The US President recently acknowledged the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during 1915-16 as a genocide. This announcement gains significance considering its potential implications and is thus making headlines around the globe. April 24 is marked as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day by the Armenian diaspora, commemorating the victims of these horrific acts.
Understanding Genocide
According to the United Nations Convention on Genocide’s Article II, “genocide” is defined as performing acts with the intention to destroy completely or partially, any national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. This term was coined in 1943 by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish lawyer.
The Armenian Genocide: A Brief History
Recognized as the first genocide of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide refers to the systematic eradication of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917. When the First World War broke out in November 1914, Ottoman Turks sided with Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire, believing that the Armenians would side with Russia. This led to the large-scale removal of Armenians from the border areas along the Eastern Front. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Turkish government began arresting and executing thousands of Armenian intellectuals, signifying the start of the Armenian Genocide. Families, including children, were forced to endure days of walking without food, water, or shelter across the deserts of Syria and Arabia. It is estimated that approximately 1.5 million Armenians perished, either from mass killings or due to ill-treatment, abuse, and starvation.
Implications of the US Recognition
While the US government’s acknowledgement might not have significant legal ramifications for Turkey, it can be a source of national embarrassment and encourage other countries to recognize the genocide as well. As per the Armenian National Institute, 30 countries have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Turkey’s Reaction to the US Recognition
Such recognitions can potentially damage the already tense relations between the US and Turkey, both allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Factors contributing to the strained ties include Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems and disagreements over foreign policies with regard to Syria, human rights, and other legal issues. While Turkey concedes that Armenians were subjected to atrocities, they deny the events classify as a genocide (which carries legal implications) and dispute the death toll of 1.5 million.
India’s Position on the Armenian Genocide
India has not formally accepted the Armenian Genocide, a stance driven largely by wider foreign policy decisions and regional geo-political interests. Despite ratifying the United Nations Convention on Genocide, India lacks domestic laws on genocide. This fact was noted by the Delhi High Court in the State v. Sajjan Kumar case (2018), concerning mass killings of Sikhs during anti-Sikh riots in 1984 in Delhi and throughout the country.
Recent Developments in Armenia
In related news, Russia recently brokered a new peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both nations have been embroiled in military conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. This region, despite being located within Azerbaijan, is mostly populated by people of Armenian ethnicity, who are largely Christian as compared to the Shia Muslim-majority Azerbaijan.
