90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Billboard, Komitas, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2005

Now that the House Committee on Foreign Relations has adopted a resolution calling the massacre and deportation of ethnic Armenians from Ottoman Turkey during and after the First World War Genocide, discussion in the international media and global blogosphere is becoming very interesting. Indeed, while everyone accepts that what occurred was indeed a crime against humanity, the way in which the resolution is being viewed has more to do with either domestic politics or foreign policy concerns.

Before covering the continuing reactions of various bloggers on what is still one of the week’s major stories, here’s how the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper covered House Resolution 106 today.

Imperial delusions die hard - and once again the US Congress is trying to legislate for the world. As most Turks see it, this week’s committee vote in the House of Representatives accusing Turkey of genocide against the Armenians in 1915-17 is an insulting, gratuitous interference in their sovereign affairs. As the 27 Democrats and Republicans who backed the bill see it, it is a matter of putting the world to rights, according to America’s lights.

Congress has a long history of extraterritorial meddling. It regularly slaps unilateral sanctions on “rogue” governments, and orders foreign businesses and individuals to obey its strictures, regardless of nationality. Its attempts to direct US foreign policy are resisted by the executive branch to varying degrees. On Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and Israel, White House and legislature mostly agree. On Turkey, like Iraq, they are at noisy loggerheads.

[…]

Sentimentality and righteousness are never far from the surface of American politics. “Despite President Bush twisting arms and making deals, justice prevailed,” said Democrat Brad Sherman of California, playing to a gallery of elderly ethnic Armenians who attended the vote and the wider Armenian diaspora. “If we hope to stop future genocides, we need to admit to those horrific acts of the past.”

[…]

Another problem is that the Democrats’ motives are up for scrutiny. Turkish media suggest the struggle is less about justice and more about votes and campaign contributions from the powerful Armenian-American lobby, concentrated in the key 2008 election battlefields of California, New Jersey and Michigan.

More pertinently perhaps, Turkish officials ask why, when the US officially believes genocide is occurring right now in Sudan, it is digging up disputed events nearly a century ago. This week saw escalating killings in Darfur and warnings that a beefed-up UN force will not deploy for many months yet. Campaigners say that is partly because Congress has failed to honour US funding pledges.

Although the opinion piece doesn’t believe that U.S.-Turkish relations will be irreparably damaged, British blogger Nick Anstead is nonetheless unimpressed. Indeed, the article made the PhD candidate at the Department of Politics and International Relations in London angry enough to dissect the Guardian article and comment on many points.

[…] The question at hand is whether the Armenian genocide happened and it should be acknowledged. But additionally, simply saying “it’s Washington politics” fails to acknowledge that there has been a longstanding discussion of this issue in the US. The Armenian-American community has certainly been highly active on the issue. However, this isn’t a case of vested interests of a powerful elite (don’t you think Turkish business interests would be more than a match for them anyhow?), but of genuine grassroots activism - something the left should be all for. […] The hard work has bourne fruit too - forty American states currently recognize the genocide. Surely the immigrant Armenian vote can’t be a critical swing constituency in all of them?

J’s Notes is also upset about criticism of the resolution and the types of arguments being used to now prevent it from reaching the U.S. Congress. In particular, the blogger notes that responses to his own posts on the resolution seem to fall into two categories — “what about the others that have suffered?” or the “they deserved it” categories as a defense for Turkey.

Again, the blogger responds to such statements as well as accusations that the Democratic party’s pursuit of historical justice is driven by domestic political concerns. But there’s a sting in the tail.

The second point has been based merely on accusations that have not been backed up by any links or citations. It is not even conjecture and, barring evidence to support such claims, is easily dismissed as propaganda. Besides, the non-binding resolution does nothing to blame the current Turkish government for what happened, though it does shed light on Turkey’s denial of the events even occurring and attempt at white washing their own history.

The first point is a bit more touchy and understandable, yet fails in the face of “two wrongs don’t make a right”. If an error has been made in one area, is it wrong to try and correct a similar area elsewhere? When someone says “what about the others that have suffered?” you’re absolutely right. That others have suffered the same should be addressed as well. Certainly that might keep us busy for a long time to come, but we should not ignore it. That we haven’t addressed every human atrocity over the last 100 years is unfortunate, but that does not mean we should avoid addressing any of them. One thing at a time. This time it’s Armenia.

[…]

This massacre occured 90 years ago. Why are we only now drafting resolutions calling it a genocide? Certainly they’re overdue, but if this is happening merely as a method of draining our efforts in Iraq, is the sentiment really genuine? Are the Armenians and Ottoman Christians who suffered merely to once more be political pawns?

[…]

Yet to remember what happened and recognize it merely to score a backdoor political victory on an unrelated issue is disengenuious and does nothing but dishonor the memory of those who suffered through these horrible events.

Tsitsernakaberd, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2005

A Rendezvous with Destiny is more adamant about the pursuit of historical justice, but criticizes the resolution because, even though Turkey is protesting, it “lacks teeth.” The blogger also believes that Turkey needs to come to terms with its past for its own sake.

Some would say that we should leave it to the historians to decide whether what happen in Armenian was a genocide. That is ludicrous! There sits a memorial on the site of the former Auschwitz Concentration Camp that simply states “Never Again.” The sign wasn’t placed there by historians, but by a world that made a promise to remain vigilant. Somehow we seem to have forgotten those words. Burundi (1972), Cambodia (1975 – 1979), Bosnia (1992 -1995), Rwanda (1994) Sudan (2000 – 2002), and Darfur have all happen on our watch. How easy was it for us to forget two simple words? Unless we stop and think about what history teaches us, past mistakes are destined to be repeated. Recognizing all genocides, including what happen in Armenian, is the first step to preventing them.

[…]

In the end, House Resolution 106 lacks teeth because it is “non-binding,” a term suggesting a “lack of importance,” which many consider insulting to the Armenian people who suffered under the Ottoman Empire, who in 1915 was a Muslim nation that was governed by Sharia-based laws, and to their ancestors seeking affirmation.

As for Turkey, they should look to their hearts as a nation, and help begin the healing. The Armenian Genocide does not represent who Turkey is today as a country, nor more than slavery represent present-day America. There is no shame in admitting the failures of your past, either as a person or as a country. But pride can be found in our actions today to right the wrongs that clutter history, if to do nothing more than to say “Never Again!”

Others, however, uses arguments made against the resolution to argue for proper recognition and reconciliation. While New Left Outlook says that “to pursue [ ] recognition through legislative bills will in fact deplete the historical value and significance and provide ground for future revisionism,” Cid argues that it can at least be productive even if the circumstances of its introduction gives grounds for doubt.

With the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passing the Armenian Genocide bill, it is quite clear that not only the White House but also the political climate in the United States is losing its senses. […] The Democrats are retreating into their ideological boundaries in which they can give themselves a moral injection by passing a Genocide bill after having been utterly passive and incapable on the actions carried out by the Bush administration which have infringed and violated both the United States Constitution and several International Treaties. It is in fact sheer arrogance for the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to venture into a historical issue while being incapable to properly address the issues of our present life-time; such as those in Iraq, Guantanamo, Darfur, etc.

[…]

I would like to conclude that it is the prerogative of the republics of Armenia and Turkey to settle their relationship through proper means; that is academic research, dialogues and mutual acknowledgement, not legislative resolutions and condemnation. The passing of this bill will make that even more evident and in this light the bill should be valued.

The discussion and debate will continue for some time to come, I’m sure, and although there has been relatively little reaction from Armenian bloggers when you consider how central the issue of Genocide recognition is to communities far and wide, one thing is for certain. Apart from in Turkey, even critics and opponents of the resolution do not deny that the Genocide happened. Although not a blog, it’s worth quoting from today’s RFE/RL Press Review in this respect.

[…] “Hayots Ashkhar” writes that the fate of the House resolution now hinges on the firmness of what it describes as the ‘honest stance’ adopted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But the paper suggests that one thing is clear after Wednesday’s debate at the House Foreign Affairs Committee: “None of the two political parties represented in the U.S. legislature has a shadow of a doubt that Armenians suffered genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turkey in 1915-1923.”

What we don’t appear to have, however, is a conversation going on between Armenian and Turkish bloggers which I think is a pity. Still, the BBC has given us something similar with comments solicited from its readers in Turkey and Armenia via it’s web site.

ARMEN ASRYAN, YEREVAN, ARMENIA

As an Armenian, I feel deep respect towards the US lawmakers who passed this resolution, in spite of White House lobbying.

[…]

Three of my great-grandparents were survivors of the genocide. They fled from what is now Eastern Turkey.

Being children, they were separated from their families and placed in an orphanage founded by American missionaries in what is now Gyumri in Armenia.

I have heard the stories since I was a child, and although I don’t have any negative feelings towards the current Turkish state, a bitter feeling of betrayal has remained.

There has always been a need for the world and the Turkish government to at least recognise that those killings were indeed genocide.

Now that has been achieved.

ASUMAN YILDIRIM, ISTANBUL, TURKEY

[…]

I condemn a committee which appears to have bowed to pressure from Armenian religious leaders.

I don’t think the US should have the right to vote on other nations’ problems or condemn a nation for what happened 90 years ago.

Armenians killed Turks and Kurds, and Turks and Kurds killed Armenians.

It was a war. Things like that happen in wartime.

[…]

ARTUR, YEREVAN, ARMENIA

The US Congress ruling could create real political tensions not only for Armenia and the wider region, but also for the US.

[…]

It could really hurt the many thousands of Armenian people who live and work in Turkey.

The US recognition of genocide may seem beneficial for Armenia, but we don’t need conflict with Turkey.

The two countries would do better to leave this topic to the historians and focus on improving relations between neighbours.

[…]

Ironically, in all the local reports on the resolution I’ve seen so far here, not one has approached people on the street for their opinion. And apart from what Observer posted here, there really has been very little reaction in the Armenian blogosphere, in my opinion. The same could be said about the Turkish blogosphere from what I can see as well. However, some of what few posts I could find from there are here.

Genocide Survivor, Arax, Armavir Region, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2005