Pope uses word 'genocide' to describe Armenian killings

[Lite Beer]

Pope uses word 'genocide' to describe Armenian killings

VATICAN CITY (AFP) - Pope Francis used the word "genocide" on Sunday to describe the mass murder of Armenians in a move likely to severely strain diplomatic ties with Turkey.

"In the past century our human family has lived through three massive and unprecedented tragedies," he said during a solemn mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica to mark the centenary of the Ottoman Turk killings of Armenians.

"The first, which is widely considered ’the first genocide of the 20th century’, struck your own Armenian people," he said, citing a statement signed by John Paul II and the Armenian patriarch in 2001.

While many historians describe the killings as the 20th century’s first genocide, Turkey hotly denies the accusation.

While Francis did not use his own words to describe the murders as genocide, John Paul II’s use of the term provoked a sharp reaction from Turkey at the time, and citing the beloved former pope will do more than ruffle feathers.

"We recall the centenary of that tragic event, that immense and senseless slaughter whose cruelty your forebears had to endure," Francis said.

"It is necessary, and indeed a duty, to honour their memory, for whenever memory fades, it means that evil allows wounds to fester," he added.

The 78-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church had been under pressure to use the term publicly to describe the murders despite the risk of alienating an important ally in the fight against radical Islam.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, and have long sought to win international recognition of the massacres as genocide.

But Turkey rejects the claims, arguing that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as many Turks died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.

Francis said the other two genocides of the 20th century were "perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism."

"And more recently there have been other mass killings, like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia. It seems that humanity is incapable of putting a halt to the shedding of innocent blood," he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Pope-uses-word-genocide-to-describe-Armenian-killi-30257929.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-12

[squarethecircle]

He missed the genocide/mass starvation in the name of Maoism - guess he's trying to stay on the good side of the PRC.

[Jingthing]

Turkey needs to get over themselves and face their actual history.

As far as the language from the Vatican, what took them so long?!?

http://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/speakers-and-events/all-speakers-and-events/genocide-and-mass-murder-in-the-twentieth-century-a-historical-perspective/the-armenian-genocide-an-eighty-year-perspective

[zydeco]

Turkey needs to get over themselves and face their actual history.

As far as the language from the Vatican, what took them so long?!?

http://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/speakers-and-events/all-speakers-and-events/genocide-and-mass-murder-in-the-twentieth-century-a-historical-perspective/the-armenian-genocide-an-eighty-year-perspective

Turkey's secular flirtation with the West is in the process of dissipating into its more traditional role, where it sees itself as the dominant power in the Middle East and thus seeks allies that will further that cause. A new Sick Man this time swooning after the Russian lullaby, which will gobble them up, because the Ottomans were long in the crosshairs of the Tsars.

[tartempion]

The catholic church bears responsability in the genocide of the autochtone population of the islands discovered by Christoffe Columbus and the whole of South America later on, not to mention the slavery....

[Credo]

The Catholic Church is probably also responsible for making sure all those killed are quickly replaced.

But I do think we are getting off-topic a little.

[BuaBS]

Yes let's remember the genocide of millions the 20 th century , while EACH DAY 100's of millions of god's other creatures are tortured and murdered/butchered and their suffering completely ignored by "superior" humans .

[maidee]

only about 100 years too late

anyway, no souls in turkey to join the cause, full of muslims

[thaimlord]

He missed the genocide/mass starvation in the name of Maoism - guess he's trying to stay on the good side of the PRC.

Yes he also omitted to mention "The Crusades", not really so long ago in our history, when his own good folk raped, pillaged and murdered countless numbers of human beings throughout Europe.

TL

[JakeSully]

He missed the genocide/mass starvation in the name of Maoism - guess he's trying to stay on the good side of the PRC.

Yes he also omitted to mention "The Crusades", not really so long ago in our history, when his own good folk raped, pillaged and murdered countless numbers of human beings throughout Europe.

TL

There is history and there is Ancient History. Ancient History doesn't really matter now except when you see a certain religion destroying or trying to destroy another religion in the present.

[Baerboxer]

Yes let's remember the genocide of millions the 20 th century , while EACH DAY 100's of millions of god's other creatures are tortured and murdered/butchered and their suffering completely ignored by "superior" humans .

Cruelty and mankind's often thoughtless exploitation of some animals, to extinction and close to extinction in some cases, is reprehensible.

But, you surely don't equate the life of an animal to that of a human do you?

A large number, probably around the 1 to 1.5 million innocent people were murdered by their government - purely based on race, religion and getting rid of a nuisance. It's worse because those responsible continuously deny it and refuse to atone in anyway.

[Baerboxer]

He missed the genocide/mass starvation in the name of Maoism - guess he's trying to stay on the good side of the PRC.

Yes he also omitted to mention "The Crusades", not really so long ago in our history, when his own good folk raped, pillaged and murdered countless numbers of human beings throughout Europe.

TL

There is history and there is Ancient History. Ancient History doesn't really matter now except when you see a certain religion destroying or trying to destroy another religion in the present.

You need to see what is classified as ancient history.

[Rancid]

Hmm, the Pope calling a spade a spade , what could be motivating this? Turks outliving their usefulness, colour revolution coming?

[cookee68]

He missed the genocide/mass starvation in the name of Maoism - guess he's trying to stay on the good side of the PRC.

Yes he also omitted to mention "The Crusades", not really so long ago in our history, when his own good folk raped, pillaged and murdered countless numbers of human beings throughout Europe.

TL

There is history and there is Ancient History. Ancient History doesn't really matter now except when you see a certain religion destroying or trying to destroy another religion in the present.

Or its history and artifacts, as some groups are doing.

[Somtamnication]

As a good Turkish friend of mine said: They are fighting for the quality of the genocide, not the quantity.