Pontic Greek genocide

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The Pontian Greek Genocide was a genocide by the Young Turks in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. It is estimated that at least 1,100,000 Pontic Greeks were killed during the raids and massacres.[1][2][3][4]

The name given to this is the "Genoktonia ton Ellinon tou Póntou" which is the Greek word for Pontian Greek genocide. Many Pontian Greeks were considered unpure by the Turks and were massacred for not submitting their Christian identity. The Pontian Greeks lost their homes and possessions to the Sultan-Adulhamed the Red and even before the genocide—they were persecuted and forced to pay high taxes.[5]

Since ancient times and conquest by the Empire of trebizond, the Pontian Greeks have not have had their own nation. It was called a diaspora and they have spread over to many different countries. Under the Kurds and Turks, they were oppressed and assimilated to society and many lost their independence. Those that survive continue to have a common unity especially in their deep Christian faith. [6]

The Pontian Greek genocide took place in the same context and time-period as the Assyrian and Armenian genocides.[7]

References[change | change source]

  1. The Plight of Religious Minorities: Can Religious Pluralism Survive?- Page 51 by United States Congress.
  2. The Armenian Genocide: Wartime Radicalization Or Premeditated Continuum - Page 272 edited by Richard Hovannisian
  3. Not Even My Name: A True Story - Page 131 by Thea Halo
  4. The Political Dictionary of Modern Middle East by Agnes G. Korbani
  5. Samuel Totten, Paul Robert Bartrop, Steven L. Jacobs, Dictionary of Genocide Greenwood Press, 2007, ISBN 0-313-32967-2, p. 26
  6. Ye'or, Bat; Miriam Kochan, David Littman (2002). Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. pp. 148–149. ISBN 0838639437. OCLC 47054791.
  7. Schaller, Dominik J. and Zimmerer, Jürgen (2008) "Late Ottoman genocides: the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and Young Turkish population and extermination policies - introduction," Journal of Genocide Research, 10:1, 7 - 14