OBAMA USES ARMENIAN EQUIVALENT OF GENOCIDE TWICE IN SPEECH

HULIQ
April 24 2009
SC

It is true that president Barack Obama did not use the word Genocide
when refering to the mass killings of the Armenian population in
Eastern Anatolia (today’s Turkey), however, he used the Armenian very
respected equivalent of Genocide "The Meds Yeghern" two times in his
speech. Armenians use the phrase The Meds Yeghern when referring to
the Genocide.

In his speech president Obama writes:

"The Meds Yeghern must live on in our memories, just as it lives on
in the hearts of the Armenian people." Also, three paragraph below
the text reads "Nothing can bring back those who were lost in the
Meds Yeghern."

These two sentences can equally be translated and interpreted in
the following way. The Armenian Genocide must live in our memories,
just as it lives on in the heart of the Armenian people… Nothing
can bring back those who were lost in the Armenian Genocide.

The full text of the Statement of President Obama on Armenian
Remembrance Day is available here.

In other words Obama did a great political move: he satisfied
both Armenians and Turkey. Today the newspapers are writing "Obama
refrained from using the G word," but tomorrow all of them will write,
Obama used the G. word, but the Armenian equivalent and two times
in his speech. In my opinion "The Meds Eghern" is a stronger way of
labeling the mass attrocities It’s also a respected way of labeling
the deaths. In fact, Obama used "Mets Eghern" twice in his text.

Why is the wording Genocide important? Since to this day Turkey has
denied that what had taken place amounted to genocide Armenians are
struggling and battling for justice to have the genocide recognized
world-wide. The aim of this is to bring justice. An apology has
to take place, perpertrators tried (all of them dead) and punished
and reconciliation moved forward. In this regard, the United States
recognizing the events as "Medz Eghern" as Genocide is a milestone in
the worldwide recognition and condemnation of such an attrocity that
payved the way of the Jewish Holocaust, Rwanda and Darfur. See how many
countries have already recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide.

Turkey, so far, is in the state of denial. It is obvious because
Turkey does not want to be labeled as a country who committed
a genocide. However, how far can this policy sustain itself no
serious historian or a statesman knows. Even there are several and
growing number of Turkish scholars who take the critical view on
own history and call on the Turkish government to recognize the
Armenian Genocide. Taner Akcam is one of them. On March 19 Turkish
genocide scholar Taner Akcam in his lecture titled "Facing History"
and delivered at the Clark University sent a powerful message
to U.S. President Barack Obama, asking him to liberate Turks and
Armenians by properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Barack Obama in today called the events "Meds Eghern," saying his
views have not changed. Now where do we go from here?

As an Armenian parent my dream is to see the Southern Caucasus as it is
in Western Europe: full of prosperity, freedom and security. However,
this cannot happen if the Turkish society and the government deny to
believe deep in their hearts the suffering and the attrocities that
their past political leaders have caused to the Armenian people. Note
that I am not saying the Turkish people committed the genocide,
as no one says the German people committed the Holocaust. It is the
political leaders of Turkish past that have made this very bad decision
during the first World War thinking a genocide and the annihilation of
Armenians and deprivation of them from their homeland is a solution
to their agenda. The souls of the innocent are crying for justice
and have come to haunt today’s reality.

Turkey and Armenia are engaged in a reconciliation process. The idea of
the start is already promising. However, the road ahead i very bumpy
and requires strong political will. Only time will show how far the
parties are ready to go. If there is a strong political will to change
we may be able to leave a better world and future for our children and
grand children. In the meanwhile the souls of the Genocide victims are
waiting for justice. As the president Obama puts it "The Meds Yeghern
must live on in our memories" until justice and recognition triumph.