WATERTOWN, MA–In an open letter to Alabama Governor Don Siegelman (see full text of letter below), the Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA ER) urged the Governor to set the record straight following the release of a revised Gubernatorial Proclamation declaring August 30, 2001 a “Day of Remembrance of the Turkish Tragedy for Liberation to Sovereignty and Independence.”

The “WHEREAS” clauses in both the original proclamation of August 8, 2001, and the revised proclamation released on August 30, 2001, are premised on inaccuracies and omissions, including the long time myth that Turkey is a “staunch ally of the United States.”

Armenian and Greek Americans and human rights activists across the country have contacted the Governor of Alabama expressing shock and disappointment with the announcement of the proclamation.

In a August 30 letter addressed to Governor Don Siegelman, ANCA ER Director Arin Gregorian urged the Governor to “acknowledge the oversight made when determining the appropriateness of proclaiming a ‘Day of Remembrance of the Turkish Tragedy for Liberation to Sovereignty and Independence in the State of Alabama.” Gregorian further called on Governor Siegelman to “set the record straight and not allow the great State of Alabama to be used to muddy the clear waters of United States history and historical truth in general.”

This week the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) also released an action alert urging individuals to call and write the Governor to reconsider and withdraw the proclamation “as it promotes a false account of history and is a disservice to the people of Alabama.”

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots political organization. The ANCA actively advances a broad range of issues of concern to the Armenian-American community.