COLUMBUS, OH – The Armenian National Committee of America- Eastern region welcomed today a proclamation issued by Governor Ted Strickland (D-OH) on April 17, 2007 recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

The “Buckeye State” proclamation brings the number of states to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide to forty. The proclamation, the first ever issued by the state of Ohio, comes a week after North Dakota became the 39th state to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The full text of the Ohio proclamation is provided below.

The powerfully worded proclamation calls on “Ohioans to honor those who died in the Armenian Genocide, conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire, by recognizing their suffering resulting from the deportation of nearly 2 million Armenians.” It goes on to cite the “collective responsibility to uphold these values and to focus the world’s attention on human rights abuses, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.”

Commenting on the proclamation, Governor Strickland stated: “We have designated April 24 as the Ohio Day of Remembrance for those who suffered under the Armenian Genocide 92 years ago. I join Ohioans in remembering the victims and continuing our commitment to justice and human dignity across the world.”

Ohio’s Congressional delegation has a strong record of support for Armenian Genocide legislation with Representatives Dennis Kucinich (D-10), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-11), Betty Sutton (D-13), Steve LaTourette (R-14), Tim Ryan (D-17), and Zack Space (D-18) having already cosponsored H. Res 106. Newly elected Senator Sherrod Brown (D) is a cosponsor of the Senate version of the initiative, S.Res.106.

The ANC of Ohio worked closely with Gov. Strickland’s office in support of state recognition of this crime against humanity. “Armenian-Americans applaud the Governors Proclamation,” commented ANC-OH activists David Krikorian. “His courage in giving voice to this awful truth exemplifies the kind of leadership that will restore America’s promise of greatness!”

Krikorian recently traveled to Washington, DC, and visited with the Ohio Congressional delegation as part of the two-day grassroots anti-genocide effort titled “End the Cycle of Genocide.” Organized by the ANCA and the Genocide Intervention Network, the campaign attracted some 100 activists from across the U.S., who advocated passage of Armenian Genocide legislation and targeted divestment from Sudan as part of a series of concrete steps to stop the genocide in Darfur.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

STATE OF OHIO
Executive Department

Columbus
In Recognition of
April 24, 2007
For the 92nd Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, 1915-1923

Today, I ask Ohioans to honor those who died in the Armenian Genocide, conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire, by recognizing their suffering resulting from the deportation of nearly 2 million Armenians. Of these 1.5 million men, women, and children were killed and one-half million were expelled from their homes. These acts succeeded in the elimination of a more than 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historical homeland.

All Ohioans embrace freedom, justice and human dignity. We have a collective responsibility to uphold these values and to focus the world’s attention on human rights abuses, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.

Armenian-American throughout Ohio are joined by all those devoted to ending the cycle of crimes against humanity.

Signed
Ted Strickland
Governor