familie lr24 Apr 06 – Marking the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide today, Aegis Trust has called on the British Government to put pressure on the Turkish Government for its continued genocide denial.

Speaking today, the Director of the Aegis Trust, Dr. James Smith stated – “It is right that Britain is a key advocate of Turkish accession to the European Union, but are we really saying that we would welcome Turkey into the EU without it ending its blatant denial of the Armenian genocide? We would not accept Germany if it covered up the Holocaust as if such horrendous crimes do not matter. That would not be a good precedent for a Union supposed to be built on principles of democracy and human rights.”

It is widely accepted by independent historians, genocide scholars and Holocaust academics that between a million and a million and a half Armenians died though a organised and pre-planed process of massacres, deportations and death marches

[i]. The genocide began on the evening of the 24th of April, 1915, when Armenian community leaders from Istanbul were rounded up by the authorities. The treatments of the Armenians in Turkey during the First World War was one of the events that led to Raphael Lemkin to seek to outlaw mass murder by governments. He later defined the term genocide which became enshrined in international law after the Holocaust.

Nearly all European countries have been clear in recognising the genocidal nature of the events of 1915[ii]. The German Government took the unique step last year of apologising for Germany’s tacit responsibility in the genocide, a significant move considering that Germany was a military ally of Turkey during the genocidal campaign[iii]. The move has left Britain isolated as the only remaining major European country that continues to give credence to Turkish genocide denial.

Opposition to the official Turkish position has become more concerted in recent years. In particular, celebrated Turkish novelist Orphan Pamuk hit the headlines in Turkey and abroad for having to face prosecution earlier this year for talking about the Armenian Genocide publicly. Turkish academics are also taking tentative steps into academic expression regarding the atrocity, having organised a controversial conference at an Istanbul university, challenging the Turkish Government’s position.

Dr. James Smith concluded – “Genocide denial is clearly dangerous and should be opposed, whether it originates from Neo-Nazi groups like the BNP, theocratic governments like Iran, dissident Hutus, or Serb Nationalists. It is bizarre that while the British Government has challenged genocide denial by initiating and supporting institutions like Holocaust Memorial Day, we are still defending the Turkish Government’s suppression of the Armenian tragedy.”

[i] 26 Holocaust Scholars, Holders of Academic Chairs, and Directors of Holocaust Research and Studies Centers signed a statement affirming the Armenian Genocide on the March 7th 2000. For information please follow this link.
[ii] For a list of countries that have affirmed the genocidal nature of the Armenian massacres please follow this link.
[iii] For a English translation of the Bundestag resolution that was co-sponsored by the German Government and opposition party please follow this link.