Congressional Record, Volume 144 Issue 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)

[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H2205-H2212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

TRIBUTE TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as my colleagues and I do
every time at this time of year, I should say, in what has become one
of the proudest traditions in this House and that is to remember and
pay tribute to the victims of one of history's worst crimes against
humanity, the Armenian genocide of 1915 through 1923.

General Leave

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I know there are a number of Members who
would like to participate in the special orders tonight on this
subject, and I would ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5
legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the topic of my
special order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the Armenian genocide,
we are describing one of the most horrible events of the 20th century
and in all of human history. Yet many, perhaps most, Americans and most
people around the world are barely aware of this extremely significant
historical event. There are those who even try to deny that the
genocide ever happened. But it did happen.
The Armenian genocide was the systematic extermination of 1\1/2\
million Armenian men, women, and children during the final years of the
Ottoman-Turkish empire. This was the first genocide of the 20th
century, a precursor to the Nazi Holocaust and other cases of ethic
cleansing and mass exterminations which are still all too common around
the world.
Friday, April 24, marks the 83rd anniversary of the unleashing of the
Armenian genocide. This evening, here in the Capitol building, the
Armenian National Committee of America is sponsoring a ceremony and
reception of remembrance for the genocide; and the ANC and the Armenian
Assembly have both been at the forefront for calling for recognition of
the genocide, not just for the people of Armenian descent who have
heard the history from their parents or grandparents but for all of us
as an active education and witness about the evils of genocide and the
danger of forgetting.
Yet, Mr. Speaker, I regret to say that the United States still does
not officially recognize the Armenian genocide. Bowing to strong
pressure from Turkey, the U.S. State Department has for more than 15
years shied away from referring to the tragic events of 1915 to 1923 by
the word ``genocide.''
President Clinton and his recent predecessors have annually issued
proclamations on the anniversary of the genocide expressing sorrow for
the massacres and solidarity with the victims but always stopping short
of using the word ``genocide,'' thus minimizing and not accurately
conveying what really happened beginning 83 years ago.
Mr. Speaker, the United States should go on record clearly and
unambiguously recognizing the Armenian genocide and setting aside April
24 as a day of remembrance. To that end, I urge renewed efforts to, on
the part of Congress, to pass a resolution that puts the United States
firmly on record on the side of truth. We will also keep up the
pressure on the President to call the genocide by its proper name.
And what is almost as appalling as the act of genocide itself is the
fact that the Republic of Turkey simply goes on denying that the
genocide ever took place. Indeed, Turkey has mounted an aggressive
effort to try to present an alternative and false version of history,
using its extensive financial and lobbying resources in this country.
The Turkish Government has embarked on a strategy of endowing Turkish
study programs at various universities around the United States. And
while Turkish and Ottoman studies are cleared worthy of academic
interest, the Turkish Government is attaching conditions to these funds
that make it clear that the program will be carried out under the
watchful eyes of the Turkish Government and other pro-Turkish elements.
One of the major goals of this propaganda effort is to minimize,
distort, and outright deny the facts of the Armenian genocide.
Mr. Speaker, adding insult to injury, the Republic of Azerbaijan has
mounted an effort to try to accuse Armenians of committing genocide
against the people of Azerbaijan, in many cases directly mimicking
Armenian statements and simply turning them around against the
Armenians.
Recently, the Assembly of Turkish-American Associations circulated a
booklet to congressional offices denying the Armenian genocide and
fabricating a wide range of half-truths, slanders, and lies against the
Armenian people. But these denials fly in the face of the preponderance
of evidence.
The U.S. National Archives holds the most comprehensive documentation
in the world on this historical tragedy. Formal protests were made at
the time by the U.S. Ambassador, and Congress approved of allowing a
private relief agency to raise funds in the United States. American
consular officials and private aide workers secretly housed Armenians
at great personal risks to themselves and in direct defiance of Turkish
orders not to help the Armenians.
Mr. Speaker, I know many of my other colleagues would like to address
this subject tonight, and I would like to say that the Armenian
genocide is a very painful subject to discuss, yet we must never forget
what happened and never cease speaking out. We must overcome the
denials and indifference and keep alive the memory and the truth of
what happened.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I want to thank
the gentleman for his remarks and associate myself with them.
Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with my colleagues in
remembering the Armenian people who lost their lives in one of
history's

[[Page H2206]]

greatest atrocities, the Armenian genocide.
Mr. Speaker, on April 24, 1915, Turkish officials arrested and exiled
more than 200 Armenian political, intellectual and religious leaders.
This symbolic rounding up of Armenian leaders began a reign of terror
against the Armenian people that lasted for the next eight years, and
resulted in the death of more than 1.5 million Armenians. Acts of
deportations, torture, enslavement and mass executions obliterated the
Armenian population and changed the world forever. These mass
exterminations and incidents of ethnic cleansing are the first examples
of genocide in this century, and have often been referred to as the
precursor to the Nazi Holocaust.
It is most important that we remember the Armenian people and
recognize the Armenian Genocide so that we never again see such a
heinous disregard for human life. The memory of this event, no matter
how cruel and brutal, must serve as a lesson to us all to never ignore
such actions. We owe that to the Armenian people who showed such
bravery in a time of great pain and tragedy.
Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, during the First World War,
the Armenian people suffered greatly under the hands of Turkey, leading
to what we now have come to call the Armenian Genocide.
It was one of the first state ordered genocides of this century, and
would later become one of the many genocides that have marred the
recent history of our World.
During the First World War, the willingness of the Armenians to serve
in the Allied forces, was seen as a threat to the Turkish government.
The Turks ordered a mass deportation of almost the entire Armenian
population from their homeland to two provinces of the Turkish Empire.
More than one million Armenians died during this long forced march,
many from disease and malnutrition.
Once a year, we pay tribute to those who survived and we honor the
memory of those who perished in the genocide. Nearly 1.5 million
persons were killed and another half million were deported from their
home country.
Unfortunately, the atrocities of the past have been replayed in the
Holocaust of World War II, Combodia, Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia, and
many other places world wide where leaders have turned their backs on
human rights and human suffering.
The crime of genocide must never again be allowed a part of our
lives, and today we stand with our Armenian friends, to remember and
share in their grief, and to make a commitment to prevent such acts in
the future.
We must work to remember and never forget the genocide, and to fight
for peace in this region and worldwide.
I will be going to Armenia in May, and look forward to meeting with
Armenians on the ongoing issues that they have with Turkey and an
overview of the history that they have endured.
I am proud to join Armenians around the world as we remember the
terrible massacres suffered in 1915-23.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, together with my colleagues,
to commemorate the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. This is an episode
of human history so dark, and so repulsive to our sense of decency and
morality, that it deserves our special attention. In the eight years of
the genocide, more than 1.5 million Armenians of the Ottoman Empire
were systematically slaughtered. Their property was confiscated, and
many were forced on long marches, often without food and water, during
which thousands of victims died. Others were forced into slave labor,
while many were simply tortured and executed. These atrocious acts
comprised the first instance of genocide in the twentieth century--and
tragically it was not the last systematic attempt to destroy an entire
race of people.
It is of the utmost importance that we not allow this tragedy to
lapse from our memory. Equally important is that we should not by means
of obfuscation and equivocation attempt to deny these horrifying
events. It has been said that denial of genocide is the final state of
genocide: by attempting to erase the memory of the act and trivialize
the suffering of its victims it destroys the dignity of all those who
died.
I therefore call on the Turkish government to right a wrong and
recognize the occurrence of the Armenian Genocide. In this way, we can
finally come to terms with this tragedy, not as Turks or Armenians or
members of any particular ethnic group, but as human beings. For it is
only after we have acknowledged the evils of which humankind is
capable, that we can prevent these evils from occurring again.
Many are aware of the remark made by Adolph Hitler as he was planning
the ``final solution'' for the ``Jewish problem'' that ``who, after
all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?'' The fact that
he could take comfort in our collective amnesia only proves the need to
remember these atrocities. I am honored to be joining with all those
who are commemorating the Armenian Genocide today throughout the world,
and I thank my colleagues, Congressmen John Porter and Frank Pallone,
for helping to keep Members of the House focused on this very important
issue. I implore everyone, young and old, to heed well the all-
important phrase: ``We must never forget!''
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone and Mr. Porter for their
leadership in bringing us together to remember a time in world history
when the Armenian people were singled out for a brutal attack on their
very existence, an attack that would come to be known as the Armenian
Genocide. On April 24, 1915, the rulers of the Ottoman Empire set out
to annihilate the Armenian minority. Over the course of the next eight
years, the Turkish government systematically murdered 1.5 million
Armenians and deported 500,000. By the end of 1923, the entire Armenian
population of Anatolia and Western Armenia was either murdered or
deported.
This anniversary serves to remind us of the importance of vigilance
against oppression and acts of violence against the rights of ethnic
minorities around the world. In my home state of California, the story
of the Armenian Genocide is included in the social studies curriculum
as mandated by the State Board of Education in 1987. Similar curricula
on human rights and genocide exist in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut
and Massachusetts.
And while a growing number of Americans come to understand the horror
of this episode in history, the perpetrators continue their denial.
Just last year, Turkey attempted to endow a chair on Turkish and
Ottoman history at UCLA. School officials were forced to temper their
initial enthusiasm when concerns were raised that this effort was a
stab at historical revisionism.
Turkey continues to violate the human rights of the Kurdish minority,
at times in ways that are reminiscent of its historical treatment of
the Armenians and Greeks. The Turkish government has failed to ensure
the safety of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the seat of the Orthodox
Church in Istanbul. In Cyprus, the Turkish army enforces a partition of
the island that has been universally denounced since it invaded in
1974. This consistent and constant disregard of international
convention is a hallmark of a nation that ignores the obvious lessons
from its own history.
Despite the near obliteration of their ancient culture, the Armenian
people have survived. Throughout the world they have made enormous
cultural and economic contributions to the communities in their adopted
homelands. Recently, Armenia held presidential elections, and while
there were some problems, this fragile democracy continues to move
forward. I congratulate the Armenian people for their resilience. Their
triumph over adversity is a story from which we all draw strength.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE--83D ANNIVERSARY

Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, and the representative of a
large and vibrant community of Armenian-Americans, I rise today to join
my colleagues in the sad commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
First, I would like to commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Pallone) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter), cochairs of the
caucus, for all of their hard work on this issue and other issues of
human rights.
April 24, 1998 marks the 83d anniversary of the beginning of the
Armenian genocide. It was on that day in 1915 that over 200 Armenian
religious, political, and intellectual leaders were arrested and
subsequently murdered in central Turkey.
This date marks the beginning of an organized campaign by the ``Young
Turk'' government to eliminate the Armenians from the Ottoman Empire.
Over the next 8 years, 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the
Turks, and a half million more were departed.
As the United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry
Mrogenthau, Sr., has written: ``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 made no
particular attempt to conceal the fact.''
As a supporter of human rights, I am dismayed that the Turkish
government is still refusing to acknowledge what happened and instead
is attempting to rewrite history.
In a sense, even more appalling than Turkey's denial is the
willingness of some officials in our own government to join in
rewriting the history of the Armenian Genocide. It is vital that we do
not let political agendas get in the way of doing the right thing.
Mr. Speaker, the issues surrounding the Armenian genocide should not
go unresolved. I call upon the United States Government to demand
complete accountability by the Turkish

[[Page H2207]]

Government for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. To heal the wounds
of the past, the Turkish government must first recognize the
responsibility of its country's leaders at that time for this
catastrophe.
Nothing we can do or say will bring those who perished back to life,
but we can imbue their memories with everlasting meaning by teaching
the lessons of the Armenian genocide to future generations.
The noted philosopher, George Santayana, has taught us that ``those
who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'' We should
heed this wise principle and do all we can to ensure that the martyrdom
of the Armenian people is not forgotten.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today, I join voices with my colleagues in
Congress and Armenians all over the world as we commemorate the 83d
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Between 1894 and 1923, approximately two million Armenians were
massacred, persecuted, or exiled by the Ottoman Empire. Today, fewer
than 80,000 declared Armenians remain in Turkey. The Eastern provinces,
the Armenian heartland, are virtually without Armenians.
The years since the Armenian Genocide have magnified its tragedy, not
diminished it. It is true for the hundreds of thousands who lost their
lives as well as their families for whom the void can never be filled.
It also has been true for all the world. The Holocaust of the 1930's
and 1940's has been followed by a number of genocides in the last three
decades. The failure of the Turkish government to acknowledge the
sinful acts of its predecessors sent the wrong message to the rulers of
Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia. The failure of countries of the world to
take prompt notice of these modern atrocities should remind all of us
of the failure of other nations to promptly acknowledge the massacre of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
In a word, it is the duty of all Armenians to join Armenian-Americans
in remembering the Armenian genocide. We have been fighting this battle
for formal acknowledgement by the Turkish government for many years. We
must not give in until the battle is won.
Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, each year, for the past six or seven years
of my memory, my colleagues, Mr. Pallone and Mr. Porter, have organized
this special congressional opportunity for this body to pause to honor
the memory of the 1\1/2\ million Armenians who were killed between 1915
and 1923 by agents of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in what is known in
infamy as the Armenian Genocide. In essence, we retell a story of a
moment in history, an even which began some 83 years ago. I have
noticed that each year, I find myself using the same words to tell this
story, and I realize that this process of retelling the facts of
genocide, committed against the people of Armenia is in itself a very
important event. For in retelling this story of the horror which was
perpetuated, we remember to be vigilant against the planting of the
seeds of future atrocities.
I would like to add that my district, the 34th Congressional district
of California, has what I believe is the only monument in the United
States which commemorates and records the Genocide against the Armenian
people. The citizens of the 34th Congressional district have strong
feelings about today's commemoration, and on their behalf I am here
today to share with you this retelling of an old an difficult story.
Some would claim that our remembrance today fans the flames of
atavistic hatred and that this 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. 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, with my Colleagues 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 83rd 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 under.
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, Hilter's
calculated wrath on the Jews, Poles, and Romany Gypsy community in
Central Europe, and Pol Pot's attempt to purge incorrect political
thought from Cambodia by killing all of his people over the age of
fifteen, and more recently, the ethnic cleansing atrocities in Bosnia
and Rwanda.
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, and to ponder the loss of the
human contributions which might have been.
Although the massacre we depict and describe started 83 years ago,
the Armenian people continue to fight for their freedom and
independence today, in Nagorno Karabakh. Again, this year, I would like
to close my remarks with an urgent plea that we use this moment as an
occasion to recommit 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 people has been a factor in this dismal record.
The dawning of a new millennium 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 83d anniversary of one of
history's bloodiest massacres of human beings--and during a time in
history when violent solutions to problems between peoples continue to
hold sway--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 revisit 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 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 closing 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 a commitment of
the American people to oppose any and all instances of genocide. As we
enter the new millennium let us commit ourselves to finding new and
peaceful paths for resolving differences which inevitably arise.
I thank my colleagues for permitting me the honor of sharing these
thoughts and words with you today.
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, tonight we gather to commemorate those who
lost their homes, loved ones, and lives in the Armenian Genocide at the
beginning of this century.
I am the only Member of Congress of Armenian descent. Every other day
of the year, my heritage is a source of honor for me because not only
do I represent a congressional district, but I also represent a
community of people who have made tremendous contributions to the
world. However, tonight being Armenian carries with it an obligation to
bear witness * * * to remember what began in 1915 * * * to remember
what happened to my family and over a million other Armenians when the
Ottoman Empire forgot its humanity and set out on a path of
destruction.
We gather here to remember the first genocide of this century so we
don't forget that it was not an isolated incident. The Armenians were
followed by the victims of Stalin's purges, the German Holocaust,
Cambodia's Killing Fields, the ``ethnic cleansing'' of Bosnia, and the
tragedy of the Great Lakes region in Africa.

[[Page H2208]]

Despite these examples we still do not understand why one day a
community can be living peaceably among another, and the next they are
singled out, rounded up, imprisoned and eventually killed. We may not
understand why the Ottoman Empire decided to kill the Armenians, but we
do know that it did happen and that it was, without question, morally
wrong. Despite continued attempts to downplay or deny the scale of the
tragedy, the forced removal of a half a million people, and the
massacre of 1.5 million more has no other name but genocide.
This past year several books written by members of the Armenian
diaspora have been published, and in conclusion, I would like to quote
from one of these books, ``Black Dog of Fate,'' by Peter Balakian. He
writes the following:

Commemoration is an essential process for the bereaved and
for the inheritors of the legacy of genocide. It is a process
of making meaning out of the unthinkable horror and loss.
Because the dead have not been literally or emotionally
buried in the wake of genocide, commemoration is also a
ritual of burying the dead--that first act of civilization.
Because genocide seeks to negate all meaning, to unmake the
world, the survivors and their children must find a way back
to civilization. Commemoration, then publicly legitimizes the
victim culture's grief. The burden of bereavement can be
alleviated if shared and witnessed by a larger community.
Only then can redemption, hope and community be achieved.

I thank Representatives Pallone and Porter for organizing tonight's
remembrance. You help to provide a larger community, where Armenians
can share and witness, and give hope for redemption.
Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the 83rd
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, 1915, over 200
Armenian religious and political leaders were taken to Turkey and
systematically executed. The years that followed brought further
persecution upon the Armenian people. It is important to recognize the
horror of the Armenian genocide as it is a lesson for all time.
Recognition and education are the best tools available to help us learn
from the mistakes of the past and insure human dignity for people
worldwide. As we remember the persecution that the Armenians endured,
we as Americans must not take for granted our freedom and security. We
must always work to ensure human rights for all people.
The atrocities that occurred in the Ottoman Empire from 1915 until
1923 were more than a series of massacres in a time of instability,
they foreshadowed the nightmare of the Nazi Holocaust and other cases
of ethnic cleansing in the twentieth century. A failure to be honest
with the past led to the terrors that followed later in the twentieth
century. The Armenian people were driven from their homes and deprived
of their freedom, their dignity and finally their lives. By 1923, 1.5
million Armenians had died, and 500,000 more had been evicted from
their homes at the hands of the Ottoman authorities. We look back with
sadness at these tragic occurrences and mourn the tremendous losses of
the Armenian people.
To ignore the Armenian genocide and its impact on history would
dishonor the victims of this tragedy. This was the first genocide of
the twentieth century, and, sadly, it was not the last. On this, the
83rd anniversary of the Armenian genocide we must not forget the
victims and we must be prepared to prevent further crimes against
humanity.
Mr. GEJDENSON. On this day I stand with Armenians worldwide in
remembering the anniversary of the genocide committed against the
Armenian people between 1915 and 1923.
Eighty-three years ago today, representatives of the Ottoman Empire
arrested Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders.
During the 8 years that followed, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians
were executed. Many were raped, tortured, or enslaved. In addition to
those killed, an estimated 500,000 Armenians were deported from the
Ottoman Empire. Thankfully, many of those exiles made their way to
freedom in the United States where they and their descendants continue
to make significant contributions to the cultural, political, and
commercial fabric of the United States.
Despite the formidable challenges they have faced over the years, the
Armenian people have demonstrated remarkable resilience. Today's
anniversary of the genocide affords us a chance to reflect upon the
challenges Armenian faces today. While it continues to struggle under
blockades imposed by its neighbors, Armenia continues to make economic
progress and just concluded an improved democratic election. This
continues the progress begun on September 21, 1991, when more than 94
percent of Armenia's eligible voters turned out to vote in a referendum
for Armenian independence. Two days later, the Armenian Parliament made
the people's desire official when it declared Armenia's independence
from the Soviet Union.
There are two ways to fight to prevent genocide from occurring again.
One way is to do what we can as a nation and as individuals to take
notice, to condemn, and to intervene when necessary before those who
would kill are emboldened. The second is to embrace the truth, to
remember history, and to confront those who would otherwise ignore or
distort the occurrence of genocide.
My family history intertwines with the tragedy of the Armenia's past.
My father's entire family was exterminated as was most of my mother's
during the Holocaust. My father and mother escaped Hitler and Stalin
and met in a displaced-persons camp in Germany after the war and took
me and my sister away to peace and freedom in eastern Connecticut,
which I now proudly represent in Congress.
When Hitler proposed his extermination of the Jews, he heard some
opposition in the room. He silenced his opposition by asking the
question, ``Who remembers the Armenians?'' I stand today so that
everyone remembers the Armenians and the Jews, so no one can commit the
atrocities of the past again.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, today we remember the Armenian
Genocide, and honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who died
between 1915 and 1923.
It has been 83 years since the Ottoman Empire began the systematic
slaughter of Armenians living in Turkey. It started in 1915, when the
Turkish government rounded up and killed Armenian soldiers. Then, on
April 24, 1915, the government turned its attention to slaughtering
Armenian intellectuals. They were killed because of their ethnicity,
the first group in the 20th Century killed not for what they did, but
for who they were.
By the time the bloodshed of the genocide ended, the victims included
the aged, women and children who had been forced from their homes and
marched to relocation camps, beaten and brutalized along the way. In
addition to the 1.5 million dead, over 500,000 Armenians were chased
from their homeland.
We take time every year to remember the victims of the Armenian
genocide. We hope that, by remembering the bloodshed and atrocities
committed against the Armenians, we can prevent this kind of tragedy
from repeating itself. Unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful. From
Germany to Cambodia to Rwanda, the horrors of the genocide have
repeated themselves.
So, Mr. Speaker, we must continue to talk about the genocide. We must
keep alive the memory of those who lost their lives during the eight
years of bloodshed in Armenia. We must educate other nations who have
not recognized that the Armenian genocide occurred. We must be vigilant
and guard against this kind of wholesale slaughter from happening in
the future.
Mr. Speaker, I commend Armenian-Americans--the survivors and their
descendants--who continue to educate the world about the tragedy of the
Armenian Genocide and make valuable contributions to our shared
American culture. Because of their efforts, the world will not be
allowed to forget the memory of the victims of the first 20th Century
holocaust.
Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Armenian community in
Rhode Island, I would like to recognize and commemorate the observance
of the 83rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a solemn, yet
historically significant event.
On April 24, 1915, 200 intellectuals, political and religious leaders
from Constantinople were executed by Turkish officials. Over the next 8
years, 1.5 million Armenians were driven from their homes, forced to
endure death marches, starved, forced into slavery, deported, tortured
and executed in mass numbers. The period of 1915-23 marks one of the
darkest periods of modern times--the first example of genocide in the
20th century.
Today, we honor the victims, who suffered at the hands of the Ottoman
Turks, and express our condolences to their descendants. The world has
chosen to ignore this tragedy and because we must ensure that history
does not repeat itself, we need to properly acknowledge the horrors of
the Armenian Genocide.
I join with my colleagues and the Armenian community to proclaim that
the genocide did indeed happen, despite the protests from the Turkish
Government. Unfortunately, we cannot change the past, but by honoring
the victims of the Armenian Genocide and sharing the grief of their
families, we can begin to heal the many wounds and work together to
ensure that these injustices never occur again.
Mr. McKeon. Mr. Speaker, I join many of my colleagues today in
commemorating the 83rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. For many
Armenians, April 24, 1915 signifies the beginning of the systematic and
deliberate campaign of the Ottoman Empire to extinguish the Armenian
population under their rule. On this day, Armenians from around the
world will be joined by many others, not only to remember one of this
century's worst tragedies, but to use it as a lesson for future
generations to preserve human rights around the world.
This somber occasion marks the anniversary of that day in 1915 when
members of the

[[Page H2209]]

Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leadership were
arrested and executed. This incident was not isolated and marked the
beginning of a mass persecution of Armenian men, women, and children.
At that time, the U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry
Morgenthau, Sr., stated that ``When the Turkish authorities gave the
orders for these deportations, they were giving the death warrant to a
whole new race. The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem
almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian
race in 1915.''
Tragically, from 1915 to 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were killed,
with another 500,000 that were exiled from their homes. By the end of
1923, the two million Armenians that had resided in Turkey were either
killed or deported.
Throughout my life I have had the privilege of becoming friends with
a number of Armenians who have shared the tales of the horrible and
inhumane experiences their relatives endured. As we reflect on this
tragedy today, we will certainly remember those who suffered and pay
tribute to the memory of the millions of Armenian victims.
Today I ask my colleagues to condemn the atrocities committed against
the Armenians and continue in our efforts to prevent similar tragedies
from developing. We must recognize and openly acknowledge the
atrocities committed against humanity before we are able to prevent
them from happening again in the future. If we fail to speak out
against such crimes, we are only ensuring that these atrocities will
continue to occur as time goes on. That is a tragedy we cannot afford
to risk.
Thank you for allowing me to participate in this special tribute to
the Armenian community. I am honored to be here.
Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the first of
this century's many examples of man's inhumanity to man: the brutal
suppression perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against 1.5 million
Armenian men, women, and children at the beginning of this century. On
April 24, 1915, Ottoman authorities arrested 200 political, religious,
and intellectual leaders of the Armenian community of Constantinople.
In the eight long years that followed, the Armenian population of Asia
Minor was subjected to forced privation, deportation, torture, and
death.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember this event, just as it is
important to remember the suffering of millions of other victims of
hatred and violence. It is important to remember because by remembering
we say no Holocaust, no ``ethnic cleansing,'' no mass extermination
must ever happen again.
No observer of the world scene today can ignore the long-lasting
repercussions of such atrocities. In the Balkans and Central Asia, we
see how memories of past injustice and mass human rights violations
complicate the search for peace. In commemorating the Armenian Genocide
today, we must renew our commitment to help prevent future ethnic and
religious hatred.
This day of remembrance also highlights the endurance and the spirit
of the Armenian people. Many displaced Armenians joined the ranks of
those who sought haven in our country. Many settled in my home State of
California, where they achieved prosperity, contributed to civic life,
and added to the cultural richness of our State. California today is
home to the largest--and thriving--community of Armenian-Americans.
Their success says to the tyrants and the perpetrators of mass
persecution in the world that the human spirit cannot be suppressed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues Mr. Pallone and Mr. Porter for
organizing this special order, and join my colleagues here today, the
Armenian-American community, and Americans across our country in
commemorating the Armenian Genocide.
Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
remembering the 83rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. I want to
thank my colleagues Congressmen Frank Pallone and John Porter for
organizing this Special Order to commemorate the victims of one of the
most tragic events in history.
On this day in 1915, a group of distinguished Armenian leaders--
intellectual, political, and religious--were arrested and brutally
murdered by the Ottoman Empire. This began a long and abysmal process
by which 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives. A disgraceful and
inhuman process which also resulted in more than 500,000 deportations.
The accounts by survivors go beyond the massive killings, there were
rapes, forced slavery and the deprivation of land and homes.
Unfortunately, the infringement on Armenian human rights continues
today with the conflict over Nagorno-Karabagh. This ongoing and
needless confrontation has ripped families and communities apart and
killed more than 1,500 Armenians. However, I hope and pray the newly
elected President of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, will continue to lend
his expertise towards a solution on the Nagorno Karabagh dispute. I
congratulate President Kocharian and wish him the best as he leads the
people of Armenian into the next millennium.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues every year in
commemorating the Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately, many people
continue to deny these events took place in the years between 1915 and
1923. I cannot stress enough the importance that we as members of
Congress continue to officially recognize this genocide because it is a
part of our world history. We cannot deny, nor forget it.
Although many of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide are no longer
with us, it is important that we recognize this tragedy in honor of
their relatives who continue to live with the memory of the event and
teach their children about this tragedy. New York State is one of the
few states which has offered a human rights/genocide curricula for
teachers to use at their discretion, including the story of the
Armenian genocide. I encourage my colleagues to work with their state
educators to implement a similar program. Education programs, along
with family discussions, are ways to ensure a peaceful future not only
for the people of Armenia, but for all peoples.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me as a member of the
Congressional Armenia Caucus where they will have the opportunity to
work on issues affecting Armenians and Armenian-Americans while
strengthening U.S.-Armenian relations in a bipartisan manner.
I commend the people of Armenia for their tremendous contributions to
the world while continuing to strengthen their own democracy. I look
forward to working with my colleagues and the people of Armenia to
ensure a stable and bright future for the years to come.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 83d 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
twentieth 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 sad 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 six 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 overwhelming international condemnation, Azerbaijan continues
its blockade of U.S. 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 U.S. 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 unacceptable 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.''
As the Armenian-American author William Saroyan wrote, ``Go ahead,
destroy this race . . . Send them from their homes into the desert . .
. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh again,
see if they will not sing and pray again. For, when two of them meet
anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.''
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.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, at this time of year the descendants and
relatives of those Armenians who died in the series of deportations and
executions organized by the Turkish Ottoman Empire during the First
World War gather at ceremonies across America to honor those victims'
memory.
I am pleased to join in this special order today, organized to
commemorate those who died in that series of brutal programs and
attacks--the effects of which were tantamount to a campaign of
genocide.

[[Page H2210]]

Although those who died in those tragic and violent days did not live
to see it, the Armenian nation has now re-emerged, despite the terrible
loss of life that has been suffered under the Ottoman Empire and the
eight decades of communist dictatorship under the former Soviet Union.
Today, the independent state of Armenia stands as clear proof that
indeed the Armenian people have survived the challenges of the past--
and will survive the challenges of the present and future as well.
Mr. Speaker, as we today honor the memory of those who lost their
lives long before the Armenian nation regained its independence, let us
today look forward to that day when the new, independent Republic of
Armenia and its people will live in peace with their neighbors--a peace
that will never see Armenian men, women and children subjected to the
horrors and atrocities their ancestors experienced eighty years ago.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 83rd
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. As in years past, I am pleased to
join my House colleagues on both sides of the aisle in ensuring that
the terrible atrocities committed against the Armenian people are never
repeated.
The event we come together to remember began on April 24, 1915, when
over 200 religious, political, and intellectual leaders of the Armenian
community were brutally executed by the Turkish government in Istanbul.
By the time it ended in 1923, this war of ethnic genocide against the
Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire claimed the lives of over half
the world's Armenian population--an estimated 1.5 million men, women,
and children.
Sadly, there are some people who still question the fact that the
Armenian genocide even occurred. History is clear, however, that the
Ottoman Empire engaged in a systematic attempt to destroy the Armenian
people and their culture. The U.S. National Archives contain numerous
reports detailing the process by which the Armenian population of the
Ottoman Empire was systematically decimated. That is one of the reasons
we come together every year at this time: to remind the world that this
event did indeed take place and that we must remain forever vigilant in
our efforts to prevent all such future calamities.
I am pleased to report that a strong and vibrant Armenian-American
community thrives in my district in Northwest Indiana. My predecessor
in the House, the late Adam Benjamin, was of Armenian heritage, and
Northwest Indiana's strong ties to Armenian continue to flourish. Over
the years, members of the Armenian-American community throughout the
United States have contributed millions of dollars and countless hours
of their time to various Armenian causes. Of particular note are Mrs.
Vicki Hovanessian and her husband, Dr. Raffi Hovanessian, residents of
Indiana's First Congressional District, who have worked to improve the
quality of life in Armenian, as well as in Northwest Indiana. Two other
Armenian-American families in my congressional district, Heratch and
Sonya Doumanian and Ara and Rosy Yeretsian, have also contributed
greatly toward charitable works in the United States and Armenia. Their
efforts, together with hundreds of other members of the Armenian-
American community, have helped to finance several important projects
in Armenia, including the construction of new schools, a mammography
clinic, and a crucial roadway connecting Armenia to Nagorno Karabagh.
The Armenian people have a long and proud history. In the fourth
century, they became the first nation to embrace Christianity. During
World War I, the Ottoman Empire was ruled by an organization, known as
the Young Turk Committee, and became allied with Germany. Amid fighting
in the Ottoman Empire's eastern Anatolian provinces, the historic
heartland of the Christian Armenians, Ottoman authorities ordered the
deportation and execution 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 keep the lessons of history in mind, we must
also remain eternally vigilant in order to protect Armenia from new and
more hostile aggressors. Even now, as we rise to commemorate the
accomplishments of the Armenian people and mourn the tragedies they
have suffered, Turkey and other countries are attempting to break
Armenia's spirit by engaging in a debilitating blockade against this
free nation.
That is why two years ago, I led the fight in the House of
Representatives to free Armenia from Turkey's vicious blockade by
offering an amendment to the Fiscal Year 1997 Foreign Operations
appropriations bill. Under current law, U.S. economic assistance may
not be given to any country that blocks humanitarian assistance from
reaching another country. Despite the fact that Turkey has been
blocking humanitarian aid for Armenia for many years, the President has
used his waiver authority to keep economic assistance for Turkey
intact. My amendment, which passed in the House by a bipartisan vote of
301-118, would have prevented the President from using his waiver
authority and would have cut off U.S. economic aid to Turkey unless it
allowed humanitarian aid to reach Armenia. Unfortunately, my amendment
was not included in the final version of the Foreign Operations
appropriations bill and the Turkish blockade of Armenia continues
unabated.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, Representatives
John Porter and Frank Pallone, for organizing this special order to
commemorate the 83rd anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Their
efforts will not only help to bring needed attention to this tragic
period in world history, but also serve as a reminder to remain
vigilant in the fight to protect basic human rights and freedoms around
the world.
Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the
Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. April 24th, 1915, is solemnly
recalled by the people of Armenia and Armenian-Americans as the
beginning of a long-term, organized deprivation and relocation of a
people from their homeland. Eighty-three years later, we mark this date
to remember the beginning of this systematic elimination of Armenian
civilians, which lasted for over seven years. By 1923, 1.5 million
Armenians had been massacred and 500,000 more deported.
Thousands of Armenian-Americans reside in my congressional district,
and each year they mark this date to commemorate this anniversary and
remember those who were lost. April 24th, 1915, marked a day when
thousands of Armenian intellectual, religious and political leaders
were arrested in Constantinople and deported or murdered. Today, we
reflect on the massive destruction of property, freedom and dignity of
those Armenians who were deported or killed under the Ottoman empire.
We honor their memory and vow that such deprivation will never happen
again.
Mr. Speaker, we also mark this date to celebrate the contributions of
millions of Armenians and Armenian-Americans since that awful time. As
we continue to strengthen our bonds with the Armenian people, we must
be vigilant about remaining a strong friend of Armenian democracy
through U.S. foreign policy. It is important for those of us in the
Congress to continue to speak out in favor of Armenian human rights and
free trade.
I urge my colleagues to join me in commemorating this solemn
anniversary.
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 eight 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 U.S. 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 of all of the American people,
to opposing any and all instances of genocide.
Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with respect to a
tragic--and, unfortunately, still largely unknown--event in world
history. Eighty-three years ago, the Armenians

[[Page H2211]]

of Ottoman Turkey became the victim of a comprehensive government-
sponsored campaign of persecution which, after eight terrible years,
left dead or deported some two million Armenian men, women, and
children.
From 1915 to 1923, Turkish Armenians were executed. Tortured, and put
into forced labor, solely because of their ethnic heritage. The human
costs were terrible and enormous. Over one million Armenians died as a
result of the genocide, and hundreds of thousands of others became
refugees. One statistic is especially telling: Over 2.5 million
Armenians lived in Ottoman Turkey before the genocide began; today,
less than 80,000 remain.
Although the lives that were lost as a result of the genocide can
never be returned, we must never forget what befell the Armenians of
Ottoman Turkey solely because of their ethnicity. We must remember, not
only in the honor of their memories, but so that future generations
understand the terrible effects of bigotry and ethnic hatred.
When isolated incidents of persecution are tolerated, or when
politicians gain from supporting ethnic persecution, the consequences
can be terrible. We must therefore never tolerate discrimination in any
form. We must also remember that such tragic events can happen again
when the world community ignores the warning signs before it is too
late.
I join Armenian-Americans and others in commemorating the terrible
events of eighty-three years ago, and urge that we work to protect the
human rights of all people around the world, so that we may prevent
such a terrible tragedy from ever happening again.
Mr. DOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
commemorating the 83rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
This terrible human tragedy must not and will not be forgotten. Like
the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide stands as a historical example of
the human suffering that results from hatred and intolerance.
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.
However, great the loss of human life and homeland that occurred
during the genocide, a greater tragedy would be to forget that the
Armenian Genocide ever happened. To not recognize the horror of such
events almost assures their repetition in the future. Adolf Hitler, in
preparing his genocide plans for the Jews, predicted that no one would
remember the atrocities he was about to unleash. After all, he asked,
``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--to
this day--refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. The truth of
this tragedy can never and should never be denied.
This 83rd anniversary also brings to mind the current suffering of
the Armenian people, who are still immersed in tragedy and violence.
The unrest between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues in Nagorno-
Karabakh. Thousands of innocent people have already perished in this
dispute, and still many more have been displaced and are homeless.
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 building
relationships that will assure lasting peace.
Meanwhile, in America, the Armenian-American community continues to
thrive and to provide assistance and solidarity to its countrymen and
women abroad. Now 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
recall the tragedy of their past, not to place blame, but to answer a
fundamental question, ``Who remembers the Armenians?''
Our commemoration of the Armenian Genocide speaks directly to that,
and I answer. . . . We do.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 83rd anniversary
of the start of the Armenian genocide, a period of tragic oppression
and terrible suffering. On April 24, 1915, the Turkish government began
to arrest Armenian community and political leaders. Many were executed
without ever being formally charged with crimes. The following month
the government deported most Armenians from Turkish Armenia, ordering
that they resettle in what is now Syria. Many deportees never reached
that destination. From 1915 to 1918, more than a million Armenians died
of starvation or disease on long marches, or were massacred outright by
Turkish forces. From 1918 to 1923, Armenians continued to suffer at the
hands of the Turkish military, which eventually removed all remaining
Armenians from Turkey.
We mark this anniversary of the start of the Armenian genocide in
part because this tragedy for the Armenian people was a tragedy for all
people. Genocide is not an ancient act, it is a horror which we must
daily renew our commitment to prevent. If we do not remember, we will
be condemned to witness such atrocities again and again.
We should not be alone in remembering these events. We will know that
humanity has progressed when it is not just the survivors who honor the
dead but also when those whose ancestors perpetrated the horrors
acknowledge their terrible responsibility and honor as well the memory
of genocide's victims.
Sadly, we cannot say that such atrocities are history. The death last
week of Pol Pot reminds us of Cambodia's ``killing fields'' in the
1970s, and we have only to recall this decade's mass ethnic killings in
Bosnia and Rwanda to see that the threat of genocide persists. As
President Clinton noted during his visit to Rwanda in March, the world
community needs to do more to prevent genocide. We have not done so. We
have not yet learned the lessons of this day.
We also remember this day because it is a moment for us to celebrate
the contribution of the Armenian community in America to the richness
of our character and culture. The strength they have displayed in
overcoming tragedy to flourish in this country is an example for all of
us. Their powerful example is moving testimony to the truth that
tyranny cannot extinguish the vitality of the human spirit. To all who
wish to remember and to praise Armenian Americans I recommend the
recently published memoir by one of America's most important
contemporary poets, Peter Balakian, whose book Black Dog of Fate is a
powerful reminded of Armenian history.
Surrounded by countries hostile to them, to this day the Armenian
struggle continues. But now with an independent Armenian state, the
United States has the opportunity to contribute to a true memorial to
the past by strengthening Armenia's emerging democracy. We must do all
we can through aid and trade to support Armenia's efforts to construct
an open political and economic system.
I urge all my colleagues to ponder on the history of this moment and
honor the memory and the accomplishments of the Armenian people and
join with me in efforts to aid Armenia today.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate and remember
the Genocide against the Armenian people. Between 1915 and 1923 the
Ottoman Turkish Empire committed a horrible Genocide against the
Armenian people. In a systematic and deliberate attempt to eliminate
the Armenian people and erase Armenian culture and history, the Ottoman
Turkish government committed this atrocity. As a result, over one and
one-half million Armenians were massacred. The Armenian Genocide is a
historical fact, and has been recognized by academicians and historians
worldwide. The evidence is irrefutable and includes many eyewitness
accounts, and statements from the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey at the
time. Unfortunately, today's Turkish government is still persisting in
their denial that the Armenian Genocide ever took place.
On April 24 each year Armenians around the world commemorate the
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Commemoration activities will
take place in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, New York, Armenia, and in
my Congressional District in Fresno, California. Many commemoration
activities are planned in Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley over the
next several days. I have the honor of representing thousands of
Armenian-Americans in California's Nineteenth Congressional District,
and today I send them my most sincere condolences on this solemn
occasion.
As a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues I have
fought hard for aid to Armenia, aid to Nagorno-Karabagh, and other
important issues. However, I am equally proud to be the author along
with Rep. David Bonior, of H. Con. Res. 55 which would ``honor the
memories of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.'' As well as having
this Congress honor the memories of the victims, H. Con. Res. 55 also
encourages The Republic of Turkey to do the same. This legislation
calls on the government of Turkey to turn away from its denials of the
Armenian Genocide, and instead, to openly acknowledge this tragic
chapter in its history. By doing so, the Turkish government can help to
raise the level of trust and relations between Armenia and Turkey and
allow Armenians to begin the healing progress. I encourage my
colleagues to vote for the passage of H. Con. Res. 55.
Remembering this Genocide against the Armenians will help ensure this
type of tragedy is never allowed to occur again.
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues today in
commemorating the 83rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. It has
become a tradition for members to stand in the well of the House and
pay tribute to the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were
slaughtered by the Ottoman Turks from 1915 to 1923.

[[Page H2212]]

Mr. Speaker, April 24, 1915 represents a tragic day in the history of
the Armenian people. It is a day that has left an indelible mark on the
consciousness of mankind. Eighty-three years ago, the Ottoman Turks
unleashed the forces of hatred upon Armenian men, women and children in
a deliberate, calculated policy of extermination. On the night of April
24, 1915, the Ottoman Turks ruthlessly rounded up and targeted for
elimination Armenian religious, political and intellectual leaders. So
began one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century.
For eight bloody years a reign of terror ruled the daily lives of
Armenians in the Ottoman empire. For eight long horrific years,
Armenians were consumed by the fires of racial and religious
intolerance. Tragically, by the end of 1923, the entire Armenian
population of Anatolia and western Armenia had been either killed or
deported.
On the eve of launching the Jewish holocaust, Adolph Hitler commented
to his generals, ``who, after all, speaks of the Annihilation of the
Armenians?'' Mr. Speaker, the members of the U.S. Congress speak of the
Annihilation of the Armenians. We speak out today so that future
generations of Americans will know the facts surrounding the first
genocide of the 20th century. We observe this solemn anniversary, along
with the Armenian-American community and the people of Armenia, so that
no one will be able to deny the undeniable.
Many of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide established new lives
in America, contributing their considerable talents and energy to the
economic prosperity and cultural diversity of our great nation.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with a sense of gratitude toward
Americans or Armenian descent and a deep sense of moral obligation that
I join my colleagues in honoring the memory of these fallen victims of
genocide. They have not been forgotten.

____________________