Genocide and Holocaust Scholars Criticize ADL Position on Armenian Genocide
By Khatchig Mouradian
August 24, 2007
WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-On Aug. 23, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
released a statement that reiterated its objection to the Armenian
Genocide Resolution pending in Congress and continued to unambiguously
recognize the Armenian genocide by calling "for further dispassionate
scholarly examination of the details of those dark and terrible days."
"The force and passion of the debate today leaves us more convinced than
ever that this issue does not belong in a forum such as the United
States Congress," the statement read.
"We must encourage steps to create an atmosphere in which Armenia will
respond favorably to the several recent overtures of Turkey to convene a
joint commission to assist the parties in achieving a resolution of
their profound differences," it continued.
Several genocide and Holocaust experts expressed outrage over the idea
of convening with Turkish state historians who have made a career out of
denying and trivializing the Armenian genocide. When Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested the idea of a "joint commission"
a few years ago, the International Association of Genocide Scholars
(IAGS) sent an open letter to Erdogan saying, "We are concerned that in
calling for an impartial study of the Armenian Genocide you may not be
fully aware of the extent of the scholarly and intellectual record on
the Armenian Genocide. . We want to underscore that it is not just
Armenians who are affirming the Armenian Genocide but it is the
overwhelming opinion of scholars who study genocide: hundreds of
independent scholars."
Genocide and Holocaust scholars in the U.S. and Europe, contacted by the
Armenian Weekly today, harshly criticized the ADL’s statement as well as
its hypocritical approach to the Armenian genocide in general.
"ADL is getting into the issue a bit late to be of any substance," said
Dr. Stephen Feinstein, director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide
Studies at the University of Minnesota. "Furthermore, by Foxman saying
there was a need to protect the Turkish-Jewish community, the question
is, Protect from what if they have lived as a loyal minority for 500
years? This suggests that the ADL is missing the point and cannot be
part of the discourse," he added.
"A commission now would be a disaster. The Turkish state must make clear
that they have a very strong intention to resolve this issue. The
rhetoric of the Turkish authorities is not conducive of a solution. As
long as people like Yusuf Halacoglu-a very radical, nationalist, even
racist historian-Gunduz Aktan and Sukru Elekdag give the tone for the
policy of Turkish government, I don’t think that you can reach any
result from a commission," said Turkish-born historian and sociologist
Taner Akcam, author of A Shameful Act: The Armenian genocide and the
Question of Turkish responsibility. "For them the commission would be
the continuation of the war they are waging against the Armenians, whom
they consider as the enemy," he added.
"We don’t need a historical commission. We need historians to have
completely free and open access to the archives in Turkey so scholars
and anyone else can research, write and talk about this history without
fear of intimidation," said Professor Eric Weitz, author of A Century of
Genocide: Utopias of Race and Nation. "That is the key issue: free and
open debate without intimidation from the state and from anti-democratic
organizations that are allowed to operate with the tacit support of the
state."
"Furthermore, not the regional ADL leader [Andy Tarsy] but Abraham
Foxman should be fired," Weitz added. "He should have been fired a long
time ago for many other statements and comments in addition to his
long-standing refusal to recognize the Armenian genocide."
"I’m entirely in agreement with Eric Weitz on the access [to archives]
and free debate," said Dr. Donald Bloxham of the University of Edinburgh
who was recently awarded the 2007 Raphael Lemkin prize for his book The
Great game of Genocide: Imperialism, Nationalism and the Destruction of
the Ottoman Armenians.
"And I reject the silly commission idea," Bloxham added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress