Quo Vadis U.S. Armenian genocide recognition?

Quo Vadis U.S. Armenian genocide recognition?

Vahe H. Apelian

 

ANCA is supporting the passage of H.Res. 220 and thus endorses its text that claims that the U.S. has recognized the genocide of the Armenians decades ago and over and over again. I was reminded of this article I had written, which I would like to share with readers.  The proposed resolution's text reads as follows: "Whereas the United States is on record as having officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, in the United States Government’s May 28, 1951, written statement to the International Court of Justice regarding the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, through President Ronald Reagan’s April 22, 1981, Proclamation No. 4838, and by House Joint Resolution 148, adopted on April 8, 1975, and House Joint Resolution 247, adopted on September 10, 1984; "Indeed, Quo Vadi the U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide

On April 28, 2017, I read a beautifully written article titled “An Endless March, Stories of the Armenian Genocide and the Quest for Recognition”. The article happened to be the first article that Sara Nazely Guglielmo, a young woman dedicated to raising awareness about the Armenian genocide penned for the Armenian Weekly. The article was well received. Many positively commented on the article including Frank and Clara Guglierlma, most likely Sara’s parents, who movingly commented the following: “Sara, we are so proud of you and all you do for the Armenian cause. Reading your beautifully written article helped us to understand about the Armenian Genocide better. Very inspiring. Love you.” Sara deserved all the accolades she rightly received. 

I was drawn by the last three words of title she chose for her article “Quest for Recognition”. But I read Harut Sassounian’s recent editorial where he noted the following: “Armenians and Turks seem to forget that the United States has not only recognized the Armenian Genocide but has done so repeatedly at the highest levels: The House of Representatives recognized the Armenian Genocide twice in 1975 and 1984. So did President Reagan in his Presidential Proclamation 4838, issued on April 22, 1981. Most importantly, the United States Government officially recognized the Armenian Genocide in a report filed with the International Court of Justice (World Court) in 1951.”

This was not the first time that Harut had made his position clear regarding the U.S. Armenian genocide recognition, which also questions the pursuit for the U.S. Armenian genocide recognition further since the U.S. has already recognized it, not once but three times, Harut claims. To that end he questioned Cong. Adam Schiff’s recent efforts for U.S. Armenian genocide recognition.

I had taken exception to Harut’s assertion in the past and did the same upon reading his editorial. He pointed out to me that it’s not only him but the ANCA and the Armenian Assembly also claim that the U.S. has recognized the Armenian genocide.

I was intrigued. Since I regard the ANCA the facto the grass root organization pursuing just resolutions for Armenian causes, I read its position regarding the U.S. genocide recognition.

ANCA’s genocide position starts with the following paragraph. “The Republic of Turkey continues to enforce a gag-rule against truthful U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, despite the overwhelming evidence documenting this crime.” This statement is in tune with what I also understand to be the case. The U.S. has not truthfully recognized the Armenian genocide in spite of overwhelming historical evidence having succumbed to pressure by the Turkish government. This is also what Robert Fisk has been saying all along. This why, I thought, that Samantha Powers apologized to the Armenians. This is what John M. Evans, as the former U.S. Armenia Ambassador, I believe, wanted to articulate as a matter of principle and paid a hefty price for his principled stand, that the U.S. has a moral obligation to recognize the Armenian holocaust experience as genocide.

But, on the third paragraph of the same, ANCA also notes the following. “Despite formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. government in 1951 and 1981, successive U.S. Administrations, fearful of offending Turkey, have effectively supported the Turkish government's revisionism by opposing passage of Congressional Armenian Genocide resolutions and objecting to the use of the word "genocide" to describe the systematic destruction of the Armenian people.”

I remained perplexed. Harut Sassounian was right then in pointing out to me that ANCA, much like him, acknowledges that the U.S. has recognized the Armenian genocide. Why is it then we are continuing to press the U.S. Government to recognize the genocide over again?  Would it not amount to a waste of time and resources and in fact be also counterproductive as well?  I doubt that Russian Armenians or German Armenians further pursue the recognition of the Armenian genocide by their respective countries over again.

I wonder. Had Sara Nazely Guglielmo been a niece, what would I tell her regarding her drive in quest of U.S. Armenian genocide recognition? Has the U.S. indeed recognized the genocide of the Armenians? What does U.S. Armenian genocide recognition entail?

Quo Vadis the U.S. Armenian genocide recognition?

 

 

 

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