After Years of Denial, Foxman Recognizes Genocide

May 24, 2014 By administrator

BY LAURA BOGHOSIAN

BOSTON—After years of equivocation, Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman has publicly acknowledged that the Turkish massacres of the Armenian people constituted genocide.

This recognition comes after a seven-year campaign in which the Armenian and Jewish communities, as well as human rights activists and local officials, demanded that the ADL affirm this historical truth.

In remarks delivered at Suffolk University Law School’s commencement on May 17, Foxman stated, “Had there been people of courage to act in 1915 when the Armenian genocide was taking place, had there been international intervention when massacres in Cambodia, Bosnia, and the genocide in Rwanda were happening, innocent lives in great numbers could have been saved.”

The announcement that Foxman would deliver the keynote address and receive an honorary degree unleashed widespread criticism that the university planned to honor a man who refused to issue a clear statement on the Armenian Genocide and who actively lobbied against its recognition.

Groups including the Suffolk chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Suffolk student organizations, the Armenian Bar Association, Suffolk alumni, and others called on Suffolk to rescind its invitation. When Suffolk refused, several faculty members carried small Armenian flags in silent protest onto the stage where Foxman spoke.

Foxman’s Suffolk remarks stand in contrast to the ADL’s 2007 statement that the “consequences” of the Turkish government’s actions were “tantamount to genocide.” The Armenian community and its supporters rejected that statement as its qualifiers circumvented the intent required by the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.

An ADL statement one year later that alleged it had “referred to those massacres and atrocities as genocide” was likewise rebuffed as it only “referred” to the unacceptable 2007 statement. Recent claims by Foxman and the ADL that this 2008 release clearly and unequivocally acknowledged the Armenian Genocide are false.

Since that time, human rights activists have continued to press the ADL for an unequivocal acknowledgement, as well as an end to its lobbying for the Turkish government to prevent passage of a Congressional Resolution affirming the Armenian Genocide.

“Abe Foxman’s reference to the Armenian massacres as genocide, without any qualifiers, is a welcome change,” stated Herman Purutyan, Massachusetts chair of the Armenian Assembly of America. “Even though Foxman continues to assert that he had previously acknowledged the genocide, the basis for his claims are a chain of statements, at the root of which is the 2007 statement full of qualifications, intended to obfuscate the question. We expect that Foxman’s statement at Suffolk is not only his personal view, but that it also reflects ADL’s official position. ADL should confirm this by publishing an unequivocal statement on its website, and joining in the efforts to have the U. S. Congress recognize the Armenian Genocide by passing the resolution currently before it.”

Foxman’s remarks reflected growing support by Jewish organizations for recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In March, ADL New England Regional Director Robert Trestan was quoted stating that the ADL “now fully recognizes the Armenian genocide without reservation.”

The following month, the American Jewish Committee issued a release that read, “We pause in mournful tribute to the memories of the estimated 1.5 million victims of the Meds Yeghern, the Genocide of Armenians, committed in the final years of the Ottoman Empire.” Describing the genocide as “an unspeakable crime against humanity,” the AJC called upon the Turkish government to confront the truth. ”

Finally, the Israeli Knesset discussed recognition of the Armenian Genocide at a plenum on May 13. A motion by the left-wing Meretz party to recognize the genocide before its 100th anniversary next year received support from across the political spectrum, including from the rightist coalition government.

“These reversals of position by major Jewish organizations are quite significant for all those committed to recognition of the genocides of the past century,” stated Dikran Kaligian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts. “No longer will Turkey be able to exploit the differences between the positions of these organizations’ leadership and their membership — the vast majority of whom want nothing to do with Turkey’s genocide denial campaign.”

Locally, the Coalition to Recognize the Armenian Genocide was established in 2008 to foster communication between the Armenian and Jewish communities and to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide within the Jewish community. Its objectives include advocating for official recognition of the genocide by the United States government. Coalition members include representatives from the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America.

The coalition facilitated contacts between Armenian activists and members of the ADL and created an online petition calling on Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide that has gathered over 21,000 signatures to date.

Laura Boghosian is a member of the Coalition to Recognize the Armenian Genocide.

California Assembly Committee passes Genocide Education Bill

May 24, 2014 By administrator

May 24, 2014 – 14:17 AMT

On Friday May 23, the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee unanimously passed AB 1915, requiring the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in the list of studied subject areas for the adopted courses of study in Social Science for 7-12, reported the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA WR). The bill, authored by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, also recommends for the Department of Education to include the atrocities of 1915 into publications and curriculum materials, Asbarez reported.

AB 1915, which had unanimously passed the California State Assembly Education Committee in early April will now move on to the full Assembly floor for consideration.

“As AB 1915 advances for a floor vote, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Assembly and the ANCA-WR to ensure swift passage for this vital measure. Education on human rights and the Armenian genocide is an important component that should be broadly incorporated in our curriculum. This has been a long time coming, and I am so pleased from the broad range of support for this measure,” stated Assemblymember Nazarian.

Earlier in the week, ANCA Western Region Executive Director Elen Asatryan submitted a strongly worded letter in support of AB1915 on behalf of the organization noting “Despite the existence of the provision within the framework (pursuant to AB 1273 which was enacted in 1985), the Armenian Genocide is not taught in the overwhelming majority of our public schools. The State Assembly recently passed AB 659 which encourages inclusion of oral history components in the instruction of human rights issues, including the Armenian Genocide. This law is a step in the right direction, but not enough to achieve the objective of instruction across all public schools across the state. What is necessary is enactment of AB 1915 which would mandate such instruction while providing teachers with the tools that they need”.

“Within the context of modern world history, the Armenian Genocide was a pivotal event which served as a progenitor to the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. Consequently, the Holocaust (which must be taught per state law) cannot be taught or understood comprehensively without instructing students about the Armenian Genocide,” she continued.

In the weeks leading up to State Assembly consideration of the measure, the ANCA Western Region worked closely with legislators to ensure they learned of the broad, enthusiastic support for the measure, especially during the organization’s 2014 Advocacy Day when over 350 activists from California including a group of students from San Marino High School who have taken up the Genocide Education as their senior project, met with over 70 California legislators.

On Wednesday April 9, ANCA Western Region Education Committee Chair Alice Petrossian and ANCA Western Region Education Committee Executive Member and writer Kay Mouradian testified in front of the the California State Assembly Education Committee in support of the bill along with joint author of AB 1915 Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian, and Assembly Education Committee members, Chair Joan Buchanan and Assemblymember Rocky J. Chavez prior to its unanimous passed.

Further, earlier this year, the State Assembly Education and Appropriations Committees unanimously adopted AB 659, another bill introduced by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian. The bill, which is on its way to the California State Senate, encourages schools to use oral histories when teaching about the Armenian Genocide and other acts against humanity. AB 659 set the stage for the presentation of AB1915.

Once adopted by the full State Assembly and the State Senate and signed into law by the Governor, AB 1915 would codify the Armenian Genocide into the curriculum of 7th to 12th grade Social Science and History classes. It would also recommend publication about the Armenian Genocide and other genocides including Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur in instructional materials provided to instructors about crimes against humanity.

Currently, California is one of 11 states, including Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Virginia, which have the Armenian Genocide included in their curriculum. The California Model Curriculum developed by the Department of Education, includes the Armenian Genocide as a recommended topic to teach. However, schools aren’t required to follow this Model Curriculum.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Photo: Asbarez

Canada to host conference on Genocide & mass crimes in October 1-3

May 22, 2014 By administrator

May 22, 2014 – 15:06 AMT

University of Moncton in Canada will host an international conference on Armenian Genocide and mass crimes timed to the centenary of the 1915 massacres on October 1-3, Fabula said.

The event will focus on the collective memory of the Genocide and mass crimes, as well as Genocide-related historical, cultural, social and political issues.

The conference will also discuss the role of the Ottoman Empire in the World War I and the Genocide, international assistance, charity missions and organizations.

With Armenian Genocide issue as the focus of the conference, the discussions may also have a comparative aspect.

Représentations du génocide des Arméniens et des crimes de masse

http://www.fabula.org

Be a reporter: Write and send your article to www.gagrule.net

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres, and deportations involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, majority of U.S. states, parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium and Wales, National Council of Switzerland, Chamber of Commons of Canada, Polish Sejm, Vatican, European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.

Forbes names Armenian Genocide Museum must-see place

May 21, 2014 By administrator

May 21, 2014 – 15:48 AMT

Forbes magazine has included the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI) in the list of 9 must-see memorial museums of the world.

The AGMI opened in 1995, concurrently commemorating the eightieth anniversary of this crime against humanity perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire.

The two-storey construction is built directly into the side of a hill so as not to detract from the imposing presence of the Genocide Monument nearby. The first floor of the Museum is subterranean and houses the administrative, engineering and technical maintenance offices as well as Komitas Hall, which seats 170 people. It also hosts the storage rooms for museum artifacts and scientific objects, as well as a library and a reading hall. The Museum exhibit is located on the second floor in a space just over 1000 square meters.

As AGMI director Hayk Demoyan said earlier this year, the opening of the new premises will take place in April 2015. “We will expand the territory and introduce new designer solutions and technologies applied in the best museums of the world,” he said.

The Forbes list also includes the Holocaust History Museum (Yad Vashem) in Jerusalem, Museum of Maritime Disasters in Crimea, Ukrainian National Chornobyl Museum in Kyiv, Gulag History Museum in Moscow, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Titanic Belfast Museum, Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, as well as the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York.

Turkey, Genocide denial conference in Van

April 23, 2014 By administrator

TURKEY

Holocaust denial conference in Van

Denialist Turkish historians discuss the events of 1915 at a conference entitled “The First World War and the Armenians” to be held on 24 and 25 April in the city of Van, Turkey.

The president of the Turkish Historical Society said that historians will study the documents obtained in American English archives, and German during the two-day event.

Kessab events not genocide – opinion

April 3, 2014 By administrator

Political scientist Levon Melik-Shanazaryan does not think the events in Kessab can be called genocide because there are no Armenian victims there.

“Of course, a humanitarian catastrophe is taking place there, and the Kessab Armenians need help, especially from Armenia. However, the events in Kessab are not genocide,” Melik-Shahnazaryan told reporters on Thursday.

A genocide could have been committed if the Syrian army and the Armenian side had failed to evacuate the Kessab Armenians.

“I am sure Turkey ordered the terrorist not to touch Armenians because they do not need new victims on the threshold of the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. But if Turks had seen helpless women or children there, they would have caused harm to them,” the expert said.

Turks had no intention to kill Armenians, but they are concerned over what is called Western Kurdistan.

“Western Kurdistan is a major threat to Turkey because the Kurds residing in Turkey have joined them. And Turkey’s main aim is to put an end to it.”

Armenia’s authorities should apply to Syria’s president, the UN and other international organizations and dispatch squads to Kessab to protect the Armenians and ensure their movement to Armenia.

“After the situation calms down, the Kessab Armenians can decide if they stay or return to Kessab,” Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

DNA Study Busts Myth that One Million Appalachians are of Turkish Descent.

July 26, 2012 By administrator

BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN

For decades, Turkish pseudo-historians and propagandists have made bizarre claims about Turks being the ancestors of various ethnic groups around the world, including Native Americans, African-Americans, and the strangest of all — Melungeons — a little-known group of dark-skinned residents of Appalachia.

To counter Armenian political activities in Washington, the Turkish government regularly reaches out to anyone who could be co-opted with all-expense paid trips, special gifts, and other financial inducements, including funding studies and conferences on the alleged Turkish origin of Melungeons. Even though these one million Appalachians do not carry much political clout in Congress, Ankara is interested in claiming them to be of Turkish descent, hoping to strengthen its political and economic clout in the United States. [Read more…]

Steve Jobs had asked the Turks: “You subjected 1.5 million Armenians to genocide. How did it happen?”

April 2, 2012 By administrator

December 21, 2011 | 11:04

What Turkish tour guide Asil Tuncer said, with respect to Apple Inc.’s founder, the late Steve Jobs’ visit to Turkey, caused great uproar in the country. The guide claimed that Jobs considered the Turks as enemies, and he did not even shake hands when bidding farewell to the tour guide.

Tuncer noted that when they had approached the Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, and he had told that it was a church at first but then it was turned into a mosque, Steve Jobs had asked: “You, Muslims, what did you do to so many Christians? You subjected 1.5 million Armenians to genocide. Tell us, how did it happen?” [Read more…]

AGHET – German filmmaker Eric Friedler “Armenian Genocide”

March 27, 2012 By administrator

AGHET [produced by NDR (German public television)], a new award-winning documentary made by German filmmaker Eric Friedler compellingly proves the truth of the genocide of the Armenian people. Using the actual words of 23 German, American and other nationals who witnessed the events, and armed with archival materials, AGHET expertly takes on the challenge that PM Erdogan hurled at the world by stating: »Prove it.« AGHET incorporates never-before-seen footage and documents – making it one of the best researched and presented documentaries on the Armenian Genocide. More than just a historic retelling of the Genocide, the film also delves into the ongoing campaign of denial that the Turkish government has mounted since these events occurred in World War I.

AGHET was debuted on NDR in April, 2010. Friedler has assembled an impeccable cast, who bring to life the original texts of German and U.S. diplomatic dispatches and eyewitness accounts, interspersed with never-before-seen footage of the Genocide and its political aftermath. The film, applauded by Nobel Prize laureate Gunter Grass, has sparked renewed debate throughout Europe and has won several international awards. It is now being showcased around the world on television, in major film festivals and has been seen by members of the U.S. Congress. [Read more…]

Taner Akcam: “In Turkey, genocide denial is an industry”

April 16, 2011 By administrator

10:44, January 26, 2012

Taner Akçam, Ph.D.

Born in the province of Ardahan, Turkey. Taner Akçam graduated from Middle East Technical University in Ankara and emigrated to Germany, where he worked as a research scientist in the sociology department at the Hamburg Institute for Social Research. Akçam earned his doctorate from the University of Hannover with a dissertation on The Turkish National Movement and the Armenian Genocide Against the Background of the Military Tribunals in Istanbul Between 1919 and 1922.
The following interview with Prof. Taner Akcam, the Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marion Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University, appeared in Le Monde on Jan. 7. The interview was conducted by Guillaume Perrier. Below is the interview in English.
Q. What is your opinion, not about the genocide denial law itself, but about the effects it can have on the debate among intellectuals and civil society in Turkey? [Read more…]