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Texas recognizes the Armenian Genocide

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texas recognize armenian genocide

texas recognize armenian genocide

The Texas House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 191, titled “Recognizing the Armenian Genocide,” on May 19, thus making The Lone Star State the 46th state in the U.S. to officially classify and commemorate the 1915-1923 annihilation of Ottoman Turkey’s indigenous Armenian community as genocide.

“We are grateful to the Texas House of Representatives for standing on the right side of history by making their dynamic state the latest member of our Union to unequivocally and vociferously honor the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide despite overwhelming Turkish opposition,” remarked Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Chair Nora Hovsepian.

“This incredible victory, which achieves universal recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the Western Region’s 19 states, was possible because of the outstanding unity and activism demonstrated by the diverse Armenian community of Texas, the unflinching leadership of State Representative Scott Sanford and his fellow lawmakers, as well as the dedication and persistent work of our grassroots—ANCA-Houston and ANCA-Dallas—and staff. While many Texan-Armenians and community groups were instrumental in the passage of and building ground for HR191, I would like to specifically recognize the former ANCA-Dallas founding chair Lucia Nazarian for initiating Texas’ recognition of the Armenian Genocide, as well as Focused Advocacy President Brandon Todd Aghamalian and University of Texas Austin Professor and Armenian Church of Austin representative Mihran Aroian for their leadership in bringing the Armenian community together to make this important recognition a reality,” continued Hovsepian.

The resolution, which had more than 50 original bipartisan cosponsors and passed unanimously, declares, in part, that “During World War I, the crumbling Ottoman Empire began a systematic campaign to eradicate its Armenian population, which then numbered more than two million; and… as many as 1.5 million Armenians perished and today, only 3 million live in Armenia, a country that covers no more than 10 percent of the ancient Armenian homeland, while the Armenian diaspora numbers 8 to 10 million in countries around the world, including the United States,” concluding with the resolved clause “That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Texas follows renewed activism in The Lone Star State, including the 2015 defeat of anti-Armenian resolutions as well as adoption of HR 1541, which recognized Texans’ contributions to the Near East Relief that saved 132,000 orphans of the Armenian Genocide. The latter humanitarian effort was recognized by ANCA-Dallas during its April 2, 2016 ‘Texas We Thank You’ Gala, at which Rep. Sanford received the ANCA-Dallas Advocate of Justice award for his long-time support for Armenian Genocide awareness.

HR 191 was introduced by Rep. Sanford on jan. 26, followed by a public hearing in the International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs committee on April 24, during which ANCA-WR Chief Legislative Consultant Haig Baghdassarian joined a large group of Armenian Americans as well as representatives from the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission and Houston’s Holocaust Museum in testifying in support of HR 191. Following the testimony, ANCA-WR called its online activists in Texas to action, as a result of which hundreds of letters were emailed to state legislators. Many more phone calls were made through joint efforts of the Armenian community in a strong demonstration of unity and grassroots activism.

Texas’ passage of HR 191 follows the Wyoming Governor’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide in April, thus completing universal recognition in the ANCA-WR, which consists of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Colorado Legislature passes Armenian Genocide resolution

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The Colorado State Legislature unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, thedenverchannel.com reported.

The resolution states:  “We express support for efforts toward constructive and durable relations between the country of Armenia, the homeland for the Armenian people, and its neighbors, based upon acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime against humanity.”

“Our Colorado Advocacy Day was a great success! We appreciate the Centennial State’s legislators’ support of the Armenian American community, as manifested in their unanimous approval of the annual Armenian Genocide resolution, and the time they took to learn about current issues impacting the Armenian homeland, as well as US-Armenia relations,” Armenian National Committee Western Region said in a statement.

Armenians of Colorado began with a group of 15 Armenian members around 1980. At least 125 families are involved in the organization today.

Istanbul: ‘Recognize, Apologize, Compensate,” Say Turks During Istanbul Commemoration

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During a commemoration event in Istanbul Monday, participants called on Turkey to recognize the Genocide and apologize and make compensations for the crime.

ISTANBUL—During an event on Monday to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum located in Sultanahmet district organized by Human Rights Association Commission against Racism and Discrimination, participants called on Turkey to recognize the Genocide and apologize and make compensations for the crime.

Organized by “April 24 Commemoration Platform,” the commemoration event was held with a poster reading “Armenian Genocide, recognize, apologize, compensate,” while participants carried carnations and photographs of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Istanbul-based Agos newspaper.

A group chanting “We are the soliders of Mustafa Kemal” and “We are the soldiers of Erdoğan,” attempted to interrupt the event but was prevented from provoking participats.

“We are trying to fight against the inherent hatred and vengeance of the state. We are talking about an annihilation that is going on for 102 years,” said Benjamin Abtan, Head of European Grassroots Antiracist Movement, during whose remarks the group attempted the interruption.

Abtan said that commemorating the victims of genocide is to defend democracy. “Fighting against denial of genocide and genocide itself are not peculiar to Turkey. That is why we, non-Armenians, are a part of this struggle.”

Following Abtan’s speech, Meral Cıldır, member of Human Rights Association Commission against Racism and Discrimination, read a written statement on behalf of April 24 Commemoration Platform, which also mentioned the Ottoman Turkish massacres of Syriacs and Pontus Greeks.

Below is the text of the statement:

“Today is April 24. The symbolic beginning of Armenian Genocide. We have to remind that Syriac people had been subjected to genocide in Asia Minor between 1914 and 1923, and Pontus Greeks were subjected to genocide both by Ottoman state and Kemalist movement.

Rule of darkness trivializes even the most horrific evils. It makes criminal actions and situations ordinary. People get used to the injustices to which they have to resist and they experience them as a part of daily life.

Talat Pasha planned Armenian Genocide with a cold-blooded precision; he executed the plan, followed its course and meticulously recorded its results. Today, Talat Pasha and Enver Pasha are buried in mausoleum. They are honored with the place that is given to them in Monument of Liberty.

We invite all people who object against genocide denial to protest the naming of schools after Talat Pasha and his grave in the Monument of Liberty. Anatolia is a land of genocide. Turkey is a land of genocide denial. Today, the mentality of genocide and denial still prevails.”

A second event, a silent vigil commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide, took place in Taksim Square and was attended by the Armenian member of the Turkish Parliament Garo Paylan and the parents of Sevag Balıkcı’s an Armenian soldier who was killed on April 24, 2011 in his barracks.

The event, which was organized by the Commemoration of Armenian Genocide Victims Committee, issued a statement, which was read by one of the group’s members Murat Celikkan.

Below is the statement, which did not use the word genocide but called on Turkish authorities to apologize for the crime and referenced Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan “condolence” message to “Ottoman Armenians.”

“We expect an apology, instead of condolence messages talking about the suffering of both sides. It’s been 102 years; don’t wait for 103rd year. Apologize!”

“While a people was annihilated with its entire culture, culture of coexistence was damaged fatally. Anatolia became barren without its cultures and peoples, making all of us, all people who lived in Anatolia for generations alone. This barrenness that influenced, surrounded and sickened all generations can only be ended with confrontation.”

Saying that “In fact, barrenness and loneliness is not the only problem,” Celikkan added: “Confronting the events of 1915 would contribute to adoption of the essence of democracy as the norm.”

The pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), of which Paylan is a member, also issued an announcement on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

U.S. Wyoming State recognizes the Armenian Genocide

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Wyoming Recognize armenian Genocide

Wyoming Recognize armenian Genocide

U.S. Wyoming State has recognized the Armenian Genocide, thus becoming the 45th U.S. state to accept the 1915 events as a genocide.

In a letter dated April 21 and addressed to the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA-WR), Wyoming Governor Matthew H. Mead has recognized the Armenian Genocide and praised the work of Armenian American grassroots.

“The atrocities of both the Armenian and Jewish Holocausts were unimaginable,” reads Governor Mead’s letter, “but it is important for all to remember—history must not repeat itself,” Wyoming Governor noted in his letter, according to a report by the Armenian Weekly.

Matthew Mead also praised the activities of the Armenian National Committee of America, concluding his letter with the following statement: “My thoughts are with you as you gather for the Colorado State Capitol Armenian Genocide Commemoration.”

The news of Wyoming’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide also received praise by elected officials and activists in the state.

US congressman: Trump will recognize Armenian Genocide

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The US Democrats and Republicans are always ready to stand with their friend and ally, Armenia, said Senator Ed Markey, at a US Congress evening event commemorating Armenian Genocide, reported Voice of America Armenian service.

Numerous Congress members that addressed at the event stressed that they stand with the Armenian people in the recognition of this tragedy.

Congressman Salud Carbajal said the truth is just.

Congresswoman Anna Eshoo noted that she was ashamed that the US has not yet formally recognized Armenian Genocide; but she expressed confidence that they will prevail.

Congressman Dave Trott stated that US President Donald Trump was not a conventional politician, and expressed the hope that Trump will recognize Armenian Genocide, with a statement.

Influential Congressman Adam Schiff also spoke about the chances of Trump’s official recognition of this tragedy.

And as per Congressman Brad Sherman, the US recognition of Armenian Genocide will help the Turkish people themselves in acknowledging their history.

Armenia must recognize Nagorno-Karabakh to proceed to unification – ARF-D politician

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If Armenia recognizes the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic, the two Armenian states will be able to embark on a unification plan sometime in the nearest future, says Giro Manoyan, the political affairs director at the ARF-D (Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun) Bureau.
Speaking to Tert.am, the politician said that heir pre-election platform proposes specific steps for initiating a recognition process.
“In our pre-election platforms, we have always stated Artsakh’s reunification with Armenia as our final goal. Both the proclamation of independence and the activities towards recognition are tactical steps in that direction,” he said.
Meantime Manoyan added that they do not consider realizing the plan at the moment. “If Armenia recognizes [Artsakh’s] independence, the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh may later decide themselves whether unify [into a single country],” he explained.

 

The politician, who is the ARF-D’s proportional representation candidate in the upcoming parliamentary election, said they rule out the possibility of concessions unless Azerbaijan recognizes the Nagorno-Karabakh population’s right to self-determination.
“From our standpoint, the statements by high-ranking officials that recognition may lead to a war are a wrong policy on the part of Armenia. If that really is the case, why do we then need to ask a third party to recognize Artsakh?”

Denmark’s Parliament adopts Armenian Genocide Resolution

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The Parliament of Denmark voted 89 to 9 with 11 abstention today to adopt an Armenian Genocide resolution, according to the website of the Danish Parliament.

On January 19 the Parliament had 2.5 hours of discussion on the document brought to the agenda by Nick Hækkerup (S) , Søren Espersen (DF) , Michael Aastrup Jensen (V) , Henrik Dahl (LA) , Martin Lidegaard (RV) , Naser Khader (KF).

The document reads, in part: “The Parliament confirms its decision no. V 54 of 19 May 2015 on the tragic and bloody events that took place in eastern Anatolia in the period 1915-1923. The Danish Parliament finds that the best path to reconciliation will be an open dialogue about the story on the basis of a free and uncensored history research, including the release of all official documents from the period. The Parliament regrets that Turkish law prohibits citizens and media to use the term “genocide” about the events, and considers this to be an unreasonable restriction of both academic freedom as freedom of expression relates to the use of this term. Parliament maintains its parliamentary tradition not to issue judgments about historical events.”

AP: Has Obama administration quietly recognized Armenian Genocide?

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Samantha Power

Samantha Power

The Associated Press on Tuesday, November 6 published an article suggesting the Obama administration has quietly recognized the Armenian Genocide.

The term has long been taboo for U.S. officials, including President Barack Obama, who have instead talked of mass atrocity and historical tragedy. But Obama’s UN ambassador last week went further than her boss by describing the event as genocide.

In a speech hailing the work of Holocaust survivor and Nobel peace laureate Elie Wiesel, Samantha Power lamented the injustices that continue to this day. Among these, she listed: “Genocide denial against the Armenians.” Power didn’t elaborate.

Those five words risk infuriating Turkey, which has fiercely opposed any genocide reference and whose strategic role as a key American partner and NATO ally in an unstable part of the world has led U.S. officials to exercise extreme caution when referencing the century-old massacre. They’re also surprising given Power’s status as the nation’s second highest-ranked diplomat and what sounded like her implicit criticism of Obama.

When he first ran for president, Obama promised he would recognize the killings as genocide if elected. But he has repeatedly stopped short of doing so. Marking Armenian Remembrance Day in April, Obama called the killings the first mass atrocity of the 20th century and a tragedy that must not be repeated.

Before entering government, Power was a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who wrote extensively about America’s responses to genocide. Officials say she has lobbied hard behind the scenes for Obama to formally recognize the Armenian killings as genocide.

Kurtis Cooper, Power’s spokesman, said the Genocide reference came in the context of honoring Wiesel’s life and were meant to “convince others to stand up, rather than stand by, in the face of systemic injustice, mass atrocities and genocide like the one he was forced to endure.” He said they don’t reflect a change in administration policy.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said there has been no change in U.S. policy.

“The president and other senior administration officials have repeatedly mourned and acknowledged as historical fact that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire, and stated that a full, frank and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all our interests,” Toner said.

Obama’s refusal to describe the killings as genocide has angered advocates and lawmakers who have accused the president of outsourcing America’s moral voice to Turkey.

Historians widely view the killings as genocide. But Turkey says commonly cited death tolls are inflated. In weighing how the U.S. refers to the tragedy, officials in Democratic and Republican administrations have long sought a middle ground that minimizes offense to Turkey, which is helping the United States fight the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

President Ronald Reagan in 1981 did refer to the “Genocide of the Armenians.” But presidents since have avoided such language.

President Jimmy Carter came close to saying genocide in 1978 by describing a “concerted effort made to eliminate all the Armenian people” and calling it “probably one of the greatest tragedies that ever befell any group.” He noted that unlike after the Holocaust, no justice occurred akin to the Nuremberg trials of top Nazi officials.

As a campaign surrogate eight years ago, Power released a video imploring Armenian-Americans to vote for Obama, saying he would follow through on his promise to talk frankly about what happened.

Related links:

Azatutyun.am. ՄԱԿ-ում ԱՄՆ դեսպանը 1915-ի իրադարձությունները բնորոշել է որպես ցեղասպանություն
AP. Obama’s UN envoy refers to Armenian genocide
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.

Spain: Malaga recognizes the #ArmenianGenocide

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malaga-recognizeThe City Council of the Spanish City of Malaga has unanimously adopted a statement, officially recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide.

The statement describes the events at the turn of the century as a crime against humanity, which resulted in the creation of the Armenian Diaspora.

The Malaga City Council has expressed its support for world-spread Armenians. It has also noted that a cross stone dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims will be erected in Malaga’s Central Park in the near future.