Joseph Lieberman: Issue of US affirmation of Genocide cuts to the heart of our morality as nation

February 10, 2010 - 21:34 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
A longstanding Armenian Assembly trustee and activist, Senator Joseph Lieberman stated that the issue of U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide "cuts to the heart not only of our foreign policy, but of our morality as a nation."

Lieberman, in describing the "systematic and deliberate campaign of mass murder perpetrated against the Armenian people," stated that "even by the bloody standards of the 20th century, the annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians was one of the greatest crimes against humanity committed in the last hundred years - an evil we have a solemn duty never to forget."

"As we look to the 95th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this April 24, Senator Lieberman provides us with a poignant reminder of the importance of remembering history, and the need to redouble our efforts to end the scourge of genocide," stated AAA Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

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.