Commemorating 100 years since the Armenian Genocide

Known as the great crime by the Armenian people, the Armenian Genocide refers to a tragic period in Armenian history when the Ottoman rulers systematically exterminated hundreds of thousands of the ethic Armenia people.

Armenian Genocide

This terrible event in Armenian history is commemorated every year; however, this year represents the centenary of this appalling event.

World War 1
As the First World War was coming to an end the Ottoman rulers of the Armenian homeland began a systematic process of killing all able bodied male ethnic Armenians by forced labour and massacre. They then began deporting all woman and children to the Syrian border via forced death marches. The elderly and infirm were also forced to leave the country via a similar process.

Death Toll
It is estimated that anywhere between 1 million and 1.5 million Armenian’s lost their lives during the Ottoman ruler’s genocide. However, it was not just the Armenian people who were targeted during the genocide; other Christian ethic groups were targeted for annihilation as well.

This event is recognised by historians as one of the first modern genocides as the killings were organised and targeted in order to exterminate the Armenian people. After the Holocaust, this event is the second most studied case of genocide. In fact, the term genocide was first used to describe these events.

Arrest
Officially, the genocide is described as starting in April 1915 when the Ottoman rulers arrested over two hundred Armenia community leaders and intellectuals in the Ottoman capital of Constantinople. After this event the military forced Armenian nationals out of their homes and denied them basic human needs and led into the desert. Massacres were common regardless of age or gender and rape was frequently reported.

Genocide
To this day, Turkey who succeeded the Ottoman Empire refutes claims that genocide occurred despite 22 countries across the world officially recognising the events as genocide. 

National Identity
The tragic events in Armenian history are well documented in the many Museums dedicated to the memories of the hundreds of thousands lost. The centenary will be well marked across the country and will never be forgotten by a people who had to battle to maintain their national identity.