We welcome President Joe Biden’s statement commemorating the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Federal-level acknowledgement by the United States of the crime of genocide carries with it serious responsibilities, including profound moral and practical treaty obligations. For far too long, successive administrations have used verbal gymnastics to avoid the term, genocide, and allowed their silence to be weaponized by the Turkish government to contest their criminal past.

The Armenian community in the United States has fought long and hard, through sound scholarship and effective political activism by the Armenian National Committee, to shine the light on the truth and overcome a heavily financed Turkish propaganda machine. Within a matter of two short years, the US Congress has reaffirmed the Armenian Genocide, the Library of Congress has changed it categorization from “Armenian massacres” to “Armenian genocide,” and now the US President puts the final nail in the coffin of denial. The United States must now translate the President’s declaration into sustained policy initiatives aimed at ending Turkey’s obstruction of justice and engaging with Turks and Armenians toward an enduring regional peace based upon a truthful, fair, and comprehensive resolution of the Armenian Genocide.

Now left isolated, the Turkish government must end its revisionist campaign, acknowledge the monumental crime committed against the Armenian people and begin atonement. Acknowledgement, remorse and reparations are all necessary so that our peoples can finally move forward in peace with dignity and justice.

Central Committee, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Eastern United States (ARF)
Central Executive, Armenian Youth Federation – Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Eastern United States (AYF-YOARF)

Statement by President Joe Biden on Armenian Remembrance Day