German Federal Assembly Adopts Armenian Genocide Bill

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German Federal Assembly has adopted the Armenian Genocide bill.

The proposal has been approved with one against and one abstain votes.

The bill was prepared by Christian Union parties (CDU/CSU) constituting the major coalition,

 Social Democrat Party (SPD), and Greens Party.

The bill entitled “Remembering and commemorating genocide against Armenians and other Christian minorities in the period of 1915-1916” remarks that not only Armenians but also the Christian minorities namely Assyrians and Chaldeans in the Ottoman Empire were subjected to genocide. Also to German Empire’s responsibility which was the ally of the Ottoman Empire at that period has been drawn attention.

AKP, MHP and CHP had reacted against the voting

Justice and Development Party (AKP), People’s Republican Party (CHP), and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) members of the Foreign Affairs Commission had issued a joint declaration against the Armenian Genocide bill to be seen at the GermanFederal Assembly.

Turks living in Germany had protested the bill in front of Brandenburger Tor on June 1.

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım as to the bill had said on June 1, “[Allegations] out of the whole cloth, ordinary incidents lived in World War First conditions and could happen in any society”, and added that they “wouldn’t recognize even if the bill is adopted”.

Federal Assembly President had said “Genocide” on 100th anniversary

The German Federal Assemblyhad approved a bill in 2005, however, despite including the arguments of many scientists and historians claiming it to qualify a genocide, it didn’t directly use the term of genocide.

CDU/CSU and SPD party assemblies had impeded last year the draft recognizing the slaughter against the Armenians as genocide.

Germany’s President Joachim Gauck, and German Federal Assembly President Norbert Lammert in their speeches on 100th anniversary had used the phrase of “genocide”.

The countries that acknowledge the genocide

According to the Zete’s report citing Independent, the countries which acknowledge the Armenian Genocide are as follows: Armenia, Uruguay, Southern Cyprus, Russia, Canada, Lebanon, Belgium, France, Greece, Vatican, Italy, Sweden, Argentina, Slovakia, Holland, Venezuela, Poland, Lithuania, Chile, Switzerland, Bolivia, Czech Republic, Austria, Syria, Luxemburg.

While the genocide is not acknowledged as the state’s official stance, Great Britain, Brazil, Spain, Australia, Bulgaria and the US, some states and regions recognize the incidents of 1915 as genocide.

For instance, in the US, the genocide bill passed in all the states except for Wyoming, Texas, Iowa, Indiana, West Virginia, Mississippi and Alabama. (BK/TK)