By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor USA Armenian Life Magazine
Friday, May 1, 2009
The April 24 presidential statement by Pres. Obama caused a major controversy in the American media. Even though he used the words “Meds Yeghern” twice in his presidential statement, a very large segment of the Armenian American community felt betrayed for his failure to fulfill his campaign promise of using the proper word, genocide. According to a scorecard of more than 500 campaign pledges collated on the Pulitzer Prize-winning website, PolitiFact.com, Obama has kept 27 promises and broken six. Topping the list of presidential campaign promises that are broken by Pres. Obama is “US recognition of the Ottoman Empire’s genocide during World War I against Armenians.” Obama avoided the word during his stay in Turkey and in a message on Armenian Remembrance Day. Obama was criticized for following the Anti-Defamation League line on the Armenian Genocide. Ciaran Dubhuidhe of cleveland.indymedia.org wrote on Apr. 24, 2009: “One day after vowing to battle Holocaust Denial, Pres. Obama publicly denied the Armenian Holocaust . In an exhibit of hypocrisy matched only by the ‘Anti-Defamation’ League’s Abraham Foxman’s denial of the Armenian Holocaust, Pres. Obama has dishonored anniversary of the start of the genocide by releasing a statement describing the Armenian Holocaust as an ‘atrocity.'” Harry Koundakjian reported on April 25: “Ambassador John Marshall Evans spoke at our commemoration last night. … Having read the actual text of Pres. Obama’s statement, Evans indicated that although it was a compromise statement, it was still more hopeful than previous U.S. presidents have made. To him it was clear that this statement was made by a committee, and not the heartfelt words of Obama. Using a term that only Armenians know (“Medz Yeghern”), and twice at that, seemed a bit out of place, even condescending, when the purpose of the proclamation is to let those who don’t know about the history become informed. He feels that Rahm Emanuel — AIPAC’s (America Israel Political Action Committee’s) ‘Man in the White House’ — probably had a strong hand in altering the language of the statement to eliminate the word genocide.” Several members of the community questioned as to why Mr. Obama did not properly use the word genocide. It was the so-called Armenian-Turkish “rapproachement.” The Wall Street Journal featured an article on April 25 titled “In Armenian Enclave, Turkish Deal Arouses Suspicion — Ethnic Leaders in Glendale, Calif., See Detente Announcement as a Ploy on Day Commemorating” the 1915 genocide.” The Wall Street’s NICHOLAS CASEY reported: “Andrew Kzirian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee’s Western region sees the latest development not so much as a detente between the countries, but as another public-relations effort by the Turks to deflect attention” from the genocide. Casey continued: “At the Armenian cafe Urartu off Broadway, Appo Jabarian, managing editor of USA Armenian Life, scans his email inbox for news of what he dubs the recent ‘secret agreement.’ … For Mr. Jabarian ‘Turkey is always trying to shortchange the Armenians.'” In a strong rebuke of the the so-called “Roadmap,” Aram I the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia stated on Saturday, April 25: “Roadmaps and reopening of borders cannot and will not compromise the Armenian people’s demand for the recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, and the claim for restorative justice.” His Holiness continued: “Turkey wanted to eliminate us as a country and people. We are grateful to all those countries that recognized the Armenian Genocide of 1915. However, we want to tell them that recognition is not enough, we want justice. We are not asking for mercy from the world; we are demanding justice. This is our right. The Armenian nation is a victim of injustice; its human rights are violated. We cannot remain silent in view of this prevailing injustice. Our collective memory will not heal unless justice is victorious. Neither roadmaps, nor reciprocal visits will restore justice.” In an open letter, Harut Sassounian, Publisher of The California Courier, criticized Pres. Obama: “You must have also known that Turkey would not open its border with Armenia in the foreseeable future, unless the Karabagh conflict was resolved to Azerbaijan’s satisfaction. Using various carrots and sticks, with the connivance of Russia, which pursues its own economic and political interests in Turkey and Azerbaijan, U.S. officials succeeded in pressuring Armenia into agreeing to issue a joint declaration with Turkey and Switzerland as mediator on the eve of April 24. This declaration was a convenient cover for you to duck the genocide issue in order to appease Turkey.” Mr. Sassounian stated: “Mr. President, by compelling Armenia to sign such a declaration, you have managed to pit the Armenian Diaspora, as well as the people in Armenia against the government in Yerevan. As a direct result of that action, the ARF, one of Armenia’s influential political parties, quit the ruling coalition this week. The ARF did not wish to associate itself with a government, still reeling from last year’s contentious presidential elections, which is negotiating an agreement with Turkey that could compromise the country’s national interests and historic rights. The ARF also vehemently opposes Armenia’s announced intention to participate in a bilateral historical commission that Turkey would use to question the facts of the Armenian Genocide.” Sassounian foresaw: “Mr. President, in the coming days, as your administration invites Armenia’s leaders to Washington in order to squeeze more concessions from them, please realize that they can only be pressured so much before they lose their authority. As was the case with Armenia’s first president, crossing the red lines on the Genocide and Karabagh issues could well jeopardize the tenuous hold on power of the remaining ruling coalition, regardless of how many promises are made and carrots extended to them by Washington.” Turkey’s continuous threats to Armenia’s existence as a viable state and its persistent ploys to strip Armenia of its historic rights for territorial claims from Turkey; to put the veracity of the Armenian genocide to debate through the so-called joint historic commission; to stop pursuing the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide; to return the liberated Armenian territories of Artsakh make the Armenian people in Armenia and the Diaspora further distrust Turkey. By helping Turkey carry out its conniving machinations against Armenia, the United States and Russia have re-fueled the Armenian political will to resort to: 1) An international campaign to divest from Turkey; and 2) Counterbalancing and even neutralizing the U.S.-based Neo-cons’ efforts to shove Turkey’s EU membership at all cost down the throat of Europeans.