PRESS RELEASE
February 2, 2010
Contact: Press Department
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
COALITION OF ARMENIAN, JEWISH COMMUNITY LEADERS LAUNCH GRASSROOTS PETITION
FOR U.S. REAFFIRMATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Armenian Assembly Urges Swift Passage of Armenian Genocide Resolution
Boston, MA – Today, leaders from Boston’s vibrant Armenian and Jewish
communities launched an online grassroots petition urging all people
of conscience to sign a letter to President Obama and Congress that
calls for swift passage of H. Res. 252, the Armenian Genocide
resolution currently pending in Congress, reported the Armenian
Assembly of America (Assembly).
"The Assembly commends the work of this important human rights
coalition and calls on all American citizens to affirm the U.S. record
on the Armenian Genocide by signing the petition to your elected
Representatives," stated Assembly Grassroots Director Taniel
Koushakjian. The Armenian American Action Committee of Massachusetts
(ARAMAC-MA), Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts, the
Massachusetts Jewish community and Assembly anti-genocide coalition
partner Investor’s Against Genocide were instrumental in launching the
petition and resource page.
The Boston based coalition of Armenian and Jewish communities have
been engaged in a robust civil society dialogue, which was the outcome
of a 2007 rift where the local Massachusetts branch of the
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) broke with national ADL leader Abraham
Foxman in acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. ADL later altered their
position, and just last month stated, "We continue to believe that
there was a genocide..," yet continue to oppose legislation in
Congress that would affirm the incontestable truth.
Herman Purutyan, ARAMAC-MA State Chair and coalition member stated,
"This is an exciting collaboration of two communities, who have
experienced the ultimate crime against humanity, to stop future
genocides wherever they may occur. As two communities, Jewish and
Armenian, we ask our fellow citizens to let the President and Congress
know that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is critically
important, not only because it is morally the right thing to do, but
also it is necessary to prevent such crimes from happening again."
ARAMAC-MA activists and Boston area Jewish community leaders have been
pressing American Jewish groups, such as the ADL, to cease assisting
the government of Turkey in its denial of the Armenian Genocide. In a
January 10, 2010, letter to the Jewish Times of South Jersey, three
prominent Rabbis from Massachusetts wrote that "precisely because of
our experience, Jews and Jewish groups need to be fighting genocide
denial, not engaging in it as a way of validating the tragedies of our
own history."
Mirrored after H. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide resolution which
passed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in 2007, H. Res. 252
boasts 137 cosponsors and is currently pending in the aforementioned
committee. "What the world witnessed at the turn of the 20th century
is being repeated again at the dawn of the 21st century today in
Darfur. By signing the online petition, one can play an important role
in helping to end the vicious cycle of genocide," stated Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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