[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4061-S4062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               81ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, today marks the 81st anniversary of the 
Armenian Genocide. As Armenians gather worldwide today to commemorate 
the anniversary, I rise to pay tribute to the victims of this tragedy. 
Although some still refuse to recognize historical fact, there should 
be no doubt that the Armenian people suffered the first genocide of the 
modern age.
  As many of my colleagues know, between the years 1915-23, 1.5 million 
Armenians were subjected to systematic extermination through a policy 
of deportation, torture, starvation, and massacre. At the time, the 
world recognized that the Ottoman Empire had committed a crime against 
humanity, though the term ``genocide'' would not be coined until years 
later. The United States condemned the brutal treatment of the 
Armenians. The United States rendered humanitarian assistance to many 
of the survivors in the largest relief effort every organized by this 
country. Yet even with all the facts that we have before us, most of 
which have been compiled by U.S. sources, some still refuse to 
acknowledge that there was a genocide.
  Most of us are willing to look history in the eye and see the danger 
of closing our eyes and hearts to the truth of the tragedy which took 
place. We will not cease in our efforts to remember what happened. This 
year, along with 25 of my colleagues, I signed a bipartisan letter 
urging the President to use the word ``genocide'' in his statement 
commemorating the anniversary. Mr. President, while nearly every other 
nation recognizes the Genocide, one nation still insists that the 
Genocide never happened--the Government of Turkey. As I have stated in 
the past, no responsibility for the history of the Genocide rests with 
either the Turkish people or their modern-day government. The Ottoman 
Empire, which committed the Genocide against the Armenians, has not 
existed since October 19, 1923. As Operation Desert Storm again 
demonstrated, Turkey is an important friend and partner to the United 
States, and we highly value our friendship with the Turkish Government 
and people. That friendship would not suffer from, and in fact, would 
be strengthened, by recognizing the fact of the Armenian Genocide.
  At a time when the world is beset by problems, including acts of 
genocide, the United States cannot fail to send a unified message. Only 
by issuing a clear statement on genocide can the United States convey 
to the world our Nation's resolve and determination to prevent such 
crimes from recurring. We cannot allow history to dictate the future, 
but neither can we forget history nor turn our backs on the truth. On 
this 81st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, let all of us as 
Americans, even as we remember the tragic events of the past, 
rededicate ourselves to making sure it never happens again. Finally, I 
would add that President Clinton has just issued his statement 
commemorating the anniversary of the Genocide. It is unfortunate that 
unlike his statement in 1992, this year's statement does not use the 
historically correct word of ``genocide'' to describe what happened to 
the Armenian people from 1915 to 1923.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that our letter to the 
President be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                                      U.S. Senate,


                              Office of the Republican Leader,

                                   Washington, DC, April 23, 1996.
     The President,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: This year marks the 81st anniversary of 
     the Armenian Genocide. Armenian-Americans throughout the 
     United States and the world will be commemorating this event 
     on April 24th.

[[Page S4062]]

       As you know, the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire were 
     subjected to a ruthless, systematic and well-organized policy 
     of deportation, confiscation of property, slave labor, denial 
     of basic rights and, ultimately, murder. It is estimated that 
     a million and a half Armenians eventually perished. The world 
     recognized at the time that a crime against humanity had been 
     committed. The United States condemned the brutal treatment 
     of the Armenians and rendered humanitarian assistance to many 
     of the survivors in the largest relief effort ever organized 
     by this country.
       This year, in a bi-partisan initiative, members of Congress 
     will again call on you to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide as a 
     crime against humanity. We believe there is a difference 
     between using the word ``massacres'', rather than the word 
     ``genocide'', to describe the systematic annihilation of 1.5 
     million Armenians. This is a distinction between a random 
     series of atrocities and a methodical, ethnically-based 
     policy of extermination. The historical record--much of it 
     compiled from American sources--clearly indicates that the 
     latter description reflects the truth.
       Mr. President, the survivors and their descendants, who now 
     number one million Americans, have not forgotten the Armenian 
     Genocide. We again ask you to issue a clear and unambiguous 
     statement reaffirming the Armenian Genocide as a crime 
     against humanity.
       At a time when the world is beset by problems, including 
     acts of genocide, the United States cannot fail to send a 
     unified message that can prevent future acts of inhumanity. 
     Only by issuing such a statement can the United States convey 
     to the world our nation's resolve and determination to 
     prevent such crimes from recurring.
           Sincerely,
         Bob Dole, Olympia Snowe, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, Larry 
           Pressler, Chuck Robb, Mike DeWine, Jesse Helms, Alfonse 
           D'Amato, John Ashcroft, Frank R. Lautenberg, Joe 
           Lieberman, Ted Kennedy, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, 
           Barbara Boxer, John F. Kerry, Claiborne Pell, Carl 
           Levin, ------ ------, Mark O. Hatfield, Bill Bradley, 
           Spencer Abraham, Herbert Kohl, Dianne Feinstein, Paul 
           Sarbanes, Carol Moseley-Braun, John Glenn.

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