BOXER LETTER URGES PRESIDENT TO "STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY"

Panorama.am
21/04/2010

California Senator Barbara Boxer was joined this week by more than a
dozen of her Senate colleagues in calling on President Obama "to stand
on the right side of history and unequivocally affirm the Armenian
Genocide," reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We would like to thank Senator Boxer and her Senate colleagues
for their effort to end Turkey’s gag rule on U.S. affirmation of
the Armenian Genocide – a morally bankrupt policy that continues to
undermine our nation’s credibility in the fight to end the cycle of
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "President
Obama has a clear choice to make on April 24th – to emerge as the
torchbearer of truth regarding the Armenian Genocide or to remain
the Turkish government’s accomplice in the denial of this crime
against humanity."

The letter, circulated by Senator Boxer and sent to the White House
earlier today with the signatures of 14 Senators from 10 different
states, underscored that, "despite an irrefutable body of evidence, the
United States Government has yet to recognize the events of 1915-1923
by their rightful name." The signatories urged the President, this
April 24 "to correct this injustice and finally acknowledge one of the
greatest atrocities of the 20th century for what it was – genocide."

In comments to the ANCA, Senator John Ensign (R-NV), a co-signer of the
letter, noted that, "This month will mark the 95th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. The atrocities that occurred 95 years ago have yet
to be recognized by our government as a genocide. In this letter, my
colleagues and I urge President Obama to once and for all declare that
the lives lost during this dark period were a result of a deliberate
and intentional massacre of innocent men, women, and children."

During his campaign for the White House, President Obama repeatedly
promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but, since, taking
office, has broken his pledge, even going so far as pressuring the
U.S. Congress against adopting legislation commemorating this crime
against humanity.