[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 56 (Thursday, April 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4107-S4108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise to commemorate the 84th anniversary 
of the Armenian Genocide.
  This weekend, members of Armenian communities around the world will 
gather together to remember the spring morning of April 24, 1915, when 
the Ottoman Empire and the successor Turkish nationalist regime began a 
brutal policy of deportation and murder. Over the next eight years, 1.5 
million Armenians would be massacred at the hands of the Turks and 
another 500,000 would have their property confiscated and be driven 
from their homeland.
  Despite having already undergone such terrible persecution and 
hardship, the people of the Armenian Republic still suffer today. The 
peace talks have regrettably made little progress toward the resolution 
of the Karabagh conflict. Turkey continues to blockade humanitarian aid 
to Armenia.
  However, the Armenian people look hopefully to the future. Their 
quest for peace and democracy continues to inspire people around the 
world. On May 30th, Armenia will again hold democratic elections. 
Armenians who have emigrated to other countries, especially those in my 
home state of Rhode Island, bring their traditions with them. They 
enrich the culture and contribute much to the society of their new 
homelands.
  Although each year's commemoration of the Armenian genocide is 
important, I believe this year's observance is particularly 
significant--because of the crisis in Kosovo. Each night the television 
shows images of hundreds of thousands of refugees forced from their 
homes and each morning the paper is filled with stories of innocent 
civilians robbed and killed. These stories and images are 
heartwrenching--but the people of Kosovo have not been abandoned. The 
nineteen nations of NATO are united in their resolve that another 
genocide will not be tolerated.

[[Page S4108]]

  One of the reasons the world could not stand idly by watching events 
unfold in the Balkans is because of commemorations like the observance 
of the Armenian Genocide. We must stand as witnesses to protect those 
who are persecuted because they are different. We must remain vigilant 
as long as hate and intolerance exist in our world.
  Menk panav chenk mornar. Thank you, Mr. President.

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