PanARMENIAN.Net

Any attempt to question historical fact of Armenian Genocide can be
characterized as atavism
02.05.2009 19:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In connection with the information on the
press-conference of Genocide Museum Director Hayk Demoyan (30
Apr. 2009), the speaker himself turned to PanARMENIAN.Net saying that
the term `genocide’ gives way to manipulations. Mr. Demoyan said that
as a result of editing the text, some of his statements were cut from
context, acquiring a new sense. As a matter of fact, the statement
sounds as follows:

`I want all of us to avoid emotions. It’s unclear why we get
disappointed ahead of time and try to demonstrate complexes that have
already fallen out of use.’

With regard to Barack Obama’s April 24 address, I see both positive
and negative consequences. As Director of Genocide Museum-Institute
and researcher studying Genocide issues I find that exploiting the
term `genocide’ contains a serious danger. It establishes a precedent
for further manipulations. `Genocide’, as a legal term, means a
gravest crime. Such manipulations, I mean, promise to use or not to
use the term or the language trainings are extremely dangerous. I
don’t view the issue in the Armenian context; I view it in a broader,
global context. Unfortunately, mankind will survive genocides in the
XXI century as well. As to me, I’d rather Obama hadn’t promised
anything. In such case, I would have realized everything. But when
everything is obvious¦ to avoid saying a broken promise, I would
characterize it as an attempt to devalue to term. In the history of
mankind, genocide means a gravest crime. Hence, any manipulation of
the term is extremely dangerous. And I don’t view the problem in the
Armenian context. I view it in a broader, global context.

With regard to positive consequences, I would first of all mention
that Obama is a quite charismatic personality. I think, the rumors
about his statement, i.e. that Obama didn’t use the word, swaying his
electoral pledge, will attract more public attention to the Armenian
Issue and Armenian Genocide Studies. In this respect, I find it a
positive phenomenon, as it may help raise international community’s
awareness of Armenian Genocide. I don’t only mean the American
community; I speak about the international community on the whole.

Besides, if we look back to the past 20 years, and draw comparisons
with the present-day reality, we’ll see an unprecedentedly high level
of awareness, a greater number of scientific studies and, of course,
international recognition. Currently, any step and even dream or hope
to question the historical fact of Armenian Genocide can be
characterized as atavism, reversion to a more primitive state, which
may but arouse irony and nothing more".