Their Struggle is Also for Your and Your Children’s Tomorrow: Serge Sargsyan's Message

On the occasion of the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, third President of Armenia Serge Sargsyan delivered a message stating:

“Today, on the day of remembrance for the victims of the genocide against the Armenian people, I reaffirm my previous statement: before being claimants, let us collectively be homeland defenders. As long as the Republic of Turkey adopts a policy to deceive its own public and the world at the highest state level, and alongside denying the Armenian Genocide openly encourages the ideology of Pan-Turkism, the danger of genocide being repeated will always exist, and the declarations of peace and goodwill by that country’s authorities will be considered merely a new trick to dull the vigilance of the neighboring people and the international community. We must act to prevent this.”

“I appeal to those Armenians who possess clear judgment, have learned from history, have national dignity, and prioritize the freedom and independence of our homeland above all: Let us resist, by all possible and impossible means, the weak, cowardly elements, who beg for peace at any cost, who are alien to our essence and foreign to our spirit. We must publicly condemn and not tolerate the traitorous elements beside us. Let us be vigilant and always ready to fight when our enemy tries again to realize its age-old dream.”

“I address my compatriots, who have forgotten the homeland in their daily troubles, who do not regard the defense of their own country as their duty, or who are disillusioned and hopeless: For the future of your children, for their right to live freely and independently in their own country, for the immortal memory of our martyrs who fought and sacrificed their lives for that right for centuries—wake up from your stupor, dispel indifference and hopelessness from yourselves, and stand beside your fighting brothers and sisters. Their struggle is also for your and your children’s tomorrow.”

“I appeal to the citizens of the Republic of Turkey: Do not allow your authorities to deceive and mislead you by claiming that supposedly 'nothing happened in terms of human tragedy at the beginning of the last century,' that there are no proofs of the Armenian people’s presence in the territory of historic Armenia, that one and a half million Armenians were not subjected to ethnic cleansing and massacres, and that over a million did not emigrate, and that the cultural values of Armenia have not been destroyed and continue to be destroyed in present-day Turkey. Look around you, find and speak to your compatriots who still live beside you, whose parents and relatives witnessed all of this. Some of them even attempted to rescue their Armenian neighbors from state-planned genocide.”

“Seek the truth, search everywhere, for its traces, no matter how much they try to cover it up and remove it, are scattered all over the world. Find and read the testimonies of witnesses, believe the intellectuals who are persecuted for the sake of truth, those who have had the courage and honesty to shout the truth. For a better world and living peacefully side by side, knowing the truth, fighting for it, and not losing common sense is crucial.”

“I call upon the states that have recognized the Armenian Genocide and condemned the crimes against humanity committed: You have demonstrated your commitment to human values through your courageous and straightforward stance, prioritizing justice over political, economic, and other interests, which commands respect and gratitude.”

“I turn to those countries yet to recognize the genocide committed against the Armenian people: The first genocide of the 20th century, carried out by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians, occurred before the eyes of advanced humanity, amid the indifference and silence of civilized states, or in responses far too late. Humanity paid a hefty price for this—paying through the repetitions of intolerance, ethnic cleansing, and genocides against other peoples that continue to this day. Remember, failing to hold genocidal regimes accountable, not condemning the crime, might one day lead to a similar fate for your peoples.”

“Together, we can prevent new genocides, save lives, and make the world—a world steeped in absurd wars and blood—better in the 21st century if we are decisive and this time do not delay, do not become indifferent, and fight for our rights and freedom.”