[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E568-E569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 12, 2000

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, today as I have each year since I came to 
Congress, I acknowledge the atrocities suffered by the Armenian people 
at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. This year marks the 85th anniversary 
of this atrocity.
  It is important that we take this time to remember one of the 
greatest tragedies that humankind has ever witnessed. Mr. Speaker, 
little did anyone know that April 24, 1915, would forever signify the 
beginning of a Turkish campaign to eliminate the Armenian people from 
the face of the Earth.
  Over the following 8 years, 1.5 million Armenians perished, more than 
200 Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders were 
massacred, and more than 500,000 were exiled from their homes. Armenian 
civilization, one of the oldest civilizations, virtually ceased to 
exist.
  Sadly, this chapter of global history is not as well known or 
remembered an event of the 20th century as it deserves to be. Little 
attention was paid to this tragic episode by the victorious allied 
powers at the end of World War I, or by historians since. And 
unfortunately, as time wears on, so much of it has faded into memory, 
and people begin to forget what occurred during that horrific time.
  However, even worse, as time passes on, and people are distanced from 
the atrocities, naysayers and revisionists have the opportunity to 
change this generation's understanding of Armenian genocide.
  Even more outrageous though, due to the failure of some nations to 
acknowledge this horrible tragedy, 85 years later the Turkish crimes 
have gone unpunished.
  An international court has yet to condemn the holocaust of an entire 
nation, and this impunity has permitted the Turks to repeat similar 
crimes against the Greek inhabitants of Asia minor; the Syrian Orthodox 
people and recently, people living in Cyprus.
  Fortunately, despite this unspeakable tragedy committed 85 years ago, 
Armenians today remain a compassionate, proud, and dignified people. 
Despite the unmerciful efforts of the Turks, Armenian civilization 
lives on and thrives today.
  Thankfully, this spirit lives on in the independent Republic of 
Armenia. And, it lives on in communities throughout America, especially 
in my home State of California. In fact, every proud Armenian that 
walks the world over is the product of generations of perseverance, 
courage, and hope.
  I am proud that today my colleagues and I engage in this special 
order to honor the innocent Armenians who tragically lost their lives. 
Today we call attention to and acknowledge

[[Page E569]]

that the Ottoman Turks committed genocide against the Armenian people.
  And today, we demand that this undeniable fact be accounted for by 
the current leaders in Istanbul. Unfortunately, the valuable lessons 
which might have been learned from this Armenian genocide have gone 
largely unlearned and unnoticed.
  Perhaps if more attention had been paid to the slaughter of the 
innocent Armenian men, women, and children--perhaps if needed lessons 
in humanity had been learned earlier--our world could have avoided 
other tragic events and unspeakable events of this past century.
  But since we can't change the past but only prepare for the future, 
it is only proper and fitting that the international bastion of 
democracy, the U.S. House of Representatives, is a voice in this 
campaign to recognize and acknowledge the Armenian genocide.
  As George Santayana reminds us, ``Those who forget the past are 
condemned to repeat it.'' Perhaps this, above all, is the valuable 
lesson each of us must learn from the Armenian genocide.
  However, until that day comes, know that I will continue to remind 
our Nation, and this distinguished body, of our responsibility to learn 
from the past. And, our responsibility to speak out in order to prevent 
any such atrocity in the future.

                          ____________________