ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION PRESENTED TO US SENATE
ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 22, 2009
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22, ARMENPRESS: Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
and John Ensign (R-NV) presented October 21 the Armenian Genocide
Resolution in the U.S. Senate, Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) reported.
The measure is similar to legislation in the U.S. House, H.Res.252,
introduced earlier this year by Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA),
George Radanovich (R-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs
Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). This measure already has
over 130 cosponsors.
"Only when history’s darkest hours are acknowledged and understood
can we truly learn from them and build a peaceful future upon those
lessons. One and a half million Armenians experienced Hell on Earth,
and to sweep their plight under the rug is to insult their memories
and their descendants. It is long past time that our nation help
set the historical record straight and provide a foundation of
understanding that helps prevent future atrocities," Sen. Menendez
noted in introducing the measure.
Senator Ensign said it is inconceivable that after so many years
the international community has yet to affirm that the deportation,
expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre and starvation of the
Armenian people was genocide. "By joining together and affirming that
genocide was committed on the Armenian people, we send a strong message
to the international community that we will not turn a blind eye to
the crimes of the past simply because they are in the past," he said.