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French Bill to Stop the `Double Killing' - Denial of Armenian Genocide
asbarez
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
BY KATE NAHAPETIAN
>From endgenocide.org
Recognizing and remembering past genocides is an important step toward
ending this cycle of violence. The denial of genocide is widely
recognized as the last stage - a `double killing.' This double killing
continues today with regard to the Armenian Genocide. What is unique
about the denial of the Armenian Genocide is that it is promulgated by
a multimillion dollar state-sponsored campaign by Turkey. Countries
like the United States have acquiesced to Turkey's threats and have
failed to recognize the genocide, while countries like France have
stood up and are taking action to prohibit denial.
On January 23, 2012, the French Senate followed the lower house of the
French Parliament in passing legislation criminalizing the denial of
all instances of genocide officially recognized by France, adding the
Armenian Genocide to an earlier version of the law prohibiting denial
of the Holocaust.
Turkey reacted with predictable fury, threatening irreparable harm to
bilateral relations, and trotting out its tired dog-and-pony show of
withdrawn ambassadors, irate declarations, and hypocritical sermons.
Turkey, which has prosecuted, jailed, and - according to the European
Court of Human Rights - effectively allowed the assassination of a
writer, Hrant Dink, for speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide,
is today preaching to France about free speech and democratic values.
Unlike France, the United States continues to participate in this last
stage of genocide by aiding and abetting Turkey in this `double
killing,' at tremendous cost to our nation's credibility on human
rights.
When asked why the United States does not recognize the Armenian
Genocide, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed as recently as
January 26, 2012 `that this has always been viewed, and I think
properly so, as a matter of historical debate and conclusions rather
than political.'
Previously, almost four years ago to the day, then-Senator Clinton
stated that the Armenian Genocide was `a clear case of genocide' and
that:
`[o]ur common morality and our nation's credibility as a voice for
human rights challenge us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be
recognized and remembered by the Congress and the President of the
United States.'
She had consistently cosponsored the Armenian Genocide resolution as a
Senator and had even demanded that President Bush recognize it on
multiple occasions. The only thing that changed prior to her very
public retreat from the truth is that she was subjected, as our
nation's top diplomat, to Ankara's high-pressure arm-twisting. Instead
of standing up to Ankara's bullying, she - and the rest of the
Obama-Biden Administration - let Turkey impose a gag-rule on American
condemnation of a crime against all humanity.
As one French parliamentarian stated, it was precisely because of
Turkey's state-sponsored campaign of denial and its rage against
France's efforts to safeguard the truth that dictated the need for
passage of a bill on the Armenian Genocide. Denial of genocide is a
celebration of genocide and a warning that it can easily happen again.
Armenia and the entire region is under threat because of Turkey's
denial. It is no accident that Turkey also provided political shelter
to the genocidal government of Sudan, with Turkish Prime Minister
Erdogan himself vocally denying Khartoum's genocide in Darfur.
Help end the cycle of genocide, by standing up against Turkey's denial
of the Armenian Genocide. Learn more and take action here.
The author is the Government Affairs Director at the Armenian National
Committee of America.
asbarez
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
BY KATE NAHAPETIAN
>From endgenocide.org
Recognizing and remembering past genocides is an important step toward
ending this cycle of violence. The denial of genocide is widely
recognized as the last stage - a `double killing.' This double killing
continues today with regard to the Armenian Genocide. What is unique
about the denial of the Armenian Genocide is that it is promulgated by
a multimillion dollar state-sponsored campaign by Turkey. Countries
like the United States have acquiesced to Turkey's threats and have
failed to recognize the genocide, while countries like France have
stood up and are taking action to prohibit denial.
On January 23, 2012, the French Senate followed the lower house of the
French Parliament in passing legislation criminalizing the denial of
all instances of genocide officially recognized by France, adding the
Armenian Genocide to an earlier version of the law prohibiting denial
of the Holocaust.
Turkey reacted with predictable fury, threatening irreparable harm to
bilateral relations, and trotting out its tired dog-and-pony show of
withdrawn ambassadors, irate declarations, and hypocritical sermons.
Turkey, which has prosecuted, jailed, and - according to the European
Court of Human Rights - effectively allowed the assassination of a
writer, Hrant Dink, for speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide,
is today preaching to France about free speech and democratic values.
Unlike France, the United States continues to participate in this last
stage of genocide by aiding and abetting Turkey in this `double
killing,' at tremendous cost to our nation's credibility on human
rights.
When asked why the United States does not recognize the Armenian
Genocide, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed as recently as
January 26, 2012 `that this has always been viewed, and I think
properly so, as a matter of historical debate and conclusions rather
than political.'
Previously, almost four years ago to the day, then-Senator Clinton
stated that the Armenian Genocide was `a clear case of genocide' and
that:
`[o]ur common morality and our nation's credibility as a voice for
human rights challenge us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be
recognized and remembered by the Congress and the President of the
United States.'
She had consistently cosponsored the Armenian Genocide resolution as a
Senator and had even demanded that President Bush recognize it on
multiple occasions. The only thing that changed prior to her very
public retreat from the truth is that she was subjected, as our
nation's top diplomat, to Ankara's high-pressure arm-twisting. Instead
of standing up to Ankara's bullying, she - and the rest of the
Obama-Biden Administration - let Turkey impose a gag-rule on American
condemnation of a crime against all humanity.
As one French parliamentarian stated, it was precisely because of
Turkey's state-sponsored campaign of denial and its rage against
France's efforts to safeguard the truth that dictated the need for
passage of a bill on the Armenian Genocide. Denial of genocide is a
celebration of genocide and a warning that it can easily happen again.
Armenia and the entire region is under threat because of Turkey's
denial. It is no accident that Turkey also provided political shelter
to the genocidal government of Sudan, with Turkish Prime Minister
Erdogan himself vocally denying Khartoum's genocide in Darfur.
Help end the cycle of genocide, by standing up against Turkey's denial
of the Armenian Genocide. Learn more and take action here.
The author is the Government Affairs Director at the Armenian National
Committee of America.