YOUTHS TURN FAITH INTO ACTION ARMENIAN CHURCH GROUP STARTING FUND-RAISING DRIVE TO HELP REFUGEES IN SUDAN.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

For Armenian-American youths in a Burbank-based church organization, the mass killings of civilians in Sudan echo their own people's genocide, and they want to extend help.

To demonstrate that commitment, the Armenian Church Youth Organization will start a $15,000 fund-raising initiative Thursday on the observance of Armenian Christmas.

Sudanese youths have been invited to participate in the event, which will be held at the Burbank headquarters of the Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese.

April 24 is generally the date when Armenians mark the killings that occurred from 1915 to 1923 in the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Approximately 1.5 million died in what Armenians say was genocide. The Turkish government always has denied genocide occurred and claims the Armenian deaths were due to war.

``When we're marching on April 24, when we're (decrying) the crimes that have been committed against us, we say, 'Never again,''' said Matthew Ash, youth director for the Western Diocese.

Ash sees parallels between the Armenian Genocide and the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, since both Turkey and Sudan have denied accusations of genocide.

``It robs something from the victims' families because they're suffering and the person who caused that suffering isn't even acknowledging it's happening,'' Ash said.

In recent months, tens of thousands have been killed or died of disease in the Darfur region, where armed groups called Janjaweed and pro- government militias have killed and raped villagers after rebels took up arms last year, according to the United Nations. Aid workers are faced with helping the more than 1.5 million people who have been displaced by the conflict.

The $15,000 the ACYO plans to raise is expected to be enough to provide food and shelter to 400 Sudanese refugees for 40 days, according to the organization. The money will be sent to Care International.

The ACYO was formed in 1946 and has 650 members in California and Arizona. Most of its members are in their teens or early 20s.

Thera Der-Gevorgian, 17, of Glendale joined the organization eight months ago and is part of the recently formed Burbank chapter.

She said she, too, sees similarities to the Armenian Genocide in photos of the crisis in Darfur.

``Everything that happened during 1915 that happened to us the Armenians is happening right now to them,'' she said. ``They're just a different color than us.''

The ACYO's Burbank chapter meets at the Western Diocese headquarters and has more than 10 members. The organization is trying to establish a chapter in Glendale.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian said youths with the ACYO have had contact with members of the Sudanese community in Southern California and that it is important to offer them support.

``After all, when we speak about religion and faith ... faith should be reflected in action,'' Derderian said.

The ACYO plans to raise money for Sudan through a mailing campaign, over the Internet and through appeals at events and plate collections at churches.

One of the past projects of the ACYO was an initiative to support hundreds of children orphaned by a 1988 earthquake in Armenia. Now that many of those children are moving on to college, the ACYO has launched a new initiative called Brighter Future for Armenia, to provide nearly 300 students with $365 a year each to help pay for college.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com