Armenia Recognizes Assyrian and Greek Genocides

YEREVAN (A.W.)—On March 24, Armenia’s National Assembly passed a resolution recognizing the Assyrian and Greek Genocides committed by the Ottoman Empire of 1915-23. The Republican Party-sponsored bill, entitled “On the Genocide of the Greeks and Assyrians Perpetrated by Ottoman Turkey between 1915 and 1923,” passed unanimously, with 117 votes in favor.

The bill was authored by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Eduard Sharmazanov; the leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) parliamentary faction Armen Rustamyan; as well as Parliament members Hovhannes Sahakyan, Edmon Marukyan, Arpine Hovhannisyan, Tevan Poghosyan, Gurgen Arsenyan, Heghine Bisharyan, Alexander Arzumanyan, Vahram Baghdasaryan, Hermine Naghdalyan, Margarit Yesayan, and Lyudmila Sargsyan.

The Assyrian Genocide Monument in Yerevan
The Assyrian Genocide Monument in Yerevan

Speaking to reporters on March 23, Sharmazanov explained that by condemning the Assyrian and Greek Genocides, Armenia was standing in solidarity with the two nations. “By submitting the draft as a declaration on condemnation, we want to show society and our Greek and and Assyrian brothers and sisters and the international community that the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and all the political forces attach importance to [the] condemnation of the genocide perpetrated against the Greeks and Assyrians,” said Sharmazanov.

Sabri Atman, the director of the Assyrian Genocide Research Center, commended the National Assembly of Armenia in a statement published by the Assyrian International News Agency. “We salute the Republic of Armenia for its decision to recognize the Assyrian and Greek Genocide. This encourages us and gives us strength to be recognized internationally,” said Atman.

In a 2014 interview with the Armenian Weekly, Atman stressed the importance of recognition and criticized the Armenian government for not taking a strong stance on the issue. “Denial is a form of continuation of the genocide. It is to be killed twice. Failure to recognize the genocide has led to even more genocides against Assyrians in their homeland. We Assyrians also don’t understand the fact that the Republic of Armenia has not recognized the Assyrian Genocide yet,” Atman said in the interview.

The resolution comes a little over a month after the government of Armenia approved a motion declaring Dec. 9 as a “Day of Remembrance of Victims of All Genocides.” The resolution, which passed on Feb. 12, was introduced “to remedy historical injustices, protect human rights, and struggle against Turkey’s genocide denial policy,” according to Heritage Party member and motion co-author Zaruhi Postanjyan.

From 1915-23, an estimated 300,000 Assyrians and 500,000 Greeks were systematically killed by the Ottoman-Turkish government.

14 Comments

  1. In reality from 1915-23, an estimated 600,000 Assyrians and 1,000,000 Greeks were systematically killed by the Ottoman-Turkish government. All in all the Turks murdered over 3 million Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians in the first genocide of the 20 century.

    • Yes, isn’t it amazing.
      Sorry the Parliament of Armenia did not meet your low expectations for Armenians.
      Maybe next time they can do better.
      And of course those other nationalities you so admire agree on everything 100% the time.
      Right ? Sure they do.

      btw: in case you forgot, while you were admiring those other nationalities, thems Armenians you look down on who allegedly cannot agree on anything, agreed to fight as one and defeat another attempt to exterminate Armenians – this time in Artsakh – by Turkic nomadic tribes, and create and maintain two vibrant, democratic Republics, and liberate more strategically defensible historic Armenian land-depth than in centuries.
      Imagine that.
      Thems Armenians.

  2. Why did it take 100 years to do this? Even if you take out the time under Soviet Control..its still ~25 years. Makes it a bit odd to ask Turkey to recognize ours in that time without recognizing the assyrians and greeks.

    • So let’s see George:

       Shortly before Independence in 1991, Armenia SSR suffers a devastating earthquake that destroys much of the country’s infrastructure and kills an estimated 50,000 people. 10s of 1000s are left homeless. Entire families devastated.
       Trains coming from other republics bringing in critical supplies to ArmSSR have to pass thru AzerbSSR: the supplies destined for Armenia are looted by Azerbaijanis, and the wagons filled with garbage, before sending them on to Armenia.
       The NPP, which supplies 40% of electricity for RoA is shut down over (unfounded) fears for radiation leaks.
       Just before Independence, Turkbaijanis start massacring Armenians living in Azerbaijan SSR (Sumgait, Kirovabad, Baku). About 500,000 Armenians living in AzerbSSR have to flee for their lives. A large part have nowhere else to go but to devastated Armenia SSR.
       After the total collapse of USSR, Armenia’s industry and markets for goods in rest of USSR totally vanish overnight.
       10s of 1000s of people are suddenly left with no jobs and no income to support their families and children.
       10s of 1000s have no choice but to leave RoA to find employment in other former republics, mainly Russia.
       Right after Independence is declared, Azerbaijan invades the new Armenian republic NKR in 1991.
       NKR and RoA are forced to fight the combined forces of Azerbaijan, fully assisted by Turkey, and 1000s of radical Islamist volunteers and mercenaries: an epic fight for survival if there ever was one.
       During the war, gasoline, diesel, and heating oil is impossible to get, and natgas lines coming to Armenia via Azerbaijan are cut off. Russian natgas line coming through Georgia is regularly blown up by Turks living in Georgia.
       People in Yerevan are forced to cut down municipal street trees for heat during winter.
       Food becomes scarce.
       Despite all that, despite all odds, Armenians of NKR, assisted by Armenians from RoA, and Armenian diaspora inflict a massive defeat on the nomadic Turkic invaders, who had at least a 4-to-1 troop numerical advantage, and at least 10-to-1 advantage in ammunition and military hardware.
       After the ceasefire in 1994, Azerbaijan and Turkey – the two Turkic “Two States, One Nation” scum – impose a total blockade on Armenia.
       Having failed to wipe out NKR (…to be followed by RoA), enemies of Armenian Nation make several attempts to start civil wars in RoA.
       The criminals even resort to hiring Armenian traitor terrorists to attack the RoA Parliament and murder several irreplaceable Armenian public servants, and one national military hero.
       All attempts to start civil wars in Armenia fail.
       Azerbaijan next starts rearming massively and mounts regular incursions into NKR and RoA: Azerbaijan spends 10x the amount vs RoA on its military budget.
       Despite the ceasefire since 1994, Armenian young men and civilians are being killed regularly by Turkbaijanis (…most killers trained in Turkey).
       Despite all that, RoA and NKR create and maintain the most combat ready Armies in the Caucasus: Azerbaijan dares not start a general war, knowing it will cease to exist as a State if it does.
       And on, and on, and on…..

      Despite all that, I think you are right: the leadership of Armenia should have dropped all else, and concentrated on passing resolutions recognizing the Greek and Assyrian Genocides right after declaring Independence.
      What could possibly be more important ?
      Surely the safety, and security of RoA and NKR, and the survival of the citizens therein is far less important than officially recognizing those genocides.

      But it’s not too late: the Government of Armenia must officially apologize to the Greek and Assyrian people, and offer compensation for all those missed years it was loafing.
      It’s the right thing to do.

    • George,
      The Christian Genocide of Ottomans Turkey (Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks) will be remembered by Armenian nation of the world!

    • Avery, signing a piece of paper in recognition of genocide of another people is not a major endeavor like you are trying to make it out to be. Armenians weren’t the only ones that had problems to deal with.

  3. It was not smart of Atman to claim that Armenia did not recognize the Greek and Assyrian genocides, and uses wording that explicitly states it was denial. Armenians have always recognized the Assyrians and Greeks. Why there was no official bill in the past, I don’t know.

    Was there any effort from the outside to have Armenia produce such a bill in the past? If it was ignored, yes there would be a point. Otherwise, these are ridiculous statements that should not be said. This not only hurts Armenians but also give the evil Turks ammunition to continue their denial of all genocides.

  4. Thank you to the Armenia’s National Assembly and all the Armenian people for recognizing the assyrians and greeks Genocide.

  5. Thank you Armenia!!!

    Also the Dutch parliament also included Pontian Greeks and Assyrians to a recent motion.
    So Thank you also for the boost!

    Best!

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