Congressional Record: May 4, 2005 (Extensions)

MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

of indiana

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

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
Sates, 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 Armenia-
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 him 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.