I would like to call attention to the documentary "Scream Bloody Murder," by CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour. I am a human rights activist and would like to thank CNN for taking such an extensive role in uncovering stories of genocide that took place in Cambodia, Rwanda and other sites where this mass atrocity has taken place. As Armenians are victims and survivors of genocide, I as an Armenian American work tirelessly to ensure that these stories are not only told - but learned as historical lessons to end the cycle of genocide we see continuing today in Darfur.

Regrettably, I am disappointed in the lack of attention this work affords to the Armenian Genocide. This documentary presented a unique and supremely fitting opportunity to discuss what all genocide scholars call the Forgotten Genocide - to educate the lay public on the first genocide of the 20th Century. It is ironic that the word "genocide" was coined in large part because of the Armenian case and yet the Amanpour feature barely touches upon the Armenian Genocide.

I recently read an interview in the press with Amanpour, where she freely uses the word of genocide to refer to the Armenian case. However, mention of the Armenians in the documentary is only 45 seconds long with a strong inference that the narrative states or perhaps was edited to particularly avoid using the word genocide while going on to discuss Raphael Lemkin's pivotal role in creating an international law on genocide. Furthermore, as the main focus of the documentary is on those that spoke out against what was happening during the time genocide was being committed, the Armenian case presents a perfect example in two ways.

In 1915, no one heard the pleas of U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry Morganthau, whose story of witnessing the campaign of race extermination implemented by the Ottoman government is noted in Samantha Power's book "A Problem from Hell: American and the Age of Genocide". Secondly, John Evans, the recent United States Ambassador to Armenia, was dismissed from his post in 2006 because he stated that the Armenian Genocide was a historical fact. Evans even was slated to receive an award for constructive dissent from the State Department which was quickly rescinded because of the pressure applied by the Turkish government to continue denying the Armenian Genocide.

On the website promoting "Scream Bloody Murder", I noticed that educational pieces are provided for several genocides listed throughout the page. Quite sadly, the Armenian Genocide is not covered. As genocide scholars point out, denial is the final stage of genocide, and seeing denial take place regarding a genocide that took place 93 years ago or even genocide taking place today in Darfur is unacceptable. The unfortunate consequence of genocide is the denial instituted by the perpetrators and the ongoing denial of the Armenian genocide has taken shape in many forms.

I understand that in a documentary like this it is difficult to discuss all genocides - small or large which have taken place throughout the world - however, given the context of this documentary, the Armenian Genocide represented a very appropriate and highly relevant component that strongly merits inclusion as it was the first major case of the 20th century which was seminal to the current definition and creation of the word "genocide" itself.