Truth And Accountability League

TAAL and Coalition of Organizations Condemn ATAA

Truth And Accountability League’s (TAAL) Joint Statement with Multiple Armenian and Non-Armenian Civil Society NGOs Condemning ATAA and its Affiliates

Denial is the Last Act of a Genocide

August 9, 2023

The Truth And Accountability League (TAAL) is joined by twenty-five Armenian, non-Armenian, as well as allied civil society NGOs and twenty-two prominent leaders to shed light on the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) and its affiliates as Armenian Genocide denialists that should be condemned and not recognized, and ask that leaders in both public and private sector disengage from the ATAA and its affiliated entities.

Genocide denied is genocide repeated.

After 108 years, Armenians face genocide again with Azerbaijan’s siege on the Republic of Artsakh (formerly Nagorno-Karabakh), fully supported and facilitated by the Turkish government. Azerbaijan has blocked the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia and the rest of the world. 120,000 Armenians, and 30,000 children, have been without food or medicine; some have died from malnutrition.

The blockade has continued despite international pressure, including a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in December, decrees by the International Court of Justice in the Hague, resolutions and declarations by the Parliament Assembly of the Council of Europe, European Parliament, and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, among others.

Several international organizations have issued genocide warnings, including the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, Genocide Watch, and Philos Project, among others.

We also urge federal, state, and local governments, universities and colleges, media companies, and all other public and private institutions to refrain from associating with ATAA and its affiliates and condemn genocide denial.

The statement can be read in full below

The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), along with its affiliate organizations, systematically deny the occurrence of the Armenian Genocide. They orchestrate these denialist activities across their nationwide network, manifesting a concerted effort to refute historical fact. Prominently featured on their website's main page is a section titled the ‘Armenian Issue,’ which, unfortunately, presents a series of misleading statements that negate the reality of the Armenian Genocide. In addition, their affiliate organizations frequently convene events dedicated to promoting methods to deny the genocide.

As of 2023, governments and parliaments of 34 countries, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and Mexico, have formally recognized the Armenian genocide. Three countries — Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan — deny that there was an Armenian genocide.

The ATAA and its affiliates appear to prioritize the denial of the Armenian Genocide and its associated atrocities as a central objective. They project an image of an organization that celebrates diversity and identity, while concealing their underlying denialist agenda. An examination of their expansive list of affiliates reveals a broad, nationwide network committed to perpetuating denialist rhetoric concerning the Armenian Genocide.

As representatives of Armenian-American organizations, many of us descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors, as well as allied civil society NGOs, we implore leaders in both public and private sectors to disengage from the ATAA and its affiliated entities. Rather, condemnation of these denialist organizations is more appropriate. We urge leaders to stand on the right side of history, recognizing the undeniable facts of the Armenian Genocide, and to refuse any endorsement of organizations that promote denialist perspectives.

List of Affiliates of ATAA

Turkish American Association of Alabama - TAAA

Turkish American Association of Arizona - TAA-AZ

American Turkish Association of Arkansas - ATA-AR

Turkish American Association of California - TAAC

TAAC San Jose (Silicon Valley) Chapter
TAAC San Francisco Chapter
TAAC Sacramento Chapter
TAAC Monterey Chapter

Association of Turkish Americans of Southern California - ATASC

ATASC Los Angeles Chapter – ATASC – Los Angeles - LATAA
ATASC Orange County Chapter – ATASC – Orange County - OCTAA
ATASC Ventura County Chapter – ATASC – Ventura - VATAN-SC
ATASC San Diego Chapter – ATASC – San Diego - ATASC – SD
ATASC Philanthropic Chapter – Turkish American Ladies League - TALL
ATASC Special Project Chapter – Ataturk Memorials Chapter - ATAMLA
ATASC Special Project Chapter – Turkish Women Initiative - TWI

Empowering the Turkish – American Community - ETAC USA

Turkish American Cultural Society of Colorado - TACSCO

S. N. England Turkish American Cultural Association, Inc. - SNETACA

Florida Turkish American Association - FTAA

Turkish American Cultural Association of Florida, Inc. - TACAF

Turkish American Cultural Association of Georgia – TACAGA

Turkish American Society of Augusta & Aiken – TASAA

Turkish American Friendship Association of Hawaii – TAFAH

Turkish American Cultural Alliance of Chicago – TACA-Chicago

Turkish American Association for Cultural Exchange – TAACE

Maryland American Turkish Association – MATA

Washington Turkish Women Association – WTWA

Turkish American Cultural Society of New England – TACS-NE

Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan – TACAM

Turkish American Association of Minnesota – TAAM

Turkish-American Association of Greater Kansas City – TAA-KC

Azerbaijan Society of America – ASA

Turkistanian American Association – TAA

Turkish Women’s League of America – TWLA

Turkish Society of Rochester – TSOR

The Society of Turkish American Architects, Engineers and Scientists – MIM

Young Turks Cultural Aid Society, Inc. – YTCA

American Turkish Association of North Carolina – ATA-NC

Turkish American Society of Northeastern Ohio – TASNO

Turkish American Association of Central Ohio – TAACO

Ahiska Turkish American Community Center – ATACC

Turkish American Association of Oklahoma – TAAOK

Turkish American Friendship Society of the United States – TAFSUS

Pittsburgh Turkish American Association – PTAA

American Turkish Association of Houston – ATA-Houston

Contemporary Education Foundation – COEDFO

Turkish American Association of Northern Texas – TURANT

Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington – TACAWA

American Turkish Association of Washington, DC – ATA-DC

Galatasaray DC

Turkish American Association of Wisconsin – TAA Wisconsin

American Turkish Business Development Council – ATBD Council

Turkish American Business Association – TABA

List of affiliate organizations was received from the ATAA website on June 23, 2023, and is archived at this link. The ATAA website is archived here, along with the denialist page archived here.

Signed

Truth And Accountability League

Vic Gerami

Founder & Chair

Armenia Theater

Davit Tadevosyan

Director

Armenian Action Network

Dr. Suzie Abajian

Founder

Armenian Gene Fund

Hripsime Tamazyan

President

Armenian Information Center of USA

Hayk Markosyan

Founder

Armenian National Association

Donald Wilson Bush

President/CEO

Armenian News Network Groong

Asbed Bedrossian

Founder

Americans for Artsakh

Armen Kanayan

President

Armenophobia Organization

Maro Kochinyan

Co-founder

Burbank Unified School District Board of Education

Dr. Armond Aghakhanian

Clerk

Center for Truth and Justice

Gor Mnatsakanyan, Esq.

President

Floridian Armenians

Taniel Koushakjian

Founder & Editor

Free Yezidi Foundation

Olivia Wells

Programs Director

Gagrule.net

Wally Sarkeesian

Founder

HAYREN Partners for Humanity

Bella Gharibian

House of Lords of the United Kingdom

The Baroness Cox

Independent Member

Humanitarian Aid Trust (HART)

Baroness Caroline Anne Cox

Founder President

Knights and Daughters of Vartan, Vahan Lodge

Orange County, CA

Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention

Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, PhD

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Network of Armenian Women

Houri Guldjian

Founder

Nineveh Rising

Christopher Salem

Chair

Society for Armenian Studies

Christina Maranci

President

Southern CA Armenian Democrats (SCAD)

Manuel Magpaian Esq.

President

Dr. Armond Aghakhanian

Founder, Honorary Chair of Southern CA Armenian Democrats

Southern CA Armenian Democrats (SCAD), Orange County Chapter

Dr. Kev Abazajian

President

Strive to Prosper Foundation

Hayk Markosyan

President

Yelaket Information Agency

Anush Zohrabyan

Editor in Chief

Individual Signatories

Armine Hacopian

Vahe Hacopian

Shakeh Kaftarian

Coren Shakarian

Carol L. Shakarian

Alan Shakarian

Judith Saryan

Henrick Vartanian

Nicole Muj

Zarik Hacopian

Sam Kbushyan

Mihran Toumajan

Sven Erik Rise

Garo Ghazarian, Esq.

Dr. Sevada Chamras

Giselle Chamras

Rose Grigoryan

Jacob Bournazian Esq.

Levon Thorose

Peter Bahlawanian

Oksen Babakhanian

Will Paige

Alan Whitehorn

About TAAL

TAAL is a 501©3 non-profit advocacy organization founded in 2020 due to a significant increase in anti-Armenian racism, defamation, hate crimes, and Armenophobia. We monitor and confront bias, disinformation, propaganda, and slander of the Armenian people and culture at the media level, including social media, academics, intelligentsia, and public policy.

Press Contact

Vic Gerami

Founder & Chair

Truth And Accountability League (TAAL)

310.880.8563

vic@thebluntpost.com

Mission + Values

Mission

To protect human rights, promote equality, combat racism where it appears and exists, stop defamation and threats of violence against people of Armenian ethnicity, educate the community about racism, bias, and discrimination, achieve worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and end the crime of genocide for people across the world.

Values

Truthfulness, respect, and tolerance are core values of TAAL. Our work is a true expression of our values inform our work and the change we seek in the world. These values also guide the strategy and tactics of all our programs and activities globally, nationally, and locally.

We speak out against hate, bigotry, discrimination, and injustice—even when we stand alone.

We stand up for all people who are the target of hate, oppression, and violence, including Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and Armenia.

We believe an enlightened society values and shows respect for each other, in our work and workplace, while acknowledging the diversity of humanity and different and sometimes competing needs.

We embrace the power of collaboration, recognizing that working together yields gains that cannot always be achieved on our own.

We believe in the power of inclusion and uniting people from diverse groups—because we are stronger together than when we are apart.

We always observe the highest standards of integrity.

We are viewed as having unquestioned credibility because our actions draw from years of experience and are grounded in research and rigorous thinking.

We set high-performance expectations and hold ourselves accountable for the quality of our work and the results we achieve as individuals, as a team, and as one organization.

We are very proud of our accomplishments in the last three years and for serving the community.