09/19/22 - Rep. McGovern tweeted "I strongly condemn Azerbaijans illegal, deadly attacks on Armenian territory & sovereignty. The status of Nagorno Karabakh must be settled through peaceful, democratic negotiationsnot military force. President Aliyev: stop the violence. Honor the truce."
View the tweet here. 05/23/22 - Rep. McGovern tweeted "Telling the story of the horrors of the Armenian Genocide will help make sure never again means never again. Soledad, your fathers story is an inspiration. I was honored to meet you & the Cotter family. Thank you for your part in preserving his story for posterity."
View the tweet here. 04/24/22 - Rep. McGovern posted the following to Facebook: "Today, in solemn remembrance at the Armenian Church of Our Saviour in Worcester, we honored the 1.5 million Armenians who died during the first genocide of the 20th century, and the tens of thousands who were violently expelled from their homelands. Yet once again, as we acknowledge and remember the past, we are confronted by the realities of the present, by more violence aimed at innocent men, women, and children who want nothing more than to live in peace. Once again we must face the harsh truth: that despite decades of saying never again, the reality is that these terrible atrocities still happen. The pictures and videos from Ukraine fill our eyes with tears. The stories break our hearts. Behind it all, a searing anger: how can this happen again
and again
and again? In the eyes of the Ukrainian refugees, the haunting echoes of the past and a lingering question: when will never again finally become enough is enough? Its a question the Armenian people and their allies around the world have been asking for 107 years now.
In the shadow of Russias war in Ukraine, Armenians around the world feel the echoes of the century-old attempt to exterminate the Armenian people.
Increasing hostilities in and around Armenian centers in Nagorno-Karabakhincluding recently the Azerbaijani capture of an Armenian village in Marchconcern us all.
And these attacks are happening while the fate of Armenian POWs and civilians held captive since 2020 remain in limbo.
This is why those of us who have fought to secure recognition for the Armenian Genocide do so not only to remember and memorialize those who were killed and displaced but also to call attention to the fact that history can repeat itself. Even if we learn from it. But especially when we dont.
The fact is that for far too long, the truth of the Armenian Genocide was denied by people who knew better, by presidents and prime ministers who lacked the courage to act; by writers and scholars who obscured the facts. And, yes, by those who wanted to ignore the past and sweep it under the rug because it made them feel uncomfortable.
And heres the harsh truth: those that tried to cover up what happened didnt just hurt the Armenian people, they made it easier for history to repeat itself. And they made it harder for all of us to stop it from happening again.
That is why your voices and stories matter. That is why you are powerful.
The scars of the Armenian Genocide are written into your family histories. Etched into the memories of your parents and grandparents.
Their stories are yours. And by listening to you, we not only create a space to remember those we lost but we create the possibility and the hope of working together to prevent it from happening again.
Whats going on in Ukraine is not the first genocide of the 21st century. Its not even the only genocide going on right now.
The people of Darfur, in Sudan, have suffered for years.
Over 700,000 Rohingya, mostly women and children, have been violently pushed out of their homes and are living in refugee camps in Bangladesh.
And the United States has now designated the situation in Xinjiang, Chinawhere Uyghur Muslims have been put into work camps and subject to forced abortion and sterilizationas a genocide.
As I look at these situations, I ask myself when will we learn? How can we stop this?
The answer to these questions lies with each of us. And it lies within each of you.
Your families know the human costs of words like genocide. And you know that unless the world listens to history and takes action, this will not stop.
It is said that the highest expression of memory is not in our words, but in our action.
So as we remember this 107th anniversary of the first genocide of the 20th century, let us pledge action.
For my part, I pledge to honor the memory of those we lost in the Armenian genocide by working to stop violence today and by continuing to support the Armenian people in any way I can.
I will also continue closely monitor peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijanand the enforcement of the trucewhich both require Americas attention if we are to avoid another outbreak of conflict.
And I hope all of you will join me in pledging to call our own government to a higher standardas we did when we finally, at long last, secured official recognition for the Armenian Genocide.
Let us demand that the nations of the world turn words into actions to stop the evil of genocide from ever happening to another nation or another people.
May God bless you all, and may we never, ever forget the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide."
View the Facebook post here. 04/24/22 - Rep. McGovern tweeted "The Armenian people have shown such strength and resilience. Honored to commemorate the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Armenian Church of Our Saviour in Worcester. Through remembering, we work to recognize our role in stopping violence today."
View the tweet here. 04/24/21 - Rep. McGovern posted the following to Facebook: "#Worcester is home to one of the oldest #Armenian communities in the U.S. Today I stand in solidarity them & with Armenians around the world in solemn remembrance of the more than 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children whose lives were taken during the #ArmenianGenocide."
View the Facebook post here. 04/24/21 - Rep. McGovern tweeted "#Worcester is home to one of the oldest #Armenian communities in the U.S. Today I stand in solidarity them & with Armenians around the world in solemn remembrance of the more than 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children whose lives were taken during the #ArmenianGenocide."
View the tweet here. 04/24/21 - Rep. McGovern tweeted "After decades of inaction by presidents of both parties, @POTUS Bidens decision to speak truth to power & call the #ArmenianGenocide what it wasa genocideputs America on the right side of history & helps ensure that what happened is never repeated. Thank you, Mr. President."
View the tweet here.