AHI Statement on the Commemoration of the 92nd Anniversary of the Greek Pontian Genocide by Turkey
We support the Pontian Greek American community’s efforts to secure full
recognition, proper commemoration, and a just resolution of the Greek
Pontian Genocide of 1914-23.
On May 19, 2006, the Pontic
communities around the world commemorate the 92nd anniversary
of the Genocide of the Pontic Greeks. Their outright slaughter and
expulsion by long death marches to exile between 1914-23, was first
ordered by the Young Turk regime and then completed by Mustafa Kemal,
later known as Atatürk. These genocidal policies caused the death of
353,000 Pontic Greeks, more than half their population, and brought a
tragic and catastrophic end to their three-thousand year presence on the
southern shores and mountains of the Black Sea region of Asia Minor,
today’s Turkey.
We call on the President to
address this tragedy by properly recognizing the Pontian Genocide as a
clear instance of genocide, as defined by the United Nations Genocide
Convention. We ask the administration to end its silence on
Turkey’s denial of this crime of genocide.
The U.S. Congress should adopt
legislation recognizing the Pontian Genocide as part and parcel of the
genocide against the Armenians, Assyrians and the other Greeks of Asia
Minor… a genocide which took the lives of 3 million of Turkey’s
Christian population. The U.S. Congress should also urge the American
people to apply the lessons of this great tragedy to the cause of
preventing future genocides.
Finally, Turkey must be
pressured to acknowledge its genocidal crime against these historic
Christians, to come to terms with this chapter in its history and,
consistent with the Genocide Convention and other relevant international
legal instruments, to make full reparations to the Pontic people.
We refer readers to Thea
Halo’s book Not Even My Name, a remarkable memoir of her Pontic
Greek mother’s life, which recounts her ancient way of life in the
Pontic mountains, her 10-month long death march to exile at the age of 10,
ordered by Mustafa Kemal, which took the lives of her family and
neighbors, and left her bereft, even of her name. Sano’s story continues
with her life in America. Thea Halo includes in this extraordinary memoir
an historical synopsis of the politics and intrigues of the great powers
of the time.
