It was Harut Sassounian who brought to my attention that the ANCA like him also claims that the United States of America has repeatedly recognized the genocide of the Armenians.
In his most recent editorial dated December 12, 2018, and titled “U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Should Call the Armenian Genocide, Genocide”, Harut stated that “the United States has repeatedly recognized the Armenian Genocide at the highest levels of the government.”, and demanding that its ambassador to Armenia affirm the same. Obviously Harut is concerned that the U.S. ambassador to Armenia might not affirm what her government has acknowledged! But Harut conveniently ignores the reason and the sad turn of events that put an end to the former U.S. ambassador in Armenia, John Marshal Evans’ career as an official of the U.S. Government.
I have had numerous exchanges with Harut Sassounian disputing his claim. He insists on the veracity of his claim and cites the three different instances upon which he bases his argument. The three instances he cites are the following. I quote:
“1) The U.S. Government submitted in 1951 an official document to the World Court in which it recognized the Armenian Genocide as a Genocide for the first time.
2) The House of Representatives adopted two resolutions in 1975 and 1984 acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.
3) Pres. Reagan issued a Presidential Proclamation in 1981, which referred to the Armenian Genocide.
He further noted to me “the info on U.S. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide is available for free on many websites, including the ANCA.” Harut Sassounian is the editor of California Courier he owns as its publisher and is entitled to voice his opinions. But the ANCA is a grass root organization and its opinions reflect what the community at large it represents believes. I found Harut’s assertion that ANCA does the same, disturbing.
The other day I checked the ANCA’s page and I found out that true to Harut’s assertion, ANCA does indeed claim that the U.S. has recognized the Armenian Genocide and makes reference to the three instances Harut first used to formulate his opinion.
On that page ANCA notes in bold letters that: “ President Trump like President Reagan should recognize the Armenian Genocide.” Anyone with rudimentary knowledge of the workings of the U.S. Government knows that the first denizen of the Executive Branch, the President, executes what the Legislative Branch legislates. The latter has not resolved that the 1915 happening-the Medz Yeghern – constituted genocide. As to the President Reagan’s use of the G word, recently his speechwriter, Ken Khachigan, shed light on it. What President Reagan stated at that time in no way conveyed the position of the U.S. Government.
ANCA also states on that page that “Despite formal recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. Government in 1951 and 1981….”. Obviously, in these two instances, the U.S. Government officials referenced to the 1915 happening in its legal term, GENOCIDE, but those references do not constitute recognition. Let me explain why I believe that to be the case.
We know that genocide is a compound word and is similar to many similar words, such as homicide, suicide, fratricide etc. But genocide differs from these words in a fundamental way. In case of the former words, the act of the killing constitutes the legal ground to act against their perpetrators. However, in case of the genocide its not the killing, it’s the INTENT to kill for the purpose of wiping out a community that constitutes the legal ground to act against the perpetrator of the genocide. Surely the 1.5 million Armenian victims make the intent the more obvious but by themselves do not constitute the legal ground for genocide. We know the Turkish authorities INTENDED to wipe out the Armenian race, but the U.S. Government has not claimed that it did, namely that it committed the genocide of the Armenians.
It is important that ANCA clarifies its understanding of the U.S. Government’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide. As far as I am concerned U.S. Government’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide entails for the U.S. Congress to resolve that the 1915 happening, the Medz Yeghern, constituted genocide. As far as I know there has not been any such a congressional resolution.
Consequently, it remains for the U.S. Government to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
No comments:
Post a Comment