The Parliament of South America Recognizes the Armenian Genocide

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay- Deputies from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay--all members of the South American Parliamentarians coalition, known as MERCOSUR-- adopted on Monday November 19 a resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide. The meeting was held in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.

In a unanimous decision, the Human Rights Committee of the parliament recommended the adoption of the resolution.

According to the Armenian National Committee of South America, the resolution says, "The Parliament of MERCOSUR condemns the genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey from 1915-1923 which took the lives of one-and-a-half million people. The Parliament expresses its support to the righteous cause of the Armenian people. The Parliament also appeals to governments and parliaments, which have not recognized and condemned the Armenian genocide, to adopt similar decisions."

The resolution was introduced by representatives from Argentina and Uruguay.

MERCOSUR member states Argentina and Uruguay have already recognized the Armenian Genocide. Chile followed suit this year.

MERCOSUR, established in 1986, is one of the largest intergovernmental organizations in South America. The associated members of MERCOSUR are Bolivia, Chili, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

"The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the South American parliamentary organization is another nail in the coffin of the Turkish Government's Armenian Genocide denial policy," said Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC). "Once again the international community sent an unequivocal message to the Turkish Government that Ankara authorities should come to terms with their history and atone for their predecessor's crime against humanity," added ANCC's executive director.

"MERCOSUR's decision is a clear indication that the international community will not be fooled by the Turkish Government's so called 'historians commission' proposal to study the Armenian Genocide or any other fable concocted by Ankara's Big Lie machine. The historical facts are overwhelming and the Turkish government sooner or later has to come to terms with its dark past," concluded Babikian.