The Armenian Genocide: 90 Years Later Turkey Continues to Deny the Extermination of a People

Democracy Now, NY
April 22 2005

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This week marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide when
more than a million Armenians were exterminated by the Young Turk
government through direct killing, starvation, torture, and forced
death marches. Another million fled into permanent exile. Almost
a century later, Turkey continues to deny the genocide. We speak
with Colgate University professor Peter Balakian, author of “The
Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response”
and Zanku Armenian of the Armenian National Committee of America.

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This week marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On
April 24, 1915, the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire
began a systematic premeditated genocide of the Armenian people
– an unarmed Christian minority living under Turkish rule. More
than a million Armenians were exterminated through direct killing,
starvation, torture, and forced death marches. Another million fled
into permanent exile. An ancient civilization was expunged from its
homeland of 2,500 years.

Today, almost a century later, the Turkish government continues to deny
this genocide. Books about the genocide are banned in Turkey and its
government funds chairs in Turkish studies at American universities
to ensure a certain version of history is presented. To this day,
Turkey and Armenia do not have diplomatic relations.

But now, Ankara’s ambitions to join the European Union are in
jeopardy. French President Jacques Chirac has said Ankara must first
acknowledge the genocide before being allowed to become a member of
the EU. In response, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has
called for a “impartial study by historians” concerning the fate of
the Armenian people during World War I.

Today we commemorate the 90th (ninetieth) anniversary of the Armenian
genocide.

Peter Balakian, author, “The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide
and America’s Response.” He is also the Professor of English at
Colgate University

Zanku Armenian, of the Armenian National Committee of America.
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