Armenian Weekly. The following speech was delivered on April 12 at the annual Armenian Flag Raising Ceremony at the Fort Lee Borough Hall, organized by the AYF-YOARF New Jersey “Arsen” Chapter and ANC of New Jersey, with a proclamation issued by Mayor Mark J. Sokolich.
My name is Sarhad Melkonian, and I am your emcee today. As we mark the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we are not simply recalling history—we are witnessing its echoes in real time.
Two years ago, the heart of our ancestral homeland, Artsakh, was violently emptied of its indigenous Armenian population. Over 120,000 Armenians—children, families, elders—were forcibly displaced in a campaign of genocide carried out by Azerbaijan, with the complicity and support of Turkey. The world watched in silence.
Today, Armenian prisoners of war and political detainees remain behind bars in Baku, enduring degrading and inhumane conditions. Their only crime: being Armenian.
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Our ancestors were slaughtered for who they were. Our compatriots in Artsakh were driven from our homeland for the same reason. The lesson is devastatingly clear: genocide, in all its forms, is not confined to a single year in history. It is a process that repeats, adapts and hides behind treasonous diplomacy and silence if left unchecked.
But let us speak honestly: the threats we face today are not only foreign. Turkey and Azerbaijan have always made clear their genocidal intent—the complete eradication of our people and culture. But now, at this critical moment in our nation’s story, we confront an even more insidious danger: betrayal from within.
It was not enough that our small but indomitable nation had to defend itself against two brutal regimes—one wielding oil, the other denial. Today, we are being torn apart by leaders who have abandoned the very foundations of our struggle. They have surrendered Artsakh, the cradle of our modern resistance. They have desecrated the memory of our martyrs. And now, they attempt to dismantle the legacy of our survivors—to erase our national goals and to silence the call for justice.
These voices from within tell us to forget Western Armenia, to move on from Artsakh, to let go of the Armenian Cause. But we will not be gaslit into surrender. We will not trade truth for political convenience. We know who we are, and we know what we demand: the right of return to our lands, the right to live free on our ancestral soil, and justice—real justice—for every Armenian soul lost to genocide and war.
Our cause is not negotiable. Our history is not for sale. And our future will not be written by those who turn their backs on our people.
So, this day—this commemoration—is not a ceremony of mourning. It is a gathering of purpose, a declaration that we, the descendants of survivors, will not be bystanders. We are here to speak when others are silent, to remember what the world forgets, to defend what is rightfully ours.
But more than anything, we are here together, because, as General Antranik once said, «Մեր ուժը մեր միասնութեան մէջ է»—“Our strength is in our unity.” And when we are united, we are immovable. We are resilient. As Simon Zavarian reminded us, «Միասնաբար մենք ուժեղ ենք, անհատաբար անհրաժեշտ» —“Together we are strong; individually, we are indispensable.” Each of us has a role to play, but it is only through collective strength that justice becomes possible.
As the poet Siamanto once roared through the flames of history:
«Ե՛ս եմ, Ե՛ս եմ, Ե՛ս եմ, իմ անունս է
Պայքար եւ վախճանս Յաղթանակ»։
“I am, I am, I am—my name is Struggle, and my destiny is Victory.”
These words are not just poetry. They are prophecy. They are the pulse of a nation that refuses to die. They are the fire in our voices when we say that we will never surrender our truth. We will never abandon our homeland. And we will never let the memory of our martyrs be buried under the weight of denial and indifference.
Let this day remind us that our struggle is not behind us—it is before us. And as long as we remain united—carrying forward our history with courage and clarity—that struggle will, indeed, end in victory.
