[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE EIGHTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Bonior] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to commend my colleagues, 
the gentleman from New Jersey, Frank Pallone, and the gentleman from 
Illinois, John Porter, for taking out this commemorative of the 81st 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  Mr. Speaker, beginning on the night of April 24 in 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 Ottoman Turkey, 
roped together, marched to nearby uninhabited areas, and killed.
  Innocent women and children were forced to march through barren 
wastelands--urged on by whips and clubs--denied food and water.
  And when they dared to step out of line, they were repeatedly 
attacked, robbed, raped, and ultimately killed.
  When all was said and done, 1\1/2\ million Armenians lay dead, and a 
homeland which had stood for 3,000 years was nearly completely 
depopulated.
  Mr. Speaker, we come to the floor this evening to remember the 
victims--and the survivors--of the Armenian genocide.
  As we come to this floor, 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 one of the reasons why some of us have introduced a 
resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 47, sponsored by over 150 of 
our colleagues 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.
  We have seen bloodshed this decade in places like Bosnia and Nagorno 
Karabakh.
  American leadership has helped to bring about a chance for peace in 
Bosnia.
  Now we must do the same in Nagorno Karabakh.
  For most Americans, Nagorno Karabakh is not a place that registers on 
the radar screen, for it is not a CNN war.
  But it is a place where 100,000 people have been killed or wounded 
over the past 7 years, and 1 million others have been left homeless.
  Mr. Speaker, we're all hopeful that this terrible tragedy ends soon. 
We're all hopeful that the case-fire in place for 2 years continues to 
hold while work continues to bring about a lasting peace.
  People are slowly starting to return to their homes.
  In recent months, our administration, the Russian government, the 
OSCE Minsk Group, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia have all begun 
efforts to resolve the conflict.
  But our efforts must be intensified, and the integrity and security 
of the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh must be guaranteed as we move 
forward.
  We must also continue to speak out against the refusal of Turkey to 
allow humanitarian aid to flow into Armenia.
  Mr. Speaker, we now have a provision in law, section 562, that cuts 
off aid to any country, that restricts the transport or delivery of 
U.S. humanitarian assistance.
  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.
  The third largest recipient of U.S. assistance must know that section 
562 will be enforced and the aid will stop unless it ends its blockade 
of Armenia.
  Mr. Speaker, we must pause today and say ``Never again.''
  We can 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.

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