Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. anca@anca.org
Internet
PRESS RELEASE
April 22, 2010
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SCHIFF URGES OBAMA TO PROPERLY RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— Rejects Linkage Between Protocols and U.S. Recognition
WASHINGTON, DC – In a forcefully worded letter, Armenian Genocide
Resolution lead sponsor, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), urged
President Barack Obama to stand by his record as a U.S. Senator and
his pledges as a Presidential candidate to properly recognize the
Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
"We join with Armenian Americans from across the country in
thanking Congressman Schiff for his leadership in calling upon
President Obama to keep his pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
"As we approach April 24th, in the wake of the collapse of the
Protocols process, it’s clear that President Obama faces a stark
choice: He can honor his commitments and his conscience by
properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide, or he can remain an
accomplice to the Turkish government’s campaign to deny this crime
against humanity," added Hamparian.
Noting that President Obama did not properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide in his 2009 April 24th statement because of "possible
reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey," Rep. Schiff pointed out
that "this misapprehended the nature of reconciliation, which can
never find a sound basis in the denial of genocide, or silence when
confronted by denial." He went on to argue that "Linking the
process of the protocols to the Armenian Genocide resolution
actually encourages Turkey to not ratify them, since the Turks know
that prolonging the process serves to provide opponents of the
resolution with a continuing excuse to delay recognition of the
Armenian Genocide."
Earlier this week, 14 Senators issued a similar call, spearheaded
by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), urging President Obama to properly
characterize the Armenian Genocide in his annual statement. At the
Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance on April 21st, over 20
Members of the U.S. House discussed the importance of full and
formal U.S. affirmation of this crime.
The full text of Rep. Schiff’s letter is provided below.
#####
April 22, 2010
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. President:
As the primary sponsor of H.Res.252, the Armenian Genocide
resolution, I urge you to properly characterize the murder of 1.5
million men, women and children as "genocide" in your statement
marking the April 24 anniversary of the start of the genocide.
Ninety-five years ago this month, in the spring of 1915, the
government of the Ottoman Empire launched a campaign against its
Armenian population. Wholesale massacres, forced marches through
blistering deserts, rapes, and looting were visited upon the
Armenians of Eastern Anatolia. By the time that the killings ended
in 1923, one and a half millions Armenians were dead and the
world’s oldest Christian nation had been shattered – with its
survivors scattered around the world.
As a Senator, and during the 2009 presidential campaign, you
repeatedly spoke of the massacres of Armenians at the hands of the
Ottoman Government as genocide. This was in line with the
overwhelming majority of historians, including some notable Turkish
historians, and the genocide has also been recognized by many local
and state governments here in the United States and by many
governments around the world.
Last April you did not use the term "genocide" to describe the
events of 1915 to 1923. At the time, some argued that the possible
reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey was a reason to hold off
on recognition. This misapprehended the nature of reconciliation,
which can never find a sound basis in the denial of genocide, or
silence when confronted by denial. Now, despite the signing of the
Protocols, the Turkish government has given every indication that
it will not ratify or implement the agreement and has sought to
make resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh issue a precondition for
any action by the Turkish parliament. I have repeatedly warned
that Turkey would attempt to use the protocols process as a means
to prevent the Administration from using the word "genocide" and to
try to forestall consideration of a genocide resolution in
Congress. That must not be allowed to come to pass. Linking the
process of the protocols to the Armenian Genocide resolution
actually encourages Turkey to not ratify them, since the Turks know
that prolonging the process serves to provide opponents of the
resolution with a continuing excuse to delay recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.
Mr. President, you have always been a leader on the important issue
of human rights. I urge you to stand with the ever-dwindling
number of survivors, as well as the descendants of others, who
survived the Armenian Genocide and continue to suffer the "double
killing" of denial, by referring to it as genocide.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Adam B. Schiff
Member of Congress
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress