“AS MUCH AS YOU AND OTHERS MAY DENY, ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS FACT OF HISTORY,”
CATHOLICOS ARAM I SAYS IN RESPONSE TO ERDOGAN’S REMARKS
ANTELIAS, LEBANON, 7 December (Noyan Tapan). The Prime Minister of
Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, recently inaugurated the first museum in
Turkey to be dedicated to the Armenian people. On this occasion he said
that the museum would refute the accusation that Turkey perpetrated a
genocide against the Armenians. “Instead of looking at facts, people
have distorted history through suppositions and misinformation”,
said Erdogan. He promised to protect the rights of the Armenians
living in Turkey. He said: “As the Prime Minister of this country,
it is my duty to protect the rights of these citizens”. According
to the Press Office of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, in response
to Erdogan’s remarks, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, said: “Mr. Erdogan, before you speak of so called
“assumptions” and “misinformation”, you should visit the “Cilicia
Museum” of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Lebanon. At that museum
you would see irrefutable evidence of the genocide perpetrated by
the Turks. The remains of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the
Armenian people rescued from Cilicia speak for themselves. You would
see manuscripts, church vessels, and other articles of spiritual
value, that the Armenians of Adana, Zeytoun, Hajen, Sis, and other
places in Cilicia and Western Armenia saved as they fled the horrors of
massacre. All these precious remains of our spiritual heritage reached
Antelias via Deir Zor. No one who sees these remains would talk of
“assumptons” and “distortion” of facts. They are clear evidence
of Turkish barbarism. Shouldn’t you ask why these are currently
in Antelias? Are they there by coincidence? Moreover, Mr. Prime
Minister, before speaking of “falsification” and “misinformation”,
you should also visit the relics of our martyrs that lie in a monument
not far from the Museum. Perhaps you would ask yourself, where did
these human remains come from? History is based on clear facts and
not assumptions. As much as you and others may deny, the Armenian
Genocide is a fact of history. Mr. Erdogan, you consider it your duty
to protect “the rights of the Armenians living in Turkey”. However, as
Prime Minister, shouldn’t you admit the guilt of your ancestors, their
well-planned and executed Genocide? You cannot deny your history. Next
year will be the 90th anniversary of the Genocide. Armenian communities
all over the world will demand with one voice the recognition of the
Genocide perpetrated by Turkey and will ask for their Human Rights
thus far denied”, concluded Catholicos Aram I.