2017 Syrian human rights crisis, 1915 Armenian genocide and the evolving concept of human rights

1. Come prepared…
Before class on Armenian genocide read the
illustrated UNDHR to be prepared for class discussion
and lecture.

2. Acknowledgments
This presentation was adapted and modified from “I am
Syria’s” teaching and learning about Syrian refugee crisis.
Go to www.iamsyria.org
Hit “Education” on top tool bar.

3. First, any comprehension
questions about assigned reading
of UNDHR before starting lecture?

4. Syrian Refugee Crisis

5. Where the story starts—the Arab Spring Revolts
early 2011 the citizens of MENA(Middle East and North Africa) countries are fed up with

6. Protests for democracy in the Middle East, 2011
Photo taken by Reuters

7. Map of Syria and the Middle East
Map by Wikipedia

8. Syria’s Dictator: Bashar al-Assad
Photo by the AP
Assad

9. Protests for democracy against Assad’s harsh rule, 2011

10. The spark that
started the Syrian
Revolution:
12 year old Hamza
al-Khateeb who
wrote on the side
of his school
“The
Government
must go!”

11. He was tortured, killed, with his body returned to his parents;
sparking outrage and more protest.

12. the other boy who started the syrian civil war
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njKuK3tw8
PQ
Watch video:
http://video.aljazeera.com/channels/eng/videos/the-boy-who-
started-the-syrian-war---featured-
documentary/5318377073001

13. 2011-to the present:
Assad destroys many Syrian cities to fight back against protesters
Photo by Freedom House

14. Video
Barrel
Bombs
Assad’s
forces
drop on
citizens

16. August 2013:
Assad uses poison gas against Syrians in the city of Ghouta

17. His actions were similar to what you
may have seen in “The Hunger Games”

18. To make matters even worse:
ISIS—or the Islamic State-- seeks to control Syria,
Spring 2014

19. 2015: Thousands of frustrated Syrians leave to Europe
Photo by the United Nations

20. A flood of refugees attempting to escape Syria, 2011-present
^^^Remember this image for tomorrows presentation.^^^^

21. Syria
Map created by the
International Business Times--

23. Two Syrian children in a refugee camp
Photo by Reuters

24. Many Syrians fled to refugee camps in neighboring countries
U.S. State Dept. photo
Zaatari Refugee
Camp in Jordan, i

25. What this has meant for the Syrian people—video by Save the Children

26. Multiply that video times a million!
These people are seeking protection in

27. And Millions!
Many have risked dangerous boat rides across the Mediterranean Sea

29. Over 3,000 Syrians have drowned during 2014-15
Photo by CNN

30. The Drowning: By Ammar Abdulhamid
What feelings does his image capture?

31. Aylan Kurdi:
3 year old Syrian boy who drowned
when his raft capsized in Sept. 2015
PHOTO: NILUFER DEMIR/DHA VIA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
/

32. Where things are at today:
Working with Russia and Iran, Assad’s forces have pummeled Aleppo
and other Syrian cities, poised to retake control of the country.
Bombing Photo courtesy of Validated UGC - Map from Agence France Presse

33. Where things are at today:
April 2017: Assad drops sarin gas on Idlib province, killing 70
Photo courtesy of Edlib Media Center

34. Where things are at today:
April 2017: In response to the gas attacks, President Trump orders
missile strikes on Syrian airstrips.
Photo courtesy of Edlib Media Center

35. If you want to learn more of Syria
at
Potential extra credit if using

36. Want to do something?
You can take Action:
Don’t just simply admire the
problem

37. After listening to the short segment by Public Radio International, in
the context of what is happening to Syria and Syrians, why is the
statement,“denial is the final act of genocide,” significant to human
rights for all?
https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-04-27/101-year-old-armenian-
genocide-survivor-tells-her-story
You will have a few minutes to write down your response that
includes some of the language of your homework readings of the
UNDHR and comparing the Armenian genocide survivor and the
current experiences of syrian refugees. Then a few minutes to do a

38. There are no turks with whips and no Godzilla, so what are these “throngs” of people
fleeing from?

39. Tonights homework read the article from vice news to be prepared for the
transition of Syrias crisis to understand the Armenian genocide of 1915:
“Syrian Armenians Scramble for Safety as the Rebels Advance”
Read article here

41. Armenian orphans in Syria.
The “Death marches” Ottoman Turks would drive Armenian crowds into Syrian deserts
where the parents of these children would die trying to keep their children alive. The
Armenian diaspora has created many pockets of Armenian communities around the
world. Including the unlikely armenian enclave in the Syrian border town of Kassab where
Armenians are seeking refuge elsewhere with growing instabiliity caused by Syria’s civil
war.

42. Chance of another genocide?
Syria’s Armenian community linked to Armenian genocide
The armenian diaspora has a community of Christian Armenians who are once again a
christian minority in a muslim majority country.

43. Historical context of Armenian genocide:
WWI, decline of Ottoman empire,
Russian empire, and Armenian revolt.
Despite world wide consensus that Genocide
was commited, Turkey still denies genocide,
and treating the incident with Armenians
more as an “act of war” in defense of the
empire in a time of war. This is simply a
disclaimer to let you know this is a disputed
topic just like many historical interpretations
of sensitive topics.

44. Forgotten genocide.