ANCA LAUNCHES "COUNTDOWN TO ERDOGAN" CALLING ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO HONOR HIS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PLEDGE
armradio.am
09.11.2009 13:13
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) today unveiled
"Countdown to Erdogan" – a month-long campaign of grassroots activism
aimed at encouraging the U.S. Congress, the media, and – ultimately
– the White House to put America on the right side of the Armenian
Genocide.
Starting on Monday, November 9th, the ANCA website –
– will launch a new action item every day,
ranging from on-line activism and call-in days to social networking,
coalition-building, community outreach, and hands-on activities – all
aimed at educating and inspiring President Obama, on December 7th,
to tell Prime Minister Erdogan, to his face, that America stands
for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide. Each
week will also include at least one action item geared to end the
ongoing genocide in Darfur, as part of the ANCA’s broader commitment
to fostering U.S leadership in ending the cycle of genocide.
The first week of the campaign will address the U.S. Senate, the
second the U.S. House, followed by the media on the third week, and
then a final push in the final seven days directly to the White House.
President Obama is set to meet with President Erdogan on December 7th.
"As we all know far too well, when President Obama met this April
in Ankara with Prime Minister Erdogan, he got it wrong, breaking
his clearly and repeatedly stated promise to recognize the Armenian
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, in a letter
to campaign participants. "Even worse, in the weeks that followed,
he compounded his broken pledge by joining with Turkey in pressuring
Armenia, a landlocked and blockaded country, into accepting a
historical "commission" that calls into question this very crime
against humanity. This time, on American soil, President Obama has
a chance to make it right – to honor his pledge and be, as he stated
during the campaign, the President the American people deserve."
The "Countdown to Erdogan" campaign launch coincides with recent
statements by Prime Minister Erdogan denying both the Armenian
and Darfur genocides. In recent remarks, he asserted that "It’s
not possible for a Muslim to commit genocide." His statements came
in response to international pressure on Turkey to arrest Sudanese
dictator Omar al-Bashir during a scheduled visit, later postponed,
to Ankara. "We are comfortable [with the visit of al-Bashir],"
explained Erdogan.