A Bad Deal for Armenia?

by Michelle . · 2009-10-06 05:29:00 UTC
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The transgenerational sting of an unrecognized genocide is being felt on the world stage once again, as thousands of Armenian-Americans converged on Los Angeles over the weekend to protest a US-backed plan by Armenian President Serge Sarkisian to normalize relations with neighboring Turkey later this month.

Turkey's stubborn denial of the Armenian Genocide, committed by Ottoman Turks during World War I, remains a sticking point for the Armenians and anyone who openly supports their cause -- Turkey has been known to recall its ambassadors from countries who've pushed for official recognition of the genocide, among other threats. The protesters in California, following those in Paris, are outraged that Sarkisian has largely set the genocide question aside, commenting that it will not stand in the way of the path to renewed ties with Turkey.

(One of President Obama's first broken campaign promises came when he failed to recognize the genocide during a visit to Turkey in April -- though to be fair, perhaps it's not a campaign promise broken, but one not yet fulfilled.)

The death of 1.2 million people certainly can leave a bad taste in one's mouth, especially when the suffering is not only never officially recognized, but actively and vehemently denied, and when no restitution is ever offered. But might it also be possible that normalization will offer Armenians a path towards the recognition they've sought for nearly a century?

The protocols for normalization include the creation of a "historical commission," with a vague mandate to investigate the history of relations between the two countries, but would not force Turkey to recognize the genocide as a precondition for signing. This commission could, then, be one of two things: A whitewash concession that allows Turkey to maintain its iron grip on historical interpretation, or, if Turkey plans to delegate authority, a first step towards official, government-sanctioned recognition of the atrocities.

The Armenian community is skeptical, and with good cause. If Turkey has been so adamant in its denial up until now, what's to convince anyone that this commission will be anything more than a sideshow? But, on the other hand, what are the chances of ever achieving any kind of recognition if relations between the two nations remain hostile?

My sympathies are with the Armenians, but I can't help but wonder if this commission deserves a fair shot.

[Photo of a previous Armenian Genocide protest in California from WikiCommons.]

Michelle . has been involved in various activist endeavors, including the Teach Against Genocide pilot campaigns.
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