Armenian News – NEWS.am below presents the shortened version of the article by President of Arab American Institute James Zogby, published in The Huffington Post: 

“In less than two weeks we will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Armenian Remembrance Day, April 24th, recalls the horrifying events that resulted in the deaths of more than one million Armenians and the forced expulsion and ethnic cleansing of many more from their ancestral homeland at the hands of Turkish nationalists. It is an event that has defined Armenian history. And it has left an open wound that must be acknowledged and addressed for there to be closure for both peoples. For Armenians, the beginning of the healing process requires that the events of 100 years ago be called, what they were, a genocide. 

Six years ago, Armenian Americans were deeply disappointed by the Remembrance Day statement issued by the White House because the President did not term the horrors of 1915 as a genocide. They had great hopes that President Obama would do so since, during the 2008 Presidential campaign, he had been forceful not only in declaring that the events of 1915 were, in fact, genocide, but in criticizing those who would not use that word.

Armenians were further encouraged in early April of 2009, when the President urged the Turks to deal with this blot on their history in his address to the Turkish Parliament. To be fair, the President's statement on Remembrance Day 2009 was more forceful than those that had been made by his predecessors and his hesitation to use the term "genocide" was most likely prompted by the fact that just two days before the 24th, the Turkish and Armenian governments had agreed to a "road map" for normalizing relations and he was concerned that he not disrupt this process by provoking a hostile Turkish response. In the end, both Turks and Armenians were left angry. 

Six years later, Armenians are still waiting for recognition of their national tragedy so that their healing process can begin. And the Turkish government has remained intransigent, still not coming to grips with their past. The White House is not in an enviable possession. They are engaged in a battle against ISIL and have been pushing the Turks to "step up their game" as part of the international coalition fighting this evil movement.

I must admit that although I understand the demands of politics and diplomacy, I am also acutely aware of the demands of history that still cry out for recognition. It is wrong to say to just "get over it" to victim nations. For there to be reconciliation, there must be acknowledgment and justice.”