Condemnation of Armenian Genocide will help prevent similar atrocities in future

April 19, 2010 - 15:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Genocide issue became a standard of honesty and high morality in foreign policy, human rights protection and equity. The issue is directly related to both Genocide victims’ fates and those of the whole humanity, the Forum of Armenian Organizations of Moscow said in its statement.

“Condemnation of Armenian Genocide will help prevent similar atrocities in future. Early prevention of racial, religious and ethnic groups rights’ violation is the main way towards prevention of crimes against humanity. International community’s failure to adequately assess the first Genocide of 20th century led to further recurrence of similar atrocities.

It’s crucial that the Genocide should be recognized by Turkey itself; a civilized country cannot conceal pages of its history, no matter how shameful.

Turkey’s attitude causes strain in its relations with Armenia, preventing establishment of bilateral ties.

We express our solidarity with efforts aimed at condemnation and recognition of Armenian Genocide, as well as restoration of historic justice,” the statement concludes

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, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.