Tweet
Justice needed for Armenian genocide
By Mona Karaguozian
Opinion
Daily Sundial
October 17, 2005
According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, the term genocide is
defined as the "deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial,
political or cultural group."
In April 1915, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire began
systematically annihilating Armenians, by first ridding the
intellectuals, men, elderly, women and then children in the Eastern
Anatolia and Western Armenia region, in what should be known as the
first genocide of the 20th century.
The Turkish government has continuously refused to accept
responsibility for the atrocities that have taken place, and it also
refuses to acknowledge the existence of this "alleged" genocide.
The Turkish government makes claims now that the Armenians who were
killed during that period died as wartime casualties and that many
Turks were killed as well. This is false because only the Armenians
that were living in that region in Turkey were being "relocated"
for safety. Why weren't the other residents of that region being
relocated? It was a deliberate destruction of a specific group
of people.
Who alleges the massacres of 1.5 million people? How could the
destruction of a substantially large number of people be alleged? The
evidence is in the death toll. There are also photographs, hundreds
of chronicles from American newspapers and documentation depicting
the massacres as they were taking place not to mention countless
horror stories passed down generations.
The issue of the Armenian genocide is less than ten years shy of
being a century- long struggle for recognition. Ninety years might
seem like ages ago, but I, as an American born Armenian, still feel
the effects of the massacres. My grandfather was a survivor of the
genocide. I hold knowledge of eyewitness accounts and experiences of
the genocide that were passed down through him. It pains me to be
a third generation Armenian after the genocide and to see that the
struggle for recognition continues to this day.
There are numerous advocacy groups, such as the Armenian National
Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly that are seeking
justice on behalf of the Armenian people. These activists dedicate
their time and effort to spread awareness of the genocide and to gain
recognition for its occurrence.
In a letter sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Oct. 5, ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachikian voiced the profound moral outrage of Armenians
over the Bush administration's ongoing complicity in Turkey's campaign
of genocide denial.
Turkey has also been trying to gain admission into the European Union,
yet they continue running into complications. European Union foreign
ministers have attempted to agree on terms for Turkish membership,
but many countries, like Austria, have refused to agree on full
membership. They are only willing to offer Turkey a "privileged
partnership" with the EU until such claims as the Armenian genocide
have been resolved. If the EU is unable to agree on terms with the
Turkish government, there must be a reason. For being just an "alleged"
claim, the Armenian genocide is a substantial cause for concern among
many European countries.
This is not the first attempt by Armenian-Americans to gain a political
voice regarding this issue. Many bills have been presented to Congress,
each of which would have been instrumental toward the fight for
justice, but none have been passed yet.
Instead, all these bills have been shot down. Armenian activists
have also organized many public events, such as marches, protests,
vigils and pickets at the Turkish embassy in Los Angeles as well as
all over the world.
Throughout the years, these activities have gained some local
media exposure. None, however, have had a national effect on
legislation. Many of the local media outlets are familiar with the
commemoration of April 24 due to the heavily concentrated Armenian
community Los Angeles, but the voice is barely heard.
As the years pass the story gets old and people begin to forget. This
is the goal of the denial.
This situation may change with another attempt to pass legislation. On
Sept. 15, after nearly three hours of debate, the House International
Relations Committee, voted overwhelmingly in favor of two measures
calling for proper U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide (H.Res.316
and H.Con.Res.195) and urging Turkey to end its decades-long denial
of this crime against humanity.
The Senate should finish the work started by the House and call
for recognition of the Armenian genocide. Only with the support of
the United Sates will the movement to have the Turkish government
recognize the past crimes of the Ottoman Empire succeed.
Justice needs to be served and not withheld because of politics.
Mona Karaguozian can be reached at [email protected].
http://sundial.csun.edu/vne ws/display.v/ART/2005/10/17/4353cb4fb78e4
By Mona Karaguozian
Opinion
Daily Sundial
October 17, 2005
According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, the term genocide is
defined as the "deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial,
political or cultural group."
In April 1915, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire began
systematically annihilating Armenians, by first ridding the
intellectuals, men, elderly, women and then children in the Eastern
Anatolia and Western Armenia region, in what should be known as the
first genocide of the 20th century.
The Turkish government has continuously refused to accept
responsibility for the atrocities that have taken place, and it also
refuses to acknowledge the existence of this "alleged" genocide.
The Turkish government makes claims now that the Armenians who were
killed during that period died as wartime casualties and that many
Turks were killed as well. This is false because only the Armenians
that were living in that region in Turkey were being "relocated"
for safety. Why weren't the other residents of that region being
relocated? It was a deliberate destruction of a specific group
of people.
Who alleges the massacres of 1.5 million people? How could the
destruction of a substantially large number of people be alleged? The
evidence is in the death toll. There are also photographs, hundreds
of chronicles from American newspapers and documentation depicting
the massacres as they were taking place not to mention countless
horror stories passed down generations.
The issue of the Armenian genocide is less than ten years shy of
being a century- long struggle for recognition. Ninety years might
seem like ages ago, but I, as an American born Armenian, still feel
the effects of the massacres. My grandfather was a survivor of the
genocide. I hold knowledge of eyewitness accounts and experiences of
the genocide that were passed down through him. It pains me to be
a third generation Armenian after the genocide and to see that the
struggle for recognition continues to this day.
There are numerous advocacy groups, such as the Armenian National
Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly that are seeking
justice on behalf of the Armenian people. These activists dedicate
their time and effort to spread awareness of the genocide and to gain
recognition for its occurrence.
In a letter sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Oct. 5, ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachikian voiced the profound moral outrage of Armenians
over the Bush administration's ongoing complicity in Turkey's campaign
of genocide denial.
Turkey has also been trying to gain admission into the European Union,
yet they continue running into complications. European Union foreign
ministers have attempted to agree on terms for Turkish membership,
but many countries, like Austria, have refused to agree on full
membership. They are only willing to offer Turkey a "privileged
partnership" with the EU until such claims as the Armenian genocide
have been resolved. If the EU is unable to agree on terms with the
Turkish government, there must be a reason. For being just an "alleged"
claim, the Armenian genocide is a substantial cause for concern among
many European countries.
This is not the first attempt by Armenian-Americans to gain a political
voice regarding this issue. Many bills have been presented to Congress,
each of which would have been instrumental toward the fight for
justice, but none have been passed yet.
Instead, all these bills have been shot down. Armenian activists
have also organized many public events, such as marches, protests,
vigils and pickets at the Turkish embassy in Los Angeles as well as
all over the world.
Throughout the years, these activities have gained some local
media exposure. None, however, have had a national effect on
legislation. Many of the local media outlets are familiar with the
commemoration of April 24 due to the heavily concentrated Armenian
community Los Angeles, but the voice is barely heard.
As the years pass the story gets old and people begin to forget. This
is the goal of the denial.
This situation may change with another attempt to pass legislation. On
Sept. 15, after nearly three hours of debate, the House International
Relations Committee, voted overwhelmingly in favor of two measures
calling for proper U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide (H.Res.316
and H.Con.Res.195) and urging Turkey to end its decades-long denial
of this crime against humanity.
The Senate should finish the work started by the House and call
for recognition of the Armenian genocide. Only with the support of
the United Sates will the movement to have the Turkish government
recognize the past crimes of the Ottoman Empire succeed.
Justice needs to be served and not withheld because of politics.
Mona Karaguozian can be reached at [email protected].
http://sundial.csun.edu/vne ws/display.v/ART/2005/10/17/4353cb4fb78e4