ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION WILL PREVENT FUTURE GENOCIDES
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2009 19:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Canadian Politicians Reaffirm Their Commitment to
Justice and to Historic Truth
Two Ministers, four Parliamentary Secretaries, thirty-nine members
of the House of Commons and seven Senators attended the reception,
on April 28, celebrating the 5th anniversary of the House of Commons’
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The momentous event, which
took place in the West Block of the House of Commons, was organized
by the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC).
A large number of other Canadian politicians also attended the
event to reaffirm their commitment to justice and to express their
unwavering solidarity with the Armenian people in their struggle to
fend off Armenian Genocide denial. The high stature of the attendees
was particularly heartening since they were there despite the Turkish
Government’s recent recall of the Turkish Ambassador from Canada.
In addition to Parliamentarians, Ambassadors and other members of the
diplomatic corps, NGO representatives, leading lights from Canadian
journalism, academia and education, representatives of the Canadian
Jewish Congress, Rwandan, Greek, Cypriot, and Kurdish community
leaders also attended the celebration.
Harold Albrecht, Chairman of Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship
Group, emphasized the importance of keeping the memory of the Armenian
Genocide alive so as to prevent future genocides.
Bloc Quebecois leader, Gilles Duceppe observed that because
perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide went unpunished, the
international community witnessed the repetition of this heinous crime
in Germany, in Cambodia, in Rwanda and in Sudan. In the opinion of
Mr. Duceppe reconciliation cannot take place without the recognition.
At the conclusion of the reception, Parliamentarians who voted in
favor of the passage of Motion M-380 were presented citations of
appreciation from the ANCC President.
A large contingent of Canadian-Armenians from Montreal, Laval, Ottawa,
Toronto, Hamilton, Cambridge, St. Catharines, and Vancouver joined
in the celebrations.
Aris Babikian, executive director of ANCC, said: "It was quite a
proud evening to see so many Parliamentarians attend this important
evening. For so many politicians to defy Turkish Government threats
and blackmail is very telling. Canadian legislators once again sent an
unequivocal message to the Turkish Government that it will not get away
with its denial campaign and it will be much more beneficial for the
Turkish Government to halt its falsification of history and to engage
the Armenian people in a genuine and sincere reconciliation process
and start healing the wounds perpetrated by its predecessor’s action."