[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H4494-H4508]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Forbes). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 4, 1995, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone] 
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I intend to use some of this 60 minutes for 
myself, and then yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] and 
the gentleman from California [Mr. Moorhead], who are here. We are here 
basically to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  Mr. Speaker, April 24, 1995, marked the 80th anniversary of the 
unleashing of the Armenian genocide. Each year, Members of Congress 
from both the House and the Senate take time to honor the memory of the 
Armenian men, women, and children who were slaughtered by the Ottoman 
Turkish Empire.
  I am proud to continue this proud congressional tradition today. In 
my capacity as the cofounder, along with the gentleman from Illinois 
[Mr. Porter] of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I will be 
working with many of my colleagues on behalf of continued support for 
the people of Armenia and for the significant Armenian-American 
community. I will also work to continue to press for the modern 
Republic of Turkey--a NATO member and recipient of hundreds of millions 
in United States aid every year--to finally accept responsibility for 
this crime against humanity and express its sorrow and contrition. I 
also believe we should continue to use the means at our disposal to 
force modern Turkey to lift the blockade it has imposed on Armenia. I 
know many of our colleagues feel the same way.
  Mr. Speaker, today's occasion is, of course, a time for solemn 
reflection on the suffering of a people, the Armenians, as well as the 
larger question of humanity's capacity for evil. Yet, it is also time 
for us to celebrate the human capacity of resilience, the ability even 
of people faced with the most unthinkable disasters to rebuild their 
shattered lives. This capacity to overcome unimaginable horrors can be 
seen on the individual level in the faces of the survivors, a group of 
whom attended a very moving reception here on Capitol Hill today. On 
the national level, the struggle for survival and the sense of hope for 
the future can be seen by the very existence of the independent, 
democratic Republic of Armenia.
  On April 24, 1915, 200 Armenian religious, political, and 
intellectual leaders from Istanbul were arrested and exiled--in one 
fell swoop, silencing the leading representatives of the Armenian 
community in the Ottoman capital. This date is thus the symbolic 
beginning of the genocide. Over the years from 1915 to 1923, 1.5 
million men, women, and children were deported, forced into slave 
labor, tortured, and exterminated.
  What happened in the Ottoman Turkish Empire during the years 1915-23 
was more than a series of massacres in a time of instability, 
revolution, and war. It was the first example of genocide in the 20th 
century, a precursor to the Nazi Holocaust, and other cases of ethnic 
cleansing and mass extermination in our own time.
  But, unlike the case of Germany, which officially accepts its guilt 
for the crimes against humanity committed by the Nazi regime and has 
made restitution to many of the victims, modern Turkey continues to 
deny that the Armenian genocide took place. There were no Nuremberg 
trials, no concerted effort to aid the survivors and let them give 
their testimony. While various Turkish sources express the view that 
certain unfortunate incidents took place, it denies that any 
[[Page H4495]] systematic, ethnically based policy targeted against the 
Armenian people ever took place. In fact, many Turkish accounts 
actually suggest Armenians deserve a share of blame for having stirred 
up trouble in the Ottoman Empire--while vastly understating the number 
of victims.
  It is not entirely clear why Turkey continues to deny the truth of 
its past--perhaps concerns about reparations claims may be one reason, 
combined with a misguided sense of national honor. In any case, it is a 
disgraceful policy, refuted by the historical record. Americans should 
continue to press Turkey's leaders to finally acknowledge the truth--
even if it is a diplomatic irritant in United States-Turkish relations.
  U.S. Administrations have avoided using the term ``genocide'' in 
describing what happened 80 years ago. While President Clinton and his 
predecessors have acknowledged that the Armenian people were the 
victims of tragic massacres, these Presidential statements have not 
sufficiently conveyed the full extent of the evil that occurred. 
Earlier this month, Congressman Porter and I, as cochairmen of the 
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, asked our colleagues to join 
us in urging the President to make a much stronger statement 
acknowledging the genocide. Sixty-eight Members of the House of 
Representatives signed this letter to the President. Although the 
President's statement was strong and moving last week, it still failed 
to use the word genocide, a very important issue. We will continue to 
press the administration on this, as well as future administrations.
  The preponderance of evidence about the historical fact of the 
genocide against the Armenian people is strong and undeniable. The U.S. 
National Archives holds the most comprehensive documentation in the 
world on this historic tragedy--more than 30,000 pages. Of course, I 
personally have seen some of this. The United States Embassy in 
Constantinople, Istanbul, as well as various consulates, closely 
monitored events in Turkey, and received reports from other countries 
to which some Armenians had escaped. This information is specific and 
detailed, collected from eyewitness accounts. Newspaper accounts from 
this period also provide strong documentation, based on a wide variety 
of sources, of wholesale, ethnically based killings of Armenians.
  Formal protests were made by the United States Ambassador Henry 
Morgenthau to the Turkish Government. American consular officials and 
private aid workers secretly housed Armenians, distributed aid, and 
helped in their escape to other nations--at great personal risk to 
themselves and in direct defiance of Turkish orders not to help the 
Armenians. The first-hand accounts of U.S. government officials, 
journalists and aid workers on the scene provides a vast amount of 
objective evidence of the genocide, including information on: 
deportation, massacres, refugee camps, condition of deportees, 
confiscation of property, methods of deportation, policy of 
extermination, execution of the male population, mistreatment of women 
and children, forced conversions, use of slave labor, malnutrition and 
starvation, cases of resistance, survivors, orphanages and resettlement 
of survivors. All of it is very well documented.
  After the genocide occurred, there was some effort to bring the 
organizers of the genocide to court, or to justice.
  Some of the organizers of the genocide were court-martialed in 
absentia in Paris after World War II. But no attempt was made to carry 
out the sentences, many accused war criminals were set free and no 
serious efforts were made by the Allies to assist the Armenian victims. 
In fact, the Allies, after the First World War, caved in to Turkish 
nationalist demands that no Armenian independent state be created. 
Revised peace treaties did not even mention Armenia or Armenians. 
Armenians who returned to their homes in Turkey were again driven out. 
Armenian place names were changed, and Armenian cultural monuments were 
destroyed. The geographical term ``Armenian plateau'' was changed to 
Eastern Anatolia. Thus, the Turks attempted to obliterate not only the 
Armenian people, but any vestiges of their culture. The 3,000-year 
presence of Armenians in Asia Minor had come to an abrupt end by 1923.
  With the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe during the 1920's and 
1930's, and the outbreak of World War II, the Armenian genocide was 
largely forgotten. It is said that Hitler, when planning the Nazi 
strategy of conquest and extermination against the Jews, remarked: 
``Who remembers the Armenians?''
  Most of the survivors of the genocide have since died, while the few 
who are still living are extremely old now. But their sons and 
daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will continue to speak 
out for generations to come.
  Remembering the Armenian genocide is important not only for the 
Armenian people. Many school districts in this country have developed 
curricula on issues of genocide, and it is important that these 
programs be promoted and expanded to expose children of all ethnic 
groups to the facts of history.
  The survivors of the genocide and their descendants have made great 
contributions to every country in which they have settled--including 
the United States, where Armenians have made their mark in business, 
the professions, and our cultural life.
  One of the most inspiring events of recent years has been the 
emergence of the Republic of Armenia. Rising out of the ashes of the 
former Soviet Union, the Republic of Armenia has shown a remarkable 
resilience, a commitment to democracy and a market economy. And it has 
not been easy: Armenia has been squeezed by cruel and illegal blockades 
imposed by modern Armenia's two neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. In 
spite of these difficulties, last year, Armenia's was the only former 
Soviet Republic to register positive growth in its gross domestic 
product. Given the industriousness and proven determination of the 
Armenian people, I am confident that this small, emerging nation will 
become an economically viable, self-sufficient nation in the near 
future.
  I wanted to give a little background about what our caucus on 
Armenian issues has been doing to help promote the Republic of Armenia.
  A few weeks ago, I testified before the Foreign Operations 
Subcommittee of Appropriations that oversees foreign aid to call for 
U.S. assistance to at least remain at its present level of $75 million. 
In addition, I will be working to maintain United States participation 
in the International Development Association, a World Bank program that 
has assisted Armenia with $145 million in support for earthquake 
reconstruction, power and irrigation systems, and transition to a 
market economy. I hope I'll have strong support from my colleagues. I 
know many members of the Armenian Caucus are here today and will speak 
after I speak.
  I believe 1995 will be a critical year for the Republic of Armenia, 
and the United States can play a major role. These programs are not 
handouts: by helping Armenia to get on its feet we can help establish a 
strong and stable member of the international economic community, a 
viable market for American goods and services and a market for other 
emerging nations. Given the terrible suffering of the Armenian people 
during the Ottoman Empire and their repression under the Soviet Empire, 
I believe we have a moral obligation to support the Republic of 
Armenia.
  Another way we can help Armenia is by ending the illegal blockades 
imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Current United States law blocks the 
provision of American assistance to Azerbaijan until the Azeris lift 
their blockade. We must continue that provision of the U.S. law.
                              {time}  1830
  I also strongly support the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act which bars 
United States assistance to any country that blocks delivery of United 
States humanitarian assistance, in other words, Turkey. I find it 
incredible that a country like Turkey that gets $600 million in United 
States taxpayers' funds can get away with blocking the delivery of 
American humanitarian assistance to its small, struggling neighbor. 
While in Washington many know that the Turkish Prime Minister told 
President Clinton a few weeks ago that Turkey would open an air 
corridor to Armenia, but frankly this is a very minor step, and even if 
it 
[[Page H4496]] actually happens it does not have much significance; it 
does not change the need for the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act. We 
still have to insist on reopening the land routes, and we should 
continue to link United States aid to Turkey to that country's 
international behavior.
  Earlier this year Congressman Porter and I founded the Congressional 
Caucus on Armenian Issues to be a voice for a stronger United States-
Armenia partnership and to better represent the interests of the 
Armenian-American community. We now have 35 Members, from both parties 
and all regions of the country.
  In closing, I want to pay particular tribute to the survivors of the 
genocide, some of whom made the trip to Washington today. Many of us 
who are in the Chamber now were at a reception that was held earlier 
today where many of the survivors were present and some spoke. The 
horrors that they witnessed and experienced are unthinkable. We have to 
remember what happened to them, their families, their neighbors, their 
friends. And I want to pledge to their survivors, their children, 
grandchildren, that they have friends in this United States Congress 
who are committed to keeping alive the memory of what happened to the 
Armenian people in the past, and to play a role in working for a 
brighter future for the Armenian people.
  The bottom line is we have no choice, Mr. Speaker. The Armenian 
genocide was really the first genocide in this 20th century, but the 
problem remains that the Turkish Government has not recognized it, and 
until the day comes when we can see the Prime Minister of Turkey come 
here to Washington and recognize the genocide and see the type of 
commemoration of the genocide in all places, in all towns and villages 
in Turkey, then I do not think that we can rest. I think the lesson of 
history is we cannot forget the past, and that is why we are here today 
to commemorate this 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  I now yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter], who is the 
cofounder and the cochairman of our Armenia caucus.
  Mr. PORTER. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone] for 
yielding to me. I commend him for the tremendous leadership that he has 
brought to bear on the question of Armenia and Armenian issues in the 
Congress, and was very pleased to join with him when he called me 
earlier this year and asked me if I would join him as cochairman of the 
Armenian Issues Caucus. I can think of nothing more important for us to 
do, and I commend him for his leadership this evening in bringing the 
question of Armenian genocide again before the American people, who 
must know its history, who must understand its meaning, as he has done 
so very forcefully this evening.
  We do mark the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which did 
not occur in 1 year, 1915, but lasted over an 8-year period, from 1915 
to 1923, during which time the Turks of the Ottoman Empire carried out 
a systematic policy of eliminating its Christian Armenian minority.
  There are those who would say we should not offend our Turkish allies 
by using the word genocide, but let us call it what it was. It was a 
genocide, a most horrible genocide, resulting in the deaths of over a 
million and one-half people, resulting in 500,000
 Armenians being exiled as well, and eradicating the Armenian historic 
homeland from Turkey.

  The horrors of this genocide rank as one of the most heinous 
violations of human rights in all of human history. Let us call it what 
it was, and is. Let us remind ourselves that our country at the time 
and all of the rest of the world at the time turned away and did 
nothing to prevent these horrible human rights violations against an 
innocent people, and let us remind ourselves as well that today in 
Turkey another genocide is occurring by the Turkish Government against 
yet another Turkish minority, the Kurdish people, and today thousands 
of Turkish troops not only have driven through the southeastern portion 
of Turkey, executing those in the Kurdish minority who oppose them, 
burning and tearing down Kurdish towns, but have crossed into the 
border in Iraq to attack Kurdish peoples in their camps, refugee camps. 
And let us remind ourselves as well, Mr. Speaker, that our Government 
has not acted to prevent this additional genocide, but has actually 
supported it, our President has supported this action against an 
innocent people.
  We remind ourselves today of our responsibilities to other human 
beings, and in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Armenian 
genocide, each one of us should say to ourselves we are our brother's 
keeper, we do have a responsibility to others and to stand up and tell 
the world that a genocide occurred in 1915 to 1922, and another 
genocide is occurring today.
  Last year through the appropriations process on the Foreign 
Operations Subcommittee we initially struck 25 percent of the support, 
economic and military support, foreign assistance that we give to 
Turkey. We ended up with cutting it by only 10 percent in conference. 
We did it because of ongoing human rights abuses by the Turks, not only 
against the Kurdish people but against their own people, systematic 
torture, execution, and disappearances, the kinds of things that a 
country like ours should stand up against in outrage, and we should in 
fashioning a foreign assistance bill in this year of this 104th 
Congress look once again as we always should to our own values of a 
belief in democracy and human rights, in the rule of law, in free-
market economics, and provide, I believe, not 1 cent of assistance to 
Turkey until reforms, major reforms, come about in that society, in 
each of these areas.
  We also see Turkey cutting off any opportunity for us to give 
humanitarian assistance across their borders to the Armenians. This to 
me is unacceptable. If we have an aid program and cannot deliver it 
through a supposed ally, that ally cannot be claiming to be a friend of 
ours whatsoever. We should pass the Humanitarian Corridor Act and cut 
off humanitarian assistance to any country, cut off all assistance to 
any country who would cut off our own aid programs crossing their 
borders to help others.
  We made great progress in the last few years in helping to establish 
a new Armenia, an Armenia that is free and democratic, and moving ahead 
to provide through economic freedom a greater economic life, a more 
prosperous economic life to its people and greater stability for its 
future. We made that commitment previously. We have to renew that 
commitment this year. And even in tough budgetary times we ought to 
realize that if we can provide the kind of foreign assistance to 
Armenia that does reflect the values that this country stands for and 
believes in, we will do a great deal to extend those values across this 
world.
  We are working with the Armenian-American community to provide that 
kind of assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, let me end by saying many people in the Turkish 
Government say well, this is jut anti-Turkish rhetoric. You just want 
to play games with your constituents in America. You do not want to be 
allies with us.
  We do want to be allies with the Turks. We understand the importance 
of a free Turkey. We understand the importance of a democratic Turkey, 
but we also understand that we do not have a free and democratic Turkey 
today. We have a Turkey with a democratic government that is elected 
but only can do those things that the Turkish military permits it to 
do. And it is time that Turkey looked to its future. It is time that 
Turkey looks to its past and acknowledges that it did commit genocide 
against the Armenian people. It is time that it looks currently at what 
it is doing to its Kurdish minority. It is time that it stop its human 
rights abuses against the Kurds and others within its own borders. It 
is time that is release the six parliamentarians that were tried and 
imprisoned for standing up for Kurdish human rights and to drop the 
charges of sedition against its most famous author, whose only crime 
was to stand up and say we cannot be doing this to our own people.
  It is time that Turkey look to a part in the economic development of 
Europe. It wants to be a part of the economic community. I would like 
to see it a part of the economic community, but it can never be part of 
the economic community in Europe nor a close ally of the United States 
until it looks to itself and reforms its way.
  [[Page H4497]] The values we look to are democracy, human rights, the 
rule of law, free economics, the things the American people have stood 
for over 200 years. We should not be providing aid to those who do not 
believe in those same values; we should be providing it to those that 
do.
  We believe we should be a strong supporter of Armenia, who is moving 
in all of the right directions, and we should be a strong supporter of 
Turkey only when it also changes its ways, reforms and moves in those 
directions.
  It is time America stood up for its own values and counted across the 
world those who believe in the same things we believe in and support 
them, and not those that are moving in other directions.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. 
Pallone] is providing the kind of leadership on this issue that is 
bringing us together in a bipartisan way, it is keeping the issues 
affecting Armenians before you, the Congress, and this observance of 
the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide is a very, very important 
acknowledgment of the past and also a very, very important 
acknowledgment of what we must see changed in the future. I thank the 
gentleman.
  Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] 
for those insightful remarks. And I think particularly his reference to 
what Turkey is doing today with the Kurdish population points out very 
well that the problems that we face from Turkey historically with 
Armenia have not gone away, and they are continuing now in a different 
form against another minority people.
  I also wanted to say I was with your wife, Kathryn, in Times Square a 
couple of weeks ago when we did the commemoration there, and I do not 
think I have ever heard anyone speak so well about the problems that 
Armenia faces and the Kurds face, and she really expressed such passion 
over the issue. I know she has been over there so many times, and she 
just summed everything up better than certainly I could say or 
certainly any of us could say on this issue, so thanks again.
  Mr. PORTER. If the gentleman will yield, I very much appreciate your 
kind and generous comments. I am very proud of the fact that Kathryn 
has taken a very, very active role in working with the Armenian people, 
in attempting to make a difference in that country that is struggling 
to reflect the things that we believe in and is fighting to prevent 
ongoing abuses against the Kurdish people, which as you very eloquently 
pointed out, is a reflection today of exactly what they did to the 
Armenian people 80 years ago. It has to change.
                              {time}  1845

  Mr. PALLONE. I thank the gentleman. I yield now to the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Moorhead].
  Mr. MOORHEAD. Mr. Speaker, 1995 marks the 80th anniversary of the 
Armenian genocide.
  Every year in Congress April 24 is remembered on the floor of the 
House, and I have participated in this occasion for a large number of 
years, a tribute to the Armenian martyrs who are the victims of one of 
the worst genocides of this century.
  On this date in 1915, hundreds of Armenian political and intellectual 
leaders were rounded up, exiled, and eventually murdered in remote 
places.
  In the years that followed from 1915 to 1923, 1.5 million men, women 
and children were murdered in attempted genocide of the Armenian people 
by the government of the Ottoman Empire. We must never forget this 
tragic crime against humanity.
  I have had friends that were present during that time. I know those 
people that will claim that this never took place. One friend of mine 
had been turned over to a Turkish family by his own father and mother,, 
and he had to stand in the community square and watch every single 
member of his family murdered by the Turks as they came into the 
community. That man never grew an inch after that time. He died a man 
barely 4 foot 6 inches tall.
  A strong, resilient people, the Armenians survived these cruelties as 
they have survived persecution for centuries. Their durability comes 
from their love and intense faith in God dating back to the fourth 
century when Armenia became the first nation to embrace Christianity.
  The survivors and descendants who now number more than 1 million 
Americans have not forgotten the Armenian genocide. As a nation, we 
must never forget the terrible widespread massacre of the Armenian 
people and their deportation from their homeland of almost 3,000 years.
  We must remind mankind genocide is a crime against all humanity, not 
just those who perished in the first genocide of this century.
  As a leader of a free and democratic nation, we have a moral 
obligation to acknowledge and deplore the events surrounding the 
Armenian genocide, and we must ensure that such atrocities do not 
continue.
  Armenia, now independent but burdened with the war in Nagorno-
Karabakh, is blocked by Turkey and Azerbaijan; we live in a humane, 
civilized world, and cannot continue to allow another reign of terror 
against the Armenian people. Violence is not the solution to this 
crisis. With aggression inflicted by both sides, it will only lead to 
more deaths, greater suffering, continued hatred and instability in the 
region.
  History is a cruel teacher, but has shown that gross inhumanities 
have not perished from the Earth.
  The brutality against Armenians continues today. This is why 
recognition of the Armenian genocide by the United States is vital. I 
hope all Americans and the entire U.S. Congress will join with the 
Armenian community in commemorating this 80th anniversary.
  Along with several of my colleagues here with us today, I have 
sponsored Concurrent Resolution 47 which honors the members and the 
victims of the Armenian genocide. It specifically calls on the United 
States to encourage the Republic of Turkey to take all appropriate 
steps to acknowledge and commemorate the atrocities committed against 
the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923.
  This resolution renews the commitment of the American people to 
oppose any and all genocide. The United States must send a strong 
message to the world about our Nation's resolve and determination to 
prevent crimes against humanity.
  Today Armenians flourish in the United States, as prominent and 
successful citizens in spite of the crimes committed against them. Many 
of the survivors of this genocide live in my district. I believe I have 
more than any other district in the United States. The mayor of 
Pasadena is an Armenian. A member of Glendale city council, who has 
several times served as our mayor, is Armenian. A member of our 
community college board of education is Armenian. Many of the leading 
citizens of our community are serving the community well, but they are 
concerned about Armenia also.
  They have sent several plane loads of materials to the survivors 
there in Armenia who have suffered so much, and they will continue to 
do so as long as this tragedy continues.
  I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. 
Pallone], for arranging this special order and for the work that he is 
doing on the Armenian task force.
  Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the gentleman from California for those 
words.
  I now yield to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior], the minority 
whip.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, today democracy is beginning to flourish in 
Armenia--and freedom's flame is burning bright.
  But 80 years ago, things were different.
  Eighty years ago--in the midst of World War I--beginning on the night 
of April 24, 1915--the religious and intellectual leaders of the 
Armenian community of Constantinople were taken from their beds, 
imprisoned, tortured, and killed.
  In the days that followed--the remaining males over 15 years of age 
were gathered in cities, towns and villages throughout Turkey--roped 
together, marched to nearby uninhabited areas, and killed.
  In the ensuing weeks, families were deported.
  Innocent women and children were forced to march through barren 
wastelands--urged on by whips and clubs--denied food and water.
  [[Page H4498]] And when they dared to step out of line, they were 
constantly attacked, robbed, raped, and killed.
  And when all was said and done--over a million Armenians lay dead, 
and a homeland which had stood for over 3,000 years was nearly 
completely depopulated.
  Mr. Speaker, we come to this floor today to remember the victims--and 
the survivors--of the Armenian genocide of 1915.
  We do so at a very solemn time in America.
  While some of us gathered the past week to remember the 80th 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide--most Americans were focused on 
the senseless tragedy in Oklahoma City.
  The murder of innocent men, women, and children is no easier to 
understand today than it was 80 years ago.
  Tragedies like these remind us all of the true meaning of the words 
family, friendship, community, compassion, and faith.
  It is this same strong sense of community that has enabled the 
Armenian people not only to survive--but to thrive--the past 80 years.
  Mr. Speaker, as we come to this floor today we do so with the 
knowledge that all of us have a responsibility--to remember the 
victims, to speak out and to make sure that tragedies like this are 
never allowed to happen again.
  That's part of the reason why some of us have introduced a resolution 
to remember the victims of the Armenian genocide.
  Now--more than ever--those of us who embrace democracy have a 
responsibility to speak out for all those who live under tyranny.
  Because sadly, the world does not seem to have learned the lessons of 
the past.
  From Bosnia, to Rwanda, to Nagorno Karabakh, we see new examples 
every day of man's inhumanity to man.
  The conflict taking place in Nagorno Karabakh is one of the great 
tragedies of our time.
  This is not a CNN war.
  For most Americans, Nagorno Karabakh is not a place that registers on 
the radar screen.
  But it is a place where 100,000 have been killed or wounded in the 
past 6 years--where over a million people have been left homeless.
  It is a place where doctors are forced to operate without anesthesia, 
where land mines continue to maim innocent women and children.
  Mr. Speaker, we're all hopeful this terrible tragedy ends soon. We're 
all hopeful that the year-long cease-fire leads to a peaceful end.
  And we're all encouraged by President Clinton's announcement last 
week that he will appoint a Special Negotiator to advance the 
negotiations.
  But there is much more that needs to be done.
  The United States has tried to send humanitarian aid to Armenia but 
it has continually been blocked by a blockade enforced by Turkey.
  It is utterly unconscionable to me--that a country who is an ally of 
ours--who is a member of NATO, and who accepts U.S. aid, would think it 
has the right to block U.S. humanitarian assistance, and we should do 
all we can to lift that blockade.
  Mr. Speaker, some of us have introduced a bill that would cut off all 
aid to Turkey until the blockade is lifted, and thankfully, we are 
seeing some progress.
  Turkey recently announced it would open one air corridor to Armenia--
possibly as soon as this week--and that's a hopeful sign.
  But we must keep working until the blockade is lifted entirely, or 
the need for aid is eliminated entirely.
  For 70 years, the people of Armenia and the people of Nagorno-
Karabakh lived under the brutal boot of Soviet dictatorship, and they 
shouldn't be forced to live under these conditions any longer.
  It's in all of our interests to see a free and democratic Armenia and 
that's why the United States has made aid to Armenia such a priority 
the past 6 years.
  But today, we pause and remember the victims and survivors of the 
Armenian genocide, and to say: Never again.
  We can never forget that in 1939, another leader used the Armenian 
genocide as justification for his own genocide.
  This leader said, and I quote: ``I have given orders to my Death 
Units to exterminate without mercy or pity men, women, and children 
belonging to the Polish-speaking race. After all,'' Adolf Hitler asked, 
``who today remembers the extermination of the Armenians?''
  Mr. Speaker, it is up to all of us to remember.
  For centuries, the Armenian people have shown great courage and great 
strength.
  The least we can do is match their courage with our commitment.
  Because in the end, we are their voices and we must do all we can to 
remember.
  Because if we don't, nobody else will.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the minority whip, the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior], for participating in our special 
order. As many of you know, he has been a long-time advocate of human 
rights in this House.
  Next, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Blute].
  Mr. BLUTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Jersey. I want 
to commend you and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] for 
arranging this important commemoration of a terrible period in history.
  Recent history has seen the Armenian people subjected to a number of 
very difficult, troubling, and tragic circumstances, from being forced 
to live under the Soviet Communist regime, to the terrible 1988 
earthquake, much worse than any this Nation has ever seen, to the 
present blockade and violence imposed by the Azeris.
  There can be no doubt that the Armenian people have long suffered, 
but nothing is more tragic and more important to remember than the 
genocide which took place from 1915 to 1923; 1.5 million people died, 
countless more lost mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, uncles and 
aunts, comrades and friends.
  We stand here today in the people's House of Representatives, more 
than a half century later, to ensure that others will never forget, not 
forget the massacres, not forget the persecutions, the death marches, 
the bloodshed, and not forget that all citizens in the world deserve to 
live in freedom without the threat of destruction, without the fear of 
systematic oppression and murder.
  And that is why it is important we commemorate this 80th anniversary 
of the Armenian genocide. We cannot afford to let the people of the 
world or the people of our own country forget that genocide can and 
does happen.
  Just this week we marked the 50th anniversary of the liberation of 
Dachau and the terrible genocide in Europe perpetrated against the 
Jewish people, and already in this decade, there have been many events 
in places like Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia that remind us of man's 
inhumanity to man, and that evil forces still exist in our so-called 
modern world.
  In light of these sorry events in those countries, we must do 
everything in our power to make sure that the people of the world 
remember that genocide in Armenia 80 years ago, for if we forget the 
past, we most certainly will be condemned to repeat it.

                              {time}  1900

  And as part of this effort, the distinguished minority whip, the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior] and I, and others have introduced 
House Concurrent Resolution 47. This resolution would put the House on 
record honoring the memory of the 1.5 million genocide victims. The 
House should pass this resolution and send a message to the world that 
we will never forget what happened during that terrible period in 
history and that we will do every thing in our power here in the House 
of Representatives to make sure that it does not happen again anywhere 
in our world.
  I want to commend my colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. 
Pallone], and my colleague from Illinois [Mr. Porter] for their great 
leadership on this issue and for making sure that we did not let this 
80th anniversary pass without taking some time on the floor of this 
House to remember this terrible period, and I want to thank the 
gentleman from New Jersey for the time and for his leadership.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Blute] and now yield to 
[[Page H4499]] the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney].
  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, as the proud Representative of a large and 
vibrant community of Armenian-Americans, I rise to participate in this 
important and timely special order.
  Let me first commend my friends Frank Pallone and John Porter, the 
cochairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, not only for 
sponsoring this special order, but for all of their hard work in the 
area of human rights and international decency.
  My colleagues, this year we mark the 50th anniversary of the end of 
World War II and the defeat of the Nazi killing machine.
  It has often been asked: ``How could the world have done nothing to 
prevent the deaths of six million Jews in the Holocaust?''
  Tragically, the answer lies in the haunting and hateful words of 
Adolf Hitler, who cruelly justified the Final Solution by asking, ``Who 
remembers the Armenians?''
  Tonight we remember the Armenians.
  Tonight we recall that 80 years ago, Ottoman Turkish forces launched 
their brutal reign of terror which resulted in the deaths of 1\1/2\ 
million Armenians. When the carnage ended 8 years later, two out of 
every three Armenians living in Ottoman Turkey had been 
killed.
  Tonight we express our sorrow for those who died, and renew our 
respect for those who survived.
  Eight decades have passed since this hideous episode in the history 
of man's inhumanity to man, but tonight we must pledge that we will 
hold commemorations like this one 80 years from now and 80 years from 
then to ensure that the lessons of the Armenian genocide are never 
forgotten.
  Nothing we can ever say or do
   will bring back to life those who perished.

  But we can endow their memories with everlasting meaning by teaching 
the lessons of the Armenian genocide to future generations.
  The first lesson is the truth.
  The time has come for Congress to pass the Armenian genocide 
resolution. We must put our Government squarely on the side of the 
facts. I commend our colleagues David Bonior and Peter Blute for 
introducing House Concurrent Resolution 47, which I have cosponsored.
  This resolution not only represents official United States 
recognition of the memory of those who died, but will also put pressure 
on the Turkish Government to do what it has callously refused to do--to 
acknowledge and commemorate the atrocities committed 80 years ago.
  There is no statute of limitations on genocide. Congress must not 
condone the efforts of those in Turkey and elsewhere who seek to 
downplay the terrible events of 80 years ago, or worse yet, who claim 
that the Armenian genocide never even happened.
  And the second lesson is one of current international significance.
  We must use the commemoration of this terrible era to renew our 
friendship with Armenia. This valiant and struggling nation deserves 
and needs U.S. humanitarian and developmental assistance.
  And the United States must make this demand of Turkey: ``Allowing a 
few airplane flights in is not enough! Lift your blockade of Armenia 
now!''
  Tonight we salute the indomitable spirit of the citizens of Armenia.
  We commend the magnificent contributions that Armenian-Americans have 
made to our own society.
  And we pledge to honor the martyrdom of the victims of the Armenian 
genocide to ensure that their sacrifices will never be forgotten and 
their fate never repeated.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from New 
York [Mrs. Maloney] for her comments, and now I yield time to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox].
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Pallone] and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] for 
this special order and for their leadership in making the proper 
recognition of the Armenian genocide.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in commemorating the 
80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. As you know, 1.5 million 
Armenians were massacred by the Turkish Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 
1923.
  The Armenian community in the United States is mostly descended from 
survivors of this tragedy who were forcibly exiled from their homeland. 
These citizens, many of whom reside in Pennsylvania's 13th 
Congressional District, have made tremendous contributions to American 
life while honoring their own rich traditions.
  Mr. Speaker, on the evening of April 24, 1915, the political, 
religious, and intellectual leaders of the Armenian community in 
Constantinople--now Instanbul--were arrested, exiled from the capital 
city, and murdered. After the ``young Turk'' government silenced the 
voices of the Armenian community in this inhumane way, they began a 
systematic deportation and extermination of all Armenians.
  Mr. Speaker, it is our duty to ensure that these reprehensible crimes 
against humanity are not forgotten. I am deeply concerned that the 
Turkish Government refuses to acknowledge this shameful genocide, even 
today. We know all too well the consequences of forgetfulness. As Elie 
Wiesel reports, and the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior] and others 
reiterated this evening, ``Before planning the final solution, Hitler 
asked, `Who remembers the Armenians?'''
  Today Turkey refuses to allow U.S. shipments of humanitarian aid to 
reach Armenia. I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring the 
Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act (H.R. 942), which would eliminate U.S. 
aid to countries that would obstruct the delivery of U.S. humanitarian 
assistance.
  I have recently learned that Turkey will open air corridor H-50, and 
I call upon the Government of Turkey to immediately cease all 
interference with the transport and delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid 
to Armenia. I hope that our message is heard.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for allowing us to be part of this 
important special order to make sure we highlight the 80th anniversary 
of the genocide of Armenians, and I thank the gentleman for this time.
  Mr. PALLONE. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox], and 
next I yield to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Eshoo], who I 
believe is maybe the only, but certainly one of the, Armenian Members 
of Congress.
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone]. I would like to pay tribute to 
him and the wonderful leadership that he has given here in the House of 
Representatives on behalf of American Armenians. It is so important 
that there be Members that take on what he has, and I want to pay 
tribute to him, to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] and all of 
my other colleagues that are part of this special order that is helping 
to raise the awareness on the 80th anniversary. I wish there was not 
such an anniversary. This is not in celebration. This is, of course, in 
commemoration of the Armenian genocide and the millions of Armenians 
who were systematically exterminated by the Ottoman troops.
  The slaughter began on April 24, 1915, when hundreds of Armenian 
leaders were arrested and executed in Istanbul and other areas.
  By the time they were finished, Ottoman troops had executed 1.5 
million Armenians including innocent women and children.
  Tragically, the crying voices of these innocent victims fell upon 
deaf ears because the international community refused to confront the 
perpetrators of these atrocities.
  As the only Member of Congress of Armenian descent, I know full well 
how the Ottoman Empire decimated people and wrote one of the darkest 
chapters in human history. I am committed to ensure that their 
suffering is not diminished and cannot be denied by the perpetrators of 
this disgraceful policy.
  By recalling the atrocities of the Armenian genocide we remind the 
world that a great tragedy was inflicted upon our people, that the 
murder of Armenians was a catastrophe for the entire family of nations, 
and that unchecked aggression leads to atrocity.
  By mourning the losses of our past, we renew our determination to 
forge a future in which our people can live in peace, prosperity, and 
freedom.
  [[Page H4500]] And we remember that Armenians were persecuted 
throughout the Ottoman Empire because we were a vulnerable, homeless 
people with no nation of our own in which we could seek sanctuary, no 
borders behind which we could seek protections. Isolated and abandoned, 
we were attacked and killed.
  Despite our history of suffering at the hands of others, Armenians 
have remained a strong people. We are committed to our families and 
united by our enduring faith.
  And we have risen from the ashes of the Armenian genocide to form a 
new country from the remains of the Soviet Union * * * a new country 
which flourishes in the face of severe winters, ongoing military 
conflict in Nagorno-Karabagh, and the absence of strong international 
assistance.
  Today's Armenia is a living tribute to our people's indelible courage 
and perseverance and the greatest assurance that what took place 80 
years ago will not be repeated.
  As we remember the tragic history of my people, it is essential also 
for us to discuss the future of Armenia and the role which the United 
States can play in establishing peace in the Caucasus. Many of the 
Members speaking this evening have worked tirelessly with the 
administration to encourage it to take a more proactive role.
  And President Clinton recently announced he will nominate a special 
negotiator for Nagorno-Karabagh at the rank of ambassador.
  This could be an important first step. Yet, in my view, true peace in 
the Caucasus will only be achieved when the political and economic 
isolation of Armenian ceases and regional leaders recognize the 
inherent rights of Armenia--including its land and its history. 
Congress can play an important part in this process.
  For example, there is pending legislation which would help ensure 
lasting peace in the Caucasus. The Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act is 
essential because it would exert the appropriate pressure on countries 
which block U.S. foreign assistance to the region.
  It is not enough for third party nations to allow commercial flights 
into aid-recipient countries--land convoys must be allowed through in 
order to move necessary amounts of American food, medicine, and 
clothing. I urge my colleagues to pass this important bill.
  In addition, we must maintain the Freedom of Support Act which 
prevents U.S. foreign assistance going to Azerbaijan until they lift 
their blockade of Nagorno-Karabagh. In my view, the Freedom of Support 
Act must be upheld until the isolation of Armenia ends and its 
territorial rights are adhered to.
  Mr. Speaker, if the tragedy of the Armenian genocide has taught us 
anything, it is that sitting back is tantamount to helping Armenia's 
oppressors.
  As the recent decision by the President to end all United States 
trade with Iran indicates, tensions in the Caucasus are rising and they 
are global in scope. The United States is finding that it cannot sit 
back and observe events unfolding in the region. The Russians, Chinese, 
and Turks have important interests in the region, and so do we.
  As Members of Congress, we have the responsibility of ensuring that 
an enhanced United States role in the affairs of the Caucasus follows a 
course sensitive to the region's history and culture. This includes a 
heightened sensitivity to Armenia, whose history and culture are often 
denied or misunderstood.
  I thank my colleagues who have joined us here today to remember the 
Armenian genocide.
  We must do all we can to prevent this tragic history from repeating 
itself and help advance a proactive foreign policy to bring lasting 
peace to the region.
                              {time}  1915

  I genuinely thank my colleagues, and pay tribute to each one of you 
who have joined in this tribute this evening, a commemoration of the 
Armenian genocide. Many of my family members of another generation were 
taken during that genocide. So we must do all that we can to prevent 
this tragic history obviously from repeating itself, but we must renew 
ourselves in the efforts that really count today toward the end of this 
century and preparing for a new one, to help advance a proactive 
foreign policy to bring lasting peace to the region.
  The Armenian community will be in great gratitude to the Congress of 
the United States as we renew our efforts toward this goal. I again pay 
tribute to you, Mr. Pallone, and all of my colleagues for doing what 
you have done in the past and your tireless efforts on behalf of the 
issues that affect Armenians around the world, certainly in the region. 
On behalf of the Armenian-American community, I pay tribute to you as 
well.
  Mr. PALLONE. I just want to thank the gentlewoman from California for 
her remarks. It is particularly I think appropriate that you conclude 
our special order. I know we have other speakers. I just wanted to say 
one thing. One of the things I noted over the weekend, as you know, the 
last week was also the occasion when we commemorated the Nazi 
Holocaust. I was with many of the victims of the Nazi Holocaust over 
the weekend and shared thoughts with some of them. But the one thing 
that was outstanding and the big difference, if I could make the 
comment, is that those victims of the Nazi Holocaust at least knew that 
the German Government recognized that it occurred and that people today 
in Germany hold commemorations and basically say they are sorry for 
what occurred.
  Unfortunately, that is not the case with the Government of Turkey or 
in fact most of the people of Turkey, many of whom are not aware of 
what happened 80 years ago. That is why we have to continue with our 
special order. We have to make it so the day comes when Turkey takes 
notice of what happened and the same type of commemoration occurs in 
Turkey as takes place now in Germany with reference to the Nazi 
Holocaust.
  Ms. ESHOO. The gentleman has made a very, very important profound 
point and underscored a very profound issue here. It seems 
incomprehensible that a government of today would not look over its 
shoulder and say these are the sins of the past that were visited upon 
innocent people, but that it is a different day and time.
  I think that this Congress can and will make the difference, and you 
have done much to lead us toward that. I thank the gentleman.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I just want to comment on 
the profound words of my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone. Adolph 
Hitler himself said that the world's indifference to the slaughter in 
Armenia indicated that there would be no world outcry if he undertook 
the mass murder of Jews and others he considered less than human, and 
he was right. It was only after the Holocaust that the cry ``never 
again'' arose throughout the civilized world, but it was too late for 
millions of victims, too late for the 6 million Jews, and too late for 
the 1.5 million Armenians. I too appreciate your having that special 
order.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleagues to honor the 1.5 
million Armenians who were murdered during the Armenian genocide of 
1915 to 1923.
  Mr. Speaker, Armenians wiped away their tears and cried out ``Let us 
never forget. Let us always remember the atrocities that have taken the 
lives of our parents and our children and our neighbors.'' I rise today 
to remember those cries and to make sure that they were not uttered in 
vain.
  Unfortunately, this tragedy is still not even acknowledged by the 
Turkish Government, and today the Armenian people continue to suffer.
  Mr. Speaker, as many of us know, the ongoing conflict over Nagorno-
Karabakh led last year to an Azerbaijan-orchestrated blockade. I am 
deeply concerned for the innocent people who are suffering as a result 
of this blockade, which left many in Armenia without power, food, or 
medicine. As my colleagues and I stand here today to remember the 
events of 80 years ago, let us not lose sight of the events that have 
transpired recently. Let us take this opportunity to pledge to do 
everything in our power to settle the ongoing dispute in Nagorno-
Karabakh. Let me be perfectly clear: The United States must stand firm 
against any dealings with Azerbaijan until it ends the blockade against 
Armenia and against Nagorno-Karabakh.
  [[Page H4501]] Mr. Speaker, last year I fought to have $75 million in 
the 1995 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act earmarked for Armenia. 
Regrettably, too few of my colleagues shared my belief that we must set 
aside these sorely needed funds for Armenia. It is critical that we 
take the time today to make explicit our commitment to the people of 
Armenia. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do so.
  Strongly support section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which 
restricts aid to Azerbaijan until that nation lifts its embargo against 
the people of Armenia.
  Cosponsor H.R. 942, the ``Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act,'' which 
would prohibit U.S. assistance to any country which in any way 
restricts the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance to 
other countries. This legislation will ensure the speedy, unhindered, 
and effective delivery of needed United States humanitarian assistance 
to Armenia.
  And finally, I implore my colleagues to call on Azerbaijan to 
negotiate a peace settlement under the guidelines established by the 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe [CSCE].
  It is tragic that Azerbaijan's tactics denied food and medicine to 
innocent men, women, and children within Armenia, and created thousands 
of refugees. The war over Nagorno-Karabakh has set a dangerous 
precedent for the resolution of conflicts among the many new nations 
that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. We must make clear that 
warfare and blockades aimed at civilians are unacceptable as means for 
resolving disputes.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate that I will always remain 
mindful of the terrible suffering the Armenian people have endured 
during this century. I cannot stress enough that we must never forget 
the Armenian genocide, and that we must do everything in our power to 
ensure that the Armenian nation can live in peace and security from 
this time forward.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I join with my colleagues in Congress 
and Armenians all over the world to commemorate the 80th anniversary of 
the Armenian genocide. Once again we call today for recognition of this 
tragedy because the horrible truth of the Armenian genocide is still 
not universally acknowledged, even after all these years.
  We must forever speak out against genocide as a constant reminder of 
the consequences of silence in the face of oppression. We must call 
attention to the reality of the Ottoman Empire's systematic persecution 
of Armenians in part so that such inhumanity is never tolerated again, 
ever. And we must voice our support for the rights of all people as we 
demand an end to the extermination of innocent civilians caught in 
ethnic conflicts today in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Nagorno-Karabagh.
  Our remembrance of the loss of 1\1/2\ million Armenian lives is our 
declaration of absolute opposition to such acts of inhumanity and our 
statement of hope for a world free of genocide. We must not let this 
atrocity be forgotten. To let this happen would be to condemn future 
generations to the same fate. Only through remembrance and recognition 
can we stop such acts of senseless cruelty and violence against 
humankind from happening again.
  Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
remember the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives in one of the 
greatest tragedies of this century. The year 1995 marks the 80th 
anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide, and I would like 
to add my voice to those who are commemorating this grevious event. The 
murder of over 1 million people is such an unspeakable appalling act 
that it is difficult for a person to comprehend. For this reason it is 
important to recognize the genocide, and in remembering we will ensure 
that such an atrocity will never occur again. It serves as a lesson 
that we can never ignore a situation where such a callous disregard for 
human rights is demonstrated.
  The Armenian genocide began on April 24, 1915, when Turkish officials 
rounded up and murdered over 200 Armenian intellectuals in 
Constantinople. During the next 8 years, over 1.5 million Armenians 
were needlessly butchered. By 1923, only one in every three Armenians 
who was alive before 1915 was still living. Before planning the final 
solution in Nazi Germany, Adolph Hitler asked, ``Who remembers the 
Armenians?'' We owe it to the memory of these brave souls to make sure 
that they are never forgotten again.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for having been invited to 
join in this special order today honoring the memory of the hundreds of 
thousands of innocent men, women, and children who suffered a horrible 
death of the genocidal actions carried out by the former Ottoman Empire 
starting 80 years ago.
  The genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people of the former 
Ottoman Empire during the First World War was merely a portent of 
things to come.
  Only a few years later, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were to 
die in the artificial famine created by the Communist dictator of the 
former Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin.
  A few years after that, millions of Jews and others were to fall 
victim to the genocide perpetrated by the former Nazi regime of Adolph 
Hitler.
  It has always been my honor and privilege to participate in 
congressional ceremonies and special orders commemorating the Armenian 
genocide during the time that I have served as a Representative to the 
Congress.
  I am indeed pleased to be a part of such ceremonies again this year, 
which carry on with an important tradition.
  Just as the unfortunate victims of the Holocaust and of the Ukrainian 
famine should be remembered, so must the victims of the genocidal 
action against Armenians be in our thoughts at this time.
  As we contemplate their suffering, we note that today the death of 
those innocents 80 years ago is commemorated not just by their 
descendants around the world but by the people of the newly independent 
state of Armenia.
  Certainly, the people of Armenia face difficult new challenges today, 
but they now are free of foreign rule for the first time in hundreds of 
years.
  As we commemorate the victims of a bloody persecution that began 80 
years ago, let us therefore join in celebrating Armenia's new-found 
independence--the best guarantee that such bloody persecutions will not 
befall the Armenian people again.
  Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to address the House of 
Representatives to commemorate the Armenian genocide. Only by 
remembering the tragic events of the Armenian genocide can we ensure 
respect for human rights and democratic principles throughout the 
world.
  In 1894, a pattern of persecution emerged in the Ottoman Empire, 
placing the Armenian population in great jeopardy. The persecutions 
climaxed in 1915, marking the height of systematic massacres and forced 
exile of the Armenian people. Over 1 million people were murdered. 
Today, less than 100,000 Armenians remain in Turkey. We must never 
forget the atrocities of the Armenian genocide as we look back on this 
80th anniversary.
  I feel proud to be the Representative of an active and prosperous 
Armenian community in my own district of Massachusetts. They have given 
me hope for future generations of Armenians. It is for these people, as 
well as Armenians around the world, that I both commemorate the 
Armenian genocide and urge the world not to tolerate anything of this 
kind again.
  Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 
the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  Beginning on April 24, 1915, hundreds of Armenian religious, 
political, and intellectual leaders were rounded up, exiled, and 
murdered. The genocide of the Armenian people by the Turkish Ottoman 
Empire continued for 9 years and claimed over 1,500,000 lives. Another 
500,000 Armenians were forced to flee their homeland, some of whom 
formed the origins of the Armenian community in our country. Therefore, 
it is imperative that we, as the elected Representatives of the people 
of the United States, recognize and commemorate the genocide of the 
Armenian people.
  In addition, it is incumbent upon us to speak out about messages of 
hate and bigotry on the rise in this country. As we have learned in 
this country and witnessed abroad at least twice this century, hate 
must not be allowed to grow unchecked. We must continue to denounce 
messages of hate and bigotry and promote tolerance within our 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, the commemoration of this tragic episode in world 
history is vitally important. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
commemorating the genocide of the Armenian people.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the tragic events 
leading to the deaths of over 1.5 million Armenians. I join millions 
around the world in vowing, once again, to ensure that our generation 
and future generations never again have to bear witness to such inhuman 
behavior and feel the pain and suffering of an entire people.
  We had hoped that the crime of genocide would never again be allowed 
to mar the history of humankind.
  Yet today as we stand with our Armenian brothers and sisters to 
remember and share in their grief for those who died from 1915 to 1923, 
we are all reminded of the ongoing genocide in Bosnia today in 1995, 
where we too, share in the people of Bosnia's anguish.
  Let us also today be reminded, as Americans, of the freedoms we enjoy 
but so often take for granted.
  [[Page H4502]] We must remember that only too often has this 
disrespect for the most basic of our human rights--the right to speak, 
to worship, and to believe as one pleases--led to the deaths of 
millions in the Holocausts of this century. We must continue to hold 
vigil for those who have perished so that the rights of all humanity 
will be protected in the future.
  Finally, I am pleased to stand here today to pay tribute to the 
Armenian people. Armenia is a land composed largely of rock and stone, 
hewn out of the earth by 1 million years of evolution and left to its 
people as the basis of construction of one of the world's oldest and 
richest civilizations.
  The people of Armenia, like the stone out of which they have built 
their history, are a strong and lasting people, a people who have 
withstood the onslaught of tragedy. Because of the resilience of the 
Armenian people, they will continue to enrich our world with their 
creativity and tradition.
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, Today we commemorate the memory of 
generations of Armenians, victims of a horrible genocide that we all 
hope will never be repeated.
  From 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Empire systematically murdered over 
1.5 million Armenians living in Turkey. And, throughout history, we 
have witnessed similar acts of unspeakable cruelty--the killing of over 
12 million during the Holocaust, escalating death tolls in Bosnia and 
Rwanda and, most recently, the bombing in Oklahoma City.
  It is vital for us as a nation to remember what happened in Turkey 80 
years ago, and to recognize that we must work to promote peace and 
democracy throughout the world to help prevent such atrocious crimes 
from repeating themselves.
  As we pay tribute to and remember those in the Armenian community who 
lost their lives, Americans must continue to denounce racism, sexism, 
anti-Semitism, bigotry, religious persecution, and ethnic violence. 
Only by learning from past experiences, no matter how difficult they 
might be to remember, can we grow and develop as a nation. Because, as 
we continue to wipe out existing stereotypes and prejudices, we are 
able to refocus our attention on the important contributions that all 
groups of people make to our country.
  As Americans became aware of the tremendous suffering being endured 
80 years ago and took steps to end the senseless tragedy, thousands of 
Armenians came to the United States in search of better lives. Now, 
they, their children, and their children's children have grown to be 
successful in all aspects of life. Having one of this Nation's largest 
Armenian community's, I can proudly say that their strong sense of 
family values and emphasis on education symbolize what is best in 
America, and a model for other families to follow.
  But, despite all that has been achieved, we must also remember that 
Armenia's plight is not yet over. In the middle of the Nagorno-Karabagh 
conflict, Armenia finds itself in a struggle for survival. While the 
international community increases its efforts to bring about democracy 
and stability in the TransCaucasus, we, too, must continue our resolve 
to restore security in the region and cleanse it of ethnic hatred.
  None of us will ever forget the awful tragedy that took place on this 
80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. And, by working to reconcile 
present conflicts, we hopefully will not have to look back on similar 
tragedies in the future.
  Mr. DOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  This terrible human tragedy must not and will not be forgotten. Like 
the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide stands as an historical example of 
the human suffering that results from hatred and intolerance. More 
often than not, when people think of genocide or ethnic cleansing, it 
is the Holocaust that comes to mind. However, let us remember that the 
Armenian genocide was the historical basis of Adolf Hitler's plan for 
the Holocaust. Today we commemorate the Armenian genocide and reflect 
upon the suffering endured by Armenia and her people--to ensure that 
this terrible tragedy is not forgotten.
  One and one-half million Armenian people were massacred by the 
Ottoman Turkish empire between 1915 and 1923. More than 500,000 
Armenians were exiled from a homeland that their ancestors had occupied 
for more than 3,000 years. A race of people was nearly eliminated.
  It would be a great tragedy to forget that this loss of human life 
and homeland ever occurred. Years prior to unleashing his plans for the 
Holocaust, Hitler predicted that no one would remember the atrocities 
and the human suffering endured by the Armenians. After all, it was 
Hitler who posed the question, ``Who remembers the Armenians?'' Our 
statements today are intended to preserve the memory of the Armenian 
loss, and to remind the world that the Turkish Government continues to 
refuse acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide.
  This 80th anniversary is underscored by the current suffering of the 
Armenian people, who remain immersed in tragedy and violence by the 
continuing unrest between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in the region of 
Nagorno-Karabagh. Thousands of innocent people have already perished in 
this dispute, and still many more have been displaced and are homeless. 
Frustrating the situation is the continuing destruction of fuel and 
power lines, as well as the blockade of supply routes into Armenia 
through neighboring Georgia and Turkey.
  In the face of this difficult situation comes an opportunity for 
reconciliation. Now is the time for Armenia and its neighbors, 
including Turkey, to come together, to work toward a lasting peace and 
to rebuild relationships between countries. The first step in this 
process should be ending of the blockades that are hampering the 
recovery of Armenia and her people. Although Turkey has recently opened 
an air corridor to Armenia, the land blockade continues to frustrate 
humanitarian relief efforts.
  Meanwhile, in America, the Armenian-American community prospers and 
continues to provide solidarity and assistance to its countrymen and 
women abroad. Numbering nearly 1 million, the Armenian-American 
community is bound together by strong generational and family ties, an 
enduring work ethic and a proud sense of ethnic heritage. Today we 
remember the tragedy of their past, not to place blame, but to answer a 
fundamental question, Who remembers the Armenians?
  Today our commemoration of the Armenian genocide speaks directly to 
that end, and I answer, We do.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. 
Pallone and Mr. Porter, co-chairs of the Armenia caucus, for their 
leadership in once again giving this House the opportunity to address 
the deep concerns many of us have about developments in Armenia.
  Over the course of my years in Congress, we have been engaged on many 
fronts on the Armenia issue--whether it be emergency relief after the 
massive earthquake that devastated the country in 1988, trying to 
address the suffering and deprivation caused by the withering blockade 
of Armenia imposed by Agerbaijan and Turkey, or offering support for 
efforts to end the fighting in the region through a negotiated peace 
process.
  But today is a special day. It is a time for special remembrances, 
for reflection, commemoration, and to remind ourselves of our moral 
obligations to our fellow human beings, whatever their ethnicity, their 
religion, or their color.
  I am reminded that the first action I saw when I came to Congress 
with regard to Armenia was the attempt to get this Congress to 
recognize the Armenian genocide on April 24, 1915--the beginning of a 
terrible campaign against the Armenian people that resulted in the 
killing of more than 1 million people merely on the basis of their 
nationality.
  Today, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the genocide, a 9-year 
reign of terror that set a gruesome standard for 20th century 
atrocities. All of us in the Congress and across America and the world, 
should take a moment to remember this horrible crime, and to resolve 
that we will fight injustice wherever we find it.
  While the experience of trying to win recognition of the Armenian 
genocide was a painful one, I must say that the vast majority of my 
work on issues of Armenia and with the Armenian community here in the 
United States has been a joyful experience.
  I have been inspired by the ability of the Armenian community here to 
make a deep and lasting contribution to our Nation--to our schools and 
neighborhoods, in the areas of art and culture, and in the political 
arena. My home State of Massachusetts has one of the most vibrant and 
active Armenian communities in the United States and we are a better, 
stronger State because of that.
  At the same time, Armenians in the United States have done a 
tremendous job of maintaining their own culture, their language and 
their churches, and a remarkable commitment to maintaining ties to 
their homeland or the homeland of their ancestors. Recent articles in 
the Boston Globe attest to the strength of this community in my 
district, the State of Massachusetts, and the Nation.
  This commitment, and a capacity to respond, has of course been 
demonstrated in moments of crisis such as the earthquake, 30,000 people 
were killed in an instant. In many parts of the country there was 
incalculable damage to homes, to factories, and to infrastructure. 
Thousands of Armenians continue to live today, 7 years later, without 
electricity or running water in makeshift shelters that were set up in 
the wake of the loss of their homes.
  The response of the Armenian community in the United States was 
phenomenal. They provided food, clothing, medicine, and funds. Just as 
importantly, they challenged this Nation, 
[[Page H4503]] and other nations around the world, to recognize the 
extraordinary scale of damage done by the earthquake and to provide the 
resources that were needed to address this humanitarian disaster. It is 
important to recognize that the humanitarian challenge posed by the 
earthquake has yet to be fully met. I was pleased to see that just in 
February 1994 the World Bank released a long-delayed loan designed to 
rebuild housing and repair other damage from the earthquake.
  While the earthquake--a dramatic event--focused the attention of the 
international community, the blockade against Armenia, which remains in 
place until this day, exacts its terrible, unrelenting cost, day in and 
day out, over years. It has driven a proud and determined people to 
face the types of choices that no civilized nation should have to 
confront--the
 choice, for example, of stripping the nation of trees and burning its 
books in order to provide heat to prevent infants and the elderly from 
freezing to death.

  It is absolutely crucial that the United States remain clear and 
focused in its efforts to secure the lifting of this blockade and the 
opening up of commerce, transportation, and communication throughout 
Transcaucasia. This means maintaining the prohibition against United 
States assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan until they are 
willing to lift the blockade. And it means continued pressure on the 
Government of Turkey--which receives more than $500 million in United 
States economic aid and military loans--to do the same.
  That is why I introduced, along with Representative Chris Smith, the 
Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act. We must maintain this pressure not out 
of vengeance, but as a sign of our commitment to finding a solution to 
open up all the borders in the region. If this type of arrangement can 
be put together--whereby Turkey and Azerbaijan lift their blockade 
against Armenia--then I think there is no question that there would be 
overwhelming support in the Congress, and, I think, in the Armenian 
community in the United States, for lifting the restriction on direct 
assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan as well.
  I had the opportunity to see the desperate situation Armenians face 
first hand when I visited Armenia in February 1993. We arrived at the 
Yerevan airport late at night and went by van to downtown Yerevan. It 
was snowing so hard and there was not a light in the place, so that we 
could not even tell we were in the middle of a city. What we found was 
that there was no heat, no electricity, no running water, no 
telephones; and yet, the spirit of the Armenian people continued to 
provide a bright light.
  I visited orphanages where the little babies were lying in empty, 
cold rooms, in soiled clothes that could not be changed because there 
was no place to wash or dry the clothes. I visited senior citizens 
stuck in hospitals who have lived through the Armenian genocide we 
commemorate here this evening, who lived through the earthquake, who 
were now forced to suffer and to die in a climate inside of a hospital 
room where the temperature never rises above 15 to 20 degrees.
  It was one of the most devastating few days of my life, to see the 
kind of human suffering that takes place. But it reestablished my own 
personal commitment to stand strong for the people of Armenia, to stand 
strong with people of this great nation that has inspired freedom-
loving people throughout the world.
  So I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to add my voice to those of my 
colleagues in saying: We must never forget.
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my 
colleagues in commemorating one of the most heinous atrocities 
committed against humanity: the Armenian genocide.
  In 1915, the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire were subjected to 
systematic extermination through a policy of deportation and massacre. 
It is estimated that a million and a half Armenians eventually perished 
because of the atrocities committed against them by agents of the 
Ottoman Turks.
  This terrible event is known as the first genocide of the 20th 
century, and we must never forget it. Elie Wiesel, chairman of the U.S. 
Holocaust Memorial Council and a survivor of the Holocaust, summed up 
the reason why. He said, ``Before planning the final solution, Hitler 
asked, `Who remembers the Armenians?' No one remembered them, as no one 
remembered the Jews.''
  Today, all people of conscience remembers the Armenians. Let us 
resolve on this day of remembrance never to forget the one and a half 
million people who lost their lives solely because they were Armenian. 
And let us resolve to speak out whenever genocide is used by tyrants as 
an instrument of state policy.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in the observation of 
the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide during 
the Ottoman Empire. I commend my colleagues Representatives Porter and 
Pallone for calling this special order to draw Congress' attention to 
the tragic slaughter of the Armenian people. In addition to 
participating in this special order, I am proud to have joined 
Representatives Bonior and Blute in cosponsoring House Concurrent 
Resolution 47, which honors the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who 
perished earlier this century. I have also joined a number of my 
congressional colleagues in writing President Clinton urging that he, 
too, issue a strong statement of remembrance and recognition of the 
Armenian genocide as a crime against humanity.
  On April 24, 1915, despots of the Ottoman Empire began a systematic 
campaign of terror, brutality and murder against the Armenian people. 
This campaign was the first genocide of the 20th century. By the end of 
the campaign of terror in 1923, 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and 
children had been massacred and more than 500,000 had been deported 
from their homeland of 3,000 years. These actions were a clear case of 
genocide. The genocide was horrific, it is well-documented and it must 
not be forgotten.
  Today, the Armenian-American descendants of the Armenian exiles make 
a vibrant contribution to the life and energy of the San Francisco Bay 
area. I join with them in observing this anniversary of the Armenian 
genocide and in honoring the memory of their ancestors.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, words fall short of expressing the shock and 
revulsion Americans felt in the wake of the brutal terrorist bombing in 
Oklahoma City. Words especially ring hollow when we struggle with the 
vision of bloody and dying children. While we did not know these 
children or their families, we know in our hearts that not one ever did 
anything to warrant their fate.
  There is a well-worn saying that ``Time heals all wounds.'' In the 
wake of the tragedy in Oklahoma, we can draw some solace from it. 
Mercifully, the immediate pain and sadness of even a most horrible 
event pass over time. However, it does not mean that we are expected or 
should forget.
  With the TV pictures fresh in our minds, and the sadness of this time 
fresh in our hearts, we must come to grips with the fact that this 
crime was the work of Americans. It was the product of hate and evil 
that originated in this country. Hate and evil know no boundaries.
  This is an especially poignant time to recall another horrible act of 
hate and evil, the genocide committed against the Armenian people in 
Turkey 80 years ago. Just as we will never forget the terrorism 
committed in Oklahoma, it is important that we not forget the 1.5 
million Armenian men, women, and children who were brutally murdered in 
the inaugural genocide of the 20th century.
  Each year, Americans, and not just Armenian-Americans, come together 
on this occasion. We do so to do more than simply remember that the 
Armenians were the first victims of what sadly has become man's 
bloodiest century. Rather, we each hope that raising the consciousness 
of past atrocities helps prevent similar tragedies in the future.
  With tragedy so near and so fresh in our minds, we are easily 
reminded that hate and evil are unfortunate aspects of the human 
condition. However, it is our responsibility as Americans to remain 
vigilant against hate, violence, and intolerance, whenever and wherever 
it rears its ugly head.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and join my distinguished 
colleagues in commemorating the tragedy of the Armenian genocide.
  During and after the First World War, from 1915 to 1923, over 1.5 
million Armenians were deliberately starved, murdered, and drive from 
their homeland by the Ottoman Turks. It was the first modern example of 
the gruesome policy of ethnic cleansing.
  Unfortunately, it was not the last. Since 1923, genocide has 
frequently become the policy of choice for totalitarian governments and 
aggressor states. From Adolf Hitler to the Bosnian Serbs, ethnic 
cleansing has been used by a variety of tyrants. The victims of this 
horrible act have been as widely different as German Jews, Ukrainian 
farmers, and Rwandan Tutsis. History has repeated itself time and 
again.
  History threatens to repeat itself today. Across the globe, 
minorities like the Bosnian Muslims are threatened with extinction. As 
members of the free world, we must not allow these murderous intentions 
to succeed. We must stand up and tell those who wish to murder whole 
nations that we will not permit them to follow this gory tradition. It 
is a tradition that must end now.
  Mr. Speaker, the world must act now to stop any further repetitions 
of the Armenian genocide. We cannot allow any other ethnic minorities 
to be slaughtered as the Armenians were slaughtered. To permit another 
example of the horrible practice of ethnic cleansing would be to 
dishonor the memories of those who died at the hands of the Ottoman 
Turks.
  Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my colleagues. Mr. Pallone 
and Mr. Porter, 
[[Page H4504]] for organizing this special congressional opportunity 
for both houses of Congress to pause to honor the memory of the one-
and-a-half-million Armenians who were killed between 1915 and 1923 by 
agents of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in what is known in infamy, and 
perhaps with some controversy, as the Armenian genocide.
  Some would claim that our remembrance today fans the flames of 
atavistic hatred and that the issue of the Ottoman government's efforts 
to destroy the Armenian people is a matter best left to scholars and 
historians. I do not agree. For whatever ambiguities may be invoked in 
the historic record of these events, one fact remains undeniable: the 
death and suffering of Armenians on a massive scale happened, and is 
deserving of recognition and remembrance.
  This solemn occasion permits us to join in remembrance with the many 
Americans of Armenian ancestry, to remind this country of the tragic 
price paid by the Armenian community for its long pursuit of life, 
liberty, and freedom.
  Today, I rise to recall and remember one of the most tragic events in 
history and through this act of remembrance, to make public and vivid 
the memory of the ultimate price paid by the Armenian community by this 
blot against human civility.
  We come together each year with this act of commemoration, this year 
being the 80th anniversary of this genocide, to tell the stories of 
this atrocity so that we will not sink into ignorance of our capacity 
to taint human progress with acts of mass murder.
  The Armenian genocide was a deliberate act to kill, or deport, all 
Armenians from Asia Minor, and takes its place in history with other 
acts of genocide such as Stalin's destruction of the Kulaks, Hitler's 
calculated wrath on the Jews, and Pol Pot's attempt to purge incorrect 
political thought from Cambodia by killing all of his people over the 
age of 15.
  We do not have the ability to go back and correct acts of a previous 
time, or to right the wrongs of the past. If we had this capacity, 
perhaps we could have prevented the murders of millions of men, women, 
and children.
  We can, however, do everything in our power to prevent such 
atrocities from occurring again. To do this, we must educate people 
about these horrible incidents, comfort the survivors, and keep alive 
the memories of those who died.
  I encourage everyone to use this moment to think about the tragedy 
which was the Armenian genocide, to contemplate the massive loss of 
lives--on both sides of this conflict, and to ponder the loss of the 
human contributions which might have been.
  Although, the massacre we depict and describe started 80 years ago, 
the Armenian people continue to fight for their freedom and 
independence. Today, in the Nagorno Karabagh, Armenian blood is being 
shed even while negotiations continue to attempt to find a solution to 
this deadly conflict.
  Again, this year, I would like to close my remarks with an urgent 
plea that we use this moment as an occasion to re-commit ourselves to 
the spirit of human understanding, compassion, patience, and love. For 
these alone are the tools for overcoming our tragic, and uniquely human 
proclivity for resolving differences and conflicts by acts of violence.
  This century has been characterized as one of the bloodiest in our 
archives of human history. Certainly, the genocide perpetuated against 
the Armenian peoples has been a factor in this dismal record.
  The dawning of a new century offers our human race two paths. One 
continues along a road of destruction, distrust and despair. Those who 
travel this path have lost their connection to the primal directives, 
which permit us as a society to maintain balance, continuity and 
harmony.
  I would ask my colleagues, on this 80th anniversary of one of 
histories bloodiest massacres of human beings, to contemplate the 
second path. The map to this path exists within the guiding teachings 
of all major world religions and are encapsulated in what Christians 
refer to as the 10 Commandments. I would ask my colleagues, no matter 
their religious or political persuasions and beliefs, to re-visit these 
core teachings which form a common bond between all peoples. To use 
these common beliefs as the basis for action and understanding in these 
common beliefs as the basis for action and understanding in these 
trying times. The surface differences between peoples, offer only an 
exciting diversity in form. At the core all peoples are united by 
common dreams, aspirations and beliefs, in a desire for harmony, 
decency, and peace with justice.
  Let these testimonies of the atrocities perpetuated against the 
Armenian people serve as a reminder that as a human race we can, and 
must, do better. It takes strength and wisdom to understand that the 
sword of compassion is indeed mightier than the sword of steel.
  Certainly, as we reflect over the conflicts of this century, we can 
only come to the conclusion that violence begets violence, hatred 
begets hatred and that only understanding, patience, compassion and 
love can open the door to the realization of the dreams which we all 
hold for our children and for their children.
  Let our statements today, remembering and openly condemning the 
atrocity committed against the Armenians, help renew the commitment of 
the American people to oppose any and all instances of genocide.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleagues 
here today in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Armenian 
Genocide. I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Porter and Mr. Pallone, 
for their work in organizing this tribute.
  This observance takes place every year on April 24. It was on that 
date in 1915 that more than 200 Armenian religious, political, and 
intellectual leaders were arrested in constantinople and murdered. Over 
the next 8 years, persecution of Armenians intensified, and by 1923, 
more than 1.5 million had died and another 500,000 had gone into exile. 
At the end of 1923, all of the Armenian residents of Anatolia and 
western Armenia had been either killed or deported.
  The genocide was criticized at the time by United States Ambassador 
Henry Morgenthau, who accused the Turkish authorities of ``giving the 
death warrant to a whole race.'' The founder of the modern Turkish 
nation, Kemal Ataturk, condemned the crimes perpetrated by his 
predecessors. Yet this forthright and sober analysis has been spurned 
by Turkey and the United States during the last decade.
  The intransigence of this and prior administrations to recognizing 
and commemorating the Armenian genocide demonstrates our continued 
difficulty in reconciling the lessons of history with realpolitik 
policies; that is, those who fail to learn the lessons of history are 
condemned to repeat it. We have seen continually in this century the 
abject failure to learn and apply this basic principle. The Armenian 
genocide has been followed by the holocaust against the Jews and mass 
killings in Kurdistan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Bosnia. Many of these 
situations are ongoing, and there seems little apparent sense of 
urgency or moral imperative to resolve them.
  Commemoration of the Armenian genocide is important not only for its 
acknowledgement of the suffering of the Armenian people, but also for 
establishing the historical truth. It also demonstrates that events in 
Armenia, Nazi Europe, and elsewhere should be seen not as isolated 
incidents but as part of a historical continuum showing that the human 
community still suffers from its basic inability to resolve its 
problems peacefully and with mutual respect.
  I hope that today's remarks by Members concerned about Armenia will 
help to renew our commitment, and that all of the American people, to 
opposing any and all instances of genocide.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 80th 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. While this anniversary may evoke 
painful memories, it would be worse if we did not remember the terrible 
atrocities perpetrated against the Armenian people. It began on April 
24, 1915, when over 200 religious, political, and intellectual leaders 
of the Armenian community in Istanbul were executed by the Turkish 
Government. Thus began a war of ethnic genocide by the governments of 
the Ottoman Empire against Armenians. When it ended in 1923, over half 
of the world's Armenian population--an estimated 1.5 million men, 
women, and children--were killed.
  The Armenians are an ancient and proud people. In the fourth century, 
they became the first nation to embrace Christianity. In 1915, 
Christian Russia invaded the Moslem Ottoman Empire, which was allied 
with Germany in World War I. Amid fighting in the Ottoman Empire's 
eastern Anatolian provinces, the historic heartland of the Christian 
Armenians, Ottoman authorities ordered the deportation of all Armenians 
in the region. By the end of 1923, virtually the entire Armenian 
population of Anatolia and western Armenia had been either killed or 
deported.
  While it is important to remember this horrible fact of history in 
order to help comfort the survivors, we must also remain eternally 
vigilant to prevent future calamities. Only a fraction of the Armenian 
population escaped this calculated attempt to destroy them and their 
culture. Approximately 500,000 Armenian refugees fled north across the 
Russian border, south into Arab countries, or to Europe and the United 
States.
  I am proud to say that a strong and vibrant Armenian-American 
community is flourishing in northwest Indiana. In fact, my predecessor 
in the House of Representatives, the late Adam Benjamin, was of 
Armenian heritage. There are still strong ties to the Armenian homeland 
among Armenian-Americans. Mrs. Vicki Hovanessian and her husband, Dr. 
Raffy Hovanessian, residents of Indiana's First Congressional District, 
helped to raise over $750,000 for purchases of winter rescue supplies 
of heating fuel and foodstuffs for victims of the devastating Armenian 
winter of 1992-93. Last year, Dr. Heratch Doumanian and his 
[[Page H4505]] wife, Sonya, also residents of northwest Indiana, 
spearheaded the organization of a highly successful legislative 
conference focusing on important issues of concern to the Armenian-
American community.
  The Armenian genocide is a well-documented fact. The U.S. National 
Archives contain numerous reports detailing the process by which the 
Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire was systematically decimated. 
However, there is an unsettling tendency among both individuals and 
governments to forget or blot out past atrocities. Less than 20 years 
after the Armenian genocide, Adolph Hitler embarked upon a similar 
extermination of European Jews. While the Jewish holocaust is certainly 
as terrible an event as the Armenian genocide, at least the Jews have 
had the catharsis of the world's recognition of what happened to their 
people. In search of acknowledgment of what happened to their families 
and ancestors between 1915 and 1923, regretfully, Armenians too often 
hear that their claims of genocide are lies or exaggerations.
  Unfortunately, there is still a concerted effort to deny the 
existence of the Armenian genocide. As representatives of the American 
people, those of us who have the privilege to serve in Congress must 
lead the way in shining the bright light of truth onto those who claim 
that the genocide did not occur. All attempts at historical revisionism 
must be condemned, whether done in ignorance or simply to avoid 
controversy. For example, as recently as last year, a court in France 
strongly criticized a history professor for publishing literature 
denying the existence of the Armenian genocide. The French court stated 
that the genocide was an internationally recognized historical fact, 
not subject to denial.
  Although it has suffered greatly, Armenia is once again a sovereign, 
independent country. Its people are strong and determined to succeed. I 
am proud to support Armenia and the many ideals which it represents. It 
is my sincere hope that the United States continues to strengthen its 
relationship with the nation and the people of Armenia.
  In closing, I would like to commend my colleagues, Representatives 
Porter and Pallone, for organizing this special order to commemorate 
the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. This remembrance will 
not only console the survivors and their families, but may also serve 
to avert future atrocities.
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 80th 
anniversary of the Armenian holocaust. One and a half million Armenians 
were ruthlessly slaughtered at the hands of the Turks, a people were 
scattered throughout the world, a culture was defiled and churches were 
demolished while their stones were used to build shelter for the 
oppressors. We can never forget this infamous and despicable chapter in 
history.
  As Americans, we have witnessed the eternal courage and strength of 
the Armenian people here in their adopted land, where they have 
displayed great patriotism and valor. And we have seen this strength in 
the Armenian Republic, where its people struggle to maintain freedom 
and to prosper in a dangerous world. However, these brave people cannot 
stand alone. Our two great countries, the United States and the 
Republic of Armenia, must stand as one.
  As we commemorate the suffering of the Armenian people, we honor the 
spirit of the Armenian people. This spirit has endured the unendurable. 
It has transformed the horror of this holocaust into a lasting 
commitment to honor those whose lives were lost and those who continue 
to fight for freedom. We must pledge that the Republic of Armenia shall 
never stand alone, that America will always stand with her and 
together, we will stand for democracy, decency, and the dignity of all 
people.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I join today with millions of Armenians, 
human rights advocates, and ordinary caring people the world over in 
observing the 80th anniversary of a most tragic period in history--the 
deaths of more than 1.5 million Armenians. Remembering this catastrophe 
for the Armenian people and their culture is a difficult but necessary 
part of being ever vigilant that such events do not recur.
  Yet, sadly, awareness by the many does not always seem to stop the 
actions of a few. The bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma City 
is the most recent example of this, showing once again that hatred of 
those who are seemingly threatening still provides an excuse for some 
to carry out massive violence against innocents. Such hateful deeds are 
stunning and incomprehensible whether they took place 80 years ago or 
last month, and the dislocation and dehumanization they represent must 
and will be condemned and mourned.
  As I observe the Armenian suffering of the past, as a member of the 
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I also want to make a 
commitment to building and maintaining a strong and dynamic 
relationship between Armenia and the United States and to appending to 
a memory of occupation and persecution a future legacy of personal and 
sovereign freedom and security, prosperity and democracy for the 
Armenian people.
  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, today I ask you to join me in commemoration 
of the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On April 24, 1915, 
under the direction of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, a campaign of 
Armenian extermination began. By 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were 
murdered, with another 500,000 forced into Russian exile. Today we 
recognize the struggle of the Armenian people to live peacefully in 
their historic homeland.
  Armenians in the United States and elsewhere should know that their 
history of suffering has not and will not be ignored. Like the Jewish 
and Cambodian holocausts, the Armenian genocide stands out as one of 
the world's most morally reprehensible acts. We need to address and 
trace the causal factors leading to the rise of totalitarian 
governments, and ensure that the seeds of Fascism are never again 
planted.
  On this day, we all should take a moment to remember those Armenians 
who died 80 years ago. The United States and our allies should also 
reaffirm our resolve to ensure that no nation will ever again have the 
opportunity to participate in mass genocide.
  Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, on the night of April 23-24, 1915, the 
Ottoman Empire initiated one of the great human disasters of the modern 
age when it began the systematic arrest, deportation, and execution of 
Armenian political, religious, educational, and intellectual leaders. 
During the years that followed, more than 1.5 million Christian 
Armenian men, women, and children lost their lives and another 500,000 
were cruelly uprooted from their ancestral homes.
  Today we mark the 80th anniversary of this terrible and tragic blight 
on humanity. It is essential that we honor the memory of those who 
perished in the Armenian genocide. But as we remember the victims of 
this vicious event, it is also essential that we renew our 
determination to preserve basic human rights for all people everywhere. 
I believe deeply that the Armenian Christians so senselessly murdered 
80 years ago deserve nothing less than our utmost efforts to prevent 
such a tragedy from happening again.
  The efforts of the Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian 
National Committee, and the entire Armenian-American community have 
ensured that the passage of time does not erase the memory of these 
terrible events which started 80 years ago. In these efforts, they have 
performed a great service for all people and I want to take this 
opportunity today to recognize and to honor their very important work.
  Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian 
genocide, we pause to remember its 1.5 million victims and all those 
who have suffered crimes against humanity. And, in doing so, we 
reaffirm our pledge that such crimes will not be repeated.
  Mr. ZIMMER. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to join my colleagues 
today in remembering and honoring the 1\1/2\ million Armenians who were 
victims of a brutal campaign of genocide between 1915 and 1923 by the 
Ottoman Empire and its successor state.
  This systematic campaign of murder and forced exile is one of the 
darkest events in this century, and as we recognize it we should also 
vow to do whatever we can to help prevent such atrocities again.
  Today, we honor those who fell in the Armenian genocide. But we also 
honor the spirit of perseverance and courage that has enabled Armenians 
to transcend such horrible destruction by surviving not only as 
individuals but also as a vital people.
  Eighty years after the onset of the genocide, Armenia is an 
independent, democratic state. It was the first among the former Soviet 
Republics to privatize agricultural land and livestock production, and 
it is working hard to build a strong economy despite tremendous 
obstacles, both natural and manmade. The 1988 earthquake continues to 
leave deep scars, and the blockade of Armenia's rail lines and roads 
has severely limited international trade. Turkey's refusal to allow 
humanitarian relief to pass through its territory to Armenia also has 
taken a tragic human toll.
  Armenians time and again have displayed enormous courage in the face 
of adversity, and it is that quality that we commemorate the most here 
today, even as we honor those Armenians who suffered the evil of the 
genocide eight decades ago.
  Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues to 
commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915 to 
1923 and pay tribute to the more than 1.5 million Armenians killed by 
the Turkish Ottoman Empire. I commend my colleagues, Congressman Porter 
and Congressman Pallone, for arranging this special order to observe 
this horrific day in world history.
  On this date, 80 years ago, the Ottoman Turkish Government launched 
their systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide against 
[[Page H4506]] the Armenian people. This violent campaign resulted in 
the deaths of over one-third of the Armenian population living in the 
Ottoman Empire and the exile of approximately 500,000 Armenians from 
their homeland.
  In 1915, the New York Times reported on the devastating suffering and 
victimization of the people of Armenia. A reporter noted that children 
under 15 were thrown into the Euphrates to be drowned; women were 
forced to desert infants and to leave them by the roadside to die; 
young women and girls were appropriated by the Turks and thrown into 
harems. They also reported on the murder and torture of men and the 
turning of women and children into the desert where thousands perished 
of starvation.
  Unfortunately, the persecution of the Armenians did not end in 1923, 
but continues today. Since 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 
involving Armenia and Azerbaijan, has left more than 1,500 Armenians 
dead and hundreds of thousands of refugees in the three territories. A 
withering blockage of economic disruption has made everyday life a 
struggle for Armenians. Acquiring necessities for survival has become a 
great obstacle.
  As a member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, I have been working 
with my colleagues on the caucus on issues which effect the Armenian 
community. Recently, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to 
President Clinton asking him to discuss with Prime Minister of Turkey, 
Tansu Ciller the continuing pattern of misguided and punitive policies 
toward the Republic of Armenia by Turkey. I also joined my colleagues 
in sending the President a letter asking him to join the Congressional 
Armenian Caucus in reaffirming the American record on the Armenian 
genocide and to honor the memory of the survivors.
  In addition, I urge my colleagues in joining me in cosponsoring House 
Concurrent Resolution 47, honoring the memory of the victims of the 
Armenian genocide. It calls for the United States to encourage the 
Republic of Turkey to acknowledge and commemorate the atrocity 
committed against the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire from 
1915-1923.
  It is my hope that next year when we remember the 81st anniversary of 
Armenian Martyrs Day we will be able to celebrate a restored peace to 
the Armenian people and confidently proclaim that never again will the 
world allow such a senseless tragedy to occur.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues tonight in 
commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The 20th 
century has tragically been marked by campaigns of ethnic, racial, and 
religious genocides that have indelibly stained the annals of human 
history.
  The unforgivable fact, Mr. Speaker, is that the world was silent in 
the face of the first systematic, bloody effort to eliminate an entire 
group of people--the Armenian people. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman 
Turks unleashed the forces of hatred and death throughout their empire, 
wreaking havoc on unsuspecting Armenian men, women, and children. An 
estimated 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks 
through ruthless marches of forced starvation and endless waves of 
bloody massacres.
  Mr. Speaker, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian 
genocide to remember the heroic spirits of these fallen victims, and to 
render justice to their cause. It is difficult to grasp the concept 
that man is capable of such a barbarous monstrosity, of such ruthless 
depravity. But yet this century is littered with the victims of racial 
hatred and intolerance. The Armenian people, however, have the 
unenviable distinction of being the first community to fall victim to 
this heinous crime against humanity--a crime that we must never allow 
to be expunged from our memory.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, we observe the Armenian genocide tonight so 
not to forget. We remember the horrific conflagration that engulfed the 
lives of 1.5 million innocent men, women, and children so that 
governments around the world will know that they will be held 
accountable for their actions. Let it be known that there is not enough 
time in eternity to wipe out the memory of the first genocide of the 
20th century--the first systematic campaign to exterminate a whole race 
of people.
  Eight decades have now come and gone since this tragic event unfolded 
and, yet, the Turkish Government continues to deny the undeniable and 
refute the unrefutable. Although it is difficult, to say the least, for 
any generation to recognize the atrocities committed by their parents 
or their parents' parents, true healing can never occur until Turkey 
acknowledges its role in orchestrating the Armenian genocide.
  Mr. Speaker, the Armenians around the world demand no less, and the 
United States of America cannot ask for any less.
  Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the memory of the 
more than 1.5 million innocent Armenian men, women, and children 
exterminated by the Ottoman Turks in 1915--and the more than 1 million 
Armenians who were forced into exile from their ancestral homeland of 
3,000 years.
  Three years later, Henry Morgenthau, United States Ambassador to 
Turkey, wrote in his memoir, ``Ambassador Morgenthau's Story'':

       When the Turkish authorities gave the order for these 
     deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a 
     whole race; they understood this well, and, in their 
     conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to 
     conceal this fact.

  The survivors of this deportation made their homes in different 
lands. They formed the core of what became the largest Armenian 
community in the Diaspora. In the United States, Armenians--proud of 
their heritage--have dedicated themselves to the preservation of 
democracy. And I was proud to be in Yerevan when the Armenian people 
declared their independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. But the 
memories of the horrible nightmare of 1915 are deeply ingrained in 
their memories.
  In this age of genocide--the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, and 
the genocides being perpetrated upon the innocent in other countries--
the members of the Armenian community stand shoulder to shoulder with 
all who cherish freedom and human dignity in seeking an end to these 
crimes against humanity.
  In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, I 
am proud to join my colleagues in supporting legislation which would 
honor the victims and survivors of this tragedy. The United States must 
take a principled stand on this issue and encourage Turkey to 
acknowledge and commemorate this sad page in its history.
  If Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, was able to 
condemn these massacres by his predecessors, the leaders of present-day 
Turkey can do no less.
  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 80th 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The Ottoman Empire, between 1915 
and 1923, tried to advance its political interests by committing 
genocide against the Armenian people. The genocide of the Armenian 
people is widely recognized as the first genocide of the 20th century. 
Each year, throughout the United States and the world, Armenians and 
all people of good conscience pause to remember the 1.5 million victims 
of this crime against humanity.
  While these crimes are in the past, their significance has not faded 
from the consciousness of Armenia. The victims of these massacres not 
only represent the attempts of an oppressive regime to extinguish the 
dignity and spirit of a people, but also of the consequences of 
permitting such a regime to go unchecked.
  By recognizing the victims of this act of genocide, we commemorate 
both their sacrifices and those who have perished in the name of 
freedom since. In addition, recognition of this atrocity will help 
erase the vestiges of an era in which propaganda and deceit held 
precedent over truth and human dignity. The United States must take a 
stand and encourage other countries to do the same. We must always 
voice our firm opposition to the use of violence and repression as 
tools of government.
  Mr. Speaker, with the dawn of the post-cold-war era, and the 
emergence and development of newly independent nations, it is more 
important than ever for the United States to directly convey its rich 
tradition of respect for fundamental human rights. It is for this 
reason that I rise today to remember the anniversary of the Armenian 
genocide.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of people killed in an 
event so horrific that at the time, there was no word to describe it. I 
am referring to the mass slaughter of Armenians that began on April 24, 
1915. The Armenian people endured a forced deportation from their homes 
that turned into a death march. It is estimated that more than 1 
million Armenians died during this tragic event. Today we have a word 
for crimes like this: genocide.
  And we have learned as well the result when genocide is allowed to be 
carried out with impunity. Adolf Hitler asked rhetorically, ``Who 
remembers the Armenians?'' He used the example of the atrocities 
against the Armenians to reassure his followers that no one would care 
if he exterminated the Jewish people.
  It would be wonderful to say that, following the hardships inflicted 
upon them in the early part of this century, the Armenian people have 
been able to enjoy peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, that is far 
from the case. Instead, decades of Communist rule meant hunger and 
deprivation. The Soviet Union has collapsed, but Armenia is surrounded 
by hostile neighbors, and Armenians are enduring a blockade against all 
goods, including humanitarian assistance.
  There would be no more fitting memorial to those who died in Armenia 
than to build a just and lasting peace for all people. To do otherwise 
would be to condone genocide.

[[Page H4507]]

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to a grim and 
shameful chapter in world history: the perpetration of a genocide 
against Armenian men, women, and children carried out with brutal 
precision during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. On this solemn 
day of remembrance, I join Armenians throughout the United States, in 
Armenia, and around the world in commemorating the 80th anniversary of 
this horrific period.
  In 1915, a systematic massacre of Armenian religious, political, and 
intellectual leaders began. Continuing until 1923, the cruelty and 
ruthlessness which marked this campaign of terror still shock us 80 
years later. Between 1915 and 1923, 1.5 million Armenians lost their 
lives, and more than 500,000 were expelled from their homes. Innocent 
Armenians were rounded up and sent away to unknown destinations to be 
murdered. Uncovered by a researcher only a few years ago, a report from 
a United States consul stationed in eastern Turkey from 1914 to 1917 
provides disturbing details of this coordinated effort to commit 
genocide against the Armenian people. This record of cold-blooded 
murder is harrowing.
  Despite the calculated attempt to purge the Armenian people from 
their land and erase Armenian culture and traditions, today the 
Republic of Armenia is emerging as a vital and progressive nation 
committed to establishing democratic institutions. The Armenian 
Government has drafted a constitution, launched a program of industrial 
reform, privatized agricultural land, and made substantial progress in 
small-enterprise privatization. Armenia also has taken steps toward 
resolving the Karabakh conflict and moved to stabilize its economy 
based upon free-market principles.
  I am pleased that our government has recognized the importance of 
Armenia and has been working closely with international lending 
institutions to help ease Armenia's transition to a market economy. 
Through a comprehensive assistance program, USAID has funded numerous 
initiatives in Armenia, including one aimed at improving the 
distribution of much-needed commodities such as kerosene. Armenia has 
cooperated with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, 
made the difficult fiscal decisions necessary to construct a market-
based economy, and steadily progressed toward a free and open 
democratic system.
  As we mark the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, we join 
with our Armenian friends in remembering those who lost their lives in 
the early years of this century. While we reflect upon the past and 
dedicate ourselves to preserving the history of this humanitarian 
disaster, we also look forward. We look forward to a future in which 
Armenia will, we hope, grow prosperous, achieve economic strength, and, 
above all else, enjoy peace.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 
Armenian genocide, which began 80 years ago, when the Ottoman Empire 
launched the first of this century's campaigns against an entire 
people. It has become traditional for friends of Armenia to mark this 
awful April anniversary with them, to demonstrate our solidarity and to 
express the determination never again to allow such a horror to take 
place.
  Though April 24 is the date singled out to mark the catastrophe, the 
actual process of genocide took place over a period of years. During 
that nightmarish era, which lasted from 1915 to 1923, some 1.5 million 
Armenians were brutalized, tortured, massacred, starved, deported, and 
force-marched to death.
  But, the Armenian spirit survived intact this ruthless assault. 
Steeled by adversity, many of the survivors came to the United States, 
where they could nurse their physical and emotional wounds, and begin 
their lives anew. The community of new arrivals prospered in America, 
contributing to our cultural development, enhancing our diversity, and 
influencing our political process.
  American-Armenians never forgot their origins, or the horrific 
circumstances of the flight and exile from their native lands. The 
Armenian Apostolic Church has nurtured the spiritual growth and 
national consciousness of its flock. Armenian-Americans resolved to 
mark the atrocities and exile every year, to keep the memory of their 
relatives alive, not to let the world forget. And, they have 
consistently preached the message that what happened to the Armenians 
must never be permitted to happen again to anyone else. With this 
universal message, I--and other Members of this body--have often 
expressed our solidarity. I do so again today, in sorrow and in pride, 
with a strengthened sense of dedication, as I think about independent 
Armenia.
  In commemorating the Armenian genocide, we mourn the dead and recall 
the suffering and sacrifice of the victims. Yet, we also reflect upon 
the heroic, moving odyssey of the Armenian people in modern times. 
During the 20th century, the Armenians have lived through their worst 
moment--the genocide--and their best, most exhilarating moment as well: 
the restoration of an independent Armenian state, after centuries of 
dreaming and struggle on behalf of that cause.
  The people of independent Armenia have gone through very difficult 
times, coping with the consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, 
as well as a wrenching transition from Communist misrule to pluralism 
and a market economy. But throughout, the Armenian people have 
demonstrated the sturdiness of character and perseverance that have 
become their hallmark. Their spirit remains strong, despite the 
deprivations they have endured; their commitment to democracy, and to 
Armenian nationhood and statehood, has not faltered.
  Thankfully, a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been in 
place since May 1994. We all hope the ongoing multilateral talks in the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will soon lead to a 
peaceful conference and a negotiated settlement. The survivors of the 
1915 horror and their descendants could enjoy no better gift, all the 
more treasured for having been so hard-won, than peace and prosperity 
for a rejuvenated Armenia that will surely stun the world with its 
enterprise and success. Nor could the memories of the victims of 1915-
1923 be better honored, a worthy goal for all of us to strive for, as 
we note this solemn anniversary.
  Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate one of the most 
tragic events of the 20th century, and indeed, of all recorded history, 
the Armenian genocide. This year the world marks the 80th anniversary 
of the century's first calculated campaign of official mass murder.
  In 1915, the Ottoman Turkish Empire undertook a deliberately planned 
effort to exterminate the Armenian people. The Ottoman Turks were 
responsible for the deaths of more than one million Armenian men, women 
and children. This vicious campaign of genocide was only halted by the 
Ottoman Empire's defeat by the Allies in 1918.
  Unfortunately, the Armenian genocide has been largely forgotten by 
the people of the world. It has been reported that on the eve of the 
beginning of his ``Final Solution,'' Adolf Hitler cynically remarked 
that the world would stand by and allow him to murder the European 
Jews, because, he asked ``who today remembers the Armenians?''
  Just as we remember the Holocaust, we must honor the memory of the 
victims of the Armenian genocide, so that future generations never 
forget these monumental crimes against humanity nor fail to realize the 
human potential for profound evil.
  In the first 80 years of this century, the world witnessed the 
Armenian genocide, Stalin's mass murder of the Kulaks and millions of 
political opponents, the Holocaust, the millions of dead in Mao's 
cultural revolution, and Pol Pot's liquidation of more than a million 
Cambodians. In our own time we have witnessed the ethnic cleansing of 
the Bosnian Moslems and the brutal tribal mass murders in central 
Africa.
  We must not disgrace the memories of the victims of the Holocaust, 
the Armenian genocide and this century's other countless victims of 
institutional mass murder by standing by and allowing the Bosnian 
Moslems to be exterminated as the killing begins anew in the former 
Yugoslavia. We must act to make the words, ``never again,'' a reality. 
We must stop history from once again repeating itself. I can think of 
no better way to commemorate the victims of the Armenian genocide.
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, as a long-time friend of the 
Armenian-American community, I am once again proud to join my 
colleagues in our annual special order commemorating the Armenian 
genocide of 1915--to take time to honor the victims and survivors of 
this atrocity and pay our respects to their families.
  Persecution of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire began toward 
the end of the 19th century and increased through the beginning of the 
20th century. On April 24, 1915--the date that symbolizes for Armenians 
the beginning of the Armenian genocide--over 200 religious, political 
and intellectual leaders of the Armenian community were arrested, 
exiled and murdered. Armenian representation in Turkey was eliminated. 
In a single night, the voice of the Armenian nation in Turkey was 
silenced.
  From that infamous date until 1923, 1.5 million Armenians died from 
the Ottoman Empire's attempts to eliminate the Armenian people. 
According to the United States Ambassador to Turkey at that time, 
``When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, 
they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race; they 
understood this well and in their conversations with me, they made no 
particular attempt to conceal the fact.''
  Mr. Speaker, we must remember this deplorable example of man's 
inhumanity towards his fellow man, so that we can renew both our 
responsibility and our pledge to prevent the repetition of similar 
atrocities against any other people anywhere in the world. I thank my 
colleagues, Mr. Pallone of New Jersey and Mr. Porter of Illinois, for 
calling this special order 
[[Page H4508]] and focusing our attention on this horrible blight on 
our history.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 80th anniversary 
of the Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1923.
  Today, we are marking the anniversary of a terrible time for the 
Armenian people, a time of tragic oppression and horrific suffering. 
April 24, 1915, marks the date when many Armenians were uprooted and 
deported from Turkish Armenia, dying of starvation, disease, and 
massacres. An estimated one and a half million people died during the 
period 1915-1923, the victims of the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
  In recalling those awful days, we are also commemorating the strength 
of the Armenian people whose fortitude of character and culture gave 
them the will to triumph over their tragedy. In our own country, 
Armenian-Americans have flourished. Their individual accomplishments 
have contributed greatly to the wealth of our Nation. Their 
achievements are a moving testimony to the truth that tyranny cannot 
extinguish the human spirit.
  In remembering this tragedy, we are remembering as well other acts of 
savagery and genocide in human history. Murder and destruction have not 
been eliminated from this Earth. In Bosnia today evil men and women 
still seek to exterminate a people and eliminate their culture. We end 
this century as we began it: with the death of innocents on the altar 
of tyranny.
  By marking this day the Armenian genocide, we, the American people, 
are renewing our commitment to oppose the persecution of any people.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in remembering the 
tragedy of the Armenian people and in renewing our commitment to human 
rights.
  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues today in 
remembrance of the tragedy that overtook the Armenian people in the 
years 1915-23.
  Extensive massacres of Armenians took place in eastern Anatolia 
during the latter years of the Ottoman Empire. Those events have 
indelibly and permanently marked the consciousness of many Americans, 
including Americans of Armenian descent, who commemorate April 24, 
1995, as a national day of remembrance of man's inhumanity to man and a 
special day of remembrance for the Armenian victims of these tragic 
events in the early years of this century.
  April 24 this year marks the 80th anniversary of this calamity. It is 
appropriate on this occasion to direct our attention and prayers to the 
memory of the men, women, and children--most scholars believe more than 
1 million--who died in these tragic events.
  It is in the interest of all of us and in the interest of mankind 
that this type of tragedy not occur again. The leading organizations of 
the Armenian-American community have been seeking to work within our 
political system for a statement concerning these critical events in 
their heritage. I feel we should work with them in a constructive 
fashion and this is why it is important for us to recognize this day of 
remembrance. No one can deny these events and the centrality of these 
events in modern Armenian history. I am proud to be associated today 
with my colleagues in this important day of remembrance.
  The Republic of Armenia, a country of 3.3 million people, is 
developing important ties with the United States. Americans have an 
interest in the economic development of Armenia, its progress toward a 
free-market economy, and its development of democratic institutions. We 
want to work for the earliest possible end to the conflict in Nagorno-
Karabakh. We want to work with Armenia and its neighbors to promote 
peace, stability, and economic progress in the Caucasus region. As a 
small step in this direction, I welcome Turkey's decision to restore an 
air corridor to Armenia for humanitarian relief. I hope that the 
Government of Turkey will take additional steps to re-open a land 
corridor to Armenia. There is no better way to honor the misdeeds of 
the past than to rededicate ourselves to a better future, for Armenia 
and all the people and states of the region.
  We should also use this occasion to rededicate ourselves to the cause 
of human rights. I commend those governments, private organizations, 
and individuals, including Armenians and the Armenian-American 
community, who are working toward this end. I hope that their efforts 
will make the world a safer place, where innocent people no longer 
suffer the unspeakable crimes of war and terror.


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