Everything related to the Armenian Cause and the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

[Armenian]

This Thread will be used to update everyone about the work carried by the Armenian Parties worldwide and the Armenian National Committee worldwide for the Armenian Cause and the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by several countries specially USA.

Thank you

[Armenian]

A Genocide Denier at McGill University

Armenian Students face down a Turkish Professor...

Feb 27,2009

Montreal -- The neo-Nazi or the denier of the Holocaust and the Armenian, Rwandan and Cambodian genocides has now an academic environment to host their lectures in Canada. On Friday the 20th of February 2009, McGill University decided that its campus was an appropriate scene to allow the Turkish professor Türkkaya Ataöv to deny the Armenian genocide of 1915, during which 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by the Turks. Despite formal letters, protests, and meetings with the university administration initiated by the Armenian Students’ Association of McGill and Armen Karo Student Association, and supported by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Amnesty International, Hillel Montreal and 15 other humanitarian and Armenian organizations including the Armenian Students’ Associations of Quebec and Ontario universities, the event still took place.

This lecture is one of the desperate attempts by the Turkish government to spread its denial propaganda, while international and domestic pressures increase to bring the state to accept its past and to recognize its crimes as genocide. In a country where the criminal code silences any discussions concerning the genocide, 200 Turkish intellectuals challenged their government in December 2008 by issuing a letter of empathy to the Armenians for the tragedies of 1915. The letter was supported by over 30 000 Turkish citizens.

The Armenian genocide is officially recognized by the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and 20 countries including Canada, France, Russia, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany. The International Association of Genocide Scholars, representing the majority of historians from Europe and North America, published an open letter to the Turkish Prime Minister on June 13th, 2005, in order to remind him that it was not only the Armenian community, but hundreds of historians of different nationalities, independent of any government, who had studied and established the reality of the Armenian Genocide

Taking these facts into account, the argument of "freedom of expression" put forth by McGill University to justify a lecture aimed at whitewashing and distorting history is completely irresponsible, and casts doubt on its reputation. By allowing such a lecture on its grounds, the academic institution has been an accomplice in the 8th phase of genocide: denial.

The auditorium full at its seating capacity with an overwhelming majority of Armenians clearly took the lecturer off guard. At the beginning of the lecture, about 20 students stood up for a minute and held papers that read “No Room for Genocide Deniers in Canada ”and” Denial Is the Last Stage of Genocide”. During the lecture, the disoriented professor saw fit to skip large parts of his presentation, to interrupt his speech to read notes, and to use only the first page of the slideshow he had prepared. At his lecture in Ryerson University, Professor Ataöv described the west as racist and claimed that the Nuremberg trials against Nazi leaders were not fair.

Right before the questions’ period, Mardig Taslakian, a Member of the executive committee of the Armenian Students’ Association of McGill, took the floor and read the letter signed by 21 associations that was sent to the university’s administration. Mr. Ataöv was then bombarded with questions by the Armenian students who had come prepared with documents and references do demand justice. The teacher circumvented most questions by talking about subjects unrelated to the questions themselves, and tried to buy time by pretending to look for "sources" in his briefcase. When Kevork Kazanjian, President of Armen Karo Student Association, took the floor to ask a question, Turkish students crossed the line of civility in an attempt to prevent him from talking.

It is worth mentioning that none of the Turkish attendees had any questions for Professor Ataöv, to the point where the teacher felt compelled to secretly write a question and pass it along a member of the audience to ask. The humiliation of the teacher reached its peak when the Turkish student was unable to read the question, which further proved the failure of the lecture.
As Canadian students of Armenian descent, we hope this failed lecture will serve as an example to prevent further suffering and breechings of human rights and dignity in the future. We call upon all human beings who want to put an end to the horrendous cycle of genocides to stand up against the deniers and prevent them access to podiums in Canada. Finally, we hope that a proper apology will be given to the Armenian students in Montreal.

Armenian Students in Montreal

[Armenian]

The Armenian Genocide is recognized by the following International organizations:

-UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
- European Parliament
- World Council of Churches
- Human Rights Association (Turkey)
- European Alliance of YMCAs
- Permanent Peoples' Tribunal

And by the following Countries:

-Argentina
-Belgium
-Canada
-Chile
-Cyprus
-France
-Germany
-Greece
-Italy
-Lithuania
-Lebanon
-Netherlands
-Poland
-Russia
-Slovakia
-Sweden
-Switzerland
-Uruguay
-Vatican City
-Venezuela

[Armenian]

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES RENEW DRIVE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION


Introduce Bipartisan Armenian Genocide Resolution


WASHINGTON, DC – Legislation calling on the U.S. President to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide was introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives, two weeks before President’s Obama’s April 5th trip to Turkey and roughly a month before the White House’s annual April 24th commemoration of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The measure, H.Res.252, is spearheaded by lead sponsors, Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), and cosponsored by over 70 House colleagues. The resolution is identical to the one introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th Congress, which was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, over intense pressure from the Turkish Government and Bush Administration, and publicly endorsed by then-candidate for President Barack Obama, his Vice President Joe Biden, and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“Armenians in the U.S. and around the world thank Adam Schiff, George Radanovich, Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk for leading Congressional efforts toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “The election of Barack Obama, who has spoken repeatedly, forcefully, and with great clarity about the need for American recognition of the Armenian Genocide, marked a truly welcome break from the flawed policies of the past on this score. We look, in the coming days and weeks, for the President to honor his pledge, to fully support this legislation, and to raise the discourse in Washington, DC on the Armenian Genocide from level of Turkey’s threats and denials up to the level of the core moral and humanitarian values of the America people.”

In the days leading up to the introduction of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk sent a letter to President Obama urging him to end the complicity of past Administrations in Turkey’s genocide denial by properly characterizing the Armenian Genocide. That sentiment was reiterated by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, in a March 7th letter sent to President Obama.

The resolution comes six-weeks prior to April 24th, the worldwide commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. U.S. Presidents have marked the annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 by the Ottoman Turkish government every year since 1994, though have refrained from the proper characterization of this crime under threats and pressure from the Turkish government.

“There is going to be heavy focus on encouraging President Obama to make a strong statement of recognition on April 24, because it will be important in setting the tone of the discussions on the Armenian Genocide Resolution in Congress,” Rep. Schiff told Armenian Weekly Editor Khatchig Mouradian earlier today. “The Turkish lobby will be spending millions — like they did in past years. They will also argue that the recognition of the genocide will cut off reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, and that this is not the right time. The truth is, after 94 years, if this is not the right time, I don’t know when that right time can be.”

Rep. Radanovich concurred, noting, “President Obama made a clear promise to the Armenian community during his campaign and to do anything short of properly recognizing the Armenian genocide as such would be a direct slap in the face to Armenians around the world.” In a statement issued earlier today, he went on to note that “The Armenian constituents in my district have been staunch advocates of the truth and to them I promise not to give up this fight.”

As Members of Congress prepared to introduce the Armenian Genocide Resolution, thousands of Armenian American activists contacted their legislators through phone, mail and the ANCA WebFax system urging them to become early cosponsors of the legislation.

The Armenian Genocide legislation is expected to the referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

[Anny]

Originally Posted by Armenian

The Armenian Genocide is recognized by the following International organizations:

-UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
- European Parliament
- World Council of Churches
- Human Rights Association (Turkey)
- European Alliance of YMCAs
- Permanent Peoples' Tribunal

And by the following Countries:

-Argentina
-Belgium
-Canada
-Chile
-Cyprus
-France
-Germany
-Greece
-Italy
-Lithuania
-Lebanon
-Netherlands
-Poland
-Russia
-Slovakia
-Sweden
-Switzerland
-Uruguay
-Vatican City
-Venezuela

That's all the countries, none of them is a muslim country, and where is the US? I am surprised I dont see Danemark, Norway and Iceland in this list as well

[Armenian]

Originally Posted by Anny

That's all the countries, none of them is a muslim country, and where is the US? I am surprised I dont see Danemark, Norway and Iceland in this list as well

So what do you mean?

[Anny]

Originally Posted by Armenian

So what do you mean?

Why don't they recognize it? That's what I mean? Is it because they have alot of positive attitude towards Turkish crimes?

And the US when they will stop creating genocieds themselves now these days, they can surely beguin to recognize others.

[Armenian]

Originally Posted by Anny

Why don't they recognize it? That's what I mean? Is it because they have alot of positive attitude towards Turkish crimes?

And the US when they will stop creating genocieds themselves now these days, they can surely beguin to recognize others.

Recognizing such an inhumane crime has political effects nowadays. All the countries, including Turkey, know that this Genocide happened but they still don't recognize it for political reasons.

Just for the record Turkey spends more than 1 million $ a month, just in USA, to ensure that USA doesn't recognize the Genocide.

On the other hand the Armenian lobbying is done by Tashnag Party alone... So a Party lobbying against a big Country lobbying with millions of $ as a budget...

And the biggest problem in USA is the Israeli lobbying against such recognition...

So let's wait and see what Obama will do on the 24th of April... Will he honour his pledge and name the 1915 " tragedy" as Genocide?

[sev]

You said it armenian. Jewish lobbying in US is denying the armenian genocide recognition. But after the latest war of gaza and turkey's stand one of israeli politicians mentioned "turkey should shut up as they massacred tons of armenians"..

Hopefully their situation goes worse.

[sailormoon]

Not only 1,5 M Armenians were massacred but also 750,000 Assyro-Chaldeans, Syriacs and 200,000 Greeks. To be more accurate we should call it the Genocide of the Christians minorities in Turkey rather than "Armenian Genocide" since it was obviously a calculated plan by the Ottoman autorities to erase Turkey from its Christian presence. If the west calls it "Armenian Genocide" it s because that appellation hides the sectarian nature of the massacre, which will contradicts the propaganda that we hear in Europe saying that Turks and Arabs were tolerant with the other religions etc...
At the end Armenians were not slaughtered just because they re Armenians but because of their faith , the 1914-1922 massacres are an episode from a long phenomena wich began in the 6 th century and consists in Islamizing the east and erase its Christian presence/roots. A phenomena which continues in our modern times with the Lebanese civil war, the intimidation and marginalisation of the Copts, the massacres against the Christians in Iraq during the 20 s and their actual persecution, current massacres in Darfur etc...