US Georgia State Senate declares April Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month

The US Georgia State Senate proclaimed April as “Genocide Prevention and Awareness Month”. the corresponding resolution was adopted on February 17.

As basis for this adoption was noted that there have been many genocides throughout history or events that led up to the genocide in April, and many genocide research institutions commemorate April as the month of fight against and prevention of genocides.

It is noted that during World War II, Raphael Lemkin’s term “genocide” – intended systematic or whole destruction of a national, religious or ethnic group, was established in view of the 1915 killings of Armenians and other Christian nations, exiles and forces assimilations. Further the document indicates Adolf Hitler’s famous speech made in September 1939, “Who, after all, today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians?”

The resolution cites the Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur genocides .1984-1988 genocide against Kurds by Saddam Hussein’s regime, as well as from 2014 until now genocide against Yazidis by the terrorist group “Islamic state” in Syria and Iraq.

The adoption of the resolution is important for raising awareness of past genocides and prevention of such crimes in the future.

The Georgia State Senate had previously adopted a resolution recognizing the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide on April 22, 2011.