U.S. Senator Harry Reid issues statement on Armenian Genocide recognition

April 24, 2010 - 10:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement in recognition of the 95th Commemoration of Armenian Genocide:

“In recognition of the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, I honor the memories of the more than 1.5 million men, women and children who perished in this unthinkable genocide. The time has come for our government to identify these organized acts of mass violence for what they really were – genocide. In my ongoing efforts to encourage our country to recognize the genocide, I have co-sponsored the Armenian Genocide resolutions in the last three Congresses. I believe that paying tribute to those affected by this tragedy is a necessary step to combat future forms of violence and intolerance. I am glad Nevada is included among the 40 states that have recognized the Armenian Genocide, and hope our entire government soon follows.”

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.