Genocide Recognition News

Statement of President Barack Obama on Armenian Remembrance Day: "Ninety four years ago, one of the great atrocities of the 20th century began. Each year, we pause to remember the 1.5 million Armenians who were subsequently massacred or marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. The Meds Yeghern must live on in our memories, just as it lives on in the hearts of the Armenian people..."
Obama did not pronounce the word "genocide", although he used the Armenian term "Mets Yeghern".

The Governor of California State, USA, Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaims 19-26 April "Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide". The Governor announces Armenian Genocide memory days every year and he makes a speech in this regard.

Hawaii, home to President Barack Obama, became the 42nd U.S. state to recognize the Armenian Genocide, with the State House of Representatives adopting a formal measure (HR192) that both condemned this crime and noted Turkey's ongoing denial of this atrocity.

South Australian Parliament's Legislative Council passed a motion recognizing the Armenian Genocide as "one of the greatest crimes against humanity".

Kentucky Governor Steven L. Beshear issued a proclamation recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The "Bluegrass State" proclamation brings the number of states to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide to forty-one, the Armenian National Committee of America reported.

President of the House of Representatives Marios Karoyan has reiterated the support of the House to the demand of the Armenian people for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Karoyan called on Turkey to recognize and admit its crime and to apologize to the Armenian people and humanity as a whole.

The House of Representatives foreign affairs committee has approved a non-binding resolution calling the massacre of Armenians nearly a century ago a genocide. The vote was 27 to 21. Voice of America, Guardian, The Independent, New York Times

International press is full of articles about Armenian Genocide Resolution which is discussed in Congress just now.

• The Jerusalem Post: House to pass bill on Armenian genocide
• AP: Turkey Warns US on Armenia Genocide Bill
• BBC: Turkey warns US over genocide law
• AFP: Rice: House 'genocide' resolution on Armenia 'very problematic'
• Los Angeles Times: Bush urges 'no' vote on Armenian genocide bill
• Washington Times: Bush against Turkish genocide resolution
• International Herald Tribune: Bush urges Congress to reject Armenian genocide resolution

Reversing long-standing policy, a major American Jewish organization - the Anti-Defamation League - has officially recognized the early 20th century massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide. More information: Haaretz (Israel), Armtown

Greek President Karolos Papoulias visited Tsitsernakaberd to lay a wreath to the Memorial to the Armenian Genocide victims. Afterwards, he planted a fir at the Memory Alley and visited the Genocide Museum. “The Armenian Genocide is a black page in the history of humanity and its perpetrators should acknowledge the atrocity, assume responsibility and apologize,” Mr Papoulias wrote in the Commemoration Book.