Quadrangle (mcQuadrangle.org)
April 27 2005
ON THE EVE OF GENOCIDE MEMORIAL, ARMENIANS PUSH FOR RECOGNITION
By Brian O’Connor
Last weekend, hundreds upon thousands of Armenians gathered to
recognize the 90th anniversary of the genocide still under political
contemplation around the world. As Turkey, the nation Armenians hold
responsible for the genocide, comes up for European Union
consideration, many questions revolving around the issue go
unanswered.
In the capital of Yerevan, Armenians from around the world gathered
in mourning for those killed over 90 years ago during the fall of the
Ottoman Empire. After a diaspora made many Armenians flee from there
homes, many settled in North America and Europe, and the bulk of
those on hand to remember the tragic events hailed from the two
nations.
Currently, controversy swells as Turkey is up for nomination for the
European Union, a membership that is expected to help the Turkish
economy in many ways. To this day, Turkey has yet to acknowledge the
genocide as fully as Armenians hope for, as they cite the nation for
the atrocities incurred upon their nation during the First World War.
Currently, nations such as Canada, France, and Russia all accept the
actions as Genocide, while Turkey has stated that a close examination
of facts is required before a decision can be made on the legitimacy
of those claims.