A Genocide Denied is a Genocide Repeated

The Armenian Genocide Committee and its unified member organizations addressed a letter on behalf of the two million ethnic Armenian Americans, to President Biden, urging recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The letter stresses the President’s “unequivocal recognition of the Armenian Genocide will have added significance, as the world witnessed Turkish president Erdogan’s genocidal and expansionist intent in 2020, when Turkey and Azerbaijan attempted to ethnically cleanse Armenians by launching a full-scale assault on the indigenous Armenian population and lands of Artsakh. Their attack has resulted in thousands of deaths and a humanitarian crisis in Armenia and Artsakh. We must hold genocidal regimes accountable because a genocide denied is a genocide repeated.”

The following is the letter in its entirety:

The Honorable Joseph Biden Jr.
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
President Biden,

On behalf of the two million ethnic Armenian Americans, we strongly urge you to recognize the truth of the Armenian Genocide.

From 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Turkish Empire systematically sought to eliminate its indigenous Armenian population, killing more than 75% of Armenians (1.5 million in number) and driving hundreds of thousands more from their homeland. We stand firmly against attempts to pretend that this intentional, organized effort to destroy the Armenian people was anything other than a Genocide.

You have correctly stated that American diplomacy and foreign policy must be rooted in our values and guiding principles, including respect for universal human rights. Those values and principles require us to acknowledge the truth and do what we can to prevent future genocides and crimes against humanity.

In the past you have publicly acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, and in the wake of 2019’s overwhelming, bipartisan Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide – and 2020’s historic decision by the Library of Congress to properly catalog books on this subject, we call on you to do so again as President to make clear that the U.S. government recognizes this terrible truth. The American people have clearly voiced their support for the unequivocal recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Your unequivocal recognition of the Armenian Genocide will have added significance, as the world witnessed Turkish President Erdogan’s genocidal and expansionist intent in 2020, when Turkey and Azerbaijan attempted to ethnically cleanse Armenians by launching a full-scale assault on the indigenous Armenian population and lands of Artsakh. Their attack has resulted in thousands of deaths and a humanitarian crisis in Armenia and Artsakh. We must hold genocidal regimes accountable because a genocide denied is a genocide repeated.

We join the Armenian American community, Armenians around the world, and all people of good will in honoring the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. We ask you to do the same by properly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.

Sincerely,
Armenian Genocide Committee
April 19, 2021