PRESS RELEASE
Date: April 25, 2008
Armenian National Committee of New York
P.O. Box 770-693
Woodside, NY 11377
Contact: Doug Geogerian
Tel: 646-468-9061
CONG. PETER KING (R-NY-3) OFFERS REMARKS ON THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FOR CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
—Follows Appeal by Arch. Oshagan Choloyan and genocide survivor
Alice Shnorhokian
New York, NY — Congressman Peter King (R-NY-3) reaffirmed the
historical fact of the Armenian Genocide in remarks offered for the
Congressional Record on Thursday, April 24, 2008 reported the
Armenian National Committee of New York (ANC of NY).
The issued statement was in response to appeals made by His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian
Apostolic Church of America, and genocide survivor Alice
Shnorhokian who were joined by representatives of the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) to ask that the congressman
support the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H. Res. 106, during a
meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 in Washington, DC.
Speaking at the meeting, Cong. King told the delegation of Armenian
community leaders that he has always known that the events of 1915
constituted genocide, and pledged to include such language in a
statement to be offered for the Congressional Record.
In his remarks, he stated: "Today I rise to mark the anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide which began on this date ninety-three years
ago. From 1915-1923 the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation
of approximately 2 million Armenian men, women, and children from
their homeland of which 1.5 million were killed. And to this day,
neither the Ottoman nor Turkish governments have been held to
account for their involvement."
Among those present at the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
America, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of Soorp Khatch
Armenian Church of Bethesda, Maryland; ANCA National Board member
Onnik Petrossian; ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Karine
Birazian; ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian; ANCA
Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian; Henry Dumanian, a
constituent; and Vahig Shnorhokian and Tsoleen Sarian,
grandchildren of Alice Shnorhokian.
After learning of the congressman’s statement, ANC of NY Chairman
Doug Geogerian said: "We greatly appreciate the congressman’s
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. We look forward to his
support for getting the entire House of Representatives to vote in
favor of the Armenian Genocide resolution, H. Res. 106."
The Armenian National Committee of New York is part of the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.
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Photo Caption #1: Left to Right: Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian,
pastor of Soorp Khatch Armenian Church of Bethesda, Maryland, His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian
Apostolic Church of America, Armenian Genocide survivor Alice
Shnorhokian, Rep. Peter King, and ANCA ER Director Karine Birazian
Remarks of Cong. Peter King (R-NY-3) on April 24, 2008:
Madam Speaker, today I rise to mark the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide which began on this date ninety-three years ago. From
1915-1923 the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation of
approximately 2 million Armenian men, women, and children from
their homeland of which 1.5 million were killed. And to this day,
neither the Ottoman nor Turkish governments have been held to
account for their involvement.
The 20th Century witnessed some of the worst violence and atrocities
in history: the attempted extermination of the Jewish People during
the Holocaust, Tutsis slaughtering Hutus in Rwanda, Stalin’s
campaign of mass murder and starvation, the killing fields of
Cambodia, and, of course, the Armenian Genocide. Millions upon
millions of innocent people were killed solely because of the color
of their skin, the tribe they belonged to, or the religion they
practiced.
As you know, too often in the past the world has stood by or looked
the other way when genocide was taking place. And now we see it
happening once again in Darfur. We most stop this horrible violence
taking place in Sudan at once and make sure genocide is never
repeated anywhere around the world. The call of "never again" must
not just be exclaimed but rather acted upon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress