WASHINGTON, DC – In a powerful U.S. House floor speech marking the 18th anniversary of the Azerbaijani massacre of Armenians in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) today called on the U.S. government to “flex its geo-political muscle in order to send a message that ethnically charged genocides, illegal blockades of sovereign nations, and the constant harassment of the Armenian people will not be tolerated,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We want to thank Congressman Pallone for reminding his colleagues about the Sumgait massacre and explaining how this atrocity sparked the cycle of Azerbaijani and Turkish aggression against Armenians that continues to this day,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “All of us marching today from the Turkish to the Azerbaijani embassies in Washington, DC truly appreciated learning of the Congressman’s powerful words of support and welcomed his stand for a forceful, principled and public U.S. response to Turkey and Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenia policies.”

In his remarks, Congressman Pallone explained to his colleagues that, “in late February in 1988 in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan an organized attack on the Armenians of the town was carried out by Azerbaijan nationals. This three-day rampage left dozens dead and hundreds injured.” He went on to note that, in addition to recognizing this massacre, he wanted to draw the attention of his Congressional colleagues to “the continued Turkish and Azeri aggression against the Armenian people.”

Commenting on a series of demonstration organized in Washington, DC and throughout the world by the ANCA and its affiliates, Representative Pallone noted that, “today many Armenians marked the anniversary of the Sumgait Massacre by organizing a march here in Washington from the Embassy of Turkey to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in order highlight the continued Turkish and Azeri aggression toward the Armenian people.” He added that, “as the protesters walked the cold route from the Turkish Embassy to the Azerbaijani Embassy their message should be heard loud and clear. It is time for the United States to do all that it can and to flex its geo-political muscle in order to send a message that ethnically charged genocides, illegal blockades of sovereign nations, and the constant harassment of the Armenian people will not be tolerated.”

The New Jersey Congressman also addressed Azerbaijan’s “organized effort to destroy historically sacred Armenian sites,” specifically mentioning the “documented video evidencing the systematic destruction of a more than 1000 year-old cemetery and historic carved stone crosses in the southern Nakhichevan region of Djulfa.” He stressed, as well, Azerbaijan and Turkey’s economic aggression, noting that, “the over 10-year continued blockade of Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan cuts off a valuable trade route through the country and further isolates Armenia. These blockades have been denounced by the U.S., United Nations and the European Union but they still exist as a way to starve the Armenian economy. The United States should do more to encourage the Turkish and Azerbaijani governments to stop their illegal blockade of Armenia.”

The text of Congressman Pallone’s remarks is provided below.

Mr. Speaker, today marks a tragic anniversary for Armenians around the world. In late February in 1988 in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan an organized attack on the Armenians of the town was carried out by Azerbaijan nationals. This three-day rampage left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

Mr. Speaker, I stand to recognize the massacres in Sumgait, Azerbaijan and the continued Turkish and Azeri aggression against the Armenian people.

This massacre left dozens of Armenians dead, a majority of whom were set afire alive after being beaten and tortured. Hundreds of innocent people received injuries of different severity and became physically impaired. Women, among them minors, were abused. More than two hundred apartments were robbed, dozens of cars were destroyed and burned, dozens of art and crafts studious, shops and kiosks were demolished. Thousands of people became refugees.

Mr. Speaker, These crimes were never adequately prosecuted by the government of Azerbaijan, and most of its organizers and executors were set free. Despite the attempt by the government of Azerbaijan to cover up these crimes, enough brave witnesses came forward to give an accurate account of these offenses.

The Sumgait Massacres are just another in a long line of Azeri aggression against the Armenian people. The events in Sumgait were preceded by a wave of anti-Armenian rallies that shook the city in February 1988. Almost the entire territory of the city with a population of 250,000 became an arena for mass violence against its Armenian population.

The attacks also marked the beginnings of the violent Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, which claimed nearly 30,000 lives and left over a million refugees. The continued hostilities in Azerbaijan and the military aggression against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh in 1992-1994 led to the disappearance of a 450,000-strong Armenian community within a span of just a few years.

Today many Armenians marked the anniversary of the Sumgait Massacre by organizing a march here in Washington from the Embassy of Turkey to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in order highlight the continued Turkish and Azeri aggression toward the Armenian people.

The aggression, I speak of, is still happening even today, in a number of ways. There continues to be an organized effort to destroy historically sacred Armenian sites by the government of Azerbaijan. Recently there has been a documented video evidencing the systematic destruction of a more than 1000 year-old Armenian cemetery and historic carved stone crosses in the southern Nakhichevan region of Djulfa.

There are also continued attempts by Turkey and Azerbaijan to strangle Armenia’s economy and its people’s ability to survive through economic aggression. The over 10-year continued blockade of Armenia by the Turkey and Azerbaijan cuts off a valuable trade route through the country and further isolates Armenia. These blockades have been denounced by the U.S., United Nations and the European Union but they still exist as a way to starve the Armenian economy. The United States should do more to encourage the Turkish and Azerbaijani governments to stop their illegal blockade of Armenia.

Mr. Speaker, today, as the protesters walked the cold route from the Turkish Embassy to the Azerbaijani Embassy their message should be heard loud and clear. It is time for the United States to do all that it can and to flex its geo-political muscle in order to send a message that ethnically charged genocides, illegal blockades of sovereign nations, and the constant harassment of the Armenian people will not be tolerated.

This anniversary reminds us yet again of the historical injustice the Armenian people have faced unfortunately throughout their history.

Thank you.