02/28/14 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record on Sumgait - Mr. Speaker, today, on the 26th observation of unspeakable violence in Sumgait , Azerbaijan, I proudly stand with the Armenian community of Massachusetts in remembrance and mourning of the loss of innocent lives.

Anti-Armenian aggression in Sumgait in the early months of 1988 gave way to violent death and destruction. Thousands of Armenians were forced to flee their homes as refugees.

Today, the families of those who lost their lives, or were displaced by this violence, still seek resolution and justice.

Over decades, many displaced Armenian families have sought refuge in America, and are now making vital contributions in the Fifth District of Massachusetts. Proudly, our diverse district is home to one of the largest Armenian communities in the nation. Together, our community is a thriving example of strength and perseverance in the face of extreme adversity.

Like the persecution of too many other peoples before it, the lessons of Sumgait must not be forgotten.

As diverse families of the Commonwealth, and as Americans, we have a moral obligation to promote tolerance and justice, and we have a duty to recognize the atrocities that have kept us from our common goal.