Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
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PRESS RELEASE
December 18, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA CONFRONTS U.S. SILENCE ON GENOCIDE
— Nahapetian Testimony Before Senate Panel
Challenges U.S. Complicity in Turkey’s Denial
as Contributing to Ongoing Cycle of Genocide
"Turkey’s success in silencing one of the most powerful
countries in the world on one of the best documented cases
of genocide emboldens other states to commit genocide and
undermines the ability of the U.S. and the international
community to prevent crimes against humanity."
— Kate Nahapetian, ANCA Government Affairs Director
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
this week called the attention of an influential U.S. Senate panel to
how the failure of U.S. policy-makers to confront past genocides has
materially contributed to an international environment which tolerates
continued crimes against humanity, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
"Considering… the moral and legal obligations we have undertaken as
parties to the Genocide Convention, it is truly astonishing that the
United States has more recently pursued a policy of complicity in
Turkey’s state-sponsored denial of the Armenian Genocide and has even
gone to the lengths of assisting Turkey in covering up a crime that
was publicly cited by Raphael Lemkin as one of the major motivating
factors in the very drafting of the Genocide Convention," explained
ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian in written testimony
submitted to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the
Law for a hearing titled "The Law of the Land: U.S. Implementation of
Human Rights Treaties."
Nahapetian continued, noting that, "Turkey’s success in silencing one
of the most powerful countries in the world on one of the best
documented cases of genocide emboldens other states to commit genocide
and undermines the ability of the U.S. and the international community
to prevent crimes against humanity. The starkest example of this
consequence is Sudan’s mimicking of Turkish genocide denial tactics
and the growing alliance between these two countries."
The complete text of Nahapetian’s testimony can be viewed at:
Sen_Judiciary.pdf