WASHINGTON, DC — Tennessee, Nebraska and Louisiana have joined the fast growing number of states who have acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, Republican Governor Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco issued proclamations citing a “Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide,” referring to the Ottoman Turkish campaign of eliminate the Armenian population from 1915-1923. The total number of states in the U.S. reaffirming he Armenian Genocide has now reached 36.

”The Nebraska, Tennessee and Louisiana proclamations emphasize the ultimate futility of Turkish efforts to distort the facts about the Genocide,” commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Governors Johanns, Bredesen, and Blanco should be commended for taking a stand against denial and Turkish revisionism,” he added.

In the course of the last month, five new states have issued proclamations for the Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. All of the proclamations mark April 23rd or 24th as an official Day of Remembrance. The ANCA website (www.anca.org) provides a diagram that displays all of the states that have issued proclamations or passed legislations recognizing the April 24th as a day of remembrance.

The proclamations follow a concerted grassroots education campaign by the ANC Chapters across the country to increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide on the state and local level. ANC Tennessee Chairman, Dr. Shant Garabedian, worked actively with the Tennessee Armenian community, circulating a petition to Gov. Bredesen in support of the proclamation. Garabedian discussed the initiative following Easter Church services in Nashville this month. Massachusetts State Republican Committee man Bob Semonian spoke extensively to Governors Bredesen, Johanns and Blanco during the National Governors Association conference held in Washington DC, last month. He has since worked with local ANC activists in the effort to secure Armenian Genocide proclamations from a series of states across the country.

Semonian, who resides in Watertown, MA, is running for delegate for the Republican National Convention. Registered Republicans in the towns and cities of Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Framingham, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Revere, Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Weston, Winchester, Winthrop, and Woburn can support his candidacy at the Republican Caucus vote his Saturday, May 1st, to be held beginning at 9:00am at 295 Arsenal St., in Watertown, MA.

State of Nebraska
Proclamation

Whereas, One and a half million Christian Armenian men, women and children were the victims of the brutal genocide perpetuated by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 – 1923; and

Whereas, The Armenian genocide and massacres of Armenian people have been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a thriving and noble civilization over 3000 years old; and

Whereas, Recognition of the eighty-ninth anniversary of this genocide is crucial to guarding against the repetition of future genocides and educating people about the atrocities connected to these horrific events; and

Whereas, Armenian-Americans living in Nebraska have greatly enriched our state through their leadership in business, agriculture, academia, government and the arts;

Now, therefore, I, Mike Johanns, Governor of the State of Nebraska DO HEREBY PROCLAIM the 24th day of April 2004, as

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923

in Nebraska, and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of the observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the Great Seal of the Stae of Nebraska to be affixed this Twenty-Third Day of April, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Four.

/State seal/ – Attest: John A. Gale, Secretary of State
Mike Johanns, Governor

TENNESSEE PROCLAMATION

State Capitol

By Phil Bredesen, Governor, on behalf of the people of Tennessee

By virtue of the authority vested in me, I herby confer upon

Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide
A Day of Recognition

Given under my hand and the Seal of the State of Tennessee

In Nashville, this 23rd day of April 2004

/State Seal/
Phil Bredesen, Governor

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