In January 2007, Congressman Adam Schiff added to the United States House of Representatives agenda Resolution 106. The Resolution states that the United States of America recognizes the Armenian genocide took place from 1915 to 1923 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The genocide began with the deportation of approximately 2,000,000 Armenians and resulted in 1,500,000 men, women, and children killed. The Resolution also request that the United States President during his annual address to the nation mention that the United States’ government recognizes the Armenian genocide and that April 24 will be a day of remembrance.
The Word Genocide
Today the Turkey government refuses to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. Raphael Lemkin did not coin the word genocide until 1944; however, he used the Armenian incident as an example. Lemkin combined two Greek words to make genocide (‘genos’ mean race and ‘cide’ means killing). In 1948 the United Nations defined genocide as:
any of the following acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, including:
- killing members of the group
- causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
- deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
- imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group
- forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
The Turkish government admits that there were massacres and attacks on the Armenian people, but further states the Armenians attacked and murdered Turks.
Who Recognizes the Armenian Genocide
The majority of people who want the Resolution passed are Armenian Americans. Congresswoman and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a large Armenian American population in her Southern California district and therefore has an obligation to have the Resolution passed.
One-third of the United States Senate recognizes and supports the Resolution; this includes the two Democratic presidential nominees, Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barak Obama. President George Bush and his administration are not as willing to recognize or support the Resolution.
The Bush administration as well as many other United States’ government leaders feels that recognizing the Resolution would strain the relationship between Turkey and the United States. The eight living former secretaries of state also warned House Speaker Pelosi that the approval of the Resolution would be detrimental to national security.
Turkey has been a major supporter of the Iraq war. The Incirlik Air Base is located in southeastern Turkey. The base consists of both Turkish and American Air Force personnel. If the Resolution were to pass, it would affect the United States national defense.
On October 10, 2007, the United States Foreign Affairs Committee approves Resolution 106 with a vote of 27 to 21. This sets off a firestorm with the Turkish government. The United States Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice, contacts the Turkish government to calm their fears. Turkish officials warn that if the Resolution is passed “. . . military relations with the United States can never be the same. Fearing military retaliation, fourteen House members who supported the Resolution changed their position.
Turkey Wants Recognition As Part of the EU
Turkey wants to become part of the European Union, but before that happens, they must recognize the Armenian genocide. In February 2008, Turkey agreed to let the Hague International Court in The Netherlands review Turkish archives in order to determine if a genocide took place.
The sole purpose of the Armenian genocide recognition is to prohibit further genocide in the world, particularly that in Darfur.
Sources
Resolution 106
Washington Post - October 10, 2007
Eurasia Daily Monitor - February 6, 2008
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