Assyrian International News Agency AINA
March 13 2010

Assyrian Genocide Center Issues Statement on Sweden’s Genocide Recognition

Just 10 days ago that the United States House of Representatives’
Committee on Foreign Affairs have voted on the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. The decision was upheld by just one vote majority.

Yesterday, the Swedish Parliament had debated the motion to recognize
the Assyrian, Armenian and, Greek genocide for long hours. Once again,
the resolution was passed by one vote. The Turkish Government did not
delay to take the expected stand. Soon after the decision became
known, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Turkey Mr. Davutoglu, upon his
direction recalled its Swedish Ambassador back to Turkey. If this
trend continues, Turkey will soon be calling back its ambassadors one
by one. This will continue on until the moment Turkey will decide to
face up to its past acts and start to reconcile with them.

The official assertion of Turkey is to leave the matter for history
and the historians. In this way, the matter would lose its interest
and soon be forgotten. However, what the victims of the genocide are
voicing in their claims was well different. The fact is the genocide
is a very serious matter. It is a crime committed against humanity. An
event like this cannot be left for the historians. Furthermore,
independent historians as well as genocide scholars and academics
attest it with available archival materials in hand. The International
Association of Genocide Scholars issued a sample archive on the
Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocide on December, 2007.

In yesterday’s voting Turkey became the looser. The winners were the
victims of the genocide. In a way justice took place. To deny the fact
is twice to be killed. Yesterday’s voting phenomena that took place in
Sweden was conviction to condemn Turkey’s continued denial mentality.

Yes, the decision was taken with 131 votes against 130. However, the
one vote majority does not reflect the reality and it may be
misleading. The fact is all those who voted against the motion did not
claim nor say that the genocide did not happen. All of them were
saying yes the genocide took place, however a majority of them said we
need to be loyal to the Coalition Government’s decision and others
were fearing a yes vote would jeopardize the relations with Turkey.

All these developments indicate that Turkey will have more difficulty
in the international arena while it carries the heavy burden of the
genocide. Furthermore it will make it harder for its progress in
democracy. Turkey has no other option but to reconcile with its past
acts. Otherwise, it will end up with pulling its consulates from the
European countries everyday and eventually every other country.

Ten days ago the United States House of Representatives’ Committee on
Foreign Affairs recognized the geoncide. Today the Swedish Parliament
has conveyed it. Tomorrow the parliaments of other countries will
continue to follow suit till Turkey stops to cover up its guilt and
start to recognize the genocide it committed against the Assyrians,
Armenians, Greeks.

Assyrian Genocide Research Center

Edited by AINA.