House of Representatives Formally Recognizes The Armenian Genocide

The U.S. and Armenian flags fly side by side. (Wikimedia Commons)

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on October 29 formally recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The vote was nearly unanimous, with 405 votes in favor and only five against. 

The Armenian Genocide took place from 1915-1923. More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Empire, and half a million were forced into exile. Today, there are approximately 11 million Armenians around the world, with roughly two million in the U.S. and three million in Armenia.

Scholars have recognized the Armenian genocide as one of the first modern genocides. In fact, the atrocities influenced Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jew who was later involved in the Nuremburg Trials, to coin the term genocide in 1944. Today, it is the second-most studied genocide after the Holocaust.

Despite scholars’ interest in the topic, the Turkish government has repeatedly denied the existence of the Armenian Genocide. When Germany and the Vatican recognized the Armenian Genocide, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recalled Turkey’s ambassadors in both nations. 

In the past, the U.S. has hesitated to formally recognize the genocide because Turkey is an invaluable NATO ally. However, recently, the relations between Turkey and the U.S. have become strained. In July, Turkey angered the U.S. by purchasing an anti-missile defense system from Russia. Turkey also had only recently released an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who had spent two years in jail on trumped-up spying charges.

Ultimately, Turkey’s actions in Syria pushed the U.S. lawmakers over the edge. The Turkish military invaded Kurdish-held northern Syria on October 7 after President Trump pulled the U.S. troops out of the region. The President’s actions prompted rare rebukes from Republicans and Democrats alike, who viewed this as a betrayal of the Kurds.

Recognizing the Armenian genocide was intended to be a slap in the face to Turkey. Not pleased with the resolution, Erdogan said to lawmakers in Ankara that the U.S. has “no right to give lessons to Turkey.” This resolution will further damage ties between the U.S. and Turkey at a crucial moment for Syria’s policy. 

Meanwhile, Armenians have widely celebrated the House’s resolution. The Armenian Council of America (ACA) wrote in a letter to The Caravel:

“H. Res. 296 is a monumental achievement for the Armenian American community. For decades, we have been fighting an uphill battle against the well-funded Turkish lobby, to gain reaffirmation from the U.S. government. The margin by which the resolution passed is heartwarming and sends a strong message to Armenian genocide deniers that the U.S. stands for human rights and upholds the virtues of freedom, liberty and equality.”

The ACA also hopes the resolution will bring attention to other attrocities happening in the world right now: “The Turkish government… is currently attempting a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Kurds and other minorities in northern Syria, eerily similar to the campaign of genocide against the Armenian people… a century ago. It is our hope that this resolution will shine a light on their illegal and immoral actions.”

The House’s resolution might have been politically motivated, but its motive should not mitigate  its importance. Recognition of the genocide is a huge milestone for Armenians as they have sought acknowledgement of their suffering for more than a century. For organizations like the ACA, this resolution is a vital step in a long fight against injustice: “We as Americans of Armenian decent must urge our government ensure that no such atrocities and attempts at genocide transpire ever again.”