ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, I attended a ceremony to
remember the victims of the Armenian genocide in Times Square in New
York City, and I have to say it was a very moving moment. There were
several, I would not say many, because there are not that many genocide
survivors that are still around, but I did have a chance to talk
briefly with maybe 10 or so.
It was incredible to hear them tell the stories of the families and
atrocities that had occurred 89 years ago now. More and more countries
and States and even the media are now in the process of recognizing the
genocide, and I just wanted to mention specifically that the Canadian
House of Commons last week joined France, Italy, the Vatican and a
number of other European countries and the European Parliament in
acknowledging this crime against humanity as genocide.
{time} 2000
Also last week, The New York Times reversed decades of ambiguity by
declaring in favor of using the term “genocide” to describe the
Armenian cataclysm of 1915. The Boston Globe adopted a similar policy
change last year. Mr. Speaker, the unfortunate thing is, although so
many other countries and so many of our own States have recognized the
Armenian genocide, we in the Congress continue not to recognize it. I
think it is important that we do so. The gentleman from California
(Mr. Schiff) was here earlier, and he mentioned the House Genocide
Resolution, H. Res. 193, which has now 111 cosponsors. The resolution
was adopted unanimously by the House Committee on the Judiciary on May
21, 2003, but it has not been brought to the floor for
consideration. I would urge the Speaker and the leaders on the
Republican side of the aisle to bring this resolution to the floor. It
is important that they do so. Now, this year, as we do every year,
the members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues put
together a letter to the President of the United States asking him to
acknowledge the Armenian genocide. This year there were 169
signatures, more than we have ever had before in that letter that we
sent to the President; and I just wanted to read, if I could, some
sections of that letter, because I think it is important. We say,
“Dear Mr. President: We are writing to urge you to join us in
reaffirming the U.S. record on the Armenian genocide in your April 24
commemorative statement. “By properly recognizing the atrocities
committed against the Armenian people as genocide in your statement,
you will honor the many Americans who helped launch our first
international human rights campaign to end the carnage and protect the
survivors. The official U.S. response mirrored the overwhelming
reaction by the American public to this crime against humanity and, as
such, constitutes a proud, irrefutable and groundbreaking chapter in
U.S. diplomatic history. “Now, more than ever, as your
administration seeks to bring an end to global terrorism and to help
establish democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq, the memory of the
genocide underscores our responsibility to help convey our cherished
tradition of respect for fundamental human rights and opposition to
mass slaughters. The victims of the Armenian genocide deserve our
remembrance and their rightful place in history. It is in the best
interests of our Nation and the entire global community to remember
the past and learn from these crimes against humanity to ensure they
are never repeated.” That is really the essence of what we are
trying to achieve here today in asking that the President and this
Congress basically reaffirm the Armenian genocide, because we simply
do not want it repeated again. We know how many times in the 20th
century that genocide occurred. House Resolution H.R. 193, and also
its Senate counterpart, Senate Resolution 164, which I would like to
add has 37 cosponsors right now, basically state that the purpose of
the resolutions are to strengthen America’s commitment to the value of
the genocide convention that was implemented 15 years ago. This
convention recognizes essentially a number of the genocides that
occurred in the 20th century. And as some of my colleagues mentioned
earlier, not only the Armenian genocide, but that in Rwanda, Burundi,
and, of course most important, the Nazi Holocaust genocide against the
Jews. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, that when we talk about
the Armenian genocide, we are simply acknowledging the fact. And we
feel very strongly that if at the time the genocide occurred the world
and the nations of the world had taken more notice and had tried to
prevent it, I think it would have served as a lesson so that the Nazi
Holocaust against the Jews and so many other atrocities that took
place in the 20th century would not have occurred. If we are going to
see a situation in the future, in this 21st century, where we do not
repeat the mistakes of the past, we must acknowledge the Armenian
genocide.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the Members of the House
to join us in recognizing past instances of genocide and reaffirming
our Nation’s commitment to never again allow the perpetration of such
atrocities anywhere on this earth. House Resolution 193 appropriately
reaffirms America’s obligation to international genocide conventions,
and underscores the importance of recognizing past crimes against
humanity, including the Holocaust and the Armenian, Cambodian, and
Rwandan genocides. We all know that silence in the face of genocide
only encourages those who would commit such atrocities in the
future. Israel Charney, the noted genocide and Holocaust scholar, has
written extensively about the psychology of genocide denial. He has
explained to the world what we should all know from history: to deny
genocide is to celebrate the mass murder and to endorse the doctrine
of corrupt power that brought about the destruction in the first
place. To erase agonizing memories of genocide only mocks the
sensibilities of the victims and their descendents–in essence, once
again, victimize the victims. For this reason, America must recognize
the Turkish massacre and displacement of Armenians as an act of
genocide. The House Judiciary Committee, upon its unanimous approval
of the Genocide Resolution, described the Armenian Genocide in the
following terms:
Beginning in 1915, the Islamic Turkish state of the Ottoman
Empire sought to end the collective existence of the Christian
Armenian population. From 1915 through 1918, during World War 1,
the Ottoman Empire subjected the Armenian people to deportation,
expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and starvation. The
atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923. It is estimated
that one and a half million Armenians were killed out of over two
million Armenians who had lived in the Ottoman Empire. It should
be noted that these activities ceased with the institution of the
new Republic of Turkey in October, 1923.
U.S. recognition of the Armenian genocide is long past due. By
failing to admit and recognize atrocities that clearly took place we
undermine our Nation’s credibility and commitment to combat genocide.
On April 24, President Bush issued his annual message in remembrance
of the victims of the Armenian Genocide–only he failed to use the
word “genocide.” In failing to refer to the Armenian Genocide
accurately, he has turned his back on his own campaign pledge and on
190 Members of Congress who want the Armenian Genocide recognized. It
is not enough to say “never again.” We must take concrete steps to
give it meaning and to bolster our own resolve. Passing House
Resolution 193 is a small but important step in this ongoing effort to
thwart those who would commit genocide. It is the least we can do for
the millions who have been killed in Turkey, Germany, Rwanda, and
Cambodia. Understanding the lessons of these tragedies will help
prevent future crimes against humanity. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate
this opportunity to honor the victims of genocide, and to urge my
colleagues to always remain cognizant of the pledge our Nation has
made to prevent future acts of genocide.

COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the
victims of one of history’s most terrible tragedies, the Armenian
Genocide. April 24, 1915 is remembered and solemnly commemorated each
year by the Armenian community and others throughout the world. On
that day, Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders were
arrested in Constantinople, taken to the interior of Turkey and
murdered. In the years that followed, Armenians living under Ottoman
rule were systematically deprived of their homes, property, freedom,
dignity, and ultimately their lives. By 1923, 1.5 million Armenians
had been massacred and 500,000 more had been deported. The Armenian
Genocide is a historical fact, despite the efforts of some to minimize
its scope and deny its occurrence. Many of the survivors of the
genocide came to the United States, where they and their descendants
have contributed to our society in countless ways. In my district,
there is a significant population of Armenian survivors and their
families that showed heroic courage and a will to survive. With faith
and courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great suffering
and proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion and have
told the story of the genocide to an often indifferent world. As
Members of Congress and people of conscience, we must work to overcome
the indifference and distortions of history, and ensure that future
generations know what happened. Mr. Speaker, genocide is the most
potent of all crimes against humanity because it is an effort to
systematically wipe out a people and a culture as well as individual
lives. Denying that genocide took place when there are recorded
accounts of barbarity and ethnic violence is an injustice. This was a
tragic event in human history, but by paying tribute to the Armenian
community we ensure the lessons of the Armenian genocide are properly
understood and acknowledged. I am pleased my colleagues and I have
this opportunity to ensure this tragedy is remembered.

REMEMBERING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the victims of
the Armenian Genocide, one of the great tragedies of the 20th century.
Last Saturday, April 24, 2004, marked the 89th anniversary of the
beginning of that tragic period and I urge all Americans to take time
to remember, reflect, and pledge never to forget what happened.
On April 24, 1915, under the guise of collecting supplies for its
participation in World War I, the Ottoman Empire launched a brutal and
unconscionable policy of mass murder. The New York Times reported that
the Ottoman Empire had adopted a policy to annihilate the Armenians
living within the empire. Throughout the following years, Armenians
faced violent attacks, starvation, deportation, and murder. Sadly, the
world took little notice.
Before the violence began in 1914, 2.5 million Armenians lived in the
Ottoman Empire. As a result of the genocide, 1.5 million Armenians had
died and another 500,000 had been driven from their homes and villages.
We must remember and pay homage to those that died. We must remind the
world of these deaths and renew our commitment to ensure that such
tragedies never happen again.
I am proud to represent an Armenian community of half a million in my
great State of California. They are a strong and resilient community,
taking strength in the tragedies of the past and the promise of a
better tomorrow. This community is leading the effort to preserve the
memory of the Armenian Genocide not only for future generations of
Armenian Americans, but, indeed, for all Americans and all citizens of
the world.
I urge my colleagues to join me in remembering the first genocide of
the 20th century. Through our commemoration of this tragedy, we make
clear that we will not tolerate mass murder and ethnic cleansing ever
again and we will never forget.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, people around the world are joining
together to solemnly remember and honor the men, women and children who
perished in the Armenian genocide. Eighty-none years ago, 11/2
million Armenians were systematically massacred at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire. Over 500,000 more were forced to flee their homeland of
3,000 years. Before genocide was defined and codified in international
law, Armenians experienced its horror.
Yet it appears that the international community did not learn the
lessons of Armenia’s genocide. Throughout the 20th century, the
international community failed to act as governments in Germany,
Yugoslavia and Rwanda attempted to methodically eliminate people
because of their religion or ethnicity. Minority groups were abandoned
by the international community in each instance to be overwhelmed by
violence and despair. In Armenia, as in Rwanda and the Holocaust, the
perpetrating governments scapegoated their minority groups for the
difficulties they faced as societies. They justified their campaigns of
hatred with political and economic reasons in an attempt to rationalize
their depravity.
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.
In the shadow of the Holocaust, in 1948, the United Nations adopted
the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide. What Winston Churchill once called a “crime without a
name”, was now called “genocide” by the Convention and defined as
“acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” The Convention
required its parties to create domestic legislation to hold
perpetrators of genocide accountable for their actions and to place
these perpetrators before domestic courts or international tribunals.
The international community has a long way to go in punishing and
especially, preventing genocide. But we have made the first steps. As
we move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia’s genocide. Can
we recognize the rhetorical veils of murderous leaders, thrown up to
disguise the agenda at hand? Have we, the international community,
learned that we must not stand by, paralyzed, as horrors occur, but
work collectively to prevent and stop genocides from occurring? We owe
the victims of the Armenian genocide this commitment.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. JOE BACA
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the genocide of
Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Starting in 1915, the
Ottoman Empire tortured and murdered up to one and a half million
Armenians. More than half a million were forced to leave and went into
exile. The Armenians settled across the world lending energy and
strength to their adoptive communities. It is important to recognize
the historical atrocities perpetrated against the Armenians. We must
teach our children about the fear, torture, mass graves, and
expulsions of the Armenian people. Through education and
commemoration, our children can grow up to be better citizens and
better Americans. By recognizing genocide for what it is, the world
can wake up to the obscene nature that sometimes grips nations and
work to prevent the mass killing that devastated the Armenian people.
With this year’s commemoration of the Armenian genocide, I urge all
Americans to be vigilant and watchful. We must prevent hatred and
bigotry. We must do all we can to prevent genocide. By commemorating
the past, we can make the future a better place to live.

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The Armenian Genocide
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, a few remarks on the Armenian genocide. My
Armenian-American friends and neighbors in Los Angeles have asked me
to speak tonight as a tribute to the victims of the Armenian genocide.
As you know, in April 1915, approximately 1.5 million Armenians were
systematically killed in an organized fashion by the Ottoman
government. Ample documentation of these facts exist; yet today,
almost 9 decades later, the government of the modern state of Turkey
still fails to acknowledge the fact of the Armenian genocide.
Turkey’s failure to acknowledge the truth is a burden on the alliance
between our two nations. I would say to our President, it should be
called as it is, a crime of genocide. So I call upon the President of
the United States to uphold the commitment he made back when he was
running for President and put the United States of America on record
acknowledging the Armenian genocide.

COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, today we commemorate the 89th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide, a painful chapter in world history when the
international community stood silent as Armenian villages were purged
and systematically destroyed. Between the years of 1915 and 1923,
close to one and half million Armenians were killed while hundreds of
thousands of others were mercilessly deported, exiled, and uprooted
from their homes. Although the atrocities were documented by the
United States and others, the information was never acted upon. Sadly,
even today, the issue remains buried. After 89 years, the victims and
their descendants deserve better. No longer should their suffering go
unnoticed or unmourned. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide is long
overdue. It is time for the United States to make a concerted effort
to overcome the historical denial that genocide took place, and put an
end to the harmful isolation of Armenia that tragically continues. We
must identify ways to facilitate the lifting of the blockade against
Armenia and encourage a peaceful resolution of the conflict in
Nagorno-Karabagh. We must help Armenia continue to flourish as a
burgeoning democracy, extend Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR)
status to strengthen her economy, and stand ready to help maintain her
military strength. Let us resolve ourselves to ensure that the coming
year will be one that brings full recognition of the genocide that
took place, and peace to the region and the memory of those who
perished.

[Congressional Record: April 27, 2004 (House)]
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{time} 1945

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 89TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burgess). Under a previous order of the
House, the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) is recognized for 5
minutes. Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the one and a
half million Armenians who perished in the Armenian genocide that
began 89 years ago on April 24, 1915. I consider this a sacred
obligation, to ensure that future generations of Americans remember
the first genocide of the 20th century and to ensure that the men,
women and children who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire are
not lost to history. We have always recognized the transience of
memory. It is why we set aside holidays and build monuments to honor
our heroes and the events that have shaped our societies. The stone
and concrete of a memorial serve to freeze history and to preserve it
for those who will follow. The written word cannot be burned when it
is etched into rock. Time is the ally of those who would deny or
change history. Such has it been with the government of Turkey and the
Armenian genocide. Although the genocide was perpetrated by modern
Turkey’s predecessor, generations of Turkish leaders have steadfastly
denied that the genocide ever took place, despite overwhelming
evidence to the contrary. Time is on their side. The generation of
Armenians with direct memory of the genocide is gone. Their children
are aging. Much of the rest of the world has moved on, reluctant to
dredge up unpleasant memories and risk the ire of modern Turkey. For
those of us who care deeply about the issue, we must redouble our
efforts to ensure that our Nation, which has championed liberty and
human rights throughout its history, is not complicit in Ankara’s
effort to obfuscate what happened between 1915 and 1923. Worse still,
by tacitly siding with those who would deny the Armenian genocide, we
have rendered hollow our commitment to never again let genocide occur.
Among historians there is no dispute that what happened to the
Armenian people was genocide. Thousands of pages of documents sit in
our National Archives. Newspapers of the day were replete with stories
about the murder of Armenians. Appeal to Turkey to stop massacres
headlined the New York Times on April 28, 1915, just as the killing
began. On October 7 of that year, the Times reported that 800,000
Armenians had been slain in cold blood in Asia Minor. In mid-December
of 1915, the Times spoke of a million Armenians killed or in exile.
Prominent citizens of the day, including America’s ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire, Henry Morgenthau, and Britain’s Lord Bryce reported on
the massacres in great detail. Morgenthau was appalled at what he
would later call the sadistic orgies of rape, torture, and
murder. Lord Bryce, a former British ambassador to the United States,
worked to raise awareness of and money for the victims of what he
called the most colossal crime in the history of the world. In October
1915, the Rockefeller Foundation contributed $30,000, a sum worth more
than half a million dollars today, to a relief fund for Armenia.
Others, too, reacted in horror to what Ambassador Morgenthau called,
for lack of a specific term, race murder. In the early 1930s, 10 years
after the genocide, a young Polish attorney named Raphael Lemkin, who
had read of the genocide as a child, tried to get European statesmen
to criminalize the destruction of ethnic and religious groups. He was
dismissed as an alarmist. A few years later, when Hitler invaded
Poland, Lemkin lost 49 members of his family in the Holocaust. Lemkin
escaped, first to Sweden, where he documented the horrors going on in
Nazi-occupied Europe and then to the United States, where he worked
for the Allied war effort. He resolved to create a word to convey the
mass atrocities being committed by the Germans. In 1944, while working
for the U.S. War Department, he coined the term “genocide,” citing
the slaughter of Armenians three decades earlier. In 1948, in the
shadow of the Holocaust, the international community responded to Nazi
Germany’s methodically orchestrated acts of genocide by approving the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide. It confirms that genocide
[[Page H2398]]
is a crime under international law and defines genocide as actions
committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or
religious group. The United States, under President Truman, was the
first Nation to sign the convention. Last year marked the 15th
anniversary of President Reagan’s signing of the Genocide Convention
Implementation Act. Just over a year ago, I introduced H.R. 193 with
my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich), with the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), with the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), and other Members of this House. This
resolution reaffirms the support of the Congress for the genocide
convention and commemorates the anniversary of our becoming a party to
this landmark legislation. On May 21 of last year, we achieved a huge
victory when we passed the genocide resolution by a very strong
bipartisan vote. This should be an easy resolution for all of us now
to support on the House floor. Genocide is the most abhorrent crime
known to humankind; and unfortunately, it still exists. Exactly 10
years ago, before the cameras of the world, Rwanda’s majority Hutus
exterminated over 500,000 Tutsi in just over 3 months’ time, mostly
with machetes and homemade axes. The reason that we have not yet
succeeded in passing this resolution on the House floor is simple. The
government of Turkey refuses to acknowledge the genocide and the
strongest Nation on Earth fears their reaction if we do. All over the
globe–from South Africa, to Argentina, to the former Yugoslavia,
governments have set up truth commissions and other bodies to
investigate atrocities. Nowhere has this process been more extensive
than in Germany, which has engaged in decades of soul-searching and
good works that have not only restored the nation’s standing, but also
its moral authority. I call upon the government of Turkey and our own
government to do the same. When the burden of the past is lifted, then
the future is brighter. As long as Ankara engages in prevarication,
equivocation and evasion, Turkey will exist under a cloud–not because
of its past, but because of its refusal to address that past. And as
long as we fail to do our duty in this country, in this Congress, we
do not live up to our great name and our great heritage. I also call
upon the distinguished Speaker of the House to allow us to vote on the
Genocide Resolution. One hundred ten of my colleagues have cosponsored
this resolution and I expect that it would pass overwhelmingly if
given the chance, but we must do it soon, for with each year the
events of 1915-1923 recede a bit more into the dark of history. Time,
Mr. Speaker, is not on our side. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
for 1 additional minute. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair cannot
recognize that unanimous consent request. The gentleman’s time has
expired.

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ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn memorial to the
estimated 1.5 million men, women, and children who lost their lives
during the Armenian Genocide. As in the past, I am pleased to join so
many distinguished House colleagues on both sides of the aisle in
ensuring that the horrors wrought upon the Armenian people are never
repeated.
On April 24, 1915, over 200 religious, political, and intellectual
leaders of the Armenian community were brutally executed by the Turkish
government in Istanbul. Over the course of the next 8 years, this war
of ethnic genocide against the Armenian community in the Ottoman Empire
took the lives of over half the world’s Armenian population.
Sadly, there are some people who still deny the very existence of
this period which saw the institutionalized slaughter of the Armenian
people and dismantling of Armenian culture. To those who would question
these events, I point to the numerous reports contained in the U.S.
National Archives detailing the process that systematically decimated
the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. However, old records are
too easily forgotten–and dismissed. That is why we come together every
year at this time: to remember in words what some may wish to file away
in archives. This genocide did take place, and these lives were taken.
That memory must keep us forever vigilant in our efforts to prevent
these atrocities from ever happening again.
I am proud to note that Armenian immigrants found, in the United
States, a country where their culture could take root and thrive. Most
Armenians in America are children or grandchildren of the survivors,
although there are still survivors among us. In my district in
Northwest Indiana, a vibrant Armenian-American community has developed
and strong ties to Armenia continue to flourish. My predecessor in the
House, the late Adam Benjamin, was of Armenian heritage, and his
distinguished service in the House serves as an example to the entire
Northwest Indiana community. Over the years, members of the Armenian-
American community throughout the United States have contributed
millions of dollars and countless hours of their time to various
Armenian causes. Of particular note are Mrs. Vicki Hovanessian and her
husband, Dr. Raffy Hovanessian, residents of Indiana’s First
Congressional District, who have continually worked to improve the
quality of life in Armenia, as well as in Northwest Indiana. Three
other Armenian-American families in my congressional district, Dr. Aram
and Mrs. Seta Semerdjian, Dr. Heratch and Mrs. Sonya Doumanian, and Dr.
Ara and Mrs. Rosy Yeretsian, have also contributed greatly toward
charitable works in the United States and Armenia. Their efforts,
together with hundreds of other members of the Armenian-American
community, have helped to finance several important projects in
Armenia, including the construction of new schools, a mammography
clinic, and a crucial roadway connecting Armenia to Nagorno Karabagh.
In the House, I have tried to assist the efforts of my Armenian-
American constituency by continually supporting foreign aid to Armenia.
This past year, with my support, Armenia received $84 million in U.S.
aid to assist economic and military development. In addition, on April
16, 2004, I joined several of my colleagues in signing the letter to
President Bush urging him to honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide.
The Armenian people have a long and proud history. In the fourth
century, they became the first nation to embrace Christianity. During
World War I, the Ottoman Empire was ruled by an organization known as
the Young Turk Committee, which allied with Germany. Amid fighting in
the Ottoman Empire’s eastern Anatolian provinces, the historic
heartland of the Christian Armenians, Ottoman authorities ordered the
deportation and execution of all Armenians in the region. By the end of
1923, virtually the entire Armenian population of Anatolia and western
Armenia had either been killed or deported.
While it is important to keep the lessons of history in mind, we must
also remain committed to protecting Armenia from new and more hostile
aggressors. In the last decade, thousands of lives have been lost and
more than a million people displaced in the struggle between Armenia
and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabagh. Even now, as we rise to
commemorate the accomplishments of the Armenian people and mourn the
tragedies they have suffered, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and other countries
continue to engage in a debilitating blockade of this free nation.
Consistently, I have testified before the Foreign Operations
Appropriations Subcommittee on the important issue of bringing peace to
a troubled area of the world. I continued my support for maintaining
the level of funding for the Southern Caucasus region of the
Independent States (IS), and of Armenia in particular. In addition, on
February 26, 2004, I joined several of my colleagues in sending a
letter to President Bush urging nim to ensure parity in military
assistance between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, Representatives Joe
Knollenberg and Frank Pallone, for organizing this special order to
commemorate the 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Their
efforts will not only help bring needed attention to this tragic period
in world history, but also serve to remind us of our duty to protect
basic human rights and freedoms around the world.

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COMMEMORATING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
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 today to join my
colleagues in the sad commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
Today, we continue the crusade to ensure that this tragedy is never
forgotten. This 89th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is an
emotional time. The loss of life experienced by so many families is
devastating. But, in the face of the systematic slaughter of 1.5
million people, the Armenian community has persevered with a vision of
life and freedom.
Armenian Americans are representative of the resolve, bravery, and
strength of spirit that is so characteristic of Armenians around the
world. That strength carried them through humanity’s worst: Upheaval
from a homeland of 3,000 years, massacre of kin, and deportation to
foreign lands. That same strength gathers Armenians around the world to
make certain that this tragedy is never forgotten.
Without recognition and remembrance, this atrocity remains a threat
to nations around the world. I’ve often quoted philosopher George
Santayana who said: “Those who do not remember the past are condemned
to repeat it.” And to remember, we must first acknowledge what it is–
Genocide.
Tragically, more than 1.5 million Armenians were systematically
murdered at the hands of the Young Turks. More than 500,000 were
deported. It was brutal. It was deliberate. It was an organized
campaign and it lasted more than 8 years. We must make certain that we
remember.
Now, we must ensure that the world recognizes that Armenian people
have remembered, and they have survived and thrived.
Out of the crumbling Soviet Union, the Republic of Armenia was born,
and independence was gained. But, independence has not ended the
struggle.
To this day, the Turkish government denies that genocide of the
Armenian people occurred and denies its own responsibility for the
deaths of 1.5 million people.
In response to this revisionist history, the Republic of France
passed legislation that set the moral standard for the international
community. The French National Assembly unanimously passed a bill that
officially recognizes the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey
during and after WWI as genocide.
Several nations have since joined in the belief that history should
beset straight. Canada, Argentina, Belgium, Lebanon, The Vatican,
Uruguay, the European parliament, Russia, Greece, Sweden and France,
have authored declarations or decisions confirming that the genocide
occurred. As a country, we must join these nations in recognition of
this atrocity.
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I am proud to join more than 100 of my colleagues in cosponsoring H.
Res. 193, which emphasizes the importance of remembering and learning
from past crimes against humanity. We must demand that the United
States officially acknowledge the forced exile and annihilation of 1.5
million people as genocide.
Denying the horrors of those years merely condones the behavior in
other places as was evidenced in Rwanda, Indonesia, Burundi, Sri Lanka,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Iraq. Silence may have been the
signal to perpetrators of these atrocities that they could commit
genocide, deny it, and get away with it.
As Americans, the reminder of targeted violence and mass slaughter is
still raw. We lost nearly 3,000 people on September 11. I cannot
imagine the world trying to say that this did not occur. The loss of
1.5 million people is a global tragedy.
A peaceful and stable South Caucasus region is clearly in the U.S.
national interest. Recognizing the genocide must be a strategy for this
goal in an increasingly uncertain region. One of the most important
ways in which we an honor the memory of the Armenian victims of the
past is to help modern Armenia build a secure and prosperous future.
The United States has a unique history of aid to Armenia, being among
the first to recognize that need, and the first to help. I am pleased
with the U.S. involvement in the emphasis of private sector
development, regionally focused programs, people-to-people linkages and
the development of a civil society.
I recently joined many of my colleagues in requesting funding for
Armenia including for Foreign Military Financing, for Economic Support
Funds, and for assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia has made impressive progress in rebuilding a society and a
nation in the face of dramatic obstacles. I will continue to take a
strong stand in support of Armenia’s commitment to democracy, the rule
of law, and a market economy–I am proud to stand with Armenia in doing
so. But there is more to be done. Conflict persists in the Nagorno-
Karabakh region.
Congress has provided funding for confidence building in that region,
and I will continue my support of that funding and the move toward a
brighter future for Armenia. But in building our future, we must not
forget our past. That is why I strongly support the efforts of the
Armenian community in the construction of the Armenian Genocide
Memorial and Museum. Because so many Armenians have spoken of the
destruction, they have made certain that we remember.
Nothing we can do or say will bring those who perished back to life,
but we can imbue their memories with everlasting meaning by teaching
the lessons of the Armenian genocide to the next generation and help
Armenia build its future.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress