UN's role in nurturing Armenian nationalism License for victim image

Armenia continues to position itself as a country, society and people with an exclusive and even sacred right to raise the topic of genocide. This policy was recently manifested in all its glory when on March 31 during the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council the resolution "Prevention of Genocide" proposed by Armenia was adopted.

According to Armenian media, the resolution, which is based on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and adopted every two years, draws the attention of UN member states to the risks of repetition of this crime and the need to prevent them.

Armenian publications further report that "important provisions on early warning and risks associated with genocide have been added to the text of this year's resolution, taking into account contemporary challenges. In particular, such risks include the use of armed conflict to commit genocide and the inadmissibility of starving civilians as a prohibited means of warfare. The resolution characterizes impunity as an important risk factor for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, emphasizing that it must be combated through investigation, prosecution and punishment".

So, as mentioned above, the adoption of the declaration every two years has become a tradition since 2018, and each time Armenia becomes the initiator of the resolution. In other words, there is a certain tradition of Armenia's existence in the world as an entity blessing initiatives related to genocide prevention. Who, if not Armenia? The license for the image of a redemptive victim has been appropriated in the best traditions of predatory capitalism.

Here, of course, it is worth clarifying that our outrage is not caused by the adoption of such a resolution by the UN, but solely by the fact of its adoption at the initiative of Armenia. As they say, the thief cries out loudest “stop thief.”

The nation that entered a new chapter in massacres of Muslims in Türkiye and Azerbaijan has no right to even mention genocide. Well, except from the position of repenting of the crime, as Germany, for example, does. But we understand that this will never happen, and Armenia will not admit not only to the sins of more than a century ago, but also to recent crimes - the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis in Armenia and the plunder of occupied Karabakh.

And not to mention that the very concept of the “Armenian Genocide,” which the founders of modern Armenia have made the backbone of the entire Armenian ideology, is seriously questioned in the academic community. The events of 1915 have not been recognized as the “genocide of Armenians” by the consensus of the majority of authoritative historians or by an independent court, and in the absence of such recognition, all acknowledgements of the 'genocide of Armenians' by some states are purely political in nature.

The Turkish side has repeatedly emphasized the importance of comprehensive study of the events of the final years of the Ottoman Empire. To all that has been said, it is necessary to add that Ankara has also publicly announced the opening of its archives for a comprehensive and impartial international investigation of the aforementioned events, and has called on Armenia and third countries to open their archives as well. However, neither Yerevan nor its patrons have followed this call.

As recently pointed out by former Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar, the "Armenian question" mainly arose against the backdrop of provocations carried out in the interests of such states as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. He reminded that Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were historically referred to as the Millet-i Sadıka ("Loyal Nation").

Despite the terrorist activities of Armenian armed groups, their bloody deeds are still being attempted to be silenced. "As a result of false propaganda, the realities of Anatolia were distorted and presented to the public of several countries as a so-called 'Armenian massacre.' Under the influence of disinformation, a negative portrait of the Ottoman Empire was created, and the mass killings of Turks by Armenians were simply ignored," Akar noted.

Thus, presenting the complex and controversial events of 1915 as the "Armenian genocide" is, among other things, an insult to the honour and dignity of the Turkish people.

Returning to the resolution adopted on March 31 and accepted every two years, it is worth noting that more than Armenia itself, it is the position of the UN that arouses surprise, as it obediently accepts the initiative of this country for the resolution. It is surprising that the UN did not support Türkiye’s aforementioned initiative to investigate the events of 1915, thus simply indulging in the unfair game of world Armenians, presumably in the interests of the states that are its main sponsors and, concurrently, patrons of Armenia and Armenian ideology.

It appears that the organization has also forgotten how Armenia, for almost thirty years, did not comply with the resolutions of the Security Council and did not liberate the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. The fact that no sanctions were imposed on Armenia already indicates that the UN is a weak political structure incapable of enforcing the principles of international law.

Indulging Armenia in its efforts to portray itself as a victim only damages the already tarnished image of the UN.

The modern world is in a state of turbulence. This process, alongside great tragedies, also carries the seed of hope for rectifying the longstanding unjust world order. The despicable propaganda of Armenian victimhood was one of the cornerstones of this world order. Azerbaijan, from 2020 to 2023, by breaking the backbone of Armenian fascism in the South Caucasus, initiated the elimination of injustice in a local context.

One hopes that the processes unfolding in the world will lead to the final collapse of Armenian ideology, its support by various centres of power, and a substantial reform of the UN based on new, transparent, and fair principles.