Email a copy of 'Akcam Confirms Genocidal Intent by Proving Validity of Talat’s Telegrams' to a friend
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Harut Sassounian
California Courier Editor
Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization that has donated to Armenia and Artsakh one billion dollars of humanitarian aid, mostly medicines, since 1989 (including its predecessor, the United Armenian Fund). He has been decorated by the presidents of Armenia and Artsakh and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
With respect to Mr. Sassounian, I think that we must be very, very careful in how we describe this development. Denialists have for years suggested that the ONLY evidence Armenians advanced to prove the genocide are these telegrams; and therefore, and since the telegrams were forged, the genocide did not occur. We cannot play into their hands by making statements like, “Well, since the telegrams are actually real, the genocide occurred.” Our case does not depend on these telegrams. We must always remember to state that the telegrams are ONLY ONE OF MANY pieces of evidence in favor of the genocide.
Therefore, I would have liked to see this headline read, “Akcam re-confirms genocidal intent.”
Intent was already proven through the testimony at the post-war Ottoman trials, among other pieces of evidence.
Well said Alex.
I agree. However, proving intent is not that simple! There are many ways to prove intent, but Talat’s telegram is clear cut and definitive. We should not confuse our huge amount of evidence on mass killings with proof of intent which is required to qualify these killings as genocide, according to the UN Convention. I am not sure the 1919 trials prove intent. Could you elaborate?