[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 135 (Wednesday, October 25, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1919-E1920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORTING THOSE WHO REAFFIRM THE OCCURRENCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 25, 2000

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in to express my 
disappointment that the House of Representatives chose not to consider 
H. Res. 596 last Thursday. This was the second time this resolution had 
been pulled from consideration, despite pledges by the leadership that 
the US would go on record to affirm their support for the Armenian 
genocide. It now appears that the House will not have such an 
opportunity before we adjourn the 106th Congress.
  This resolution recognized the suffering of nearly two million 
Armenians from 1915 through 1923, as the Ottoman Empire strove to wipe 
out an entire race of men, women, and children. Those who were not 
murdered were effectively removed from their homes of 2,500 years in 
what is now modem day Turkey.
  It called upon the President of the United States to do three things. 
Ensure that US foreign policy reflects consideration and sensitivity 
for human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in US 
records relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the 
Turkish court's failure to enforce judgments against those responsible 
for committing genocide; recognize, during his annual commemoration of 
the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, that this was a systematic and 
deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 people, and reflect upon the 
United States' effort to intervene on behalf of Armenians during the 
genocide; and finally, in his annual commemoration of the Armenian 
Genocide, emphasize that the modem day Republic of Turkey did not 
conduct the Armenian Genocide, which was perpetrated by the Ottoman 
Empire.
  It was eighty-five years ago that Ottoman leaders used the guise of 
war as an opportunity to eliminate the Armenian population from the 
Empire. What began as confiscation of Armenian property in order to 
``support'' the war effort, ended with the murder of 1.5 million people 
and the deportation of 500,000 others.
  In May 1915, the Allied Powers of World War I charged the Ottoman 
Empire with a ``crime against humanity'' and vowed to hold responsible 
those involved in committing genocide. Despite commitments by the 
Allied Powers and indictments by the post-war Turkish government of the 
top leaders involved in perpetrating the Armenian genocide and the 
destruction of Armenian property, justice has not been served to those 
responsible for the atrocities against Armenians.
  It is a shame that America does not have the courage to support the 2 
million Armenians that suffered through a genocide. We

[[Page E1920]]

should look more towards our friends in the international community who 
have not been deterred in their recognition of the annihilation of 
Armenians for what it really was--a genocide. The European Parliament 
and the United Nations have recognized and reaffirmed the Armenian 
genocide as historical fact, as have the Russian and Greek parliaments, 
the Canadian House of Commons, the Lebanese Chamber of Deputies, and 
the French National Assembly. It is time for America to venerate 
Armenians who suffered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. And let me 
stress that I am not speaking of the government of modern day Turkey, 
but rather its predecessor, which many of Turkey's present day leaders 
helped to remove from power.
  I commend the bravery and dedication exhibited by the Armenian people 
to have their story heard. I wholeheartedly supported this resolution 
and am disappointed that cowardliness reigned supreme to prevent its 
consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.

                          ____________________