ANC of Merrimack Valley Meets with Representative Niki Tsongas

PRESS RELEASE
December 29, 2008
Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley
142 Liberty Street, Lowell, MA 01851
Contact: Pearl Teague
Email: [email protected]

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF MERRIMACK VALLEY MEETS WITH
REPRESENTATIVE NIKI TSONGAS

Lowell, MA- Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley (ANC
MV) activists earlier this month met with Congresswoman Niki
Tsongas (D-MA-5) to discuss issues of concern to the Armenian
American community, including Armenian Genocide recognition and
Nagorno Karabagh self-determination.

During the meeting, past ANC MV chairmen Joe Dagdigian and Stepan
Dulgarian explained the history of Nagorno Karabagh and the
continuous human rights violations committed by the Azeri
government. ANC MV chairwoman Pearl Teague encouraged Tsongas to
take more decisive action on this issue and support appropriate aid
and other economic and political policies regarding self-
determination for the people of Nagorno Karabagh.

Activist John Dagdigian shared his views regarding genocide
recognition and Stepan Dulgarian also shared his family’s personal
experience. Tsongas who had co-sponsored H. Res. 106, the
Armenian Genocide resolution, shortly after being sworn in to the
110th Congress in October 2007, expressed her commitment to this
issue and the importance of its recognition. "The mass murders
committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians was
genocide," said Tsongas. "Other countries have acknowledged dark
chapters in their past and it is time for Turkey to do the same.
The Armenians and the descendants of those who were victimized
deserve justice." The ANC MV also provided materials to the
representative as well as encouraged her to take a leadership role
during the 111th Congress on important Armenian issues.

"We are grateful to have Congresswoman Tsongas serving the 5th
Congressional district of Massachusetts. Several Armenian
Americans reside in the district and our community looks forward to
working with her in the upcoming Congress."

Rep. Tsongas earned her bachelors degree from Smith College and she
has a law degree from Boston University. While in college, she
spent a summer in Washington, D.C. where she met her future
husband, former Fifth District Congressman, U.S. Senator, and
democratic presidential candidate, the late Paul Tsongas.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) 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.
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Photo Caption: Left to Right – ANC activists John Dagdigian, Stepan
Dulgarian, ANC MV Chairwoman Pearl Teague, Rep. Niki Tsongas, and
Joe Dagdigian.