Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

During the 104th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, the Foreign Ministry of Armenia released a statement urging the international community to condemn denialism.

The statement asked for “further resolute actions” that would reinforce the responsibility of each country, on a global scale.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry firmly believes that future genocides can be prevented by international dialogue, compliance and co-existence.

“On April 24, Armenians all over the world and their allies commemorated the 104th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Individuals from various nations, religions and communities from all over the world took part in commemorating the genocide. We are grateful to the world leaders, parliamentarians, philanthropists, scholars, journalists and human rights activists that have the courage to stand by the Armenian people.”

However, as many stand in solidarity, Turkey continues to hold on to odious policies of denialism. Incapable of facing its unpleasant past and continuing to offend the memory of the victims of the genocide, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey remains consistent in his denialism.

This year on April 24, Erdogan publicly tweeted his denial of the genocide, reffering to the victims of the genocide as “Armenian gangs and their supporters.” To justify the Armenian Genocide, which was meticulously planned and perpetrated by the Ottoman government, as “relocation” is an insult to the lives lost.

Additionally, qualifying it as “the most reasonable act” is particularly shocking, as it depicts the intent to destroy in whole or in part the Armenian population of the Ottoman Turkey, a national, ethnical and religious group—as defined by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

“The relocation of the Armenian gangs and their supporters, who massacred the Muslim people, including women and children, in eastern Anatolia, was the most reasonable action that could be taken in such a period.

The doors of our archives are wide open to all seeking the truth.”

— Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) April 24, 2019

Furthermore, Turkey has been steadily attempting to introduce a religious dimension to its denialist narrative. No religion in the world should be able to protect genocide perpetrators and their supporters.

However, looking closely at history, many individuals from Muslim communities, including religious leaders, helped victims of the Armenian Genocide either escape or hide.

More than a century later, Turkish leadership continues to blatantly defy the international public opinion and historical truth. Turkey’s policies and actions of denial, and its justification, are a deliberate subversion of the fight against justice for atrocious crimes.

Turkey’s attitude is in opposition to accountability, reconciliation and prevention of genocide. They undermine the vital efforts of the international community to prevent instances in which genocide may be perpetrated.

These actions and policies are acts which incite hatred and further perpetrate atrocious crimes. They demonstrate the inability and absolute failure of the government of Turkey to be responsible for the protection of a people from genocide. Turkey’s actions and words threaten international and regional peace, security and stability.