Fresno’s Armenian community needs Biden to acknowledge the WWI genocide by Turkey

It has been 40 years since a U.S. president called what happened to Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks during World War I a genocide. President Biden has an opportunity to end that shameful record.

Between 1915 and 1923, Ottoman Turk forces killed or forced the deportation of 1.5 million Armenians who were living in what is now Turkey. Historians have since left little doubt that what Turkish leaders did amounted to a genocide.

In fact, the Armenian Genocide was the first holocaust of the 20th century, and foreshadowed what Nazi Germany would do to Jews living in Europe during World War II.

In 1981 President Ronald Reagan referred, in a speech about the Holocaust, to the killing of the Armenians, calling it a genocide. But since then, there has been nothing but empty words on the subject from American presidents.

The reason for American reluctance to recognize the genocide is largely the strategic value placed on a key U.S. air base at Incilirk, inside Turkey. From there, American air forces can strike at targets in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The thinking goes that recognizing the genocide will anger modern-day Turkey, a NATO partner at a key spot on the globe.

But the issue is not just about military strategy; it is about doing what is morally right. Turkey is on the wrong side of history and should be held accountable, as much as Germany had to face up to its guilt in the systematic killing of Jews by Hitler’s regime.

Turkish politics likely won’t let that country’s president take the first step, not that he is so inclined. So it remains up to the U.S. leader — President Biden — to do the right thing.

As a senator for three decades and then as a presidential candidate last year, Biden knew the genocide to be a historic reality. As he has said, “Failing to remember ... only paves the way for future mass atrocities.”

Atrocities and genocide

Current atrocities are already here. Armenia and neighboring Azerbaijan engaged in a months-long war last fall over disputed territory. Azerbaijan, which emerged the winner, captured more than 200 Armenian soldiers, and now stands accused of mistreating them.

There are calls for Armenian POWs to be freed; legislation to that end has been introduced in Congress and is being co-sponsored by Valley Republicans David Valadao of Hanford and Devin Nunes of Tulare, as well as Fresno Democrat Jim Costa.

A museum opened earlier this month in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, that shows off some of the spoils of the fighting against Armenia. One photo taken shows the Azeri president walking between two walls that have mounted on them the helmets of Armenian soldiers. Fresno Armenian American resident Sevag Tateosian says the display is part of a larger “trophy” park commemorating the Azerbaijan victory.

“The park also includes wax figures of what appear to be Armenian soldiers in defeat mode, some portraying death and missing limbs,” Tateosian said. “Not sure how this park passes the Geneva Convention rules, but when it comes to Turkey and Azerbaijan, the world has a way of ignoring their disturbing actions.”

Pain at home

This week, leading up to Saturday, April 24 and the 106th anniversary of recognizing of the Armenian Genocide, is painful for Fresno’s sizable community of Armenian Americans.

Due to the COVID pandemic, the annual raising of the American and Armenian flags will occur at 9 a.m. Saturday at City Hall with just Mayor Jerry Dyer, Rep. Jim Costa and the Armenian Scouts in attendance.

But here is what would make the sadness of the week less bitter: for President Biden to acknowledge what happened to the Armenian people as a genocide. Historians will mark it as the right decision.

This story was originally published April 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM.