocks from the intersection of Rue Weygand. 

I quote,  Weygand Street (Rue Weygand) and Allenby Street (Rue Allenby), were «famous, historic streets in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, known as the core of the city's business district and as a showcase of early 20th-century French Mandate architecture. Developed after World War I, these streets served as a commercial, social, and architectural hub, linking the city center to the harbor.» 

When I got to  down town, I remained mesmerized, shocked, owe stricken, and somewhat panicked, because I saw shops after shops, businesses after business closed. Many had the same flyer affixed on the doors of their stores, shops, businesses. It suddenly downed on me that in our zeal, we had done somethign terribly wrong. We had made the prominence of the Armenian business ownership evident in plain view. Not only, I thought it would lead to animosity for having the Armenians, who were relatively new comers to the country, become the movers and shakers of the commerce in down Beirut. We also had deprived the community from icome by having Armenians close their business for a whole day. 

Over fifty years later, I read the same call, to have  hundreds and hundreds of  Armenian owned factories, businesses, be it shops, stores, restaurants, etc. close for business for a whole day and deprive the community of income for a whole day. 

It is then that I was reminded of Krikor Kradjian, who had newly opened his pharmacy in Faraya. I quote, «Bikfaya is a popular, high-altitude summer resort in Lebanon famous for its traditional red-tiled stone houses, pine forests, and its annual Peach Festival.» But the popular resort town that boasts one of the best ski slopes in lebanon, had not a pharmacy until then. Instead of closing the pharmacy, Krikor had posted an announcement in Aztag Daily, that he is keeping his pharmacy open to the public but, he will be donating the day's income to Armenian Cause.

Over fifty years ago, Krikor had the right vision. He donated his income on April 24 to Armenian Cause and by doing so he upheld the memory of the Armenian Genocide Martyrs, no less than anyone else, if not more..

The Armenian community leaders in Lebanon, could very well have done the same. Instead of calling Armenians to close their business on April 24, 2026, have the business owners donate that day's income towards an Armenian cause of their choosing; much like Krikor Kradjian did over fifty years ago.

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