CBS 47
March 5 2010

Local Armenians React to Genocide Vote

Reported by: Alexandra Limon

Local Armenians are reacting after a congressional committee voted to
use the word genocide. The word is important to Armenians who want the
mass killings of World War I labeled as genocide.

The term genocide means; the deliberate and systematic destruction, in
whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group,
which is why it is so politically controversial and could jeopardize
U.S. relations with Turkey.

CBS47 spoke with local Armenians who support the resolution and are
criticizing the White House for its opposition.

Local Armenians whose family members were directly affected by the
mass killings, say this is a small victory but they say recognition of
the killings as genocide would help give them closure.

Modern day Armenians say the killing of more than one and a half
million Armenians during WW1 by Ottoman Turks was the first modern day
genocide.

More than 20 nations, including 11 NATO allies, recognize the killings
as genocide but the United States does not¦ at least not yet.

In a controversial move, the house foreign affairs committee passed a
resolution, recognizing the mass killings as genocide, by a vote of 23
to 22, despite opposition from the White House. Congresswoman Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen said, `and we need to ensure that our decisions and our
actions concerning the resolution before us do not have unintended
consequences.’

Turkey calls the killings, `casualties of the war’ and says the
country is not guilty of genocide.

Following the vote, Turkey recalled their U.S. Ambassador from the
United States, saying negotiations for an open border with Armenia may
be in jeopardy. U.S. military bases that are key in supporting the war
in the Middle East could also be threatened.

The resolution was only passed by a House Panel and it’s still unclear
if it will even make it to the House Floor, where it would be much
more difficult for it to pass. Similar resolutions were rejected in
2000, 2005, and 2007.

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