On Genocide and the ADL, With Four Members of Local Armenian and Jewish
Media
By M. Thang
New England Ethnic News
08/26/2007
The Anti-Defamation’s previous stance of not acknowledging the the Armenian
Genocide – in addition to its current opposition of a pending resolution in
the U.S. Congress to recognize the tragedy – has unleashed a torrent of
controversy over the past several days in the Boston area.
Learn what four people – from the Armenian Weekly; the Jewish Advocate; the
Jewish Journal; and Web-based Armenian-language TV and radio, at
hairenik.com, have to say.
On Genocide and the ADL, With Four Members of Local Armenian and Jewish
Media
by M. Thang
Over one million Armenians were murdered at the hands of the Turkish Ottoman
Empire from 1915 to 1923. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization that
fights anti-Semitism and bigotry, has upheld its longtime policy of not
recognizing the mass killings as genocide.
In addition, the ADL does not support a resolution of the U.S. Congress that
acknowledges the murders as genocide.
The ADL policy has unleashed a torrent of controversy in the Boston area
over the past two weeks.
The town council of Watertown, Mass., home to over 8,000 Armenians, voted to
pull out of the ADL’s anti-bigotry "No Place for Hate Program," in protest
against the ADL’s stance on the Armenian genocide. The pullout has
prompted other Boston-area towns and cities to consider severing their ties,
too, with the ADL program.
In the face of growing outrage of local Armenian and Jewish communities, the
national ADL partially reversed its policy last week – officially declaring
that the mass murders are "indeed tantamount to genocide."
The ADL has not reversed its policy regarding the congressional resolution
to acknowledge the genocide. To do so would be "counterproductive," it
says, adding that such a policy reversal could jeopardize the safety of Jews
in Turkey, an important and rare Muslim ally to Israel.
However, the ADL’s New England regional office moved last week to support
the resolution, putting it – as well as other Jewish organizations – sharply
at odds with the ADL leadership under national director Abraham Foxman.
The Boston Globe has been reporting on the controversy almost every day,
sometimes as page-one news, over the past several days.
On August 23, the ADL told New England Ethnic News that the matter of
supporting the resolution will be on the agenda of the ADL’s policy-making
panel when it convenes in November.
New England Ethnic News spoke to four people from Armenian and Jewish media
in the Boston area about the ongoing ADL controversy:
– Khatchig Mouradian, editor of the Armenian Weekly
– Raphael Kohan, staff writer at the Jewish Advocate
– Jirayr Beugekian, manager of online radio and Web TV at
Armenian-language Web site hairenik.com.
– Bette Keva, editor of the Jewish Journal.
The national ADL has decided now to use the word "genocide." In addition,
it will consider supporting Congress’ resolution that recognizes the
Armenian genocide. Is that good enough?
KM: The wording of the ADL’s statement [that officially recognizes the
Armenian genocide] may not be perfect, but it still constitutes recognition.
However…it states that ADL does not support the Armenian genocide
resolution in Congress, saying that that would be counterproductive. That
is the main problem being underlined by the Armenian community, individuals
interested in human rights in general, and the Jewish community….It is
quite disturbing. It’s very upsetting for ADL to recognize the genocide
but, at the same time, lobby against the genocide resolution in Congress.
RK: I think some of the Jewish organizations who had been pressing [the
ADL] were very happy to hear that Abe Foxman shifted his stance on the term
"genocide," and they saw that as a big step. However, I think some of the
members of the Armenian community see this merely as a ploy for Foxman to
get everybody who has been hammering him on this issue to shut up about it,
to sort of placate [them].
So I think the Armenian community really wants to hear him vocally support
the resolution – or at least those who see him as opposing it…, to stop
doing what they see him doing in opposition.
JB: Using the word "genocide" just to describe the genocide as "genocide"
is not enough. Any genocide, any crime needs to have consequences. One of
the consequences of the genocide is supporting the genocide resolution in
Congress. That’s why just using the word "genocide" is not enough for us.
BK: The ADL is going to consider the resolution pending in Congress. [The
ADL] was forced to do this, and [the ADL] is finally coming in line with the
thinking of many, many people. This past week was an extraordinary week of
Armenians, Jews, and the general public putting a great deal of pressure on
the ADL….We [Jews and Armenians] would lose confidence in them if they
[the ADL] were not to do this. Jews and Armenians would find their stance
against bigotry rather hypocritical.
Should Jews in Turkey feel abandoned as a result of the push for the
Congress’ resolution?
KM: Turkish officials have made several statements in the past saying that
they have been insulted by statements that talk about the dangers against
the Jewish community in Turkey. I believe ADL is actually using this
[argument] as a scapegoat…just to distance itself from recognizing the
Armenian genocide properly and supporting it in Congress.
If [the Jews in Turkey] are [threatened], the ADL should have campaigned
against Turkey and should have a campaign of tolerance in Turkey – instead
of actually denying the Armenian genocide and perpetuating this problem by
not supporting the [resolution].
RK: I don’t really know that much about Jews in Turkey. The only thing
that I’ve heard coming from them during this whole [controversy] is a letter
that was drafted by the Jewish community in Turkey, that was then presented
via the American Jewish Committee and Turkish Foreign Minister in
Washington, D.C., earlier this year, to heads of national Jewish
organizations. The letter asked those heads to please consider their
well-being for this resolution, which was implying that they felt it was a
bad move for their own safety.
I don’t know whether that letter was, in fact, drawn up of their own
volition or if it was coerced out of them. I’ve had people suggest to me
both. [The suggestion was that they were being coerced] by the Turkish
government. That’s not anyone saying that for certain, just [that] the
suggestion was that Turkey wanted to give the impression that this was
another factor.
JB: No, they shouldn’t feel let down or anything like that because nobody
is asking for that. Did the Germans feel let down or anything else when the
Holocaust [was] recognized or when people remember the Holocaust? A crime
was committed more than 90 years ago. What we’re asking for is the
recognition of that crime and the appropriate compensation for that crime –
[recognition] by the entire world, including and most basically by Turkey.
The compensation we expect is not from the world. The compensation we
expect and demand is from Turkey, nobody else. The compensations we have in
mind are financial compensation; moral compensations, which is the
recognition; and territorial compensation.
BK: No, because I don’t think it is the ADL’s stance on this issue that is
going to mean security or insecurity for the Jewish people in Turkey.
According to the Boston Globe, Abraham Foxman didn’t want to alienate
Turkey, a rare Muslim ally, from its neighbor, Israel. What’s wrong with
that?
KM: We have to acknowledge that Israel and Turkey are very good and strong
allies. And it’s important for Israel to maintain this
strategically-important alliance with Turkey. It is up to Israel to decide
on the nature of its relationship with its neighbors, including Turkey.
However, a human rights organization…functioning in the United States –
which states as its principles fighting against bigotry, fighting for
tolerance, and which carries the legacy of the victims of the Holocaust – is
not allowed to deny the Armenian genocide, to belittle or trivialize the
Armenian genocide or even say that it should not be recognized by this
Congress…or this [or that] world body.
ADL should not act as a state thinking about its own interests. This is
such a huge human rights issue when you argue…against the recognition of
another people’s genocide. I cannot see anything worse than this, not
recognizing the genocide….The ADL is still trying to balance between
pleasing the Turkish government and actually doing the right thing.
RK: I think some people don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Most
people understand – who are thinking about this from both the Jewish
community and the Israeli perspective, they understand that it has to be
taken under consideration. I think locally it’s such a huge issue because
there is such a large Armenian American community whom the Jewish community
in Boston has very close ties to. In addition to that, there is also the
moral imperative, it seems, of calling a genocide, a genocide.
But at the same time, I think taking that into consideration is something
that most Jewish organizations realize that they have to do. They have to
consider the implications concerning Turkey. It seems that most of them
realize that that is a reality of the Middle East. It is a consideration.
At the same time, they may feel a moral imperative to recognize the
genocide.
JB: We believe that is a really childish way of putting things. We have
Armenian communities living in Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, all these
countries. Does that mean that as Armenians we have to decry the Holocaust
or say the Holocaust did not happen? Or we do not support any kind of
recognition or compensation of the Holocaust? That is really childish.
BK: (pauses) It’s really not his place [to be getting involved in this
kind of foreign relations]. He is not a politician. He’s not making
policy. It is sort of a non sequitur that he would be alienating Turkey,
and there’s no reason why that should be an element in ADL’s decision on
labeling these [Armenian] atrocities what they are.
Should towns and cities that are part of the ADL’s "No Place For Hate"
Program continue to be a part of it?
KM: As long as the ADL has not come out to clearly recognize the genocide
and support the congressional resolution – I’m not even talking about
lobbying against it… – I believe the "No Place for Hate" program…is
inherently and illogically going against the "No Place for Hate" program.
It is promoting hatred by not recognizing the genocide and by not
recognizing the suffering of the victims and the [congressional] resolution
[that]…recognizes the genocide.
RK: I think that’s up to them. It seems that a lot of what I’ve read, that
a lot of towns that have been involved with "No Place for Hate" have really
been inactive for many years. It’s sort of been a symbol on a street sign
outside of the city hall somewhere. But if towns feel it’s hypocritical for
them to have this program in their town, then that’s something that they
have to reckon with.
But what it seems is that all the towns are happy to have a program like the
ADL’s "No Place for Hate" in their community and feel it’s important to have
it. Whether it is actually "No Place for Hate" or a program of their own
construction, is something now being discussed.
JB: Being part of "No Place for Hate," in terms of [its] connection with
the ADL, if local towns and cities feel that they need to sever their ties
with the ADL, but continue the program in another way, we fully support
[those towns and cities]….We believe the cities are doing the correct
thing by severing their ties with the ADL. The program, "No Place for
Hate," can be copied or repeated in all the cities in a myriad of manners
without it being tied to the ADL specifically.
BK: I think they should definitely continue to be a part of the ADL’s "No
Place for Hate," especially now that the ADL and Foxman have relented [and
because of] our showing a willingness to listen to the criticism and to act
on it. Watertown got out [of the "No Place for Hate" program]. It was very
painful for Watertown to do what they did. And they did so only after it
was clear that Foxman was not [changing his] position. But now that Foxman
has changed his position, I’m not sure what Watertown’s position at this
point is. But I don’t think other towns should do the same thing,
especially at this point.
The Armenian genocide happened over 85 years ago. Granted, the Boston area
– Watertown in particular – has one of the largest Armenian populations in
the country – but why now has this controversy had such a great impact?
KM: The people who are actually outraged, when they expressed their
outrage, they did not imagine that this issue was going to be such a huge
issue. It is the ADL that made it bigger and bigger. What happened first
was that there was an Armenian writer, David Boyajian, who wrote a letter to
the Watertown Tab, quoting a statement from Abraham Foxman denying the
Armenian genocide. That’s how this controversy erupted. Armenians started
writing other letters to the Watertown Tab. Before you know it, there was
this outrage in the Armenian community in Watertown and beyond.
After that, statement after statement [from the ADL was issued]…denying
the genocide and speaking against the congressional resolution, which made
the issue even bigger….The entire issue [began with] outrage by Armenians
because of a quote by Foxman. However, the ADL perpetuated this by their
own statement.
BK: Because Israel is in a very vulnerable position. The MIddle East is
more a powder keg than it usually is, and Foxman and the ADL are very
sensitive to the safety of Jews there. But I think this is a case [in
which] they need to relent and let the politicians work on this.
Why it’s become a problem now? It’s coming to the fore. There’s the
[pending] legislation in Congress, and people want answers [about whether or
not the Congress will pass the resolution]. It’s been an issue for a long,
long time but possibly now because it is in Congress, and people have to go
on record one way or the other. It’s become an issue.
JB: Because it’s very clear now what the ADL did and what Foxman did…[to
the] community. It’s really weird when [regarding] the Watertown Town
Council….we [Armenians] suddenly found ourselves in the middle of world
politics. As Armenians, we’re unhappy that Watertown is in that situation.
But we have been pushing for the recognition…for over 90 years now. What
Foxman did, and the way that it was pursued, it blew over, and it is
continuing to blow over….It’s not a matter of why now. This matter [has
been] growing year after year after year.
The [Armenian genocide] survivors who came to the U.S. and…other countries
in the world – they were dispersed – the survivors did not know the
languages of the local countries, were not accustomed to the way local
politics works….After all those years, the new generations [have grown] up
and [are] taking over [through] activism, community organization,
and…activities within the community. They are now American Armenians, or
French Armenians, or Greek Armenians. They know the [local country’s]
language, they are well versed in the local politics, they know how to play
within the local political arena.
RK: From what I understand, it’s bubbling to the surface now because there
seems to be a real shot for the congressional resolution to be heard and
voted on in Congress, which has been sort of shuttled back and forth behind
the scenes for many years now without getting much play.
There’s also, it seems, concern within the Armenian American community, that
it is important for those few remaining survivors of the Armenian genocide
to have this recognition while they’re still alive.
Briefly, is there anything else you’d like to say?
KM: Tens of thousands of Armenians, after the genocide, fled to the United
States….We have few [survivors of the genocide] left. It is only right
for the U.S. Congress to honor those survivors by recognizing the Armenian
genocide….This issue has become such a huge and important issue
nationwide. The ADL should reconsider its position and align itself with
its own stated principles and recognize the Armenian genocide unambiguously
and support the genocide resolution in the Congress.
RK: It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. I’m still learning as
this goes along.
JB: The pursuit of the recognition of the genocide [within the Armenian
community] is much better organized now than it was 40 or 45 years ago, or
even 30 years ago when [Armenian] people used to get together and just
remember the [genocide] victims….[through] commemorations at church. Now
it’s not commemoration in the church anymore; it’s commemoration with
political goals, with political activism. This is why the pursuit is
gaining more and more momentum, especially now that we also have a free and
independent republic of Armenia whose government also has the genocide as
part of its foreign policy.
BK: I don’t think so.
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