PASSIONS RISING OVER DRAFT STATEMENT “ON CONDEMNATION OF THE GENOCIDE OF GREEKS AND ASSYRIANS IN OTTOMAN TURKEY” IN ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT
by Tatevik Shahunyan
Monday, February 16, 18:39
Passions are rising over the draft statement “On condemnation of the
genocide of Greeks and Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey” in the Armenian
Parliament.
Today, a verbal duel occurred between Heritage MP Zaruhi Postanjyan
and Head of the Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Affairs, RPA
member Artak Zakaryan during the Commission’s session, which was
considering the draft statement. In particular, Postanjyan expressed
her discontent with the fact that the lawmakers did not support her
draft statement “On recognition and condemnation of Ottoman Turkey’s
genocidal policy against Greeks, Assyrians, Yazidis and other national
and religious minorities as a grave crime against humanity”. She
blamed the RPA members for plagiarism, because “they have stolen
her idea and elaborated their own document on its basis”. Postanjyan
was particularly indignant at the fact that the new version of the
statement says nothing about the genocide of Yazidis.
Today the “Sinjar” Yazidi National Union protested against the Armenian
National Assembly’s draft statement condemning the genocide of Greeks
and Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey in 1914-23.
Sinjar is displeased with the fact that the document does not mention
the genocide of Yazidis that took place in the early 20th century
in Ottoman Turkey. “Only 14,000 out of 200,000 families of the
Yazidis living in the Ottoman Empire before 1914 survived. Later,
the persecution against the Yazidis continued because they were
blamed for hiding Armenian refugees in their houses. Why does the
legislative body of Armenia forget these facts? Is the fact of
the genocide of Yazidis disadvantageous from the viewpoint of the
Armenian foreign policy?” In this light, Sinjar urges the authors
of the draft statement “On condemnation of the genocide of Greeks
and Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey in 1914-23” to include a provision
about the genocide of Yazidis in the document. “Otherwise, we will
perceive it as discrimination against Yazidi people”, they say.
ArmInfo’s correspondent has asked Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice Speaker of
the Armenian Parliament, co- author of the specified draft statement
to comment on the Yazidi organization’s statement. Sharmazanov
says that the genocide of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians in
Ottoman Turkey cannot be considered emotionally. According to him,
when elaborating the document, its authors studied all the facts,
the relevant Convention of the UN, the resolution the International
Association of Genocide Scholars took in 2007. The resolution says
that a genocide of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians was committed in
Ottoman Turkey in the early 20th century and it features numerous
facts, particularly, the documents of the Thessalonica Forum and
letters of Taleat and Enver.
“The same International Association of Genocide Scholars considered in
2007 the issue of possible genocide of Yazidis in Ottoman Turkey in
early XX century but found no documents substantiating it. If there
are any facts confirming the genocide of Yazidis in Ottoman Turkey
in early XX century, let the Yazidi community present them and we
will recognize and condemn the genocide of Yazidis as well. I have
repeatedly applied to the Yazidi community, however, I have received
no such documents so far”, says Sharmazanov. He stresses that if
the Parliament adopts a resolution, it should be substantiated and
flawless in all aspects. He adds that in 2015 Yerevan will host the
forum of the International Association of Genocide Scholars and if
the Yazidi community has some documents confirming the fact of the
genocide of Yazidis in Ottoman Turkey in early XX century, it can
present them at that Forum.
To note, earlier MP from Heritage Party Zaruhi Postanjyan submitted a
similar draft statement, which reflected on the genocide of Yazidis
as well and the Yazidi community of Armenia supported that draft
statement. However, the MPs from the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia said that the document had inaccuracies and rejected it.