Connecticut Armenian Genocide Recognition

Governor – 1965

Connecticut Governor John Dempsey issued a statement designating April 24, 1965, “Armenian Martyrs’ Day”. The statement was referenced in The Hartford Courant on April 4, 1965. (image of coverage attached)

A Proclamation
STATE OF CONNECTICUT
April 24, 1990

By His Excellency WILLIAM A. O’NEILL, Governor’s Official Statement

We who cherish our freedom can never take it for granted. We who respect justice can never be totally secure in it. When freedom is challenged and our influence to meet those challenges and help protect individual life and liberty.

Certainly, no other human rights violation deserves greater protest and attention and demands firmer condemnation by freedom-loving people than genocide.

For the Armenian people, the horror and inhumanity of this devastating crime began in 1915 when young men of Armenian origin were drafted into the Turkish army, soon to be disarmed, transferred to labor battalions and then massacred.

On April 24, 1915, Turkish authorities arrested the most prominent intellectuals and leaders of Constantinople. They were exiled to the interior of Anatolia, either perishing on the way or meeting their fate on arrival.

Eventually, orders were issued by Talaat Pasha for the deportation of all Armenians men, women and children — who were still in the country. Often they were massacred on the spot, and many more driven into the Syrian and Mesopotamian deserts where they fell prey to marauding guards.

These grave facts did not become public knowledge until after World War I. Later, during World War II, similar barbarous crimes became known as genocide, a crime outlawed by the 1948 United Nations Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.

Survivors of the Armenian massacre and their descendants have settled throughout the world, many of them in the United States. Each year, with solemn religious and patriotic ceremony, Armenians in the international community honor those who did in 1915 and remind all people that genocide on any scale is a crime against all humanity.

Therefore, to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923, I am proud to designate April 24, 1990 as Armenia Cause Day in the State of Connecticut.

(SIGNED)

William A. O’Neill Governor

A Proclamation by the Governor
State of Connecticut

From 1915 to 1923, perhaps as many as 1.5 million Armenians -well over half of the population -were exterminated in a systematic campaign engineered by the Young Turk regime. 1n addition, up to 500,000 more Armenians were driven into permanent exile.

The Armenians were rounded up and imprisoned, forced into death marches and massacred. They were carried to remote  areas, where  they were left to die of starvation. Armenians women and children  were  raped and mutilated.

It is critical that we recognize and condemn this genocide -a methodical extermination of a people.

This forgotten Armenian genocide deserves greater investigation and attention by academia and the public, and clear condemnation by all freedom-loving governments and peoples.

Each year, Armenians throughout the world honor those  who  perished from 1915 to 192S. All the world’s people should commemorate the Armenian genocide because it stands as an ugly testament to man’s inhumanity to man. It is an historic event that people must remember and continue to learn from.

Therefore, to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the .Armenian genocide of 1915-1928 and to  increase  awareness  of  this  holocaust, John G. Rowland, Governor of the State of Connecticut, do hereby officially designate April 24, 1997 as ARMENIAN CAUSE DAY in the State of Connecticut.

(SIGNED)

John G. Rowland, Governor

A Proclamation by the Governor
State of Connecticut
April 24, 2001

WHEREAS, from 1915 to 1923, perhaps as many as 1.5 million Armenians-well over half of the population-were exterminated in a systematic campaign engineered by the Young Turk regime. In addition, up to 500,000 more Armenians were driven into permanent exile; and

WHEREAS, the Armenians were rounded up and imprisoned, forced into death marches and massacred. They were carried to remote areas, where they were left ot die of starvation. Armenian women and children were raped and mutilated; and

WHEREAS, it is critical that we recognize and condemn this genocide – a methodical extermination of a people; and

WHEREAS, this forgotten Armenian genocide deserves greater investigation and attention by academia and the public, and clear condemnation by all freedom-loving governments and peoples; and

WHEREAS, each year, Armenians throughout the world honor those who perished from 1915 to 1923. All the world’s people should commemorate the Armenian genocide because it stands as an ugly testament to man’s inhumanity to man. The Armenian genocide is an historic event that people must remember and continue to learn from; and

THEREFORE, I, John G. Rowland, Governor of the State of Connecticut, in order to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915-1923 and to increase awareness of this holocaust, do hereby officially designate April 24, 2001 as

A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

A Proclamation by the Senate
State of Connecticut

Page 1 Referred to Committee on NO COMMITTEE

Introduced by SEN. LARSON, 3rd DIST.

SEN. O’LEARY, 7th DIST. SEN. SMITH, 8th DIST. REP. BALDUCCI, 27th DIST. REP. FRANKEL, 121st DIST. REP. JAEKLE, 122nd DIST.

LCO No. 1937

General Assembly

February Session, A.D., 1990 RESOLUTION IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923.

Resolved by this Assembly:

WHEREAS,  1,500,000 people of Armenian ancestry were victims of genocide perpetrated by the  governments of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923; and

WHEREAS,  at  the  outbreak of World War I,  the Young Turk regime decided to deport the  entire Armenian population of about 1,750,000 to Syria and Mesopotamia; and

WHEREAS, Talaat Pasha, leader of the Young Turk movement, was principal author of the plan to exterminate the Armenians; and

WHEREAS, the plan of genocide consisted of deporting all Armenians of whatever age or  condition  of health to the totally barren Der-El-Zor region of what is now Syria; and

WHEREAS, the Armenians were deported to Der-El-Zor on foot, a death  march in which more than 1,000,000 died of starvation or were killed; and

WHEREAS, Armenians were  rounded  up and brutally driven from their  homes and their land, separated from families, robbed of everything they owned and stripped of all they carried with them; and

WHEREAS,  thousands of Christian Armenians were tortured and murdered for refusing to accept Islam as their religion; and

WHEREAS,  the  governments of the Ottoman Empire as part of their  plan  of  genocide   caused  countless atrocities to be inflicted on the Armenians held in concentration camps and on the death marches to Der-El-Zor in the Syrian desert; and WHEREAS, the massacre of Armenians who escaped deportation and remained in Turkey  was  characterized  as the “most colossal crime  of all ages” by the examining American military mission’s report to the U.S. Congress; and

WHEREAS,  in  a  telegram  sent   by  U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau  to the secretary of state, Morgenthau warned that “a campaign of race extermination is  in progress under a pretext of reprisal against rebellion”; and

NOW,  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we the members of this general assembly unite in recognizing the 75th Anniversary of the Armenian  genocide  of  1915-1923, and call upon  the people of Connecticut to join with us in  remembering  the 1,500,000 people of  Armenian  ancestry  who  lost their lives in that infamous genocide as

Co-Sponsors:  REP. FLAHERTY, 68th DIST.

Connecticut General Assembly – House

April 8, 1965

THE CLERK:

Business of the House. House Joint Resolution No. 75. Resolution on the Commemorative Committee on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish massacres of the Armenians.

THE SPEAKER:

The Gentleman from New Britain.

BADOLATO:

Mr. Speaker, I move for suspension of the rules for the immediate consideration of the Resolution.

THE SPEAKER:

Is there objection? Hearing none, the rules are suspended, and the Clerk will read the Resolution.

THE CLERK:

Resolved by this Assembly:

WHEREAS, Fifty years ago, on April 24, 1915, the Government of Turkey ordered the commencement of a systematic plan of massacre of the Armenian nation which before its  termination was to take the awful toll of one million lives, with an additional one million displaced,  ill, and in want, marked forever by the terrible experiences of the first modern genocide which, on the confession of Adolf Hitler himself, who, in 1941 in ordering a minority people to its Golgotha asked, “Who today remembers the Armenian massacres?” served as the prototype, inspiration and model of the German Nazi pogroms, and

WHEREAS, the beginning of the Armenian martyrdom marked at the same time the opening of the many important contributions to the Allied war effort in World War I by the Armenian nation, affectionately termed “The Little Ally” by Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, and

WHEREAS, the awful sacrifice of the Armenian nation in the cause of virtuous government, freedom, justice and human rights the enormous proportions of which are reflected in the fact that Armenia, although one of the smallest allies of the western alliance suffered more casualties than any other member of that alliance, serves to remind us that mankind is indeed ready to perish in the interest of noble causes nearer and dearer to the human heart than life itself, and

WHEREAS in this the Fiftieth Anniversary Year of the 1915 Turkish genocide of the Armenian nation it would behoove all citizens of this state to remember those innocent men, women and children who perished to the sword of violence, to honor their memory and pay tribute to their self-sacrifice, while at same time reminding those who would in our day indulge in mass murder that Americans indeed do remember the genocide of 1915 and in remembering signify their readiness to raise a powerful voice against those forces which would unleash the terrible weapon of genocide and,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this General Assembly convened in the year 1965 does hereby honor and pay tribute to those courageous Armenians who died for the most noble of causes as martyrs; the right of human dignity and individual freedom;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerks of the House and the Senate cause a copy of this Resolution to be sent to Attorney Charles Karanian of New Britain, as evidence thereof.

THE SPEAKER:

The Gentleman from New Britain.

BADOLATO:

This Resolution certainly deserves the support of every member of this General Assembly, and I hope that the Resolution is passed unanimously.

THE SPEAKER:

The Gentleman from Norwalk.

Mr. PADULA:

I associate myself, and I am certain the members of this House with the observations made by the distinguished members from New Britain. This Resolution certainly deserves the support of everyone, and I know that it will be so received.

THE SPEAKER:

Will you remark further. If not, the question is on the adoption of the Resolution. All in favor say “aye”, opposed “no”. The “ayes” have it, and the Resolution is adopted.

The Gentleman from New Britain.

BADOLATO:

I move for the immediate transmittal of the Resolution to the Senate.

THE SPEAKER:

Is their objection to suspension for immediate transmittal? Hearing none, the question is on immediate transmittal. Will all in favor say “aye”, opposed “no”. The Resolution will be transmitted.

THE CLERK:

HJR No. 75, Resolution concerning Commemorative Committee on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Turkish Massacre of the Armenians.

SENATOR GLADSTONE:

Mr. President, I move for suspension of the rules for immediate consideration.

THE CHAIR:

Suspension granted.

THE CLERK:

Resolved by this Assembly:

WHEREAS fifty years ago on April 24, 1915 the government of Turkey ordered the commencement of a systematic plan of massacre of the Armenian nation which before its  termination was to take the awful toll of one million lives, with an additional one million displaced,  ill, and in want, marked forever by the terrible experiences of the first modern genocide which, on the confession of Adolf Hitler himself who in 1941 in ordering a minority people to its Golgotha asked, “Who today remembers the Armenian massacres?” served as the prototype, inspiration and model of the German Nazi pogroms, and

WHEREAS the beginning of the Armenian martyrdom marked at the same time the opening of the many important contributions to the Allied war effort in World War I by the Armenian nation, affectionately termed “The Little Ally” by Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, and

WHEREAS the awful sacrifice of the Armenian nation in the cause of virtuous government, freedom, justice and human rights the enormous proportions of which are reflected in the fact that Armenia, although one of the smallest allies of the western alliance suffered more casualties than any other member of that alliance, serves to remind us that mankind is indeed ready to perish in the interest of noble causes nearer and dearer to the human heart than life itself; and

WHEREAS in this the Fiftieth Anniversary Year of the 1915 Turkish genocide of the Armenian nation it would behoove all citizens of this state to remember those innocent men, women and children who perished to the sword of violence, to honor their memory and pay tribute to their self-sacrifice, while at same time reminding those who would in our day indulge in mass murder that Americans indeed do remember the genocide of 1915 and in remembering signify their readiness to raise a powerful voice against those forces which would unleash the terrible weapon of genocide.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this General Assembly convened in the year 1965 does hereby honor and pay tribute to those courageous Armenians who died for the most noble of causes as martyrs; the right of human dignity and individual freedom. BE IT

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the clerks of the House and the Senate cause a copy of this resolution to be sent to Attorney Charles Karanian of New Britain as evidence thereof.

SENATOR GLADSTONE:

Mr. President, I move the adoption of the resolution and move the tribute contained therein.

THE CHAIR:

Further remarks? The question is on adoption of the resolution. All in favor, say Aye. AYE. The resolution is adopted.