Former U.S. envoy: House likely to recognize Armenian Genocide

October 29, 2019 - 16:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. House of Representatives will likely recognize the Armenian Genocide, the UN Ambassador in Barack Obama's administration, Samantha Power, said in a tweet on Monday, October 29.

"Armenian-Americans and Rep. Adam Schiff have tried for years to get Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide," Power said

"At long last, tomorrow (October 29 - Ed.), despite Turkish denial, the House will likely recognize the 1st genocide of the 20th century."

Power also shared a tweet by Schiff, which reads: "This has been years in the making, thanks to the tireless advocacy of those who insisted the US must never be a party to genocide denial. I hope all Members join me next week in voting to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

We will never forget, and we will never be silent."

Related links:

Samantha Power's tweet

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.