Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues is strongly
disappointed that the United Nations cancelled an exhibit commemorating the 13th
anniversary of the Rwanda genocide
Arminfo
2007-04-21 18:05:00
Congressman Frank Pallone, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues, is strongly disappointed the United Nations Secretary
General Ban Ki-Moon has given in to Turkey’s demands and cancelled
an exhibit commemorating the 13th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide.
The Armenian National Committee of America told ArmInfo that F.Pallone
pointed out that as a representative of the international community,
the United Nations must be the leading voice against genocide. That
includes all genocides, including the Armenian genocide. Unless the
United Nations takes a stand against Turkey’s denial, its value to
the international community is greatly undermined. " As the 92nd
anniversary of the Armenian genocide approaches, Turkey’s recent
behavior is yet another example of why it is so important for Congress
to reaffirm the Armenian genocide by passing H. Res. 106. Over the past
year, Turkey has pulled out of NATO exercises after France affirmed
the Armenian genocide. They have threatened U.S. troops in Iraq if the
U.S. reaffirms the Armenian genocide. And now they are preventing the
U.N. from honoring the victims of the Rwandan genocide. Their denial
has no limits. The United States must never allow crimes against
humanity to pass without remembrance and condemnation. As a society,
we cannot effectively work to end crimes against humanity without
recognizing those that have previously occurred," he emphasized. He
added that Turkey’s policy of denying the Armenian genocide gives
cover to those who perpetrate genocide everywhere. If the cycle is
to end, there must be accountability for genocide. "Genocide denial
is the last stage of genocide," he stressed. "As a global community
we must collectively stand for historical truth and recognize the
worst humanitarian crimes that we have seen," F.Pallone said.
To remind, on April 9 the United Nations cancelled the long-awaited
exhibit on the Rwanda Genocide of 1994 because one of its display
panels included a reference to the Armenian Genocide. The Turkish
Government considers unacceptable to refer to the origin of the word
"genocide" first used by Raphael Lemkin, a famous lawyer and human
rights campaigner, under the impression of the crime committed
against Armenians.