The General Court of Massachusetts
State House, Boston 02133
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Sonya Khan w/Rep. Koutoujian
April 23rd 2009
617-722-2220/617-803-2236 cell
Sonya.Khan@state.ma.us
Massachusetts House of Representatives Pass Resolution Asking Congress
to Recognize the Armenian Genocide
Passes with a majority a day before the 94th Anniversary
BOSTON-Today, State Representative Peter J. Koutoujian and 82 of his
colleagues, including the Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo, filed a
House Resolution to urge the U.S. Congress to renew their efforts in
officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The resolution
calls for the passage of Congressional Resolution, H.Res 252, which
currently has the support of 100 U.S. Congressmen, as well as Speaker of
the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
The Massachusetts House of Representatives Resolution passes on the day
before the 94th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. April 24th is
marked as the annual day of remembrance by hundreds of thousands of
people around the world in recognition the Genocide.
President Barack Obama is set to offer remarks to the Armenian people.
As a U.S. Senator and candidate for the White House, President Obama
explicitly pledged to recognize the Armenian Genocide. H. Res. 252
calls upon the president to ensure that the foreign policy of the United
States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning
issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide
documented in the United States’ record relating to the Armenian
Genocide.
The Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Turkish
Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly
2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men, women and children were
killed. The 500,000 survivors were expelled from their homes,
succeeding in eliminating Armenians’ presence in their historic
homeland.
"The immense support from my colleagues was overwhelming," said State
Representative Peter Koutoujian (D-Waltham). "Each year, when April
24th comes around, I think of my grandparents, Abraham and Zarouhi, and
their flight from their home in Marash, Turkey. It is in remembrance
of them and the millions of Armenians who suffered that I look to
Congress to recognize this genocide. My grandparents’ experience is
both humbling in that it provided me, their grandson, the opportunity to
be in a position to call for recognition of this forgotten genocide, and
sad at the same time, in that we in the U.S. have yet to acknowledge it
officially. This anniversary is also a reminder that despite the fact
that genocide has reoccurred a number of times since the plight of the
Armenians, and still occurs today – these crimes against humanity will
continue until we truly recognize the act of genocide."
"We must never forget the 1.5 million Armenians killed in the Genocide
94 years ago. We must not allow the world to forget," said House Speaker
DeLeo, who served as host for a ceremony in the House chamber
commemorating the Armenian Genocide last week. "I hope that this
resolution will encourage Congress to act promptly."
Currently, while the United States does not officially recognize the
Armenian Genocide nationally, 42 of the 50 states do. Additionally, the
countries of Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Lebanon, Netherlands, Poland, Russia,
Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Venezuela stand with Armenia
in recognizing the Genocide.
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Representative Peter J. Koutoujian
10th Middlesex District
Chairman, Joint Committee on Financial Services
tel: 617.722.2220
fax: 617.722.2821