/ 26 April 2021

Biden calls out Armenian genocide

Anzac Day marks the landing of Aussie and Kiwi troops in Gallipoli, Turkey, on 25 April 1915, and the tough battle that followed. At the same time in the same region, another WWI tragedy was unfolding – the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. And on Saturday – the 106th anniversary – US President Joe Biden broke with diplomatic norms to acknowledge it as a genocide. Starting on 24 April 1915, Armenians (predominantly Christians) living in the former Muslim-dominated Empire were subjected to a campaign of forced marches and mass killings. Why? There were concerns they would align with Russia during the war – the archenemies of the Ottoman Turks. Turkey still denies the atrocities, but lobbying from Armenians worldwide to have it acknowledged has been constant in recent years. Biden has raised the issue despite America’s important/prickly relationship with Turkey, saying it is to help the process of “healing and reconciliation for all the people of the world.”

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