Cher urges Turkish government to recognize Armenian Genocide

April 14, 2015 - 12:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - World known American singer of Armenian decent, Cher posted a Twitter message urging on the Turkish government to recognize the Genocide.

“I don’t feel anger for (or blame) the people of Turkey for something that happened 100 years ago, but I think the government should acknowledge Genocide,” she tweeted.

In March 2014, the singer joined the Save Kessab campaign to draw international attention to the plight of Christian Armenians in the Syrian town of Kessab.

Related links:

Cher's Twitter Account

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.