[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H3788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE 81ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Lowey] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 81st anniversary of the 
Armenian genocide, an act of mass murder that took 1.5 million Armenian 
lives and led to the exile of the Armenian nation from its historic 
homeland.
  It is of vital importance that we never forget what happened to the 
Armenian people. Indeed the only thing we can do for the victims is to 
remember, and we forget at our own peril.
  The Armenian genocide, which began 15 years after the start of the 
20th century, was the first act of genocide of this century, but it was 
far from the last. The Armenian genocide was followed by the Holocaust, 
Stalin's purges, and other acts of mass murder around the world.
  Adolf Hitler himself said that the world's indifference to the 
slaughter in Armenia indicated that there would be no global 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 world. But it was too late for 
millions of victims. Too late for the 6 million Jews. Too late for the 
1.5 million Armenians.
  Today we recall the Armenian genocide and we mourn its victims. We 
also pledge that we shall do everything we can to protect the Armenian 
nation against further aggression; in the Republic of Armenia, in 
Nagorno-Karabagh, or anywhere else.
  Unfortunately, there are some who still think it is acceptable to 
block the delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance around the world. 
Despite our success last year in including the Humanitarian Aid 
Corridor Act in the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill signed by 
the President, Azerbaijan has continued its blockade of United States 
humanitarian assistance to Armenia.
  It is tragic that Azerbaijan's tactics have denied food and medicine 
to innocent men, women, and children in Armenia, and created thousands 
of refugees. The United States must stand firm against any dealings 
with Azerbaijan until it ends this immoral blockade. We must make clear 
that warfare and blockades aimed at civilians are unaccept5able as 
means for resolving disputes.
  Mr. Speaker, after the genocide, the Armenian people 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. The Armenian nation lives. We 
must do everything we can to ensure that it is never imperiled again.

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