TIME HAS COME TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, SEN. JACK REED SAID
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2007 13:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Senators and Representatives joined Armenians
around the world this week in commemorating the 92nd anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide in statements on the floors of their respective
chambers of Congress, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA)
A major theme in their remarks was the importance of helping to
end U.S. complicity in Turkey’s continued campaign of Genocide
denial by passing the Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.106
and H.Res.106). Several called specifically for decisive U.S. and
international action to end the genocide currently taking place in
Darfur, noting that Turkey’s ability to commit genocide with impunity
has set a dangerous precedent that has encouraged other genocides.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said, "In order for democracy and human
rights to flourish, we must not support efforts to rewrite and
deny history. In the United States, we strive to make human rights
a fundamental component of our democracy. It is long overdue for
our nation to demand that the truth be told. We must recognize the
Armenian genocide in the name of democracy, fairness and human rights
… It is important that we recognize the Armenian genocide while its
survivors are still with us to tell their stories. We must recognize
the genocide for the survivors. We must recognize the genocide because
it is the right thing to do. We must recognize the Armenian genocide to
help shed light on the darkness and move toward a more humane world."
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said, "California is home to many of the
descendants of the genocide’s survivors, who immigrated to the United
States and, over the course of a few decades, built strong and vibrant
communities. Working closely with the Armenian – American community
over my many years in public service, I know how alive and painful this
issue continues to be for many Armenian Americans… Let there be no
mistake. The ongoing genocide in Darfur, carried out by the Government
of Sudan and its Janjaweed militias, traces its roots to the silence
and quiescence of the international community during previous episodes
of genocide and ethnic cleansing, including the Armenian genocide."
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said, "Today, as a proud supporter of S. Res
106, legislation officially recognizing the Armenian genocide, I urge
the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States
reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues
related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in
the U.S. record relating to the Armenian genocide. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., stated over 50 years after the Armenian genocide that:
‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere… Whatever
affects one directly, affects all indirectly.’ The time has come
to officially recognize the Armenian genocide… Menk panav chenk
mornar. We will never forget."
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) said, "Mr. Speaker, if America is going to
live up to the standards we set for ourselves, and continue to lead
the world in affirming human rights everywhere, we need to finally
stand up and recognize the tragic events that began in 1915 for what
they were: the systematic elimination of a people… And the fact
of the matter is that when some of my colleagues say to me, ‘Well,
why do you need to bring up something that occurred 92 years ago,’
I say, ‘Because by denying this, the Turkish Government continues to
perpetrate genocide or oppression of its minorities.’"
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said, "Opponents take issue with the timing
of the [Genocide] resolution and argue that Turkey is making progress
with recognizing the dark chapters of its history. This claim lost
all credibility when Orhan Pamuk, Turkey’s Nobel Prize winning author
was brought up on charges for ‘insulting Turkishness’ for alluding
to the genocide, and Turkish Armenian publisher Hrant Dink was gunned
down outside his office in Istanbul earlier this year.
Yet some opponents go even further, such as a former Ambassador to
Turkey who argued that the time may never be right for America to
comment "on another’s history or morality. "Such a ludicrous policy
would condemn Congress to silence on a host of human rights abuses
around the world. After more than ninety years and with only a few
survivors left, if the time is not right now to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, when will it be?"
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) said, "I have always supported the Armenian
community. In 2003, I had the opportunity to visit Armenia and to
plant a tree at the Genocide memorial. We must never forget the
horrors that took place 92 years ago. Let us never forget the 1.5
minion Armenians who perished in 1915 and 1916. We know such mass
murder is not a tragedy from a distant past, but a continuation of
the failing to recognize these barbaric acts before they are executed."
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) said, "The writer Milan Kundera once wrote
that ‘The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory
against forgetting.’ There are those that would deny the Armenian
Genocide… In commemorating the Armenian Genocide we collectively
engage in that struggle of memory against forgetting… to reaffirm
our commitment to prevent such things from ever happening again,
and to strive towards making a better future for the Armenian people."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
