Despite Promise, No Recognition Of Genocide From Obama

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Obama appeared in Turkey today as part of an effort to improve U.S.-Turkish relations and reach out to the Muslim world.

One thing he did not do, however, is utter the word "genocide" – even though during the presidential campaign he said that actions by Ottoman Turks against Armenians before and during World War I, when up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed, should be recognized as such.

Here, via Fox News, is a statement from the president's Web site during the campaign:

"I also share with Armenian Americans -- so many of whom are descended from genocide survivors -- a principled commitment to commemorating and ending genocide. That starts with acknowledging the tragic instances of genocide in world history. As a U.S. senator, I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide."

The president was far more measured in his comments today. In his opening remarks before the Turkish parliament, here's what he had to say:

I know there are strong views in this chamber about the terrible events of 1915. While there has been a good deal of commentary about my views, this is really about how the Turkish and Armenian people deal with the past. And the best way forward for the Turkish and Armenian people is a process that works through the past in a way that is honest, open and constructive.

He went on to laud cooperation between the two countries and note that "the United States strongly supports the full normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia." But the president never went beyond his characterization of the situation as "terrible."

View Photos Photo Essay: Obama Travels To Turkey (AP)

In an event with Turkish President Abdullah Gul the before the speech, Mr. Obama was asked this directly: "You said as president you would recognize the genocide. And my question for you is, have you changed your view, and did you ask President Gul to recognize the genocide by name?"

The president responded that "my views are on the record and I have not changed views" - though he declined to reiterate those views. He noted that Gul's administration is negotiating with Armenia "to resolve a whole host of longstanding issues, including this one," adding that "I want to be as encouraging as possible around those negotiations."

"…what I want to do is not focus on my views right now but focus on the views of the Turkish and the Armenian people," the president said. "If they can move forward and deal with a difficult and tragic history, then I think the entire world should encourage them."

He added that he is not interested in "the United States in any way tilting these negotiations one way or another while they are having useful discussions."

Click here for more coverage of Mr. Obama's trip.

[sosdh]

GENOCIDE IN BRAZIL: THE MISSING MASS GRAVE WITH 1000 VICTMS OF ?S?TIO CALDEIR?O?





THE MASSACRE OFF THE BRAZILIAN HISTORY BOOKS





In CEAR?, BRAZIL, there was a massacre committed by army forces and military police of Cear? state in 1937, against the peasant community of Catholics of ?S?TIO CALDEIR?O?, which had as its religious leader Blessed JOSE LOUREN?O, follower of Father CICERO ROM?O BATISTA.







THE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY





The criminal acts took place initially through aerial bombardment, and then, on the ground, the military using various weapons such as rifles, revolvers, pistols, knives and machetes, killed women, children, adolescents, elderly, sick and all living things that was within reach of their arms, acting as if at the same time, were judges and executioners.







A CIVIL ACTION BROUGHT BY THE ONG ?SOS DIREITOS HUMANOS?





As the crime committed by the Army and the Military Police of Cear? State was against humanity / GENOCIDE / CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY is considered inalienable by Brazilian law and by international agreements and conventions, and so the ? SOS DIREITOS HUMANOS?, an NGO based in Fortaleza - Cear?, Brazil, filed in 2008 a Public Civil Action in Federal Court against the Federal Government and the State of Cear?, requiring that: a) they inform on the location of the mass grave, b) exhumed and identified through DNA and buried with dignity all victms in the mass grave, c) the documents about the massacre be released to the public and crime should be included in Brazil history books, d) the descendants of victims and survivors are compensated in the amount of R$ 500 thousand reais, e) other applications







EXTINCTION WITHOUT TRIAL OF MERIT OF ACTION



The Public Civil Action was extinguished without ruling on the merits on 16/09/2009 by the 16? Federal Court in the city of Juazeiro do Norte , Cear?, Brazil.





?SOS DIREITOS HUMANOS? APPEAL BEFORE THE TRF5? REGION



The ?SOS DIREITOS HUMANOS? disagreement with the magistrate's decision of the judge, appealed to the Regional Court of the 5th Region of Recife, with the following arguments: a) there is no limitation for the massacre of the ?S?TIO CALDEIR?O?, because it? s a crime against humanity, b) the remains of victims of the ?S?TIO CALDEIR?O? not disappeared from the Araripe mountain (CHAPADA DO ARARIPE), and can be founded like the Czar of the Romanov family, who was killed in 1918 and found in 1991 and 2007;







?SOS DIREITOS HUMANOS? DENOUNCES RIGHTS TO BRAZIL TO THE OAS





THE ? SOS DIREITOS HUMANOS? , like the families of the victims of the Araguaia Guerrilla, reported in 2009, the Brazilian government in the Organization of American States - OAS, human rights violations perpetrated against the community of ?S?TIO CALDEIR?O? na Chapada do Araripe, Crato, Cear?, Brazil.







THE "URCA" AND "UFC CAN FIND MASS GRAVE





The Regional University of Cariri - URCA, the Paleontological Research Laboratory - LPPU and the Federal University of Cear? can find the mass grave, as they have technology to do so.



Please help us to find the MASS GRAVE with technical suport or with people.



Peace and Solidarity,







Dr. OTONIEL AJALA DOURADO

OAB / CE 9288 - 55 85 8613.1197

President of SOS ? DIREITOS HUMANOS

www.sosdireitoshumanos.org.br
[e-mail]

[clearit]

I disagree with those who say that Obama is not keeping to his word. Obama framed the question as a present-day political process which requires a political solution. Although the whole thing was staged and scripted and Gul got the final word in reframing it as a historical problem, Obama's statement in no way concedes anything. Obama cannot refer to the plight of the Armenians during WWI as a "genocide" until the Genocide Bill is passed and becomes the official stance of the US government. However, as long as Obama sees it as a political rather than a historical issue, one that requires a political process and solution, then in his mind he implicitly sees it to have been a genocide, that then has political and legal consequences including notions such as reparative justice. The political vs. historical debate is far more critical than the genocide vs. not-genocide debate that, unfortunately, tends to obscure what really matters in a real-world, legal sense.

[Dgunner]

Obama just lost my support for allowing stimulis money to build a bridge for micro soft . f---k the two faced sob. I should have not voted at all.

[budmag06]

One word that Obama doesn't use: "patriotic".

[Rsk87]

I like this president, he is very predictable! Just not in a good way.

[kopitar]

Good!!! F those stinky armos!

[jamesguy]

Did he use the words "Anicent history"?

[opedanderson]

".....And the best way forward for the Turkish and Armenian people is a process that works through the past in a way that is honest, open and constructive."

Huh?

Obama was a big talker during the campaign when in front of Armenian Americans but suddenly he turned on the (teleprompted) lawyer-speak.....

He is a snake-oil salesman......

[daffy64]

vanlh1

Thank you my friend. May God's peace be with you always.

[valh1]

Well, you are a funny waterboy.