Nearly a century after genocide, the grieving continues. This year, April 24th, marks the 99th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide during which the Ottoman Turks massacred 1.5 million Armenians.

Beginning in 1915, the Young Turks regime initiated a plan to exterminate the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire. Turkish military officers and commanders orchestrated a premeditated cleansing of Christians Armenians from Ottoman territories whom they considered an impediment to their “Turkification” effort. 

On April 24, 1915, the most prominent members of the Armenian community were gathered up and executed. So began the devastating period of genocide, defined by death marches, executions, beheadings, rape, hangings, dismemberment, and similarly horrific courses of extermination. 

By 1923, Armenian land was stolen, ancient churches left in ashes, and an entire race nearly wiped away. Many of those who survived the massacre fled to safety in neighboring countries, but the wounds of sorrow remained. 

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The Turkish government vehemently denies its hand in the genocide 99 years later. Despite thousands of eye-witness accounts, historical records, archeological evidence and worldwide documentation of the genocide, Turkey refuses to admit that the event occurred.

In fact, the Turkish Government has resorted to extreme measures, such as erasing records and silencing historians who recognize the Armenian Genocide. Using the “g” word in Turkey is not a light offense – death threats and imprisonment are certain consequences of openly discussing the Armenian Genocide’s veracity, as such a discussion threatens “Turkishness,”a concept introduced in Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. This law opened legal pathways to the prosecutions of writer Orhan Pamuk and Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink. Both publically spoke of the Armenian Genocide, and Dink was subsequently murdered by a Turkish Nationalist. 

The United States does not officially recognize the events of 1915 as “Genocide.” The US and Turkey are close military allies, and Turkey has made it clear that US recognition of the genocide is unacceptable. 

While Ronald Reagan referred to the 1915 massacre as “genocide,” he has been followed by less-willing presidents. During his 2008 campaign, then-Senator Barack Obama acknowledged the events of 1915 as genocide. “There was a Genocide that did take place against the Armenian People. It is one of these situations where we have seen a constant denial on behalf of the Turkish Government,” he said. 

Since becoming president, Obama avoided referencing the Armenian Massacres as Genocide. In 2013, Obama compensated for his silence by labeling the Genocide as a “medz yeghern,” Armenian for the “the great calamity.” 

The U.S. remains gagged by Turkey’s silencing hand and avoids recognizing the Armenian Genocide because recognition, at least for now, is politically inconvenient. 

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Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer, coined the term “genocide” in 1943 with reference to the Armenian Genocide. The UN Convention on Genocide defines genocide as any act intended “to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” Today, over 20 countries including France, Russia, and Canada have formally recognized the Genocide according to this definition. 

California Representative Adam Schiff has served as the voice of the Armenian-American community by speaking publically about the Genocide and initiating Congressional action. Schiff authored House Resolution 106 (Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution) in 2007, which called for recognition of the Armenian Genocide. 

The Resolution was passed (27-21) in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “Truth is never out of season. It is always the season for truth,” former Representative Ackerman of New York said during the vote.  

The bill continued to win the support of a majority of the House members, but was ultimately quashed by competing interests. Turkey had thoroughly armed itself to destroy the resolution. The Turkish Government spent over $300,000 monthly to ensure that a group of high-powered elites, which included former US congressmen, defeated the proposal. 

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A few weeks ago, however, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted an Armenian Genocide Resolution, which calls for proper commemoration. 

I asked Rep. Adam Schiff about the future of recognition: 

How does a lack of recognition affect our country and the course of history? Why is recognition so important?

By not recognizing the genocide, the United States undermines its central role as the leading voice for human rights around the world.  Genocide is a unique crime and the duty to take all steps to prevent it is paramount and universal, and acknowledging genocides past is a crucial part of building societal consensus (and international consensus) to act in the future.  

What is currently keeping the President from using the word “genocide?” Are there real ramifications that might result from official recognition?

I believe that the President’s reluctance to use the word “genocide” is a result of Turkey’s threats.  They have threatened our bases, commercial interests and to withdraw support on regional security issues, but as we have seen when other countries have recognized the genocide, these threats have proved groundless. Turkey will ultimately decide that a good relationship with the US is in its interests -- if our relationship cannot survive recognition of the genocide that wouldn't say much for the relationship. 

Why are other genocides (Darfur) and the Holocaust recognized by the US government without hesitance while the Armenian Genocide remains a sensitive and untouchable issue? 

In a word, Turkey.  The Turkish government has spent tens of millions to deny the undeniable, a fact that I made in my Letter to the Turkish People that I read on the House floor this week. 

Many special interests fought against the Affirmation of the US Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution (Resolution 106). Is there hope that the resolution will one day survive a House vote and Turkish pressures?

One day -- and I hope soon -- the resolution will pass.  Yesterday the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reported a genocide resolution for the first time in decades and I am working to educate a new generation of Members and staff in the House about what happened in 1915. 

As the 100-year anniversary approaches, many fear that the story of 1915 and the Armenian Cause will be forgotten. What can people do to get Washington's attention and enact meaningful change? 

I am doing everything that I can to ensure that the Armenian Genocide is not lost to history, and when we succeed we will owe that victory to the efforts of the Armenian-American community.  It is the most effective and eloquent advocate for the cause of recognition and We must all make this 100th year a year of action.  Write, call, and educate Members of Congress and their staffs.  Get friends and family to contact their Member of Congress as well.  We are up against a well-financed and well-orchestrated campaign of denial and deception, but we have the truth on our side and the truth will always win out in the end.

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After nearly a century, the subject of Genocide-recognition is central. Forgetting genocides of the past and refusing to acknowledge their facts may lead to genocides in the future. Before Hitler launched his attack on Poland in 1939, he said in a speech, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” Hitler was inspired by the forgotten Armenian Genocide, and confidently launched the Holocaust because he seemed to believe the massacred Jews would be forgotten in the same way the genocide of the Armenians was. The tragedy of the event is clear, but the implications of a forgotten and rejected Genocide are deadly.

Contact Contributor Alexa Youssefian here.