ANCA CALLED FOR END TO U.S. COMPLICITY IN TURKEY’S DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb 6 2007

February 5 the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) in
testimony submitted to a key U.S. Senate Judiciary panel, called for
an end to U.S. complicity in Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide,
and concrete steps to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

The ANCA’s written testimony was submitted as a part of the inaugural
hearing of the newly created Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human
Rights and Law, titled "Genocide and the Rule of Law", which included
remarks by Canadian Senator Romeo Dallaire, Deputy Assistant Attorney
General Sigal Mandelker, actor and activist Don Cheadle, and American
University College of Law Professor Diane F. Orentlicher.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the ANCA, Armenian
National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian in
his testimony stated, "Today, as we witness the genocide unfolding
in Darfur, it has become increasingly clear that the failure of the
international community, over the course of the past century, to
confront and punish genocide has created an environment of impunity
in which the brutal cycle of genocide continues."

Hamparian cited the history of U.S. complicity in Turkey’s 92-year
campaign of genocide denial, most recently through the firing of former
Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans for properly characterizing
the Armenian Genocide as ‘genocide,’ and the re-nomination of Richard
Hoagland for this diplomatic posting – despite his record of denying
the Armenian Genocide. Hamparian publicly thanked Senator Robert
Menendez (D-NJ), who has placed a "hold" on the Hoagland nomination.

At the opening of the hearing, Chairman Richard Durbin (D-IL) presented
a video, "Genocide and the Rule of Law" which began with mention of
the Armenian Genocide, and went on to cite the other genocides of the
20th century. The film highlighted efforts by genocide law champion,
former Sen. Bill Proxmire (D-WI), who made over 3,000 Senate speeches
in support of U.S. ratification of the United Nations Convention
and the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. Sen. Tom Coburn
(R-OK), in his moving opening remarks, cited a poem inspired by the
Armenian atrocities, but which sadly describes the inhumanity of
all subsequent genocides. In his testimony, Cheadle noted Sudan as
the most recent of example of the cycle of genocide that pervaded
the last century, beginning with the Armenian Genocide. First term
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) outlined the "pattern of genocide"
the international community has faced over the past century, beginning
with the Armenian Genocide.
From: Baghdasarian