Obama must decry Armenian genocide

When then-Senator Obama stated during his 2008 campaign, "as President, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide," his words excited the Armenian village where I was serving as a Peace Corps volunteer.

The villagers hoped he would be different from other politicians who had made the same unfulfilled promise. I assured them that he would be. Now, on the Armenian Genocide Centennial, it is time for him to live up to his commitment.

I heard countless stories from Armenians whose descendants settled in the village after fleeing their homes in present-day eastern Turkey during the genocide. Many families attributed their existence to the survival of only one or two relatives who escaped. For the Armenian people, international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is vital to correcting a lack of justice for their past, and protecting their future.

When they look west toward Turkey, they are not only reminded of all that they lost, but also of a country that, for a century, has denied the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians. This has induced a collective sense of angst among Armenians that such crimes could be repeated. When they look east toward Azerbaijan, they are reminded of a country that both denies the Armenian Genocide and has made anti-Armenianism state doctrine. "Our main enemies," declared Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, "are Armenians of the world."

All of this contributes to an undercurrent of insecurity that millions of Armenians live with every day. President Obama's recognition of the Armenian Genocide would allay Armenians' fears that they could be victims of further ethnic violence. His moral leadership on this issue is critical to preventing future atrocities against them, as it would send a clear message to the region and to the world: never again.

Mark Dietzen

Lombard