Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues,
The testimonies of the survivors of the Pontic Genocide convey the horror of the scene. “I filled my ears with dirt so I couldn’t hear. But the roar of the voices and weeping was so great that even the heavens heard.” Testimony as chilling as this shows the magnitude of the pain suffered by the Pontic Greeks, who mourned 353,000 dead in the extermination campaign that lasted from 19 May 1919 to 1922.
It is true that the Pontic Greeks, living far from the homeland, succeeded in preserving all of the nation’s values – its history, language and culture – keeping its flame alive in the farthest reaches of the Hellenic world. And it is true that, during the 19th century, the Pontic Greeks were active in many sectors, showcasing their academic depth by creating excellent schools, as well as their economic capabilities, by creating financial institutions through which they came to exert a powerful influence in the areas where they resided. They always coexisted with other peoples, in a spirit of peaceful cooperation and in keeping with the traditions of the Akritai of Byzantium, preserving the flame of Hellenism within them.
The attack and systematic extermination they suffered from the Kemalist and neo-Turkish hordes did not dampen their spirit. This is why, when the remaining Pontic Greeks were relocated to our country, to Greece – in a difficult climate following a national disaster and economic collapse, and often facing the distrust of the native-born population – in a very short time, with faith in their principles, in Orthodoxy, in our homeland, they managed to integrate themselves and emerge among the key proponents, I would say, of our national ideals. And this was clear, because in World War II they fought valiantly against the fascist invaders.
Today, Pontic Greeks have succeeded, throughout the country, in making their mark in every local society, in being present and keeping alive the memory of their traditions, while of course contributing in every possible way to the economic, social, cultural and political development and life our country. This is why we have a duty and an obligation to remember and honor the victims, and we have an obligation – not just today, but every day – to try to do the obvious: to see the Pontic genocide recognized at long last. And we must do this not in a spirit of vengeance against Turkey, but because acknowledgement of the truth can redeem us so that we can move towards the future together, and it would be profoundly redemptive for Turkey to acknowledge the crimes against the victims of the Pontic genocide.
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the government, I would like to express our absolute respect for and commitment to this national goal – in other words, the process of the recognition of the Pontic genocide as one of the genocides that marked the 20th century – and to shout, together with you and all Pontic Greeks: Never again!
May 19, 2020