USA: Joe Biden’s Message on the Armenian Genocide

“Today, 107 years later, the American people continue to honor all Armenians who perished in the genocide,” Biden said in a message on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. It is recalled that Joe Biden became the first American president to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide last year, as all his predecessors limited themselves to using the Armenian term Meds Yeghern (Great Destruction) in order not to disrupt relations with Turkey.

According to a White House statement this year, “Ottoman authorities arrested Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Istanbul. Thus began the Armenian Genocide – one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century. Today, we remember 1.5 million Armenians.” slaughtered or marched to death in a campaign of extermination and we mourn the tragic loss of so many lives.As we reflect on the Armenian genocide, we renew our commitment to remain vigilant against all its corrosive influences. and to end the horrors that leave permanent scars on the world, and as we mourn what was lost during the Meds Yeghern (Great Disaster), let us redouble our efforts to heal and build the better and more peaceful world we desire. for our children.A world where human rights “Viruses are being respected, where the evil of bigotry and intolerance do not characterize our daily lives and where people everywhere are free to go on with their lives with dignity and security.”

In addition, the announcement refers to the contribution of the Armenian community to American society. The statement said: “This is also a time to reflect on the strength and resilience of the Armenian people. After a genocide, the Armenian people were determined to rebuild their community and culture, often in new homes and new lands.” Armenians of American descent are a vital part of the United States web, making our nation stronger and more dynamic as they continue to carry with them the tragic knowledge of what their ancestors endured. “Today, 107 years later, the American people continue to honor all the Armenians who perished in the genocide.”

The specific incidents that took place in the two years 1915-1916 have been recognized as genocide by a total of 31 countries, while Turkey continues to this day to deny that these massacres and persecutions meet the necessary criteria to be categorized as genocide. For decades, American presidents have been accustomed to issuing a proclamation on “Armenian Remembrance Day” on April 24, without, however, mentioning the controversial term of the genocide. So far, the only president to use the word was Ronald Reagan during a public event to inaugurate the Holocaust Museum in Washington. And Barack Obama had recognized in the run-up to the election that this was genocide. Nevertheless, he did not utter the word even once from the moment he took office. Joe Biden is the first president to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 2021.

Source: AMPE

Source: Capital

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