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WASHINGTON, DC – More than a dozen Senators and Representatives took to the floors of their respective chambers during the week of April 24th to mark the 91st anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide and share with their colleagues the moral imperative to enact legislation condemning this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
These remarks were in addition to the annual Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide observance, held on April 26th, which drew forty Senators and Representatives and featured the presentation of the ANCA’s Voice of Justice award to Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of System of a Down.
On the Senate side, speeches were delivered by Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Jack Reed (D-RI). The House initiative was organized by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus, and featured remarks by Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Vice-Chairman of the International Relations Committee; Howard Berman (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Mark Foley (R-FL), Sander Levin (D-MI), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY), Jon C. Porter (R-NV), John J.H. “Joe” Schwarz (R-MI), Hilda Solis (D-CA), and Henry Waxman (D-CA).
Among the most compelling Senate remarks were the following:
* Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI): The international community has made the first steps, but it has a long way to go in punishing and, particularly, preventing genocide. As we move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia’s genocide. We cannot be misled by the rhetoric of scapegoating, denial, and obfuscation used by murderous leaders to disguise their agenda. And we cannot respond to evidence of methodical, brutal violence by wringing our hands and waiting for some definitive proof that these events qualify as genocide. Enforcing a collective, international commitment to prevent and stop genocides from occurring is imperative. We owe the victims of the Armenian genocide this commitment.
* Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA): The brutality of the genocide was atrocious. But the inhumanity continues today because the Turkish Government refuses to acknowledge the massacres as genocide. The wounds cannot heal until the Armenian people receive recognition.
* Senator Jack Reed: So as history does not repeat itself, we must study and remember the events of our past. In instances such as the Armenian genocide, all nations must educate their youth in the hatred, the wrongdoing, and the oppression to deter future atrocities against humanity. Not more that two decades after the Armenian genocide, Hitler said to his generals on the eve of sending his death squads into Poland, “Go, kill without mercy… who today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians.” We remember the Armenians. “Menk panav chenk mornar.” We will never forget.
* Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): The Armenian -American community knows this all too well and today, we stand with them in commemorating the start of the Armenian genocide. So let us renew our commitment to support those around the world who face persecution and even death simply because of who they are. We will never forget the Armenian genocide, and we look to the present and future with a newfound sense of hope and optimism so that we may have the strength to stand up and prevent such atrocities.
Among the more compelling excerpts from the speeches in the U.S. House are provided below:
* Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ): Unfortunately, President Bush, in his annual message about the Genocide, did not use the word. Once again, terms like “mass killings” and “forced exile” mask the depth of the horror that took place, carefully avoiding the plain truth. In fact, as has been described in numerous newspaper articles, Ambassador John Evans, who was posted in Yerevan, is being recalled for having the courage to say publicly that what happened to the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire was Genocide. It saddens me that the U.S. Government would go to such lengths to deny the undeniable. I would like to commend Ambassador Evans for his bravery–as a career Foreign Service Officer, he must have known what the consequences might be.
* Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ): Last week I was joined by my Co-Chair of the Armenia Caucus and many of my colleagues in Congress on a bipartisan basis in sending yet another bipartisan congressional letter to President Bush urging him to use the word “genocide” in his April 24th commemorative statement. With over 178 signatures, the message in that letter is loud and clear: 90 years is too long to wait for justice to be served and proper recognition to be made.
The U.S. owes it to the Armenian American community, to the 1.5 million that were massacred in the genocide, and to its own history to reaffirm what is fact. As we have seen time and time again, the United States has a proud history of action and response to the Armenian genocide. During a time when hundreds of thousands were left orphaned and starving, a time when a nation was on the verge of complete extermination, the U.S. took the lead and proudly helped end these atrocities. In fact, Americans helped launch an unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political, and humanitarian campaign to end the carnage and protect the survivors.
Regardless of President Bush’s inaction, I call on Speaker Hastert to bring the resolution to officially recognize the Armenian genocide to the House floor. The resolution that passed in committee last September, again on a bipartisan basis by an overwhelming majority, has over 148 cosponsors. Now is the time to allow Members to reaffirm the United States’ record on the Armenian genocide. The U.S. Government needs to stop playing politics with this tragic time in history and take a firm stance for the truth. Genocide must not be tolerated
* Congressman James McGovern (D-MA): Luckily, such leadership and courage is not lacking among the Armenian American community. Not only do they continue their historic work on the recognition and documentation of the Armenian Genocide, but they are genuine leaders and partners in efforts to educate Americans about the other genocides of the 20th and 21st Centuries–the Holocaust of World War II, Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia, to note some of the most prominent.
* Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA): The debate on this historical issue has been settled. The distinguished International Association of Genocide Scholars, among others, has concluded that it is undeniable. Others, including some who accept the historical facts, say Congress should not pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide because it will irreparably damage our relationship with Turkey. This is a phony argument.
* Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY): The tragic events that began on April 24, 1915, which are well known to all of us, should be part of the history curriculum in every Turkish and American school. On that dark April day, more than 200 of Armenia’s religious, political and intellectual leaders were arrested in Constantinople and killed. Ultimately, more than 1.5 million Armenians were systematically murdered at the hands of the Young Turks, and more than 500,000 more were exiled from their native land.
* Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL): Despite the effort of some to minimize the scope and deny its occurrence, the Armenian Genocide is a historical fact. In the years since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. In my district, there is a significant population of Armenian survivors and their families that showed heroic bravery and a will to survive. With faith and courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great suffering and proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion by sharing their story of the genocide. It is through their unforgettable tragedy that we are able to share in their history and strong heritage.
The full text of all the Senate and House remarks is provided below:
U.S. Senate Remarks:
HON. RUSS FEINGOLD
OF WISCONSIN
IN THE U.S. SENATE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, this month people around the world are joining together to remember and honor the men, women, and children who perished in the Armenian genocide. One and a half million Armenians were systematically massacred at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, and over 500,000 more were forced to flee their homeland of 3,000 years. It is important that we note this terrible tragedy.
When the Armenian genocide occurred, from 1915 to 1923, the international community lacked a name for such atrocities. In January 1951, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide entered into force to affirm the international commitment to prevent genocide and protect basic human decency. Today, we have the words to describe this evil, and we have an obligation to prevent it. But we must also have the will to act.
The Armenian genocide may have been the first instance of what Winston Churchill referred to as “the crime without a name,” but it was certainly not the last. During the Holocaust, and later in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the world has seen the crimes of ethnic cleansing and genocide recur again and again. Too often, the international will to stop atrocities has been lacking, or far too late in coming. Today, as the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, continues to unfold, we have to muster the will and the sense of urgency required to save innocent lives.
The international community has made the first steps, but it has a long way to go in punishing and, particularly, preventing genocide. As we move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia’s genocide. We cannot be misled by the rhetoric of scapegoating, denial, and obfuscation used by murderous leaders to disguise their agenda. And we cannot respond to evidence of methodical, brutal violence by wringing our hands and waiting for some definitive proof that these events qualify as genocide. Enforcing a collective, international commitment to prevent and stop genocides from occurring is imperative. We owe the victims of the Armenian genocide this commitment.
This is why we must remember the Armenian genocide. To forget it is to enable more genocides and ethnic cleansing to occur. We must honor its victims by reaffirming our resolve to not let it happen again.
Senate April 24:
HON. DIANNE FEINSTEIN
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE U.S. SENATE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge and commemorate April 24, 2005, the 91st anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide. I do so because I believe it is necessary to recognize and ensure that similar atrocities do not happen in the future.
No one knows this better than the 500,000 Armenians who are living in my home State of California. These men, women, and children are a shining example of the backbone of our society and serve as a symbol of perseverance and determination.
Their ancestors came to our country to build a better life for themselves and their families, and today, Armenian -Americans recognize that the repercussions of allowing aggression and injustice against ethnic, religious, or minority groups to persist can be dire.
During the Armenian genocide, which took place between 1915 and 1923, over a million Armenians were killed, and another 500,000 were driven from their homes.
We must never again allow a human tragedy to occur on this scale. It is unacceptable to witness thousands of innocent victims suffer and die without taking any action.
And I know this issue not only resonates with the Armenians in California but with everyone in the country. Every day, numerous constituents from different backgrounds call my office asking what Congress and the administration are doing to prevent genocide from occurring again.
It is absolutely essential that we do not let history repeat itself. We can–and we must–do better.
The Armenian -American community knows this all too well and today, we stand with them in commemorating the start of the Armenian genocide. So let us renew our commitment to support those around the world who face persecution and even death simply because of who they are. We will never forget the Armenian genocide, and we look to the present and future with a newfound sense of hope and optimism so that we may have the strength to stand up and prevent such atrocities.
HON. BARBARA BOXER
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE U.S. SENATE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide on April 24th. This anniversary offers an opportunity for us to renew our efforts to achieve–finally–genocide recognition for the Armenian people.
Ninety-one years ago, the Ottoman Turks began their systematic effort to eradicate the Armenian people. From 1915 until 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were tortured and killed; men were separated from their families and murdered; women and children were forced to march across the Syrian desert without water, food, or possessions; many died of hunger or thirst or were killed when they lagged behind during the forced marches into the desert.
The brutality of the genocide was atrocious. But the inhumanity continues today because the Turkish Government refuses to acknowledge the massacres as genocide. The wounds cannot heal until the Armenian people receive recognition.
The Armenian genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century. But as we have seen, it was not the last. As we know, if we ignore injustice, we are likely to see it repeated. In his justification for the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler said, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” And today, we see ongoing atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan, with innocent civilians being murdered. In the 108th Congress, I cosponsored a resolution declaring that the atrocities in Darfur constitute genocide.
I am currently a cosponsor of a resolution calling the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the record of the United States relating to the Armenian genocide and the consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution. And I have signed onto a letter urging President Bush to honor the historic leadership of the United States in defending human rights and to properly characterize the atrocities against the Armenian people as genocide in his April 24th statement.
Every year, we move closer to recognition of the Armenian genocide. But every year, we wonder how long it will take the Government of Turkey to acknowledge the genocide.
We need genocide recognition to honor those 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives and to honor the survivors who are still with us today. We need recognition to send a message to the 8 to 10 million Armenians worldwide that they have not been forgotten. We need genocide recognition to remind the world that crimes against humanity are crimes against us all. And we need genocide recognition because it is the right thing to do.
By acknowledging this genocide for what it is, I hope that we are able to help create a more just and humane world.
HON. CARL LEVIN
OF MICHIGAN
IN THE U.S. SENATE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
SEN. LEVIN. Mr. President, on Monday we observed the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On April 24, 1915, the Turkish Ottoman Empire began a coordinated campaign of deportation, expropriation, torture, starvation, and massacre which lasted 8 long years and left an estimated 1.5 million Armenians dead. The violence forced an additional 500,000 people to leave their homeland and live in exile.
The Armenian genocide is a shameful period in world history that highlights the catastrophic consequences of inaction in the face of violent persecution. It is a tragedy which could have and should have been prevented by the intervention of all nations who value freedom and peace. A retired Theodore Roosevelt wrote in 1918, “The Armenian horror is an accomplished fact. Its occurance was largely due to the policy of pacifism this nation has followed for the last four years.” Roosevelt argued for U.S. involvement “because the Armenian massacre was the greatest crime of the war, and failure to act against Turkey is to condone it; because the failure to deal radically with the Turkish horror means that all talk of guaranteeing the future peace of the world is mischievous nonsense.”
It is important to make clear that the annual remembrance of the Armenian genocide is not a condemnation of our NATO partner, the present day Republic of Turkey. Indeed, it was the founder of the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who ended the Ottoman government.
Instead, the annual remembrance of the Armenian genocide presents us with an opportunity to both honor the memory of those that were lost and rededicate ourselves to working with our allies, including Turkey, to prevent any occurrences of persecution and genocide around the world.
Unfortunately, we know too well that the Armenian genocide was the first but not the only genocide of the 20th century, and millions more perished as additional genocides were perpetrated against innocent minorities in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In remembering the victims of past genocides, we must now turn our efforts to ending the first genocide of the 21st century in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Only by remembering the loss of family and loved ones and by working to alleviate the current suffering of others can we truly honor the victims of the Armenian genocide. That is the goal of the 91st anniversary remembrance of the Armenian genocide.
HON. MARIA CANTWELL
OF WASHINGTON
IN THE U.S. SENATE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2006
Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, Elie Wiesel once told us that “a destruction, an annihilation that only man can provoke, only man can prevent.” Our American heritage calls upon each of us to stand up, to speak out, and to act when we witness human rights abuses. As a global leader, the United States has a special and solemn obligation. We must live up to this responsibility.
This week marked both Armenian Remembrance Day and Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the final years of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, the world witnessed the mass killing of as many as 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children. Five-hundred thousand survivors were expelled from their homes. Our U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau organized and led protests by foreign officials against one of the most horrible tragedies of the 20th century.
Sadly and almost unimaginably, more human devastation followed. Later years witnessed the Holocaust—the Nazis’ systematic state-sponsored persecution and murder of 6 million Jews. In 1945, the U.S. Third Army’s 6th Armored Division liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp and the U.S. Seventh Army’s 45th Infantry Division liberated Dachau in Germany.
We reflect in order to remember—honoring the dead, pledging never to forget atrocities of the past, and fighting to stop them today. In 2004, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that genocide has been committed in the Sudanese region of Darfur. A consistent, widespread, and terrible pattern of atrocities and burning of villages continues as the situation in Darfur remains grim. I believe the U.S. must lead urgent international efforts to stop the killing in Darfur. We must act immediately, working with the United Nations, NATO, and the African Union to stop the ongoing violence. We must remain focused and never waver in our fight to bring an end to the genocide.
HON. JACK REED
OF RHODE ISLAND
IN THE U.S. SENATE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. REED. Mr. President, on behalf of the Armenian population of Rhode Island and Armenians around the world, I want to recognize the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
Ninety-one years ago today, April 24, the Young Turk leaders of the Ottoman Empire summoned and executed over 200 Armenian community leaders. By 1923, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were murdered, and another one half million were exiled, affecting the lives of every Armenian in Asia Minor.
Author John Minassian, a survivor of the 1915 Armenian genocide, tells of his experience. “These fine people were now being made into refugees only because they had clung to their ancient beliefs and the faith of their ancestors. They marched proudly under a yoke of hatred, prejudice and bigotry, their morale high, their spirit as yet unbroken. They knew that their only `crime’ was being Armenian.”
The Armenian genocide was condemned at the time by representatives of the British, French, Russian, German, and Austrian Governments, both foes and allies of the Ottoman Empire.
Today, as a cosponsor of S. Res. 320, I call on the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the record of the United States relating to the Armenian genocide.
Armenian soldiers have supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the Polish-led multinational division in south-central Iraq. Working as truck drivers, bomb detonators, and doctors, Armenia has not allowed others to be left helpless as they were nearly a century ago. The United States is proud to have Armenia as an ally in the rebuilding and reconstruction of Iraq.
So as history does not repeat itself, we must study and remember the events of our past. In instances such as the Armenian genocide, all nations must educate their youth in the hatred, the wrongdoing, and the oppression to deter future atrocities against humanity. Not more that two decades after the Armenian genocide, Hitler said to his generals on the eve of sending his death squads into Poland, “Go, kill without mercy….. who today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians.” We remember the Armenians.
Menk panav chenk mornar. We will never forget.
Remarks in the House of Representatives
HON. FRANK PALLONE
OF NEW JERSEY
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. As the first genocide of the 20th century, it is morally imperative that we remember this atrocity and collectively demand reaffirmation of this crime against humanity.
April 24th marked the beginning of the systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Over the following 8 years, 1.5 million Armenians were tortured and murdered, and more than half a million were forced from their homeland into exile.
Last week I was joined by my Co-Chair of the Armenia Caucus and many of my colleagues in Congress on a bipartisan basis in sending yet another bipartisan congressional letter to President Bush urging him to use the word “genocide” in his April 24th commemorative statement. With over 178 signatures, the message in that letter is loud and clear: 90 years is too long to wait for justice to be served and proper recognition to be made.
The President should have used the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide to promote the U.S. foreign policy that reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. But, instead, President Bush once again failed to honor his pledge to properly characterize the Armenian genocide in his annual remarks. Despite pleas by Members of Congress and the Armenian American community, and recognition by much of the international community, he continues to avoid any clear reference to the Armenian genocide while consistently opposing legislation marking this crime against humanity.
The Bush administration continues to be influenced by the Government of Turkey by placing parts of our foreign policy in their hands. When it comes to facing the judgment of history about the Armenian genocide, Turkey, rather than acknowledging truth, has instead chosen to trample on the rights of its citizens to maintain its lies. The U.S. cannot continue to submit to Turkey’s shameless threats and intimidation.
Madam Speaker, the U.S. owes it to the Armenian American community, to the 1.5 million that were massacred in the genocide, and to its own history to reaffirm what is fact. As we have seen time and time again, the United States has a proud history of action and response to the Armenian genocide. During a time when hundreds of thousands were left orphaned and starving, a time when a nation was on the verge of complete extermination, the U.S. took the lead and proudly helped end these atrocities. In fact, Americans helped launch an unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political, and humanitarian campaign to end the carnage and protect the survivors.
If America is going to live up to the standards we set for ourselves and continue to lead the world in affirming human rights everywhere, we need to stand up and recognize the tragic events that began in 1915 for what they were: The systematic elimination of a people. The fact of the Armenian genocide is not in dispute.
Madam Speaker, regardless of President Bush’s inaction, I call on Speaker Hastert to bring the resolution to officially recognize the Armenian genocide to the House floor. The resolution that passed in committee last September, again on a bipartisan basis by an overwhelming majority, has over 148 cosponsors. Now is the time to allow Members to reaffirm the United States’ record on the Armenian genocide.
The U.S. Government needs to stop playing politics with this tragic time in history and take a firm stance for the truth. Genocide must not be tolerated.
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH
OF NEW JERSEY
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my voice with those of my colleagues who once again are commemorating the Armenian Genocide. On this somber day, we take time to recall the horrors of long ago, as Armenians are doing all over the world. Beginning in 1914, over 1.5 million people were systematically killed in what historians call the first genocide of the twentieth century, and over half a million Armenians had to leave their homeland.
Knowledge about the Armenian Genocide is spreading. Just recently, PBS broadcast an extremely detailed and heart-rending examination of the subject. Even in Turkey, where the government refuses to acknowledge what happened or consider accepting any responsibility for it, a growing number of historians and prominent individuals have openly defied Ankara to speak truth to power. They include Orhan Pamuk, the country’s leading writer. Turkish officials sought to bring criminal charges against him for “defaming Turkishness” but in the end, thankfully, thought better of it.
Unfortunately, President Bush, in his annual message about the Genocide, did not use the word. Once again, terms like “mass killings” and “forced exile” mask the depth of the horror that took place, carefully avoiding the plain truth. In fact, as has been described in numerous newspaper articles, Ambassador John Evans, who was posted in Yerevan, is being recalled for having the courage to say publicly that what happened to the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire was Genocide. It saddens me that the U.S. Government would go to such lengths to deny the undeniable. I would like to commend Ambassador Evans for his bravery–as a career Foreign Service Officer, he must have known what the consequences might be.
I express solidarity with my colleagues in this Congress who called upon President Bush to call the Genocide a Genocide. I hope this is the last year when the United States Government will shrink from using the word in its description of what the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire endured.
Finally, in my annual statements on the Armenian Genocide, I often refer to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and comment on the status of the talks underway to resolve it. In the last year, official sources in Yerevan and Baku, as well as Washington, have occasionally indicated that a deal was close. Hopes were high for the meeting last month between Presidents Kocharian and Aliev in Rambouillet, France. Unfortunately, we did not see the desired outcome.
I hope that the negotiations will soon succeed in resolving this painful conflict. An Armenia at peace with Azerbaijan would not dampen the painful memories of events in the early twentieth century, but it would offer reassurance over the prospects of Armenia in the twenty-first.
HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN
OF MASSACHUSETTS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, 91 years ago, a systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide was initiated by the Turkish Ottoman Empire against its Armenian population. Beginning in 1915, and continuing over the next eight years, over one and a half million Armenians were tortured and murdered, and another half million were forced from their homeland into exile.
In his annual April 24th commemoration statement, President Bush once again failed to acknowledge this annihilation of a people as genocide. In a time when the denial of the Armenian genocide is again on the rise in Turkey–and through its agents, even here in the United States as witnessed by a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts opposed to our public school history curriculum on genocide –President Bush once again squandered an opportunity to demonstrate American courage and leadership and speak out with moral clarity on the issue of genocide. By failing to affirm the Armenian Genocide, President Bush insults the suffering endured by the Armenian people and especially the remaining survivors of the genocide, most of whom are now in their 90s.
Luckily, such leadership and courage is not lacking among the Armenian -American community. Not only do they continue their historic work on the recognition and documentation of the Armenian Genocide, but they are genuine leaders and partners in efforts to educate Americans about the other genocides of the 20th and 21st Centuries–the Holocaust of World War II, Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia, to note some of the most prominent.
Most recently, the Armenian -American community has been actively engaged in bringing to the attention of U.S. and world leaders the genocide going on right now in Darfur, Sudan. I would like to honor, in particular, the work of Mr. George Aghjayan, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Central Massachusetts, who has been especially active in education and organizing activities about Darfur. Mr. Aghjayan, who lives in Worcester, Massachusetts, has helped rally interest and support on Darfur not only from his own community, but from college students, religious leaders, and genocide survivors.
I’m proud to be a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Issues, and to support the activities taking place today in the U.S. Congress in memory of the Armenian Genocide. I am more proud, however, to have had the opportunity to meet and learn from the extensive Armenian -American community in central Massachusetts and from their exemplary community leaders, like George Aghjayan and his wife, Joyce. Through them I have found my own voice and determination to denounce genocide wherever it is taking place, and to confront the culture of denial that would erase the historical record of the Armenian Genocide.
HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2006
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I’m honored to join my colleagues in commemorating the 91st anniversary of the start of the Armenian Genocide.
Genocide is a very powerful word, and should be reserved for only the most horrific examples of mass killing motivated by a desire to destroy an entire people.
Without a doubt, this term is appropriate to describe the unimaginable atrocities suffered by the Armenian people from 1915 to 1918.
During this period, more than one million Armenians died from starvation or disease on long marches, or were simply massacred by the Ottoman Turks.
Some still deny these events, or try to justify them as an extension of war.
But the debate on this historical issue has been settled. The distinguished International Association of Genocide Scholars, among others, has concluded that it is undeniable.
Others, including some who accept the historical facts, say Congress should not pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide because it will irreparably damage our relationship with Turkey.
This is a phony argument.
The European Parliament, the Council of Europe, and many European countries, including France, Germany and Italy have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Yet this has not dissuaded Turkey from actively seeking to join the European Union.
At some point, every nation must come to terms with the wrongs committed by previous generations.
For Germany, the Holocaust. For South Africa, Apartheid. And for our country, slavery and the treatment of Native Americans.
In the same spirit, Turkey should allow–and indeed, encourage–an open and honest discussion of the Armenian Genocide.
Adolf Hitler once remarked, “Who remembers the Armenians?” The answer is, we do.
And we will continue to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and other genocides, because, in the immortal words of Spanish philosopher George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
OF NEW YORK
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2006
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, and the representative of a large and vibrant community of Armenian Americans, I rise to join my colleagues in the sad commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Today we declare to people living in every comer of our globe that the Turkish and American governments must finally acknowledge what we have long understood: that the unimaginable horror committed on Turkish soil in the aftermath of World War I was, and is, an act of genocide.
The tragic events that began on April 24, 1915, which are well known to all of us, should be part of the history curriculum in every Turkish and American school. On that dark April day, more than 200 of Armenia’s religious, political and intellectual leaders were arrested in Constantinople and killed. Ultimately, more than 1.5 million Armenians were systematically murdered at the hands of the Young Turks, and more than 500,000 more were exiled from their native land.
On this 91st anniversary of the beginning of the genocide, I join with the chorus of voices that grows louder with each passing year. We simply will not allow the planned elimination of an entire people to remain in the shadows of history. The Armenian Genocide must be acknowledged, studied and never, ever allowed to happen again.
I recently joined with my colleagues in the Caucus in urging PBS not to give a platform to the deniers of the genocide by canceling a planned broadcast of a panel which included two scholars who deny the Armenian Genocide. This panel was to follow a documentary about the Armenian Genocide which aired just last week. Representative Anthony Weiner and I led a successful effort to convince Channel Thirteen in New York City to pull the plug on these genocide deniers.
The parliaments of Canada, France and Switzerland have all passed resolutions affirming that the Armenian people were indeed subjected to genocide. The United States must do the same. I will not stop fighting until long overdue legislation acknowledging the Armenian Genocide finally passes.
Of course, an acknowledgment of the genocide is not our only objective. I remain committed to ensuring that the U.S. Government continues to provide direct financial assistance to Armenia. Over the years, this aid has played a critical role in the economic and political advancement of the Armenian people. I have joined with my colleagues in requesting military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the FY07 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. We also have requested an adequate level of economic assistance for Armenia and assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh.
On this solemn day, our message is clear: the world remembers the Armenian Genocide, and the governments of Turkey and the United States must declare–once and for all–that they do, too.
HON. MARK FOLEY
OF FLORIDA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, Reuters news recently reported that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is ready for a “political settling of accounts with history” provided that historians would prepare an unbiased study of claims that millions of Armenians were the victims of genocide under Ottoman rule during the First World War.
That accounting has already been done. A March 7, 2000 public declaration by 126 Holocaust Scholars affirmed the incontestable fact of the Armenian Genocide and urged Western democracies to officially recognize it.
This declaration by foremost scholars from around the world was adopted at the Thirtieth Anniversary of the Scholar’s Conference on the Holocaust convening at St. Joseph University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 3-7, 2000. The petitioners, among whom was Nobel Laureate for Peace Elie Wiesel, also called upon Western democracies to urge the government and parliament of Turkey to finally come to terms with this dark chapter of Ottoman-Turkish history and to recognize the Armenian Genocide. According to this renowned gathering, Turkish acknowledgment would provide an invaluable impetus to that nation’s democratization.
Monday, April 24th marked the 91st anniversary of the 1.5 million Armenian deaths and countless exiles in 1915 caused by the Ottoman Empire. President Bush commented that “it was a tragedy and should always be remembered.”
In December 2005, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier announced that Turkey would be expected to recognize the event during EU accession negotiations. “This is an issue that we will raise during the negotiation process,” he said. “We will have about 10 years to do so and the Turks will have about 10 years to ponder their answer.”
If Turkey is prepared to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, then its leaders can proceed immediately to direct dialogue with its counterparts in Armenia to define a common vision for the future. By so doing, Turkey will begin the vital process of preparing its citizens for a more complete and honest assessment of the final acts of the Ottoman Turkish state and embracing the new opportunities available to them by gaining possible admittance into the European Union. Facing history squarely will liberate Turkey.
HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2006
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 91st anniversary of the start of the Armenian Genocide. We remember and mourn the mass killing of more than 1.5 million Armenians and the forced relocation of over one million others.
The painful memory of this brutal campaign is only compounded by the Turkish government’s refusal to acknowledge the events of history. Instead of recognizing the crimes perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, Turkish leaders have prosecuted journalists who write about the massacres. Turkey also continues to blockade Armenia and stifle its economic growth by locking Armenia out of the regional economy.
Despite these challenges, Armenia has worked diligently to overcome its difficult past and make progress on democratic reform, promote development and expand public services. The United States has been a strong partner in this effort. In March, the U.S. and Armenia signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation compact to provide $235 million for programs to reduce rural poverty in Armenia over the next five years. Our close ties are further reinforced with the robust investment in the Armenian economy by Armenian businesses and communities across the United States.
Today, as we remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide, we endeavor to ensure that the atrocities are not forgotten. As we pay tribute to the survivors who preserved the history, culture and tradition that paved the way for the emergence of an independent Armenian state, let us pledge to continue building an even brighter future of prosperity and opportunity for the Armenian people.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
HON. JON C. PORTER
OF NEVADA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Armenian -American Cultural Society of Las Vegas on this, the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This organization was established in 1978, and since that time has grown in size and influence. They are now the largest non-political, non-denominational organization in Nevada. They have worked tirelessly to educate the general public about the atrocious acts committed against their people and also to help preserve the Armenian culture here in Las Vegas and America.
I am proud to represent a large and vibrant Armenian community in the Third Congressional District of Nevada and I consider it an honor to have been invited to participate in the ceremonies commemorating the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. These ceremonies offer participants an opportunity to honor the survivors and their descendants, and to remind the world of the tragedy that befell Armenians of the Ottoman Empire.
It is estimated that one and a half million Armenians perished between 1915 and 1923 in a genocide planned and executed by the Turkish government against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. The great bulk of the Armenian population was removed from Armenia and Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was sent into the desert to die of thirst and hunger. Large numbers of Armenians were methodically massacred throughout the Ottoman Empire. The entire wealth of the Armenian people was expropriated. After only a little more than a year of calm at the end of WWI, the atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923, and the remaining Armenians were subjected to further massacres and expulsions.
While there are still many who deny that the Armenian Genocide ever took place, I am pleased to see more and more countries and states and even the media are now in the process of recognizing the genocide. It is critical that we reflect on this human tragedy and on the lessons of history and work to avoid the horrors faced by the Armenian people in 1915.
HON. MICHAEL MCNULTY
OF NEW YORK
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2006
Mr. MCNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join today with many of my colleagues in remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide. April 24th will be the 91st anniversary of this human tragedy.
From 1915 to 1923, the world witnessed the first genocide of the 20th century. This was clearly one of the world’s greatest tragedies—the deliberate and systematic Ottoman annihilation of 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children.
Furthermore, another 500,000 refugees fled and escaped to various points around the world—effectively eliminating the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire.
From these ashes arose hope and promise in 1991—and I was blessed to see it. I was one of the four international observers from the United States Congress to monitor Armenia’s independence referendum. I went to the communities in the northern part of Armenia, and I watched in awe as 95 percent of the people over the age of 18 went out and voted.
The Armenian people had been denied freedom for so many years and, clearly, they were very excited about this new opportunity. Almost no one stayed home. They were all out in the streets going to the polling places. I watched in amazement as people stood in line for hours to get into these small polling places and vote.
Then, after they voted, the other interesting thing was that they did not go home. They had brought covered dishes with them, and all of these polling places had little banquets afterward to celebrate what had just happened.
What a great thrill it was to join them the next day in the streets of Yerevan when they were celebrating their great victory. Ninety-eight percent of the people who voted cast their ballots in favor of independence. It was a wonderful experience to be there with them when they danced and sang and shouted, ‘Ketse azat ankakh Hayastan’—Long live free and independent Armenia! That should be the cry of freedom-loving people everywhere.
HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Each year on April 24th, the Armenian community and others throughout the world remember and solemnly commemorate the 300 Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders that were arrested in Constantinople, taken to Turkey and murdered. Today marks the 91st anniversary of the deliberate campaign of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. From 1915-1923, 1.5 million Armenians were murdered and more than 500,000 were forced from their homeland into exile.
Despite the effort of some to minimize the scope and deny its occurrence, the Armenian Genocide is a historical fact. In the years since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. In my district, there is a significant population of Armenian survivors and their families that showed heroic bravery and a will to survive. With faith and courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great suffering and proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion by sharing their story of the genocide. It is through their unforgettable tragedy that we are able to share in their history and strong heritage.
Mr. Speaker, it is impossible to imagine an evil more powerful than the massacre and willful destruction of a people. By commemorating the Armenian Genocide, we renew our commitment to prevent future atrocities, and therefore we ensure the lessons of the Armenian Genocide are properly understood and acknowledged. As U.S. efforts to aid victims of genocide continue, it is imperative that we pay tribute to the memory of others who have suffered and to never forget the past.
HON. HILDA L. SOLIS
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
From 1915 to 1923, more than 1.5 million Armenians suffered mass killings and more than half a million others were forced from their homeland into exile by the Ottoman Empire. Yet, from the ashes of destruction, the survivors rebuilt their lives. In the years since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. Communities in California and across the United States are fortunate to be home to an organized and active Armenian community, whose members contribute and participate in every aspect of civic life.
Despite the many thriving communities, the scars of genocide remain deeply embedded in history and in our conscience. Today we mourn the victims, pay tribute to the survivors, stand together with all who are committed to promoting awareness about the atrocities of genocide, and renew our commitment to prevent future atrocities. Today we remember to never forget.
HON. JOHN J.H. “JOE” SCHWARZ
OF MICHIGAN
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006
Mr. SCHWARZ of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide, to remember the victims, to recognize the survivors, and to keep the memory of this atrocity fresh and alive.
The Armenian genocide began April 24, 1915 with the Ottoman Empire’s campaign to eradicate the Armenian presence within its borders. The alarmed American ambassador at the time protested Ottoman policy and wrote to Washington describing what was happening on the ground as a “campaign of race extermination.” By the time the genocide ended eight years later it claimed one and a half million souls and forced another half a million Armenians to flee their homes and leave their country in order to survive, many coming to the United States where the community would go on to thrive.
This despicable mass murder, torture, and killing of innocents was indeed a genocide ; that fact can neither be denied nor ignored. It is outrageous that 91 years later the governments of the United States and Turkey still refuse to acknowledge this slaughter for what it was. This is shameful in light of the magnitude of suffering the Armenian community has endured since their victimization and the subsequent historical denial of their persecution.
It is time to act by appropriately condemning this horrific event. I join my colleagues from
HON. SANDER M. LEVIN
OF MICHIGAN
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in commemorating the 91st annual observance of the Armenian Genocide.
Ninety-one years ago, there began a vast human tragedy with the execution of some 300 Armenian leaders, professionals and intellectuals. Over the next eight years, a brutal campaign of genocide against the Armenian people was carried out in the Ottoman Empire, leading to the deaths of over 1.5 million people and the deporting of another 500,000.
Decade after decade there has been a failure to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. Today, while there is increased pressure on Turkey to acknowledge the facts of history, and some new voices have been raised to urge this acknowledgement, there remain efforts to evade this dark chapter in human history, as evidenced by a book recently sent to Congressional offices.
So this is the time for all of us who have been joining in the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide to continue to speak out. It is vital and urgent for us to insist that there be a universal participation in remembering the victims. We must say, to those who hesitate, our humanity can settle for nothing less.