Pope Francis calls Armenian slaughter 'first genocide of the 20th century'

[DonViejo]

Source: CBC/Associated Press

Turkey summons Vatican ambassador to express its displeasure
The Associated Press Posted: Apr 12, 2015 6:28 AM ET Last Updated: Apr 12, 2015 9:06 AM ET

Pope Francis sparked a diplomatic incident with Turkey on Sunday by calling the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks "the first genocide of the 20th century" and urging the international community to recognize it as such.

Francis, who has close ties to the Armenian community from his days in Argentina, defended his pronouncement by saying it was his duty to honour the memory of the innocent men, women and children who were "senselessly" murdered by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago this month.

"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it," he said at the start of a mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter's Basilica honouring the centenary.

In a subsequent message directed to all Armenians, Francis called on all heads of state and international organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired and oppose such crimes "without ceding to ambiguity or compromise."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pope-francis-calls-armenian-slaughter-first-genocide-of-the-20th-century-1.3029673

[dolphinsandtuna]

1. Yeah, Pope!

[still_one]

2. Turkey is not going to be very happy about this

[meow2u3]

6. Turkey doesn't have to be happy about this

It's the truth, and if Turkey can't handle the truth, so be it.

[still_one]

7. I agree, they have been in denial since it happened

[Pooka Fey]

3. "Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it,"

K&R

[jtuck004]

8. But leaving millions of American in poverty to benefit others is good for the economy.

Nice words if you don't have to live by them.

[Pooka Fey]

9. Pope Francis leaves millions of Americans in poverty... and the Armenian genocide ties in because...

Last edited Sun Apr 12, 2015, 01:13 PM - Edit history (1)

???

[classof56]

4. May I recommend a novel set against the backdrop of the Armenian genocide?

It is The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian. It was my book club's selection awhile back, and while I'd heard of the genocide, I was unprepared for my response when I learned just how horrific it was. I wept my way through the reading, and have been haunted by it ever since. The three Pashas who instigated this horror had no other goal except to wipe out the Armenians, each and every one. I commend the Pope for calling attention to this senseless and ugly piece of history. The Turks should own it and oh, I don't know, maybe an apology would be in order? Just my opinion...

In memory of the million-plus Armenians who perished in this genocide.

[MinneapolisMatt]

5. K&R

This is a big deal.

[Bosonic]

10. Turkey recalls its Vatican envoy in genocide row

Turkey recalls its Vatican envoy in genocide row

Ankara (AFP) - Turkey on Sunday said it was recalling its ambassador to the Vatican for consultations in an escalating diplomatic row over Pope Francis' use of the word "genocide" to describe the massacres of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I.

"Our ambassador to the Vatican Mr Mehmet Pacaci is being recalled back to Turkey for consultations," the foreign ministry said in a statement after earlier summoning the Vatican's envoy to Ankara to the ministry.

http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-recalls-vatican-envoy-genocide-row-162725962.html;_ylt=AwrBEiJcnipV.mkA0frQtDMD

[applegrove]

11. Nope. The first genocide of the 20th century was in Namibia.

By the Germans.

WIKIPEDIA

"SNIP..........

Herero and Namaqua Genocide was a campaign of racial extermination and collective punishment that the government ofGerman South-West Africa (modern-dayNamibia) undertook against the Herero andNama people. It is considered to have been the first genocide of the 20th century.[1][2][3][4][5] It took place between 1904 and 1907 during the Herero Wars.

On 12 January 1904, the Herero people, led bySamuel Maharero, rebelled against German colonial rule. In August, German generalLothar von Trotha defeated the Herero in theBattle of Waterberg and drove them into the desert of Omaheke, where most of them died of thirst. In October, the Nama people also rebelled against the Germans only to suffer a similar fate.

In total, 24,000–100,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama died.[6][7][8][9][10] The genocide was characterised by widespread death from starvation and thirst because the Herero who fled the violence were prevented from leaving the Namib Desert. Some sources also claim that the German colonial army systematically poisoned desert wells.[11][12]

In 1985, the United Nations' Whitaker Reportclassified the aftermath as an attempt to exterminate the Herero and Nama peoples ofSouth-West Africa, and therefore one of the earliest attempts at genocide in the 20th century. In 2004 the German government recognised and apologised for the events, but has ruled out financial compensation for the victims' descendants.[13]

.........SNIP"