[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 2, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6004-S6005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, last Monday, April 24, marked the 80th 
anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide. I rise today to 
acknowledge and commemorate this terrible chapter in our history, to 
help ensure that it will never be forgotten.
  On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman authorities began rounding up hundreds 
of Armenian political and religious leaders throughout Anatolia. Over 
the ensuing months and years, some 1.5 million Armenians were killed at 
the hands of the Ottoman authorities, and hundreds of thousands more 
were exiled from their homes. For its devastation and barbarism, the 
Armenian genocide stands out as one of the most horrific events in 
human history.
  As the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide passes, it is vital 
that we remember and speak out about the systematic persecution and 
murder of millions of Armenians by the Ottoman government. I urge my 
colleagues to join me, the Armenian-American community, and people 
across the United States in commemorating the genocide and paying 
tribute to the victims of this crime against humanity.
  Americans, who are blessed with freedom and security, can never allow 
oppression and persecution to pass without condemnation. By 
commemorating the Armenian genocide, we renew our commitment always to 
fight for human dignity and freedom, and we send out a message that the 
world can never allow genocide to be perpetrated again.
  Even as we remember the tragedy and honor the dead, we also honor the 
living. Out of the ashes of their history, Armenians all across the 
world have clung to their identity and have prospered in new 
communities. Their strength and perseverance is a triumph of the human 
spirit, which refuses to cede victory to evil. The best retort to the 
perpetrators of oppression and destruction is rebirth, renewal, and 
rebuilding. Armenians throughout the world have done just that, and 
today they do it in their homeland as well. A free and independent 
Armenia stands today as a living monument to the resilience of a 
people. I am proud that the United States, through our friendship and 
assistance, is contributing to the rebuilding and renewal of Armenia. 
   [[Page S6005]] Let us never forget the victims of the Armenian 
genocide; let their deaths not be in vain. We must remember their 
tragedy to ensure that such crimes can never be repeated. And as we 
remember Armenia's dark past, we can look with hope to its future, 
which is bright with possibility.


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