The focus was on the genocide of Armenians on the occasion of the fifth national conference of the fight against Holocaust denial. Under the patronage of the Minister of Justice, Christiane Taubira, the symposium brought together a hundred people, mostly students from the Paris School of business just connoisseurs of the Armenian question, Thursday, October 29 in the premises of the Hotel City of Paris.

This is the Geopolitics and Professor Frédéric Encel who organized and hosted this meeting fifths. “This is the first time they occur at the Mairie de Paris, it gives them more luster, more prestige,” said t -he explained in his introduction, before thanking Anne Hidalgo and Patrick Klugman for this welcome. If they could not be present as they are traveling in Erbil, Catherine Vieu-Charier, Assistant to the Mayor of Paris in charge of memory, represented them.

In her speech, she explained that genocide question is remember that it is all the time followed by a negation. Yet “the denial must be condemned with firmness, even if this is not enough. That is why, in addition to the exhibition that was held in the town hall of Paris a few months ago, the League of Education printed a brochure to tell the story of the three big genocides “ for children. “For the children of today do not become the executioners of tomorrow,” concluded Catherine Vieu-Charier, before leaving his place to Mourad Papazian.

It also emphasized the importance of the younger generation, “who must hold high the values ​​against racism”. The co-chairman of CCAF signified how important it was that such a meeting take place now, as the ECHR has just made ​​its verdict on Perincek case. “The climate is not healthy, s is he worried. But we want to believe in a burst of values. Freedom should not be recovered to justify the denial “.

Hosted by journalist Vartan Kaprielian, the first of three round tables of the day was then able to start at 11am. Titled “Origin, nature and implementation of the negation”, it brought together historians Duclert Vincent, Yves Ternon and Claire Mouradian.

Vincent Duclert an update on the role of research, having been ignored for many years, has refined his answers against denial over the years, particularly since the 80 He expressed how, for him before the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the search was in some impasse in the fight against Holocaust denial. But this year, the importance of literature that removes all publishing space for Holocaust deniers, work on Armenian history (notably Gaïdz Minassian), support to researchers, the strength of the political response (Francois Hollande Yerevan, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem symposium at the Sorbonne), textbooks and a better knowledge of the situation in Turkey shows some success in the fight against the denial.

Yves Ternon then spoke: “the negation is first a lie, that one tries to raise doctrine”, he was first proclaimed. After histories denials of the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide, the historian explained how one of the Armenian Genocide was singular. “The Republic of Turkey was founded on this genocide.” He continued by explaining that the perverse game led by Erdogan today, especially towards refugees, leave no hope.

Then it was Claire Mouradian who spoke, referring in particular to the treatment of criminals, the Treaty of Sevres that of Lausanne.

After lunch, a new round table was held, this time on the theme of “Armenian Genocide and International Law”, marked by the interventions of Bernard Bruneteau Raffi-Philippe Kalfayan and Armen Couyoumdjian. The first returned to the genesis of the concept of genocide: “it must be understood that this concept is at the mouth of an era, it was not applied but was artificially manufactured by a historical process between 1918 and 1930” explained the historian.

Raffi-Philippe Kalfayan was then asked about the criminalization of genocide denial: is this the right solution? Is this political undertaking timely?

Armen Couyoumdjian is, meanwhile, returned to the trial of Istanbul 1919-1920. Three in particular caught his attention: the Yozgat, which opened the way for a discussion of the massacres against Armenians in the press; the lawsuit against Union and Progress, which makes a distinction between those responsible for genocide and simple accomplices; and the secretaries of the Unionists.

At 15:30 started the third and final roundtable of the day. On “Review and Prospects”, co-chairman of CCAF Ara Toranian, journalist Gaïdz Minassian and Turkish political scientist Ali Kazancigil concluded the day, led by Frédéric Encel.

Ara Toranian cited Cornelius speaking of “time rule things well”, by questioning on why the relationship genocide does not improve over the years. “The right to justice can not be extinguished,” said the co-chairman of CCAF.

Gaïdz Minassian then tried to take stock of this year’s centennial. If the institutionalization of the Armenian message is for him a satisfaction he regretted the lack of political reflection on the future of the Armenian question. According to the journalist, polarize on the world stage, support and encourage research and assert itself in other ways gathering that genocide could be three axes to dig.

Finally, the Turkish political scientist Ali Kazancigil arrived late, but in time to stack mention the developments in Turkish society. According to him, we can see two symbols of emancipation. The beginning of a working memory that goes beyond the issue of genocide, and Taksim events “Today in Turkey about the Genocide is not considered a scandal, “argued political scientist who said it remained” optimistic “.