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ARMENIAN GENOCIDE STILL CASTS A LONG SHADOW OVER HISTORY
By Herout Kerjilian
Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY
April 24 2008
Armenians worldwide today commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the first
genocide of the 20th century, when on April 24, 1915, the Turkish
government embarked on a planned and systematic ethnic deportation
and massacre of the Armenian population of Anatolia with the purpose
of annihilation and extermination of the Christian Armenian nation
and ethnic cleansing of them from their ancestral lands of 3,000 years.
The Turkish process was so horrific that it led Raphael Lemkin to
campaign against such heinous crimes and coin the word "genocide"
based on the Armenian experience.
Armenians -- from the first Christian nation in the world -- have,
over the centuries, contributed much to human civilization. However,
it is little comfort to them that their catastrophe gave the world the
word "genocide." One would think that the Turks would be ashamed that
their "murder of a nation," as the American ambassador to Istanbul
at the time, Henry Morgentau, and The New York Times labeled it,
contributed to the creation of that word.
As a matter of fact, one would expect Turkey to be uncomfortable
having the singular dubious distinction of being the only nation in
the world to have executed three genocides: the Armenian, Pontian
Greeks and the Assyrians -- all Christian. Yet unlike Nazi Germany,
the Turks vehemently deny that they ever committed a genocide and,
using their geopolitical importance, have successfully thwarted the
passage of resolution No. 106 by Congress -- U.S. recognition of the
Armenian genocide.
Twenty-three European countries and 40 U.S. states, including
New York, have recognized it. Besides denying the genocide, the
Turks further claim they are the original inhabitants of Anatolia
(historic Armenian Highlands) and, in a recently published history
book, a Turkish professor claims that all these "so-called" Armenian,
Greek and Assyrian churches and monuments in Anatolia were built by
original Turks who were Christian before converting to Islam.
An article published in a recent Binghamton University alumni
newsletter stated that Turkey is a great democratic country, and that
Binghamton University is very proud to be associated with it. Have
the writers or contributors of this article talked with the Armenian,
Greek or Kurdish refugees in our area?
How can a so-called democratic country deny, even today, the existence
of 15 million Kurds in Turkey and disallow the teaching of any Kurdish
language or letting them practice their cultural heritages?
Our own government will not recognize this tragic event under the
guise of not offending an important ally and partner in the war
against terrorism. Yet, Turkey's decision not to allow us to enter
Iraq from the north created, in former Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld's words, a vacuum which allowed the al-Qaida and the Iraqi
insurgency time and space to organize, which led to today's mess in
Iraq and the unnecessary deaths and injury of thousands of American
soldiers and Iraqis.
As Nazi Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel has said in connection with the
Armenians, "genocide denial is the last act of genocide." We believe
that all people of conscience in this country believe in the values
this country stands for and encourage our government to do what
is right and moral by allowing Congress to pass resolution 106 --
something President Bush promised the Armenian-American community
during his presidential campaign but went back on once he became
president.
On April 27 at 12.30 p.m., please join the Armenian community of
Broome County as we commemorate the 93rd anniversary of this tragic
genocide. The event will take place at the Armenian monument site
at corner of Conklin Avenue and South Washington Street Bridge in
Binghamton.
Kerjilian is a Binghamton resident.
By Herout Kerjilian
Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY
April 24 2008
Armenians worldwide today commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the first
genocide of the 20th century, when on April 24, 1915, the Turkish
government embarked on a planned and systematic ethnic deportation
and massacre of the Armenian population of Anatolia with the purpose
of annihilation and extermination of the Christian Armenian nation
and ethnic cleansing of them from their ancestral lands of 3,000 years.
The Turkish process was so horrific that it led Raphael Lemkin to
campaign against such heinous crimes and coin the word "genocide"
based on the Armenian experience.
Armenians -- from the first Christian nation in the world -- have,
over the centuries, contributed much to human civilization. However,
it is little comfort to them that their catastrophe gave the world the
word "genocide." One would think that the Turks would be ashamed that
their "murder of a nation," as the American ambassador to Istanbul
at the time, Henry Morgentau, and The New York Times labeled it,
contributed to the creation of that word.
As a matter of fact, one would expect Turkey to be uncomfortable
having the singular dubious distinction of being the only nation in
the world to have executed three genocides: the Armenian, Pontian
Greeks and the Assyrians -- all Christian. Yet unlike Nazi Germany,
the Turks vehemently deny that they ever committed a genocide and,
using their geopolitical importance, have successfully thwarted the
passage of resolution No. 106 by Congress -- U.S. recognition of the
Armenian genocide.
Twenty-three European countries and 40 U.S. states, including
New York, have recognized it. Besides denying the genocide, the
Turks further claim they are the original inhabitants of Anatolia
(historic Armenian Highlands) and, in a recently published history
book, a Turkish professor claims that all these "so-called" Armenian,
Greek and Assyrian churches and monuments in Anatolia were built by
original Turks who were Christian before converting to Islam.
An article published in a recent Binghamton University alumni
newsletter stated that Turkey is a great democratic country, and that
Binghamton University is very proud to be associated with it. Have
the writers or contributors of this article talked with the Armenian,
Greek or Kurdish refugees in our area?
How can a so-called democratic country deny, even today, the existence
of 15 million Kurds in Turkey and disallow the teaching of any Kurdish
language or letting them practice their cultural heritages?
Our own government will not recognize this tragic event under the
guise of not offending an important ally and partner in the war
against terrorism. Yet, Turkey's decision not to allow us to enter
Iraq from the north created, in former Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld's words, a vacuum which allowed the al-Qaida and the Iraqi
insurgency time and space to organize, which led to today's mess in
Iraq and the unnecessary deaths and injury of thousands of American
soldiers and Iraqis.
As Nazi Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel has said in connection with the
Armenians, "genocide denial is the last act of genocide." We believe
that all people of conscience in this country believe in the values
this country stands for and encourage our government to do what
is right and moral by allowing Congress to pass resolution 106 --
something President Bush promised the Armenian-American community
during his presidential campaign but went back on once he became
president.
On April 27 at 12.30 p.m., please join the Armenian community of
Broome County as we commemorate the 93rd anniversary of this tragic
genocide. The event will take place at the Armenian monument site
at corner of Conklin Avenue and South Washington Street Bridge in
Binghamton.
Kerjilian is a Binghamton resident.