2230 replies to this topic

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

 

Armenia underscores unwavering commitment to genocide prevention at Human Rights 75 High-Level Event in Geneva

 

 14:43, 12 December 2023

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. On December 11-12, in Geneva, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan participated in the Human Rights 75 High-Level Event dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UN member states presented their pledges and commitments in human rights and a number of related areas, the foreign ministry said in a press release. 

In his remarks Deputy Foreign Minister underscored Armenia`s unwavering commitment to genocide prevention and reiterated the readiness to spare no effort towards strengthening international mechanisms and responses aimed at preventing gross violations of human rights.

The head of the Armenian delegation also noted about steps to be taken towards fulfillment of human rights obligations and the introduction of a national accountability mechanism. 

Armenia reaffirmed its commitment to support the addressing of needs and the protection of fundamental rights of forcibly displaced people as a consequence of the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The efforts to overcome extreme poverty and the adoption of the law on equal rights were highlighted as future-oriented commitments.

 

 

https://armenpress.a...jklKYkL82TBOZrk

[Yervant1]

err.ee, Estonia
Dec 13 2023


Foreign minister: Estonia should recognize Armenian genocide


Minister of Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said Estonia should take steps to recognize the Armenian genocide during a visit to Yerevan on Wednesday (December 13).

"Estonians owe it to the Armenians to recognize the genocide against their people," Tsahkna said at the meeting with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.  

"In today's world, where there is an aggression against another country in Europe and Russia is deporting Ukrainian children, we must not forget and neglect history and accept this kind of behavior," Tsahkna said in a statement.

The Armenian genocide took place in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire systematically destroyed and deported Armenians, causing the death of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians.

Data from the Armenian National Institute shows 32 countries have recognized the killing of Armenians as genocide, including the USA, Russia and 17 European Union countries, including Latvia and Lithuania.

However, Turkey does not believe the claim and some countries have allegedly not recognized the genocide to keep up good relations.

Last year, representatives of the Association of Estonian National Minorities called on the Riigikogu to recognize the Armenian genocide.


https://news.err.ee/...menian-genocide

[Yervant1]

 duvaR.english 

Turkey - Dec 15 2023

 

 

Seven investigations, three lawsuits launched on Diyarbakır Bar for Armenian Genocide Remembrance in last six years Turkish prosecutors have launched seven investigations and filed three lawsuits against the Diyarbakır Bar Association for “insulting the state and its organs” over statements on the April 24 Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day for the last six years. 

Friday December 15 2023 08:43 pm

 

Turkish prosecutors have launched seven investigations and filed three lawsuits against the Diyarbakır Bar Association administration since 2017 for Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), “Insulting the Turkish nation, state, government, Parliament, and its judicial bodiesi” for statements made during Armenian Genocide Remembrance Events.

The Media and Legal Studies Organization (MLSA) documented the Turkish state’s legal battle with the Bar Association of the southeastern Diyarbakır province over its stance on the Armenian genocide. 

A Diyarbakır prosecutor’s office most recently launched an investigation into chair Nahit Eren and ten executive board members of the Diyarbakır Bar Association regarding the statement “Confrontation and reconciliation must begin from 24 April 1915” published on the Bar Association website. 

The investigations for the TCK 301 require approval by the Justice Ministry. The ministry found that the remarks “Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were torn from their lands and were killed or left to die through the relocation supported and controlled by the Committee of Union and Progress,” warranted an investigation. 

The ministry however looked over the 2014 remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan included in the statement: “We wish that the Armenians who died due to conditions of the early 20th century rest in peace, and extend our condolences to their grandchildren.” 

The Bar Association interpreted the President’s remarks as “an important step to confront this dark history,” in their statement that is now subject to an investigation.

Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office called in the Bar Association executives for defense statements. The 11 bar officials rejected to give defenses and claimed that their statement fell under freedom of _expression_.

Deputy head of the Diyarbakır Bar Association Mehdi Özdemir said that the Justice Ministry allowed six investigations so far, four of which turned into lawsuits. The various Bar Association executives were acquitted in two of these cases. One case and two investigations are still ongoing. Özdemir stated another application to investigate the Bar Association’s 2023 Armenian Genocide statement had reached the Justice Ministry. 

Özdemir stated that the Penal Code Article 301 was infamously used to threaten everyone who voiced an opinion opposite to the official ideology of the government. He added, “We believe the enforced disappearances beginning with the 1915 Armenian Genocide and continuing with the 1937-38 Dersim Massacre are realities Turkey needs to face.”

“Unless we confront the truth, we cannot talk of real justice. We will continue defending this struggle for human rights as we honor our values and historical legacy,” said Özdemir.  

https://www.duvareng...ears-news-63498

[Yervant1]

err

Estonia - Dec 20 2023

 

MP: Estonia should prioritize Turkish relations over recognizing Armenian genocide

Estonia does not need to start weakening relations with Turkey by recognizing the Armenian genocide, Chairman of the Riigikogu's Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson (Reform) said on Tuesday, in response to a proposal by the foreign minister Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200).

During an official visit to Yerevan last week, Tsahkna released a statement saying Estonia would work towards recognizing the 1915 genocide.

Tsahkna told ERR on Wednesday his proposal is nothing new and was first put forward by President Arnold Rüütel in 2004. Estonia's allies, such as the USA, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, and Lithuania, have also recognized the event as genocide, he added.

The issue must now be discussed in the Riigikogu and the ball is in its court, the minister said.

"And I know that there are such discussions. This is nothing urgent, but it is more of a question of values that goes along with our own broader concept of the rule of law, genocide, all the international crimes against humanity that we have been very clear about and that Russia is also carrying out today in relation to Ukraine. I have stated my position, and it is now up to the Riiigkogu to debate the matter," Tsahkna said.

Mihkelson: Issue should have been discussed with Riigikogu first

Mihkelson said Tsahkna's proposal was a "surprise" and the topic is not being discussed in the Riigikogu.

"We all read about it in the minister's social media post. The foreign minister apparently missed the little nuance that if we are seeking the widest possible support in the Riigikogu on this issue, it is better to engage with our partners and colleagues through the Parliament and see what the willingness is on the ground to get broad support for such a bill before announcing it on social media," the MP said.

"Communicating with representatives of various factions, I do not see that this is a topical issue at the moment and that such a bill be processed will by the Riigikogu," he added.

Mihkelson did not rule out putting forward a draft on the matter in the future, but said politics is always in the background. At the moment he believes prioritising relations with Turkey is more important.

"We understand perfectly well what has happened in history, and Estonia's foreign policy is, after all, more broadly set to stand up for these values, so that no crime against humanity goes unpunished or is repeated. But at this point in time, with a very turbulent world, and with the news coming out of Ukraine rather more worrying than it was six months ago, and with a number of serious problems to be solved in keeping the allied space together, any additional tension between the allies, not least because of our own actions, is certainly not in Estonia's security interests," said Mihkelson.

"What is important for Estonia in international foreign policy at the moment is precisely the issues of ensuring security and strengthening the alliance space, not weakening it. This is a clear priority in our foreign policy, this is my personal view," he added.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs communicates with Turkey

Mihkelson indicated that Turkey had a very clear and critical reaction to Tsahkna's statement.

"Estonia has concluded a very substantial defense cooperation agreement with Turkey for armored vehicles. Turkey is a very important ally in NATO. We have, of course, also conveyed these messages to our Turkish counterparts through direct contacts and diplomatic channels," he said.

Tsahkna said Turkish officials have asked what Estonia's plans are.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told ERR the Estonian ambassador in Ankara has explained Estonia's positions. There has also been communication with the Turkish ambassador in Tallinn.

"In our discussions, we stressed the importance of bilateral relations and a continued strong alliance with Turkey. Estonia does not attribute the Armenian genocide to any of today's countries. We believe that speaking openly about what happened in history will contribute to the development of democratic societies and also prevent the recurrence of these crimes," the ministry said.

The Armenian genocide took place in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire systematically destroyed and deported Armenians, causing the death of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians.

The Armenian National Institute said 32 countries have recognized the killing of Armenians as genocide. However, Turkey does not believe the claim and some countries have allegedly not recognized the genocide to keep up good relations.

Last year, representatives of the Association of Estonian National Minorities called on the Riigikogu to recognize the Armenian genocide


https://news.err.ee/...menian-genocide

[Yervant1]

Is someone using Armenian Genocide again?

        Jan 12 2024

 

 

FM Katz slams Turkey's Erdogan for genocide, after Turkey backs South Africa's ICJ case By JERUSALEM POST STAFFJANUARY 12, 2024 16:18

 

Foreign Minister Israel Katz slammed Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Friday afternoon, as Turkey backed South Africa's accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. 

Katz posted, "The President of Turkey @RTErdogan, from a country with the Armenian Genocide in its past, now boasts of targeting Israel with unfounded claims. We remember the Armenians, the Kurds. Your history speaks for itself. Israel stands in defense, not destruction, against your barbarian allies."

 

Katz's comments come as Israel's recognition of the Armenian genocide remains murky

 

https://www.jpost.co.../article-781937

 

 

[Yervant1]

 DuvaR.english 

Turkey - Feb 2 2023

 

 

Turkish court acquits bar association on trial over Armenian Genocide mention A Turkish court acquitted Diyarbakır Bar Association board members who were on trial for making a press statement on the Armenian Genocide. The Bar Association had previously been acquitted in three previous cases on the same charges.

Duvar English

A Turkish court on Feb. 2 acquitted the former head of the Diyarbakır Bar Association and board members in the case against them for using the term "Armenian Genocide" in their statement on April 24, the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, in 2020.

The trial was held at Diyarbakır High Criminal Court on the charge of "publicly degrading the Turkish nation, the state of the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish Parliament, the government, and the judicial organs of the state," Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

Many lawyers attended the hearing in support to their colleagues.

Former head of the bar association Cihan Aydın said, "In the defense industry, targets to be hit are first marked with lasers, and then shots are fired. As the Diyarbakır Bar Association, we have been marked many times and the most important of these was Tahir Elçi. Elçi was first marked and then killed." 

Elçi, Former Head of the Diyarbakır Bar Association, was assassinated in 2015 after years of threats. 

When the presiding judge intervened Aydın's words and said, "This is not the place for them," Aydın said, "Yes, we are saying the same thing. This case does not belong here. This case was opened due to events that took place outside of this place. First, we are marked by politicians, media, and law enforcement, then we are referred to the judiciary."

Aydın reminded that three lawsuits were filed against the previous board members of the bar association due to their statements on the Armenian Genocide and they have been acquitted each time.

"These acquittals have been finalized. Then why are you bringing more lawsuits? Where is the legal predictability then? When we speak, we are targeted; when we are elected as mayors, we are targeted, dismissed, and arrested. Where was the judiciary when these were happening,” Aydın underscored.

Aydın also criticized the article used against them and added that the Armenian Genocide took place in 1915 and at that time the Republic of Turkey and its institutions had not been established. “How can we insult something that does not exist (back then),” he added.

“This is a case of freedom of thought and _expression_. There are three acquittals. Therefore, it is your discretion, I do not want an acquittal. We are ashamed to ask for it,” the former bar association head noted.

The court acquitted all defendants separately.

https://www.duvareng...tion-news-63758

[Yervant1]

Feb 15 2024

 

NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT ADOPTS MOTION CALLING FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EDUCATION AND MUSEUM

 

SYDNEY: The New South Wales Legislative Council has debated and unanimously passed a motion calling on Australia's largest state's government to expand Holocaust education to include the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides and establish a Museum to create further awareness, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU).

The motion, presented to the Legislative Council in the last sitting week of 2023 by the Hon. Chris Rath MLC, was debated on Wednesday 7th February 2024.

Members from across the political aisle spoke on the historic motion, including Hon Daniel Mookhey MLC (ALP), Dr. Amanda Cohn MLC (GRNS), Hon Susan Carter MLC  (LIB), Hon Mark Buttigieg MLC (ALP), Hon. Jacqui Munro MLC (LIB), Hon. Anthony D’Adam MLC (ALP), and Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC (ALP).

In particular, powerful statements were made in support of expanding genocide education to incorporate the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocide in the curriculum and establish a museum to create awareness about the genocide, by Rath, Munro, Cater and Buttigieg.

Rath, the youngest ever member of the NSW Legislative Council – appointed in March 2022 – said, “All of us as Australians—students and children—know a lot about the Holocaust, and rightly so. Many, many years later I learnt about the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides. They are still not well known and not well taught, which is a very sad thing and exactly what the motion is about.”

ANC-AU Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian welcomed the historic undertaking by the NSW Upper House.

"The Armenian-Australian community thanks Mr. Rath and his colleagues in the Legislative Council for ensuring New South Wales continues to lead the way after being the first state legislature to recognise the Armenian Genocide and the Republic of Artsakh," Kolokossian said. "The teaching of the darkest chapter of Armenian history is the next step to ensuring we have a more vocal citizenry when future attempts to exterminate our race – as we witnessed with the recent ethnic cleansing of Artsakh – are attempted by criminal autocratic regimes."

 

 

 

 

https://www.anc.org....tion-and-Museum

[Yervant1]

Yellow Scene Magazine

Feb 22 2024

 

Silent Suffering: Fears of Renewed Armenian Genocide

 February 22, 2024  Mohammed Ahmad

 

Exploring the human impacts of Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh

(Cover Photo: Russian and Azerbaijan soldiers)

“What’s gonna happen to our family? What’s gonna happen to our house and the home that we built there?” said Anahit, an Artsakh Armenian from the village of Martuni, whose worry and uncertainty reflect hundreds of thousands of Artsakhcis today.

Artsakh is an appendage to the Armenian nation. There are traces of ancient history mottled throughout Artsakh, standing as a powerful symbol affirming their long-standing ties to the land. The region encompasses an array of captivating untold stories unfolding into a daunting past and present.

The Gandzasar Cathedral, which translates to “mountain of treasures,” is one of the most prominent churches in Artsakh’s history and was built in the 13th century. Artsakh is also home to the Amaras Monastery, which is known to be the first Armenian school. When asked about the deliberate targeting of Armenian holy and ethnic sites, Anahit revealed some of the severe damage, “You can see pictures of the cathedral today, and the top of the dome is completely detached, and it’s on the floor.”

Damage to cathedrals hit by Azerbaijani military. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

February 2024 marks six months since the brutal land theft of Artsakh and the ethnic cleansing of its indigenous Armenian population. Al Jazeera stated, “Armenia says more than 100,000 people fled Nagorno-Karabakh,” which has now made the region nearly devoid of its indigenous Armenian population for the first time in thousands of years. This was followed by a ruthless 9-month blockade, which resulted in the starvation and endangerment of hundreds of thousands of Armenian lives. With the allegiance of corrupt superpowers and the utter silence of the international world layered with the lack of care from local communities, this ethnic cleansing has intentionally been silenced and wholly disregarded.

 

Lamentably, tragedy is nothing new to Armenians. Following the Armenian genocide of 1915 that involved the systemized mass slaughter of over 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, what is now Turkey, Armenians faced a series of pogroms and massacres, including the Sumgait, Baku, and Maragha pogroms, as well as the Shushi massacre. Genocide still boldly reveals itself today.

Azerbaijan continues its relentless mission to erase Armenia from the map as Artsakhcis endure the blight of their genocidal war crimes unveiled through invasions, blockades, desecration of Armenian sites, land theft, torture, and mass slaughter.

As the United States and Europe continue coddling Azerbaijan by making gas and oil deals, Armenia and Artsakh have been completely abandoned, suffocating between the trenches of Turkish and Azeri war crimes. Since September 2023, over one hundred thousand Armenians have been forced into refugee status once again.

Language of hate

Aside from all of Azerbaijan’s histrionics, which is a classic case of colonial projection, the most critical aspect to comprehend is the constant genocidal language that the international community ignores. Turkish and Azeri media constantly spew genocidal rhetoric. The most popular is the continuous denial of the Armenian genocide and yet threatening to do it again.

Azeri officials, and even the Azeri president Ilham Aliyev, constantly spew racist and [CONTENT WARNING FOR FOLLOWING LINK] dehumanizing language, calling Armenians “animals,” “terrorists,” and “beasts.”

To understand the region, one must look beyond the relentless propaganda that Turkey and Azerbaijan have spent millions on to victimize themselves. We’ve seen these warped Azeri claims on replay over and over again. Azerbaijan grasps at straws using any talking point they can think of to argue that Armenians have no ties or relation to Artsakh. This propaganda represents an insidious tactic used to demonize Armenians and to blind the world into thinking this is a “complex conflict,” masking the twisted truth: genocide, ethnic cleansing, and Pan-Turkism, a supremacist and fascist ideology that would see an Imperialistic Turkic nation and the total annihilation of the Armenian people.

 

Victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkish forces. Photo by Henry Morgenthau

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most disturbing and psychologically distressing tactics of Azerbaijan’s ethnic genocide is the systematic desecration of Armenian graveyards. Anahit knows far too well of this psychological torture. A video had just been released the day before in the city of Stepanakert, revealing footage of a decimated Armenian graveyard. The image of this should disturb anyone, but for Artsakhcis like Anahit, the footage is not only far too jarring but too close to home, “My own grandfather’s grave is in Stepanakert,” the fear and profound numbness of the unpredictability of generational genocide have left Artsakhcis in a state of constant stress. Anahit then began to share her grandfather’s legacy and the beauty of the Artsakhci personality, one that is enamored with nature and an undying love for their homeland,

“He was an Artsakh Armenian through and through. I think a lot of Armenians can agree that Artsakh Armenians have this personality that you can see from a mile away; my grandfather was definitely like that.”

Why doesn’t the US even bat an eye when it comes to this barbaric genocide? Just a couple of years ago, in 2021, the US recognized the Armenian genocide, 106 years after its execution, seemingly used as a tactic to further anger Turkey. It is pretty apparent to many Armenians that Biden’s decision to recognize the genocide was disguised as false support and instead represented a calculated move to ruffle the feathers of their NATO ally.

Anahit says, “It’s always been a conversation in our community that whenever we go on the march to commemorate the genocide every April 24th, there are hundreds of thousands of Armenians, but maybe like 2 percent of the crowd will be non-Armenian,” she further elaborated on Turkey’s mission of institutionalizing their propaganda, “I’m sure it is a combination of things including the culture and legacy of genocide denial that Turkey has perpetuated, they’ve spent millions and millions on propaganda and pressuring foreign governments and education.”

Blind eye towards Justice

She then brought attention to America’s collaboration, “As for America, I think it’s a nation that greatly benefits from stoking conflicts, wars, genocide, I mean, that is a complete given; there were many reports on the U.S. army using the region for classroom training scenarios, and that’s not even mentioning all the economic and other ties America has with Turkey and Azerbaijan.” Armenians are expected to be killed silently. America’s complicity in wars and genocides across the world shouldn’t be a surprise, judging from its history.

 

“Since 1915, the world has betrayed us,” Anahit’s words should awaken anyone, “I know that it’s something that I and probably every Armenian around the world has asked themselves hundreds of times, since 2020 and even before then.” In 2020, Azerbaijan launched a 44-day genocidal campaign against Artsakh, which resulted in the mass slaughter of over 5,000 Armenians.

Israeli arms suppliers, Turkish allegiance, Syrian mercenaries from the FSA, and American silence propped up this campaign. Anna, an Armenian who received her master’s degree in Russian studies at CU Boulder, highlighted the need for more cooperation from the international community. When asked about the lack of US support, Anna illuminated what most Armenians feel: confusion and helplessness, “You know, it’s a really tough question to answer.” With the lack of US support and Russia playing both sides, the Armenian people are on their own to fight for their freedom and their rights and to change the narrative that Azerbaijan has worked so hard to distort.

Aram, an Armenian student of International relations at the University of Denver, said, “In the end, this came down to the fact that the community decided that perceived energy security from Azerbaijan outweighed that of Armenian lives; they understood that Azerbaijani oil … going to Europe is more important than Armenian lives.” It is an ugly truth. Armenians have been put on the back burner and ignored for selfish political interests.

Russia is known for its shady history of helping both Armenia and Azerbaijan while also posing as the mediator in the region through the use of Russian peacemakers. But since the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, Russia has abandoned Armenia. I asked Anna her thoughts regarding Russia’s lack of interference, “In February 2024, it will be 2 years since Russia and Ukraine are at war; it is a really good time for Azerbaijan to start again as they did in 2020,” Anna said, “Our peacekeepers are really busy helping out with the war in Ukraine.”

When will it end?

I asked Aram the same question; Aram said, “Russian firms have their own stakes in Azerbaijani gas companies and their oil operations,” which would make sense as to why Russia continues to play both sides and may choose to sit this one out, casually allowing a genocidal regime to lay claim to indigenous Armenian land.

 

Azerbaijan relies on bizarre conspiracy theories designed to morph narratives that Armenians not only lack roots in Artsakh but that their ancient sites aren’t theirs to begin with. This is a classic colonial talking point. Azerbaijan has gone as far as claiming that Armenians rub vinegar, yes vinegar, over their graveyards and ancient sites as a deceiving action of making them “look older” or “more ancient.”

We’ve heard these twisted narratives before, used to undermine indigenous people who are being eradicated. The Armenian genocide was executed swiftly, involving multiple complicit nations The world let it happen then and has let it continue with Artsakh. Aram said, “In terms of fighting, nobody wants to go to war except the Azerbaijanis. We Armenians, you know, we were preparing for peace for these past 30 years. We were open to free and fair negotiations. Still, the question is that the Azerbaijanis knew that if there were a peace process if there were free and fair elections for self-determination, it would obviously end up in the Armenian favor because Nagorno-Gharabagh or Artsakh, has been inhabited by majority Armenians for 3,500 years.”

Armenian cultural sites dot the landscape, yet some are being erased entirely. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

 

 

 

 

 

While I spoke with Anna and Aram, what was buzzing in my head was this hope of return for Artsakhcis. Asked if there was any chance to get their land back, “I don’t think it’s possible,” Anna said.

“Unfortunately, we can’t change the past; it happened already, and it’s not safe to go back. And even if there were a possibility, no one would like to go back because there is no point; you can get attacked any minute,” these words are devastating and illuminate the international world’s complicity when it comes to the theft of Artsakh.

Although Anahit’s grandfather is greatly missed, she said the devastation that has erupted would have significantly impacted him, “I think of my grandfather all the time, and I always think, I wonder what he would say if he was alive right now, I wonder what he would think, and I miss him so much but I also think to myself I am glad he is not alive to witness all this because it would have absolutely destroyed him.” 

 

Since September of 2023, Artsakhcis have continued to mourn the loss of their homeland. The traumatic effects of genocide remain, and an aching hope for return now lingers. Artsakh will continue to live on throughout the hearts of Armenians worldwide. I feel the biggest shame is how we have failed the Armenian people entirely once again. Like clockwork, the world moves on, completely overlooking an over-century-old documented genocide of one of the most ancient people ever to exist.

https://yellowscene....enian-genocide/

[Yervant1]

March 5 2024

 

Hikmet Çetin Urges Turkey to Acknowledge Historical Wrongs, Apologize to Armenians Hikmet Çetin advocates for Turkey to confront its history, calling for apologies for Dersim pogroms and the events of 1915. A significant move towards reconciliation and healing.

Safak Costu

 

In a recent interview with Turkish Artigercek, Hikmet Çetin, a figure with a rich political background including roles as former deputy prime minister, former head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and former leader of the opposition People's Republican Party, made a compelling call for the Turkish government to confront and apologize for the pogroms in Dersim and the events of 1915. Çetin, who played a pivotal role in Turkey's early recognition of Armenia's independence, emphasized the necessity for the state to own up to these dark chapters in its history.

Recognizing the Past

Çetin's statements come as a rare admission from a high-ranking Turkish official about the country's historical grievances, particularly regarding the events of 1915, often referred to as the Armenian Genocide. His call for an official apology from the Turkish state highlights a significant shift in perspective, advocating for a reconciliation process that addresses past atrocities. Çetin recalled his tenure as Foreign Minister when Armenia declared independence, and Turkey was among the first nations to recognize it, pointing to a foundation for potential diplomatic rapprochement.

The Importance of Apology

Apologies in international relations go beyond mere formalities; they are crucial for healing historical wounds and building bridges between nations. Çetin's advocacy for an official apology to Armenians for the events of 1915 is rooted in this understanding. By acknowledging the injustices of the past, Turkey can pave the way for a more inclusive and truthful narrative about its history, fostering better relations with Armenia and its own citizens of Armenian descent.

Looking Forward

The implications of Çetin's statements are profound, suggesting a path towards reconciliation that many had considered unlikely. This call for acknowledgment and apology may serve as a catalyst for change in Turkey's approach to its history with Armenians and other minority groups. While the realization of such a vision remains to be seen, the mere fact that a politician of Çetin's stature has voiced it publicly is a step forward in the long journey towards acknowledging and rectifying historical wrongs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The conversation initiated by Hikmet Çetin opens up a space for dialogue and reflection on parts of Turkish history that have long been silenced or contested. It beckons Turkish society and its leaders to confront uncomfortable truths and demonstrates the potential for healing through acknowledgment and apology. As the world watches, the response to Çetin's call will undoubtedly shape the future of Turkish-Armenian relations and Turkey's own reckoning with its past.

https://bnnbreaking....ze-to-armenians

[Yervant1]

MEDYA News

March 29 2024

 

Members of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish HDP sentenced for condemning Armenian Genocide

 

Twelve former members of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) were each sentenced to five months in prison for 'degrading the Turkish state' by acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, sparking debates on free speech.

Twelve former members of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) were each sentenced to five months in prison on Thursday for condemning the Armenian Genocide, sparking debates on free speech.

 

The charge was “publicly degrading the Turkish Republic” following their statement on the Armenian Genocide made on 24 April 2021. The statement, which called for a confrontation with the “shame of the Armenian Genocide”, led to a legal battle highlighting issues of freedom of _expression_ and historical acknowledgment in Turkey.

During the final hearing, lawyers for the accused argued that the case was an unjustified infringement on freedom of _expression_, lacking legal grounds and failing to meet the criteria of a legitimate aim and necessity in a democratic society. They emphasised the absence of specific intent to commit the crime in the accused’s statement. One of the lawyers, Senem Doğanoğlu, noted that Alp Altınörs, one of the accused, was in prison at the time of the statement for a different case, challenging the coherence of the accusations.

Lawyer Ali Cangı further argued the case’s lack of substance by pointing out that the events of 1915 predate the establishment of the Turkish Republic, making the condemnation of actions by the Committee of Union and Progress (İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti) and its Special Organisation (Teşkilatı Mahsusa) irrelevant to defaming the modern Turkish state. This argument underscored the anachronistic application of law and the absence of a legal basis for attributing blame to the Ottoman Empire’s actions to the Republic of Turkey.

The court’s decision to sentence the former HDP members, taking into consideration the manner of the crime, the significance of the subject and the supposed severity of the damage caused, was reduced from six to five months after applying a sentence reduction, which was then suspended.

https://medyanews.ne...enian-genocide/

[Yervant1]

April 4 2024

 

Bar association executives face new investigation over Armenian genocide commemoration

By

 SCF

 -

April 4, 2024

Diyarbakır prosecutors have launched an investigation into 11 executives of the Diyarbakır Bar Association on accusations of “denigrating the Turkish nation and state,” over a 2021 statement commemorating the victims of the Armenian genocide, the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) reported on Thursday.

The investigation concerns Nahit Eren, the president of the bar association, as well as 10 board members and was launched after Diyarbakır prosecutors were granted authorization to proceed by the Justice Ministry.

In a statement released on April 24, 2021, on the occasion of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, the bar called for acknowledgment and recognition of the mass atrocities committed by the Ottoman authorities against the Armenian minority during World War I.

“The Armenian reality is one of the most crucial crossroads in terms of facing history,” the statement read. “It will keep haunting us and the victims as long as we leave it in the dark.”

The bar executives are accused of denigrating the Turkish state, which was founded in 1923, over a statement about mass atrocities committed eight years earlier, in 1915, the MLSA pointed out.

The investigation moved forward despite the fact that the bar executives were previously acquitted of the same charges in connection with another April 24 statement.

President Eren said the bar association has been the target of judicial harassment since 2017, with the Justice Ministry repeatedly authorizing new investigations.

“The goal is to exert pressure on civil society,” he said, adding that he has faced seven separate investigations under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which makes it illegal to insult Turkey, the Turkish nation or Turkish government institutions.

Mehdi Özdemir, one of the bar executives being investigated, said the provision is frequently weaponized against people who speak out against the state’s official ideology or object to rights violations.

Between 2017 and 2023 the Diyarbakır Bar Association faced seven investigations due to its statements on April 24. Five of the investigations have turned into trials, four of which ended in acquittal. The investigation of the 2022 statement is still ongoing, and the probe concerning the 2023 statement is pending ministry authorization, the report said.

Take a second to support Stockholm Center for Freedom on Patreon!

https://stockholmcf....-commemoration/

[Yervant1]

Real Clear Politics
April 5 2024


How Joe Biden Lost the Armenian American Vote

COMMENTARY
By Stephan Pechdimaldji
 

The 2024 presidential race is shaping up to be one of the most hotly contested elections in our country’s history. With an electorate that has become more polarized than ever, independents and select demographic groups promise to play a more pivotal role in this year’s election. It is why Arab Americans in Michigan raised a lot of eyebrows when they turned against Joe Biden in the state’s primary signaling their anger with the president’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. But Arab Americans are not the only group feeling betrayed by President Biden these days. Armenian Americans are also deeply frustrated with President Biden and how he allowed Azerbaijan to ethnically cleanse more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians from their ancestral homeland of Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

To fully understand why Armenian Americans feel let down by President Biden, one must examine the rising authoritarianism in Azerbaijan under President Ilham Aliyev and how Joe Biden has turned a blind eye to the petro-dictator’s tyrannical rule as a geopolitical trade-off. Since taking power from his father nearly two decades ago, Aliyev has embarked on a campaign to wipe Armenia off the map that started in the fall of 2020 when he launched an illegal and unprovoked war against ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. The war was soon followed by a nearly 10-month blockade of the only road linking Armenians in the region to the outside world that culminated last September when Azerbaijan forced Armenians to leave their homes, upending a civilization that stood for a thousand years overnight.

As a candidate running for president in 2020, Joe Biden vowed to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its actions toward Armenia and rightly criticized the Trump administration for coddling Turkey in its efforts to support and help Azerbaijan. For Armenian Americans, that version of Joe Biden was consistent with his record as a U.S. senator who for years fought for Armenian American issues including the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Biden was a reliable friend to our community, which explains why Armenian Americans overwhelmingly supported his campaign for president in 2020.

That is why Armenian Americans were so excited when President Biden officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, something no other president had done since President Reagan, by fulfilling his campaign promise to hold Turkey responsible for the first genocide of the 20th century.

It was a watershed moment for Armenian Americans as politicians from both political parties had used the Armenian Genocide for political purposes. Looking for votes and money, President George W. Bush and Barack Obama both promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide as candidates but then bowed to Turkish pressure once in office.

Armenian Americans believed that the Armenian Genocide was no longer a political football for both parties to kick around. Political expediency finally took a backseat to common sense and truth.

So, while we welcomed this historic and long overdue statement, the spirit of its intent was short-lived as Biden made a fateful decision before the ink was even dry.

Days after recognizing the Armenian Genocide, he waived Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act that bans foreign aid to Azerbaijan, which was a harbinger of things to come. With a stroke of his pen, Biden essentially recognized a genocide, only to allow another one to continue.

 

 

 

Since then, Joe Biden has arguably been the most anti-Armenian president to occupy the Oval Office. He has refused to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its war crimes or enforce any sanctions against its leadership. His administration did nothing to help Armenians during the blockade while they starved and blocked countless United Nations initiatives to condemn Azerbaijan or support resolutions that would enable the safe return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh.

And his silence on Armenian political prisoners like the humanitarian Ruben Vardanyan, who currently sits in Azeri jails, has been deafening.

Biden’s failure and lack of leadership on issues that are important to Armenian Americans have come to a head. It is one of the reasons why community and coalition leaders from organizations like the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) have urged Armenian Democrats to vote “uncommitted” in their primary elections as a protest vote against Joe Biden’s complicity in Azerbaijan’s genocidal campaign.

With more than 200,000 Armenian Americans across Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, this small but powerful group has the potential to tip the outcome of a race that could come down to slim margins in these battleground states.

But it’s not too late for President Biden. With little less than nine months until election day, Biden has an opportunity to use his remaining time in office to set the record straight on Azerbaijan. He can start by holding Azerbaijan responsible for its war crimes, levying sanctions where appropriate, and directing the United States Agency for International Development to distribute more help and aid to Armenian refugees. He needs to stop emboldening Azerbaijan while he’s still in a position of power and be more vocal about these critical issues on the campaign trail.

President Biden has lost the trust of Armenian Americans. If he wants to earn our vote back, he has a lot of work left to do. Time is running out.

Stephan Pechdimaldji is a communications strategist living in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a first-generation Armenian American and grandson of survivors of the Armenian genocide.

https://www.realclea...ote_150753.html 

[Yervant1]

April 4 2024

 

 

Originally published April 24, 2023

Recovered Testimony Brings Light, More Questions, to an Armenian Family  

Thu, 04/04/2024 - 4:05pm

 

By: Sedda Antekelian

Over the past month, for the first time, I listened to the testimony of my late great-grandmother, Mary Antekelian, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. The interview is an audio recording, but I could picture the conversation as if I were in the room – my grandma, Sirvard Antekelian, sitting by her mother-in-law’s side, interjecting throughout the oral history interview to make sure that Mary, then around 81, answered questions clearly and with historical accuracy.

I did not know until a few months ago that my great-grandmother had recorded testimony as part of the Richard G. Hovannisian Oral History Collection, which consists of more than 1,000 audio interviews of Armenian Genocide survivors, recorded under the direction of the esteemed UCLA professor starting in the 1970s. Mary Antekelian recorded her testimony on February 17, 1985. She passed away on August 1, 1986, just a little more than a year before I was born.

USC Shoah Foundation added the Hovannisian Collection to its Visual History Archive in 2018 and has since been working to digitize and index the testimonies. Upon learning that my great grandmother’s testimony had become available, I could not wait to listen to her story and hear her voice for the first time. And, adding to my surprise, I could also hear the voice of my Grandma, Sirvard, which I had not heard since her passing in 2008.

The way in which Mary spoke and the dialogue between her and Grandma were so familiar to me. In fact, over and over while I listened to the testimony, many of my questions were preempted by my Grandma’s demands for clarification. It was as if she could hear the questions that I would also ask 40 years later. My Grandma and I were very close, and I think I owe my deep interest in studying and teaching about my Armenian heritage, in part, to her.

It was following in Grandma’s footsteps that I was called into the field of education. In my role as Learning and Development Specialist at USC Shoah Foundation, I develop educational resources and facilitate workshops for teachers worldwide, presenting effective strategies for how to teach with testimony to help students understand the history of the Armenian Genocide from various perspectives.

I am also a doctoral candidate of USC Rossier’s Global Executive Doctor of Education program. With the knowledge and experience I have gained, I hope to continue to deepen my contribution to the field of genocide education.

Yet, even with my full immersion in Armenian history, I have never known much about my own family’s history, especially on my father’s side, though I have always been eager to learn more. After listening to my great-grandmother's 90-minute testimony, recorded in Armenian, I came away with both more information and more questions than before.

Born in about 1904 in the town of Gaziantep, Turkey (at that time in the Ottoman Empire), Mary Belamjian was the second eldest child of six, born into a loving family.

 

Mary Antekelian with her husband Yeghia and her first cousins, Levon and Avetis Belamjian.

 

Her testimony revealed that her father, whom she described as pious and gentle, was a tailor specializing in the production of intricate textiles and garments who had converted the family from the Armenian Apostolic faith to Catholicism. I was raised following the traditions of both the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Protestant Church, and had not known until now that Catholicism had played a part in my family’s history. I also learned that the Ottomans shut down the French Catholic school Mary attended as the First World War began in 1914.

At the beginning of 1915, Armenian men who served in the Ottoman army were disarmed and forced to work hard labor under brutal and unbearable conditions. Mary’s father was one of them. In her testimony, she shares that after a few weeks he managed to escape and then spent several months evading capture as he traveled back home to his family.

While Mary’s father had been away, official orders from the leading Ottoman Young Turk government Committee of Union and Progress called for the deportations of Armenians starting in the eastern Ottoman provinces by the spring of 1915 and then extending to regions across Anatolia and Cilicia—which included Gaziantep—by that summer.

In 1914 about 30,000 Armenians—some 4,000 families—lived in Gaziantep. From the testimony, I gathered that Mary’s mother was able to secure her family an exemption from the deportations, possibly because as tailors they could contribute to the war effort by committing to sew military uniforms. When Mary’s father returned, close to a year after he was drafted into the Ottoman Army, he stayed in hiding in the house helping the family sew uniforms.

Mary shares that only a few other local Armenian families were also spared, as their skills and craftsmanship were deemed useful to the government. However, thousands were violently sent away in several waves of deportations to either the deserts of Dayr-al-Zawr, the region of Hama, Homs and Selimiye or the Jebel Druz region, in southern Syria and areas of present-day Jordan. Mary remembers that only a few Armenians returned to Gaziantep after the war.

Out of an estimated population of close to 2 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1914, around 1.5 million Armenians were killed during the Genocide, mostly in 1915 and 1916 but continuing even after. Today, Armenians make up a small percentage of Turkey’s minority population.

Mary expresses heartache reflecting on the loss of other family members and neighbors. I had assumed Mary had been orphaned during the Genocide, so I was shocked and heartened to hear that her parents and siblings survived.

While listening to her testimony, it was also endearing to learn the story of how Mary and my great grandfather, Yeghia Antekelian, became engaged. Initially, when Yeghia’s family had asked Mary’s father for her hand, he had refused, since Mary was only 16. However, Yeghia continued to show up for months at their home every day until, exasperated and worn down, Mary’s father agreed to let them marry.

They were engaged in 1920, but a new war broke out in Gaziantep between Turkish Nationalists and the French Army who occupied the region. The Armenian community, including Mary and Yeghia's families, were forced out of the region during the Siege of Aintab (Antep). The couple finally reunited and wed in Aleppo, Syria, in 1921. Shortly after, they moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where their sons Levon (my Grandpa) and Gevork were born in 1928 and 1938. In 1948, many Armenians, including Yeghia and Mary, repatriated to Armenia, which was then a part of the Soviet Union.

Levon Antekelian married Sirvard Danayan in 1956. They had two sons, my father, Andranik and his brother, Hovannes. Levon and Sirvard and their sons immigrated to Los Angeles in 1976, with Mary following in 1981 with her son Gevork and his family.

Though my Grandma and Grandpa have both passed away, they left behind a treasure trove of family photos.

On a recent Sunday evening, I visited my Uncle Hovik, hoping to rummage through these old photographs. I walked into his house to find that he, my aunt and my cousins already had the albums stacked on the dining room table and photos piled all around them.

I joined the expedition into family history. We passed around photos, laughing at familiar faces from a different era, and wondered at faces no one could name. My uncle and aunt shared memories about the photos—funny, sad, and heartwarming stories that my cousins and I had never heard.

 

Mary and her eldest grandchild, Andranik, the author’s father.

 

Around that dining room table, I asked my uncle if he was ready to listen to some of the testimony. Yes, he said, he was. As I played a clip from my laptop—voices recorded nearly 40 years ago about events that occurred more than 100 years ago—I watched this man, who has the biggest heart, transported back in time, just as I had been.

More than a century after the Genocide, Armenian families still live with its reverberations. We inherited trauma, we inherited fear, we inherited a sense of indignity that our trauma was not recognized or honored.

But we also inherited a passionate and deep commitment to our culture, to our history, to remembrance, and to family.

https://sfi.usc.edu/...armenian-family

[Yervant1]

The Signal , Santa Clara Valley

April 9 2024

 

 

L.A. County supervisors proclaim Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

 

News release 

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Hilda L. Solis on Tuesday to commemorate the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by proclaiming April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.  

“I believe it’s important to reflect and learn from the past,” Barger, who represents the Santa Clarita Valley, said in a news release. “Remembering the Armenian Genocide gives our diverse communities an opportunity to collectively acknowledge and mourn the loss of over 1.5 million innocent lives. The district I represent is home to the largest concentration of Armenians and Armenian-Americans in the county, so declaring this day of remembrance is also about honoring them. They are resilient people – determined, focused and dedicated to persevering.” 

 

“As we solemnly remember the many lives that were lost, we also honor the resiliency of the Armenian people who rebuilt their lives from nothing – including those here in Los Angeles County,” Solis said in the release. “The 1st District is home to the communities of Little Armenia in East Hollywood and Montebello, which is home to the Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral, which is over 100 years old. I am proud to represent these vibrant and resilient communities. Let us recommit ourselves to making certain that we never forget the Armenian Genocide, and that we always speak out against hatred and atrocities anywhere they occur.” 

https://signalscv.co...emembrance-day/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

 

Sydney’s Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians unite to demand recognition of 1915 genocides

 

 13:09, 12 April 2024

YEREVAN, 12 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. Sydney’s Armenian, Assyrian and Greek communities will once again rally together in Sydney’s central business district, calling on the Australian Prime Minister and Federal Government to recognise the 1915 Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides.

The annual #MarchForJustice will take place on Sunday, 21 April, with community members gathering at the Hyde Park Archibald Fountain at 2pm before descending into the streets of Sydney’s CBD.

March For Justice organising committee member Nanor Shokayan, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia Central Executive, said, “A crime unpunished is a crime repeated – that is what the descendants of survivors of the 1915 Genocides are witnessing, our compatriots living in their ancestral homelands remain under threat from the criminal and brutal regime’s of Turkey and Azerbaijan.”

“Until they are held accountable for their actions 109 years ago, they will never stop,” Shokayan added.

 

 

https://armenpress.a...kulxoDbgg_3oSx0

[Yervant1]

Cyprus Mail

April 18 2024

 

House of Representatives honours Armenian genocide victims

 

The House of Representatives on Thursday evening observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the Armenian genocide, with the body pledging to “fight for a world where peace and justice prevail and where the atrocities of the past never happen again”.

 

 

In remarks, acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide.

 

Over the span of several years, he noted, millions of Armenians were “violently displaced, subjected to hardship and massacred, in a relentless attempt at extinguishing their existence”.

 

Koulias recalled also that the Republic of Cyprus was the second nation in the world to recognise the Armenian genocide, in 1975.

Observed on April 24, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is held annually to commemorate the victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

https://cyprus-mail....nocide-victims/

[Yervant1]

Turkey - April 22 2024

 

İstanbul governor bans Armenian Genocide remembrance event

 

The Human Rights Association will hold an event titled "Recognize, Apologize, Compensate" in its office.

 

The İstanbul Governor's Office has announced a ban on a public remembrance event for the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. The event, organized by the April 24 Commemoration Platform, was scheduled to take place in Kadıköy district on April 24, considered the beginning of the genocide.

This decision marks the continuation of a policy from previous years, where similar applications by the platform were denied. The ban has been criticized by various human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Association (İHD), which has been vocal in its efforts to commemorate the genocide annually.

Despite the prohibition, the İHD's Committee Against Racism and Discrimination plans to hold a press briefing titled "Recognize, Apologize, Compensate" at their headquarters in Taksim on the same day. Additionally, a forum discussing the necessity of confronting genocide, titled "Genocide: Why is confrontation a necessity?" will be organized by the 'Stop Racism and Nationalism' Platform at Nostalji Cafe in Şişli on the evening of April 23. (EMK/VK)

https://bianet.org/h...ce-event-294518

[Yervant1]

Turkish Minute

April 24 2024

 

Turkey again bans event to commemorate Armenian ‘genocide’ victims during WWI

The İstanbul Governor’s Office has again banned a commemoration ceremony scheduled for today in memory of the Armenians who were killed during a mass deportation in the final days of the Ottoman Empire, in a decision condemned as “an anti-democratic move” by the organizers.

The April 24 Commemoration Platform was planning to hold the event on Wednesday in front of the Süreyya Opera House, designed by Armenian architect Kegham Kavafyan, in İstanbul’s Kadıköy district. 

Held for 10 years, the vigil was prohibited during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021 and hasn’t been allowed since.

The platform condemned the governor’s office’s decision, claiming it was made without any justification and describing it as “anti-democratic.”

The organizers said an event that would allow Turkey to confront the mass atrocities committed by the Ottoman authorities against the Armenian minority during World War I would be “one of the most critical junctures of democratization” in the country.

They added that the ban on the event reflects the Turkish authorities’ insistence on the country’s failure to democratize.

İHD says in press statement WWI killings of Armenians was ‘genocide’

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Anti-Racism and Discrimination Commission released a press statement titled “Recognize, Apologize, Compensate” at its headquarters in Taksim on Wednesday to commemorate the victims of the mass killings of the Armenians during WWI, describing the tragedy as a “genocide.”

“We’re naming it. Yes, it’s a great disaster. But its name is genocide. [President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan became the first leader to express sorrow [about it], but then he reverted to state’s factory settings [which denies the commission of a genocide],” Eren Keskin, a prominent Kurdish lawyer, human rights activist and member of the commission, said.

In 2014, Erdoğan, who was the prime minister at the time, offered condolences for the first time for the mass killings of Armenians under Ottoman rule during WWI. Although his message fell short of describing the tragedy as “genocide,” he said the events of 1915 had “inhumane consequences” and expressed hope that those who died were at peace.

The Armenians — supported by historians and scholars — say 1.5 million of their people died in a genocide committed by the İttihat Terakki government of the Ottoman Empire during WWI.

Turkey accepts that both Armenians and Turks died in huge numbers as Ottoman forces fought czarist Russia. But Ankara vehemently denies a deliberate policy of genocide.

Gülistan Yarkın, another member of the İHD commission, said what was targeted at the time was not only the lives of the Armenians but also that their properties, personal belongings, money, memories and history were taken away from them.

“Even more importantly, the Republic of Turkey has achieved, institutionalized and widely spread the most successful and long-lasting genocide denial in the world. Denial has been so successful that today Armenians are not only compelled to recount the genocide in their homeland but also forced to prove their existence for thousands of years,” she added.

Yarkın also complained that the Turkish judicial authorities took legal action against those who seek to discuss the “genocide,” highlighting that several investigations and trials have been initiated since 2018 regarding statements made about it.

DEM Party urges reckoning with ‘genocidal mentality’

Meanwhile, the Mezopotamya news agency reported that representatives from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) made a public statement in Şişli on Tuesday regarding the issue.

DEM Party MP Kezban Konukçu said they are well aware they can’t build peace and brotherhood in the country without confronting “this system of domination and exploitation.”

“We must confront this history. We must reckon with this genocidal mentality,” she added.

Erdoğan commemorates Armenian victims in message

President Erdoğan also sent a message to Sahak Maşalyan, the patriarch of Armenian Orthodox Christians in Turkey, saying he respectfully commemorates the Armenians who lost their lives under the adverse conditions brought about by World War I, extending his condolences to their descendants.

The president said his government would not allow the marginalization or exclusion of even a single Armenian citizen while emphasizing the importance of addressing historical events guided by reason, conscience and science, without succumbing to radical rhetoric or hate speech.

Up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed when Ottoman authorities rounded them up en masse and either massacred them or sent them on death marches into the desert, deprived of food and water.

Turkey says around 300,000-500,000 Armenians died, and just as many ethnic Turks, in civil strife after Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire rose up and sided with invading Russian forces.

Russia, the United States and several European countries recognize the killings as genocide.

https://www.turkishm...tim-during-wwi/

[Yervant1]

BDNews24, Bangladesh

April 24 2024

 

 

A call to recognise the genocide in Bangladesh on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

 

ByTawheed Reza Noor

 

Apr 24 is the Rememberance Day of the Armenian Genocide. Let us honour and remember the lives lost in the unfathomable tragedy of the Armenian genocide, ensuring that their memory endures through our commitment to truth and justice. In 2021, under President Joe Biden’s administration, the United States government took the significant step of formally recognising the Armenian genocide. This recognition goes beyond being a mere historical notation; it is a crucial validation of the extensive suffering endured by the Armenian people during the Ottoman Empire.

 

An additional abhorrent chapter was written in 1971 when the genocide occurred in the region presently referred to as Bangladesh, which was previously East Pakistan. The Pakistani Occupation Force, along with groups like Al Badr, Al Shams, and Razakar, unleashed unimaginable brutality against the Bengali community, who were seeking liberation from oppressive rule. Mar 25, 1971 marked the official start of the atrocity. The international media, including reputable outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and The Times of London, covered the unfolding tragedy extensively. Yet, decisive action to stop the bloodshed remained elusive.

During the 1971 crisis in Dhaka, amidst the Bangladesh Liberation War, US Consul General Archer Blood and other American companions personally witnessed the atrocities being committed. They were deeply disturbed by the violence inflicted upon the Bengali population by the Pakistani military. Blood, demonstrating exceptional moral courage, meticulously documented these events in a series of diplomatic cables known as the “Blood Telegrams”. In these cables, he unambiguously condemned the crackdown and called for more assertive intervention by the United States to stop the violence. His dispatches explicitly opposed the Nixon administration's policy of tacit support for Pakistan, revealing a profound concern for human rights and democratic principles. Blood’s stance gained notable support from a group within the US State Department known as the “dissent channel”. This mechanism was established to allow diplomats to directly express dissenting views to senior officials. The existence of this group serves as a testament to the values of democratic governance and moral responsibility.

At the same time, during this dark period, voices of conscience echoed around the world, calling for an end to the carnage. Figures like US Senator Edward Kennedy, Mother Teresa, and French writer André Malraux, among others, raised their voices in solidarity with the victims and called for international intervention. However, despite these passionate pleas, the world’s response remained muted, allowing the atrocities to continue unpunished.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Archer Blood and all those who courageously opposed their government’s policy. They advocated for justice and shed light on grave human rights abuses. Their integrity and bravery remain exemplary and continue to inspire those in positions of power to uphold the principles of humanity and justice.

 

The brutality inflicted upon the Bengali population during the genocide is almost incomprehensible. Widespread massacres, organised sexual violence, deliberate extermination, torture, and coerced displacement were prevalent, resulting in extensive devastation. The Bengali guerrillas, who courageously resisted the Pakistani forces, faced overwhelming odds but refused to give up their fight for freedom. Their resilience in the face of adversity is a testament to the indomitable spirit of humanity.

Amidst the horrors in East Pakistan, the roles of India and the Soviet Union became crucial in shaping the course of events. India, faced with a humanitarian crisis on its doorstep, provided vital support to the Bengali liberation movement, ultimately leading to the birth of Bangladesh. The Soviet Union also played a pivotal role by diplomatically supporting India’s efforts to end the genocide and secure international recognition for Bangladesh's independence. Despite the passage of decades, the wounds inflicted by the Bangladesh genocide continue to worsen, requiring acknowledgement and redress. 

In recent years, the recognition of the genocide in Bangladesh has received support from various institutions. In April 2023, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) officially classified this tragic event as genocide, following the necessary protocols, in response to my formal proposal. This acknowledgment was the result of the collective efforts of several genocide specialists and scholars who supported me throughout the entire process. Prior to this, between December 2021 and March 2022, three other US organisations - the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, Genocide Watch, and the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience - also formally recognised these events as genocide. Fortunately, I was able to play a significant role in obtaining recognition from Genocide Watch and the Lemkin Institute.

However, recognition alone is not sufficient. Concurrently, the US government needs to own up to its role in the genocide in Bangladesh and issue a formal resolution denouncing the crimes of Pakistan and its allies. On Oct 15, 2022, US Congressmen Steve Chabot and Ro Khanna, who are of Indian American descent, introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives urging the US Ppresident to acknowledge the genocide against ethnic Bengalis and Hindu community by the Pakistani armed forces in 1971. Also it calls on Pakistan to apologise for its role in the genocide of Bangladesh. The resolution mentioned the recognition awarded by the Genocide Watch and the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention. Unfortunately, this draft resolution has remained undiscussed and undecided after 1.5 years. It’s time to take action and bring this matter to a close.  

Additionally, the United Nations must apologise for its failure to prevent the genocide and formally recognise it as such; incorporating the lessons learned into its genocide prevention efforts.

Furthermore, there must be ongoing international pressure applied to Pakistan to acknowledge its role in the genocide and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Justice delayed is justice denied, and the victims of the Bangladesh genocide deserve full accountability for the atrocities committed against them.

In conclusion, the recognition of the genocide in Bangladesh surpasses a mere retrospective analysis of historical events; it carries profound moral implications. It emphasises our steadfast commitment to the principle of "never again" and showcases the remarkable resilience of humanity in confronting unimaginable acts of violence. The active involvement of the US government and the United Nations holds significant importance in this endeavour. By acknowledging and addressing past atrocities, actually we honour the memory of the victims and reassert our collective determination to build a future where such atrocities are consigned to the past.

https://bdnews24.com...ment/td5hh96fqw