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NEVER FORGET: OUR MODERN HISTORY WITH GENOCIDE BEGAN IN ARMENIA
By Kimberly Horg-Webb
Sacramento News & Review, CA
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oi d=656737
April 24 2008
This infamous question, attributed to Adolf Hitler, is inscribed on a
wall of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. A bold
statement argued about by scholars, it represents millions of people
of Armenian descent still fighting for recognition of the murders of
their family members almost 100 years ago.
Genocide Remembrance Day, held on April 24, is a day to reflect
on those who died. Between 1915 and 1923, according to historical
accounts, around 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed on
the orders of the Ottoman Empire.
Until the late 19th century, Armenians were living in harmony with
other ethnic groups. But the Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire,
which led to Russian control over a large part of Armenian territory,
led to problems. Russian support of Christians within the Ottoman
Empire weakened the Ottoman government's control by leading Armenians
to believe they could regain independence. Armenian Christians were
subject to Islamic dhimmi laws, which granted them lesser status and
fewer legal rights than Muslim Ottoman citizens had under sharia
law. Resentment between the groups escalated to conflict, abuse
and violence.
Armenian survivors say that they were forced from their homes by
the Ottoman government through mass evacuations and murders. Rape,
famine and murder became so widespread that, whether an intended
goal or not, the result was to exterminate a large portion of the
Armenian population.
The present-day Turkish government disputes many facts of the forced
evacuation and mass deaths. Although the Turkish government does
not dispute that the Ottoman government ordered the evacuation of
Armenians, they reject calling it "genocide." Instead, the Turks
allege that the deaths among Armenians at the time were the result
of interethnic strife, disease and famine related to the turmoil of
World War I.
Armenians continue to work to keep their memories alive. Each year
on this day, thousands travel from all over the world to the genocide
memorial at Tsitsernakaberd Hill in Yerevan, Armenia, to lay flowers
for those who died.
American Armenians are actively pursuing efforts toward recognition
of the tragedy as well. In April of 2005, more than 1,200 people
gathered in front of the state Capitol to thank the Legislature for
passing Senate Bill 424. The bill, authored by Sen. Chuck Poochigian
and signed by the governor, marked April 24 as California's official
remembrance date for the Armenian genocide. And last year, Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed the week of April 22 through April
29 as "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide." Meanwhile, the
U.S. Senate has the Armenian genocide resolution (Senate Resolution
106) under consideration.
But genocide has been a major threat throughout the world for all
of the last century, even into the beginning of this one. From the
Armenian tragedy to the current situation in Darfur, a silent world
is the biggest block to ending genocide.
By Kimberly Horg-Webb
Sacramento News & Review, CA
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Content?oi d=656737
April 24 2008
This infamous question, attributed to Adolf Hitler, is inscribed on a
wall of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. A bold
statement argued about by scholars, it represents millions of people
of Armenian descent still fighting for recognition of the murders of
their family members almost 100 years ago.
Genocide Remembrance Day, held on April 24, is a day to reflect
on those who died. Between 1915 and 1923, according to historical
accounts, around 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed on
the orders of the Ottoman Empire.
Until the late 19th century, Armenians were living in harmony with
other ethnic groups. But the Russian victory over the Ottoman Empire,
which led to Russian control over a large part of Armenian territory,
led to problems. Russian support of Christians within the Ottoman
Empire weakened the Ottoman government's control by leading Armenians
to believe they could regain independence. Armenian Christians were
subject to Islamic dhimmi laws, which granted them lesser status and
fewer legal rights than Muslim Ottoman citizens had under sharia
law. Resentment between the groups escalated to conflict, abuse
and violence.
Armenian survivors say that they were forced from their homes by
the Ottoman government through mass evacuations and murders. Rape,
famine and murder became so widespread that, whether an intended
goal or not, the result was to exterminate a large portion of the
Armenian population.
The present-day Turkish government disputes many facts of the forced
evacuation and mass deaths. Although the Turkish government does
not dispute that the Ottoman government ordered the evacuation of
Armenians, they reject calling it "genocide." Instead, the Turks
allege that the deaths among Armenians at the time were the result
of interethnic strife, disease and famine related to the turmoil of
World War I.
Armenians continue to work to keep their memories alive. Each year
on this day, thousands travel from all over the world to the genocide
memorial at Tsitsernakaberd Hill in Yerevan, Armenia, to lay flowers
for those who died.
American Armenians are actively pursuing efforts toward recognition
of the tragedy as well. In April of 2005, more than 1,200 people
gathered in front of the state Capitol to thank the Legislature for
passing Senate Bill 424. The bill, authored by Sen. Chuck Poochigian
and signed by the governor, marked April 24 as California's official
remembrance date for the Armenian genocide. And last year, Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed the week of April 22 through April
29 as "Days of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide." Meanwhile, the
U.S. Senate has the Armenian genocide resolution (Senate Resolution
106) under consideration.
But genocide has been a major threat throughout the world for all
of the last century, even into the beginning of this one. From the
Armenian tragedy to the current situation in Darfur, a silent world
is the biggest block to ending genocide.