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GENOCIDE AGAINST THE WORLD -- AND ARMENIANS, 100 YEARS LATER
Newbritainherald
April 19 2015
By Harry Mazadoorian
When historians speak of the many genocides committed during the
course of history, the genocide is invariably identified by the name
of those victimized. Certainly, this has been the case of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915, where genocide scholars tell us that some one and
one half million men, women and children died in mass deportation,
starvation and unthinkably brutal savagery and murder.
2015 will witness the 100th commemoration of that terrible time of
butchery and inhumanity, which lasted from 1915 to 1923.
Clearly the Armenian minorities in the Ottoman Empire, as well as other
minorities, were the direct and immediate victims of those heinous
crimes. But in a broader sense, the world itself was the victim.
The failure of the international community to truly recognize and
condemn the unspeakable crimes of that time -- the first genocide of
the twentieth century -- put in play a mindset of impunity from laws
of basic decency and humanity which proliferated throughout the rest
of the century and into the next.
The most commonly cited example was that of Adolph Hitler who, when
challenged that the world would not tolerate what he was planning
to do, stated "Who today, after all, speaks of the annihilation of
the Armenians?'
Henry Morganthau, US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time
of the 1915 Genocide, was eyewitness to the killing fields and
deserts of the Ottoman Empire and, like his colleague Leslie Davis,
United States Counsel in Harput, found himself helpless as he tried
to enlist assistance from the United States and the world community
to intervene. Davis' descriptions of what has become known as the
"slaughterhouse province" and Morganthau's personal reports were
widely reported in the international press.
Recently, the cost of failing to recognize and condemn genocide was
eloquently pointed out by Robert Morganthau, grandson of Ambassador
Henry Morganthau.
Robert Morganthau earned worldwide respect as a public servant and
defender of human rights during his unparalleled career as district
attorney in Manhattan from 1975 to 2009. Last month he commented on
the genocide by pointing out that it was a great tragedy not only
for the Armenians who died and suffered but for the whole world.
"The world has paid a heavy price for not paying attention to the
Armenian genocide," he said.
He was further quoted as saying that "If there had been a greater
outcry and condemnation of the Armenian genocide, perhaps Hitler would
not have proceeded with his plans to kill the Poles and the Jews in
the land that he intended to occupy." And of course the unimaginable
atrocities which followed.
His words echoed the thoughts of former President Theodore Roosevelt
who said at the time of the genocide that the killings were the
"greatest crime of the war" and that failure to act against the
perpetrators is "to condone it; and further that "failure to deal
radically with the Turkish horror means that all talk of guaranteeing
the future peace of the word is mischievous nonsense."
What followed in the remainder of the century, of course, is known to
all: Cambodia, Rwanda, Iraq, Bosnia and on and on. Ethnic cleansing,
crimes against minorities, brutal killings. All flowing seamlessly
despite what had gone before. Perhaps because of what had gone before
and not challenged on a timely basis.
But even some who are moved by the enormity of the past crimes against
humanity acknowledge that they took place but wonder why it need be
a concern today. In the case of the Armenian genocide, some ask, what
possible difference can it make today? It was so long ago ... now 100
years ago. And so far away. We can't live in the past, they tell us.
What difference does it make -- can it make -- if we now recognize
that long-ago genocide?
One need only stand on the hilltop of history and look backward to
see the answer clearly. It makes a difference because without that
recognition, the unthinkable of the past will certainly become once
again the even greater unthinkable of the future.
It makes a difference because it was wrong.
It makes a difference because a civilized world must understand that
indifference and looking away from these past crimes does more than
simply ignoring them. It encourages them. It assures their repetition.
This young century in which we live has already shown us that.
Condemning past genocides may seem to be a small symbolic step, but it
has powerful implications. It states that there is an international
moral conscience and that the one thing that unites all people is a
respect for basic human life and human rights.
There can be no genocide against only one ethnic group. Any genocide
is a genocide against humanity, a genocide against all the world.
One hundred years is too long to look the other way in the face of
the uncontroverted and overwhelming evidence of the atrocities which
took place in 1915.
But finally, after a full century of worldwide ambivalence, indications
are that the tide is turning.
The momentous and courageous declaration of Pope Francis declaring the
atrocities a genocide was a powerful message. So too, a recognition by
the European Parliament and countries such as France, Germany, Italy,
Poland and Switzerland. Recognition from intellectual and humanitarian
leaders within Turkey itself, although not from the government, is
another encouraging sign. And perhaps, just perhaps, President Obama
-- who recognized the killings as genocide while a senator and during
his campaign for the presidency, but backed down to Turkish lobbying
once in office -- will reconsider his position this year..
The Armenian genocide -- and all genocides, no matter against whom --
must be recognized and loudly condemned.
Anything less portends a dark future for minorities all over the world.
http://www.centralctcommunications.com/bristolpress/article_59f95ee6-e6f4-11e4-9d61-cb1552baf2f8.html
From: A. Papazian
Newbritainherald
April 19 2015
By Harry Mazadoorian
When historians speak of the many genocides committed during the
course of history, the genocide is invariably identified by the name
of those victimized. Certainly, this has been the case of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915, where genocide scholars tell us that some one and
one half million men, women and children died in mass deportation,
starvation and unthinkably brutal savagery and murder.
2015 will witness the 100th commemoration of that terrible time of
butchery and inhumanity, which lasted from 1915 to 1923.
Clearly the Armenian minorities in the Ottoman Empire, as well as other
minorities, were the direct and immediate victims of those heinous
crimes. But in a broader sense, the world itself was the victim.
The failure of the international community to truly recognize and
condemn the unspeakable crimes of that time -- the first genocide of
the twentieth century -- put in play a mindset of impunity from laws
of basic decency and humanity which proliferated throughout the rest
of the century and into the next.
The most commonly cited example was that of Adolph Hitler who, when
challenged that the world would not tolerate what he was planning
to do, stated "Who today, after all, speaks of the annihilation of
the Armenians?'
Henry Morganthau, US Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time
of the 1915 Genocide, was eyewitness to the killing fields and
deserts of the Ottoman Empire and, like his colleague Leslie Davis,
United States Counsel in Harput, found himself helpless as he tried
to enlist assistance from the United States and the world community
to intervene. Davis' descriptions of what has become known as the
"slaughterhouse province" and Morganthau's personal reports were
widely reported in the international press.
Recently, the cost of failing to recognize and condemn genocide was
eloquently pointed out by Robert Morganthau, grandson of Ambassador
Henry Morganthau.
Robert Morganthau earned worldwide respect as a public servant and
defender of human rights during his unparalleled career as district
attorney in Manhattan from 1975 to 2009. Last month he commented on
the genocide by pointing out that it was a great tragedy not only
for the Armenians who died and suffered but for the whole world.
"The world has paid a heavy price for not paying attention to the
Armenian genocide," he said.
He was further quoted as saying that "If there had been a greater
outcry and condemnation of the Armenian genocide, perhaps Hitler would
not have proceeded with his plans to kill the Poles and the Jews in
the land that he intended to occupy." And of course the unimaginable
atrocities which followed.
His words echoed the thoughts of former President Theodore Roosevelt
who said at the time of the genocide that the killings were the
"greatest crime of the war" and that failure to act against the
perpetrators is "to condone it; and further that "failure to deal
radically with the Turkish horror means that all talk of guaranteeing
the future peace of the word is mischievous nonsense."
What followed in the remainder of the century, of course, is known to
all: Cambodia, Rwanda, Iraq, Bosnia and on and on. Ethnic cleansing,
crimes against minorities, brutal killings. All flowing seamlessly
despite what had gone before. Perhaps because of what had gone before
and not challenged on a timely basis.
But even some who are moved by the enormity of the past crimes against
humanity acknowledge that they took place but wonder why it need be
a concern today. In the case of the Armenian genocide, some ask, what
possible difference can it make today? It was so long ago ... now 100
years ago. And so far away. We can't live in the past, they tell us.
What difference does it make -- can it make -- if we now recognize
that long-ago genocide?
One need only stand on the hilltop of history and look backward to
see the answer clearly. It makes a difference because without that
recognition, the unthinkable of the past will certainly become once
again the even greater unthinkable of the future.
It makes a difference because it was wrong.
It makes a difference because a civilized world must understand that
indifference and looking away from these past crimes does more than
simply ignoring them. It encourages them. It assures their repetition.
This young century in which we live has already shown us that.
Condemning past genocides may seem to be a small symbolic step, but it
has powerful implications. It states that there is an international
moral conscience and that the one thing that unites all people is a
respect for basic human life and human rights.
There can be no genocide against only one ethnic group. Any genocide
is a genocide against humanity, a genocide against all the world.
One hundred years is too long to look the other way in the face of
the uncontroverted and overwhelming evidence of the atrocities which
took place in 1915.
But finally, after a full century of worldwide ambivalence, indications
are that the tide is turning.
The momentous and courageous declaration of Pope Francis declaring the
atrocities a genocide was a powerful message. So too, a recognition by
the European Parliament and countries such as France, Germany, Italy,
Poland and Switzerland. Recognition from intellectual and humanitarian
leaders within Turkey itself, although not from the government, is
another encouraging sign. And perhaps, just perhaps, President Obama
-- who recognized the killings as genocide while a senator and during
his campaign for the presidency, but backed down to Turkish lobbying
once in office -- will reconsider his position this year..
The Armenian genocide -- and all genocides, no matter against whom --
must be recognized and loudly condemned.
Anything less portends a dark future for minorities all over the world.
http://www.centralctcommunications.com/bristolpress/article_59f95ee6-e6f4-11e4-9d61-cb1552baf2f8.html
From: A. Papazian