[Congressional Record: April 22, 2005 (Extensions)]
[Page E739]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr22ap05-29]

COMMEMORATING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

______

HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

of new york

in the house of representatives

Thursday, April 21, 2005

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.
I strongly believe that 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 90th anniversary of the beginning of the genocide, we lend
our voices to a chorus 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.
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.
Additionally, it is clearly in our national interest to foster peace
and stability in the South Caucasus region. We in Congress need to
renew our commitment to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which
denies assistance to Azerbaijan until it ends its stranglehold on the
embattled region of Nagorno-Karabagh. We will not stand by as the
Armenian people are threatened yet again.
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.