Greek Americans stand with Armenians in recognizing Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - The wall of genocide denial, obstructing the recognition - and future prevention - of the scourge of genocide is finally crumbling, Greek NEO Magazine says.



"Despite decades-long, state - sponsored and now multi-million dollar campaigning by Turkey to distort history, buy off politicians, and threaten the interests of nations with the courage to recognize history, the issue of the Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey between 1915 and 1923 has again come into focus.



"Armenians have not been alone in this fight for justice. Greek Americans have been a longtime ally, working hand-in-hand with Armenians for official recognition of their past. Like the Armenians, they too are the orphans of genocide. Between 1914 and 1923 Ottoman Turkey slaughtered over a million Greeks in Asia Minor and Pontus and burned the Greek city of Smyrna annihilating its population. The Pontian Genocide shattered the lifeblood of an ancient community, completely removing any collective Greek presence in Asia Minor--a land they had inhabited for three thousand years. In 1997, legislation was introduced in Congress commemorating the Greek genocide. Met with opposition from Turkey, the resolution did not leave committee.



"The success of Armenian and Greek advocacy is that they have finally been able to break the wall of denial; the facts of the Armenian Genocide are no longer debated. It is uncertain when the resolution will come to a vote in the House, but Armenian and Greek Americans will continue to stand together to convince elected officials that there is no better time to recognize genocide than now," the article reads.