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On The Criminalization Of The Denial Of Genocides

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  • On The Criminalization Of The Denial Of Genocides

    ON THE CRIMINALIZATION OF THE DENIAL OF GENOCIDES

    http://www.ramgavar.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=392%3 Aon-the-criminalization-of-the-denial-of-genocides-by-ara-papian&catid=56%3Aramgavar-mamoul&Itemid=27&lang=en
    Wednesday, 11 January 2012 00:00

    Ara Papian, Head of the Modus Vivendi Centre
    Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

    Ara Papian

    There was a saying in my youth, "to swallow a Danish pill", which
    implied to willfully accede to a position beneficial to another.

    Honestly speaking, I still don't know to this day why it is referred to
    as "Danish" specifically. However, that some people have swallowed the
    Turkish pill today is quite clear. And what that Turkish pill comprises
    is something I do know, as, over the course of these recent discussions
    in the National Assembly of France, some have written and continue
    to write - among them even Armenians - that the criminalisation of
    the public denial of genocides is wrong, as that would mean limiting
    free speech and the right to have one's own opinion.

    Since when has the protection of a criminal act been "freedom
    of speech" or "holding an opinion"? Go to Canada, for example,
    and publicly "express your opinion" that, say, black people or
    Armenians are filthy or lazy. You do know what they would do to you,
    right? You would end up in jail or be penalised in some other fashion
    for inciting "hate speech". Declare in Germany that Hitler had his
    reasons for massacring Jews. Don't deny the Holocaust; simply try
    to bring up some justification or basis for it. I believe you would
    know the consequences better than I do. Well, where is that "freedom
    of speech", then? Or is that some people consider us Armenians more
    democratic than Canadians or Germans?

    It is important to underscore a few key points in order to understand
    these current events. Genocide, including and especially that of
    the Armenians, is not simply something that happened in the past, a
    mere historical occurrence. It is the worst crime, "the crime of the
    crimes", as juridical scholars put it, as it consists of a series of
    the most reprehensible criminal acts - murder, rape, child molestation,
    slavery, illegally depriving people of their freedom, pillaging or the
    destruction of the property of others, the annihilation or acquisition
    of objects of cultural value, etc. This crime brings up essentially
    the whole gamut of the penal code.

    Consequently, the public denial of a genocide is an attempt at the
    justification of a crime. It is, in fact, the encouragement of a
    crime, and that does not just imply being an accomplice to a crime,
    but committing a crime itself. I repeat: genocide is not a historical
    event, about which there could be differing opinions. It is a crime,
    and crimes can have only one response - punishment. And if it is
    impossible to punish, then one must condemn, one of the reasons
    behind which is to prevent the crime in future. Nothing encourages a
    criminal and motivates him to repeat a crime more than a crime that
    went unpunished.

    I mentioned above that, "Genocide, including and especially that of
    the Armenians, is not simply something that happened in the past,
    a mere historical occurrence". Why "especially that of the Armenians"?

    For the simple reason that the Armenian Genocide is the only genocide
    that is continuing, as the consequences of that criminal act have
    an ongoing nature. Let me explain. The perpetrators of all previous
    genocides have been punished one way or another, the victims have
    been compensated in whole or in part, and they continue to receive
    compensation, that is, the consequences of those genocides have been
    overcome to some degree. The Armenian Genocide is the only one where
    not only have the perpetrators not been punished or even at least
    condemned internationally (the acts of retribution carried out by
    Armenians cannot be viewed as "international"), but the genocide is
    still happening, as the consequences of the genocide are still in
    place. Armenia today has become subject to a blockade due to genocide.

    The Republic of Armenia has lost a significant part of its territory
    due to genocide, losing as well its access to the sea - so essential
    to the country's development - and further living space, while also
    being rendered strategically far more vulnerable. A major part of
    the citizenry of the Republic of Armenia has a low standard of living
    today. There are numerous reasons for this, including domestic ones.

    But the external reasons are central to this matter, if not being
    essential to it. And the most important of those external reasons are
    the continuing consequences in place of the Armenian Genocide. And so,
    as long as the consequences of that genocide have not been eliminated,
    the citizens of the Republic of Armenia cannot enjoy a secure and
    prosperous life. Of course, some improvement can be achieved with
    proper management, but any such development would be very limited,
    unstable, and vulnerable. Any other discussions on the matter are
    either blatant propaganda for achieving power in the country or honest
    self-deception. The strength of the country - that is, the prosperity
    of its citizens - is a very material concept and it finds its basis
    on just as material concepts. Of course the regime is very important,
    and even has significance in the day-to-day, without which normal life
    would not be possible. It is like the yeast, without which one cannot
    have one's daily bread. But if one does not even have the grain or
    the land on which one is to grow the grain, then the yeast becomes
    a luxury that soon grows rancid.

    It must be understood that the recognition, condemnation, and the
    criminalisation of the denial of the Armenian Genocide are steps
    aimed at eliminating the consequences of the Armenian Genocide. And
    that is the case even more so now, where in France the attempt is a
    first to place the Armenian Genocide side-by-side with the Holocaust,
    with all the legal consequences that that would entail.




    From: A. Papazian
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