Congressional Record, Volume 148 Issue 47 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)

[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1596-H1603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

REMEMBERING THE 87TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in
commemorating one of the most appalling violations of human rights in
all of modern history--the eighty-seventh anniversary of the Armenian
genocide. I want to commend my colleagues Representatives Joe
Knollenberg and Frank Pallone, the co-chairs of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, for once again sponsoring this special
order.
Each year, we join the world in the commemoration of the Armenian
genocide because the tragedy of lost lives through ethnic cleansing
must not be forgotten. By remembering the bloodshed and atrocities
committed against the Armenian people, we hope to prevent similar
tragedies from occurring in the future.
On April 24, 1915, 200 Armenian leaders, scholars, and professionals
were gathered, deported, and killed in Constantinople. Later that day,
5,000 more Armenians were butchered in their homes and on the streets
of the city. By 1923, two million men, women, and children had been
murdered and another 500,000 Armenian survivors were homeless and
exiled. The Armenian genocide was the first of the twentieth century,
but unfortunately as we all know, it was not the last.
Talat Pasha, one of the Ottoman rulers, stated that the regime's goal
was to ``thoroughly liquidate its internal foes, the indigenous
Christian.'' The regime called the mass murder a mass relocation,
masking its horrendous acts from the rest of the world. The Ottoman
Empire was fully aware that the possibility of foreign intervention was
minimal considering the world was preoccupied with World War I at the
time.
However, the massacre was immediately denounced by representatives
from Britain, France, Russia, and the United States. Even Germany and
Austria, allies of the Ottoman Empire in the First World War, condemned
the Empire's heinous acts.
Henry Morgenthau, U.S. Ambassador to Constantinople at the time,
vividly documented the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians with the
statement, ``I am confident that the whole

[[Page H1597]]

history of the human race contains no such horrible episode as this.
The great massacres and persecutions of the past seem almost
insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian race in
1915.''
Winston Churchill used the word ``holocaust'' to describe the
Armenian massacres when he said that, ``in 1915 the Turkish government
began and ruthlessly carried out the infamous general massacre and
deportation of Armenians in Asia Minor . . . [the Turks were]
massacring uncounted thousands of helpless Armenians--men, women, and
children together; whole districts blotted out in one administrative
holocaust--these were beyond human redress.''
We must recognize the enormity of this act as one of the darkest
chapters in world history. Only at that point can we truly take account
of the severity of loss and honor the memory of the two million
Armenians and others that were murdered during the genocide.
The orchestrated extermination of people is contrary to the values
the United States espouses. We are a nation which strictly adheres to
the affirmation of human rights everywhere. No one can erase a
horrendous historical fact by ignoring what so many witnessed and
survived.
Recognition and acceptance of misdeeds are necessary steps toward its
extinction. Without acceptance, there is no remorse, and without
remorse, there is no catharsis and pardon. We all want to forget these
horrific tragedies in our history and bury them in the past. However,
it is only through the painful process of acknowledging and remembering
that we can prevent similar iniquity in the future.
As recently as the year 2000, the United States, together with many
European nations, took an active part in halting the genocidal events
occurring in Kosovo. We cannot turn our heads from similar events that
happened to the Armenian people. By remaining silent, we set a
dangerous precedent, and in essence, we condone the horrific act.
The survivors of the Armenian genocide and their descendants have
made great contributions to every country in which they have settled,
including the United States where they have made their mark in
business, the professions and our cultural life.
In closing, I would like to ask that we all take a moment to reflect
upon the hardships endured by the Armenians, and acknowledge that in
the face of adversity, the Armenian people have persevered. Today, we
commemorate the memories of those who lost their lives in the genocide,
as well as the resilience of those who survived.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, this April marks the 87th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, when the Ottoman Empire killed 1.5 million
Armenians and exiled over 500,000 more during an eight-year-long reign
of terror. By recognizing these events, we can hopefully prevent
similar horrors from occurring again. To recognize the Armenian
Genocide, however, the United States must affirm that a genocide indeed
occurred. To date, President Bush has refused to acknowledge that the
events of 1915 to 1923 comprised acts of genocide.
I have joined 101 other members of Congress in signing a letter to
President Bush urging him to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Doing so
will place the United States in the company of the European Union,
Canada, Russia, and other members of the international community.
History has a way of rewarding those who have suffered. Today, after
centuries of Turkish domination and eighty years of Soviet domination,
an independent Republic of Armenia is an upstanding, sovereign member
of the family of nations. The United States must continue to help the
government in Yerevan guarantee its security, develop its economy, and
institutionalize its democracy.
As a member of International Relations Committee and Congressional
Caucus on Armenia, I will continue to argue strongly for policies
benefiting Armenia. My district includes many Armenians, especially in
Woodside, and I have listened to the concerns of the Armenian-American
Community there many times. I have worked tirelessly to promote the
interests of Armenia and the Armenian-American community, including:
Augmenting the Administration's 2003 budget request for Armenia. The
Bush Administration's 2003 budget requests only $70 million in
bilateral assistance funds for Armenia, $20 million less than Congress
appropriated in 2002. Similarly, The Administration requested only $3
million, a $1 million decrease from the 2002 appropriation, in Foreign
Military Financing (FMF) to help the Armenian armed forces guarantee
the security of the nation. The higher figures must be restored.
Insisting that any regional oil pipeline pass through Armenia.
Maintaing Section 907 in the 2002 Freedom Support Act, which
prohibits certain types of direct U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan until
it has ended its aggression and lifted its blockades against Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabagh.
Supporting legislation to require the State Department to train all
Foreign Service Officers dealing with human rights in the U.S. record
on the Armenian genocide.
Hosting a town hall meeting with the State Department negotiator for
Nagorno-Karabakh to ensure the Armenian-American community is fully
informed about the Administration's policies.
As we commemorate the horrific events experienced by the Armenian
people in the past, let us also celebrate the extraordinary
accomplishments of the Armenian community in the United States and work
to enhance the tremendous future potential of the sovereign Armenian
nation.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance to mark one of the
most horrific tragedies of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide. On
this date in 1915, leaders of the Ottoman Empire began murdering
thousands of Armenian people. By 1923, the number of Armenians murdered
was over 1.5 million. In spite of irrefutable evidence, the United
States of America and the Republic of Turkey have consistently refused
to officially acknowledge that the Armenians were victims of genocide.
The Armenian Genocide is a historical event that cannot be denied or
forgotten. It is vital for Turkey to accept recognition of this tragedy
taking place on its soil. Turkey must follow the example of Germany in
its swift commendation and acknowledgement of the Holocaust.
In 2000 the European Parliament officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide. The following year the French Parliament recognized it as
well. Many attempts have also been made by the U.S. Congress to
officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. These attempts, however,
have been scuttled by successive administrations for fear of disrupting
our strategic relationship with Turkey. While I certainly value
Turkey's friendship, as a world leader, the U.S. must officially
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Not doing so sets an extremely poor
example for the rest of the world and denies the victims of this
horrific tragedy the proper reverence they deserve.
Armenia was quick to respond to the terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Centers and the Pentagon and to offer their condolences and
support. With Armenia offering its support and sharing in our
grievances, it is unimaginable that we would deny them the same
sympathies. The Armenian people deserve official recognition by the
United States for the tragic genocide that was inflicted on their
people during Ottoman rule, as well as, U.S. efforts to encourage
Turkey to also officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues today in
commemorating the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. By rising
together to remember the atrocities that occurred in Armenia from 1915-
1923, we force people to acknowledge that what occurred was genocide
and should be called genocide.
Today, as we reflect on the events of the early 20th Century, we
honor the 1.5 million people that lost their lives defending themselves
against the Ottoman Empire. We also honor the survivors of the Armenian
Genocide for their bravery and courage in the face of evil. The
survivors provide an example of courage and determination to future
generations of Armenians and non-Armenians alike, and on this
anniversary, we recognize them as heroes.
This anniversary of the Armenian Genocide also provides us with an
opportunity to reflect on and examine what occurred in 1915 to ensure
that such slaughter never occurs again. The events of the 20th Century,
from the Holocaust to ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and Rwanda,
demonstrate the clear need for retrospection on the causes of these
past systematic and deliberate attempts at elimination of specific
racial or cultural groups. And, just as importantly, we must continue
to fight to ensure that these crimes against humanity are recognized as
genocides.
As a Jewish-American who is ever mindful of the Holocaust, I stand
with you in recognizing the Armenian Genocide so that the world will
never forget the first crime against humanity in the 20th Century.
Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, today marks the eighty-seventh anniversary of
an event none of us would wish we have to remember--the genocide of the
Armenian people. On April 24, 1915, hundreds of Armenian political,
religious and intellectual leaders were forcibly rounded up, exiled and
eventually murdered. Over the course of the next eight years, over a
million Armenian men, women, and children lost their lives. Untold
numbers of Armenian villages were destroyed.
Peace-loving people the world over pause today to reflect on these
most tragic events. I urge my fellow Members of Congress and Americans
throughout the country to join me in commemorating the Armenian people
and to honor the memory of so many who fell to the horrible injustices
inflicted upon them.
The plight of the Armenian people can be overshadowed by more recent
and more visible acts of genocide, such as that suffered by

[[Page H1598]]

Jews in World War II. But all acts of inhumanity can have no place in
civilized societies. We must not forget the death of even a single
child, whether in Auschwitz or Anatolia.
I hope that remembering the events of April 24, 1915 is more than
mere ceremony. These memories are a signpost pointing the way to a
future where no people should have to live in fear of their lives,
especially because of racial or ethnic circumstances none of us can
control. All of us must redouble efforts to ensure that the
anniversaries celebrated by future generations will be joyous occasions
to celebrate the freedom and prosperity of Armenians everywhere.
Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, each year, on April 24th, we solemnly observe
the Armenian Genocide in order to recognize its occurrence, honor the
memory of those who perished, and educate the public. We remember so
that those who still choose to deny the genocide will one day begin the
atonement process.
More than one million Armenians were systematically abused, deported
and killed from 1915 to 1923, between the fall of the Ottoman Empire
and the establishment of modern Turkey.
April 24, 1915 marked the rise of the atrocities. On this night, the
Turkish government arrested over 200 Armenian community leaders in
Constantinople. Hundreds of similar arrests followed. These leaders
were all imprisoned and summarily executed. Thousands of Armenian
soldiers in the Ottoman army were disarmed and eventually murdered.
After Armenian intellectuals and soldiers were killed, the terror
visited every city, town and village in Asia Minor and Turkish Armenia.
By 1923, 1,500,000 Armenians were killed and 500,000 were exiled from
the Ottoman Empire. There is no doubt that the government was intent
upon the destruction of the Armenian people.
Despite long-standing international recognition and condemnation, the
present-day Republic of Turkey denies the genocide. As the first
genocidal event of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide was a
precursor to the Nazi Holocaust and the more recent eruptions of
``ethnic cleansing'' in the Balkans.
Raphael Lemkin, the Polish-Jewish lawyer once said: ``The practices
of genocide anywhere affect the vital interests of all civilized
people.'' As citizens in a democracy, it is incumbent upon all
Americans to remember the Armenian Genocide. It is my hope that today
we reflect upon the moral and ethical questions that this genocide
invokes and respond with this refrain: Never again.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, on April 24, 2002, the City of Glendale will
sponsor an Armenian Genocide Commemoration ceremony and will honor the
remarkable achievements in filmmaking and teaching of Dr. J. Michael
Hagopian, who has dedicated his life's work to documenting the Armenian
Genocide of 1915-1922. I rise today to join in recognizing the work,
commitment and dedication of Dr. Hagopian, who has sought to shine the
light of truth on the first genocide of the 20th century and honor the
memory of the 1.5 million men, women and children who perished in it.
Dr. Hagopian, the founder and chairman of the Armenian Film
Foundation and president of Atlantis Productions, has a doctorate in
International Relations from Harvard University. He graduated from the
University of California at Berkeley, and has completed graduate work
in cinema at the University of Southern California. He has taught
political science and economics at the University of California at Los
Angeles, American University of Beirut, Lebanon, Benares Hindu
University, India, and Oregon State University, Corvallis.
Since 1954, Dr. Hagopian has been engaged in making educational and
documentary films for the classroom and on television. He has written,
directed and produced more than 70 films that have won more than 150
national and international awards. His film, ``The Forgotten
Genocide,'' was nominated for two Emmys in production and writing.
Several of these films were produced under grants from the U.S. Office
of Education and Ethnic Heritage Program, California Endowment for the
Humanities, and California State Department of Education. In 1979, Dr.
Hagopian established the Armenian Film Foundation, which has produced
13 videos and films, and gathered a film archive of more than 350
survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
Most recently, he has produced ``Voices from the Lake--the Secret
Genocide,'' a tragic tale told by the eyewitness survivors of Kharpert-
Mezreh, one among 4,000 towns and villages of the former Ottoman Empire
to have been decimated under the genocide. I was proud when serving in
the California State Senate to have secured state funding for the
production of this film, and, after being elected to Congress, to have
arranged a screening of this remarkable documentary at the Library of
Congress.
``Voices from the Lake'' is the first film in ``The Witnesses''
project of the Armenian Film Foundation. The second film in the series
will examine the impact of the Great Powers on the Armenian Genocide
and the third film will depict the deportation of the Armenians from
their ancestral homes to the Great Syrian desert and the killing fields
along the legendary Euphrates and the wilderness of Der Zor.
Mr. Speaker, acknowledging and honoring the memory of those who lost
their lives in the Armenian Genocide is a moral obligation fro all
humankind. I ask all Members of Congress to join me in recognizing the
remarkable work of one man, Dr. J. Michael Hagopian, who has dedicated
his life to ensuring that we do not forget the victims of this genocide
so that the world may never again tolerate such crimes against
humanity.
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, April 14th is the day on which we remember
the victims of the gruesome events of the Armenian Genocide. From 1915
to 1923 during the times of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish government
implemented a ruthless extermination of innocent Armenians through
which an astonishing and sickening 1.5 million Armenians were killed
and over 500,000 additional individuals were exiled from the lands in
which they had lived for hundreds and of years.
It is imperative that we properly recognize this massacre as a
genocide--a concerted effort to annihilate a people. We must show
respect and remembrance to the victims of this terrible period in
history. By doing so, we are honoring those victims and condemning the
government-sanctioned crime of mass murder and doing our part to
prevent similarly horrific events from occurring again. The archives of
history must be honest and accurate and tell the real story of the
Armenian Genocide.
On a personal level, I have joined the Armenian congressional caucus
to assist in the effort to promote international awareness of Armenia's
history. With my caucus colleagues, I have encouraged successive
Presidents to publicly decry the Ottoman policy of Armenian genocide.
In my judgment, the Armenian Genocide is a fact of history and should
be recognized as a fact of history. The Armenian Caucus seeks to
educate policymakers and the public on the facts of history so that
none will ever forget or repeat these atrocities.
Mr. Speaker, just as I rise today in commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide and in support of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian-
American community, so should we all stand to show our support and
solidarity with these courageous and proud people. They have faced a
truly cruel and evil event in history and, through perseverance and
hope, have survived with dignity and strength.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with Armenians
throughout the United States, Armenia, and the world in commemorating
the 87th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, one of the darkest
episodes in Europe's recent past. This week, members and friends of the
Armenian community gather to remember April 24, 1915, when the arrest
and murder of 200 Armenian politicians, academics, and community
leaders in Constantinople marked the beginning of an eight-year
campaign of extermination against the Armenian people by the Ottoman
Empire.
Between 1915 and 1923, approximately 1.5 million Armenians were
killed and more than 500,000 were exiled to the desert to die of thirst
or starvation. The Armenian genocide was the first mass murder of the
20th century, a century that was sadly to be marked by many similar
attempts at racial or ethnic extermination, from the Holocaust to the
Rwandan genocide to the recent ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia.
In the 87 years since the beginning of this genocide, we have learned
the importance of commemorating these tragic events. In 1939, after
invading Poland and relocating most Jews to labor or death camps,
Hitler cynically defended his own actions by asking, ``Who remembers
the Armenians?'' Just a few years later, six million Jews were dead.
Now is the time when we must answer Hitler's question with a clear
voice: We remember the Armenians, and we stand resolved that genocide
is a crime against all humanity. We must remember the legacy of the
Armenian genocide and we must speak out against such tragedies to
ensure that no similar evil occurs again.
While today is the day in which we solemnly remember the victims of
the Armenian genocide, I believe it is also a day in which we can
celebrate the extraordinary vitality and strength of the Armenian
people, who have fought successfully to preserve their culture and
identity for over a thousand years. The Armenian people withstood the
horrors of genocide, two world wars, and several decades of Soviet
dominance in order to establish modern Armenia. Armenia has defiantly
rebuilt itself as a nation and a society--a triumph of human spirit in
the face of overwhelming adversity.
It is my firm belief that it is only by learning from and
commemorating the past can we work toward a future free from racial,
ethnic, and religious hate. By acknowledging the Armenian genocide and
speaking out against the principles by which it was conducted, we can
send a clear message: never again.

[[Page H1599]]

Mr. DOOLEY of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my
colleagues in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide.
This terrible human tragedy must not be forgotten. Like the
Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide stands as a tragic example of the
human suffering that results from hatred and intolerance.
The Ottoman Turkish Empire between 1915 and 1923 massacred one and a
half million Armenian people. 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.
It would be an even greater tragedy 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 statement 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.
And we must also be mindful of the current suffering of the Armenian,
where the Armenian people 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 many more have been displaced and are homeless.
In the face of this difficult situation we have an opportunity for
reconciliation. Now is the time for Armenia and its neighbors to come
together and 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. 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 replace 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. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims
of one of history's most terrible tragedies, the Armenian Genocide.
April 24, 1915 is remembered and earnestly commemorated each year by
the Armenian community as the day in which 300 Armenian leaders,
intellectuals, and professionals were rounded up in Constantinople,
deported, and killed. From 1915 through 1923, Armenians that lived
under Ottoman rule were systematically deprived of their property,
freedom, and dignity. In addition, one and a half million Armenians had
been massacred and 500,000 more had been deported. The Armenian
community saw its culture devastated and its people dispersed.
In my district, there is a significant population of Armenian
survivors and their families that showed heroic courage and will to
survive in the face of horrendous obstacles and adversities. These
survivors are an important window into the past and an invaluable part
of our society. It is through their unforgettable tragedy that we are
able to share in their history and strong heritage.
Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to fathom a greater evil than the
massacre and willful destruction of a people. Denying the genocide that
took place when there are recorded accounts of barbarity and ethnic
violence is an injustice. This was a tragic event in human history, but
by paying tribute to the Armenian community we ensure the lessons of
the Armenian genocide are properly understood and acknowledged. I am
pleased my colleagues and I have this opportunity in order to ensure
this legacy is remembered.
Mr. McNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I join today with many of my colleagues in
remembering the victims of the Armenian Genocide on this, its 87th
anniversary.
From 1915 to 1923, the world witnessed the first genocide of the 20th
Century. This was clearly one of the world's greatest tragedies--the
deliberate and systematic Ottoman annihilation of 1.5 million Armenian
men, women, and children.
Furthermore, another 500,000 refugees fled and escaped to various
points around the world--effectively eliminating the Armenian
population of the Ottoman Empire.
From these ashes arose hope and promise in 1991--and I was blessed to
see it. I was one of the four international observers from the United
States Congress to monitor Armenia's independence referendum. I went to
the communities in the northern part of Armenia, and I watched in awe
as 95 percent of the people over the age of 18 went out and voted.
The Armenian people had been denied freedom for so many years and,
clearly, they were very excited about this new opportunity. Almost no
one stayed home. They were all out in the streets going to the polling
places. I watched in amazement as people stood in line for hours to get
into these small polling places and vote.
Then, after they voted, the other interesting thing was that they did
not go home. They had brought covered dishes with them, and all of
these polling places had little banquets afterward to celebrate what
had just happened.
What a great thrill it was to join them the next day in the streets
of Yerevan when they were celebrating their great victory. Ninety-eight
percent of the people cast their ballots in favor of independence. It
was a wonderful experience to be there with them when they danced and
sang and shouted, `Ketse azat ankakh Hayastan'--long live free and
independent Armenia! That should be the cry of freedom-loving people
everywhere.
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the fact that today is
the 87th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide that
began under the direction of the Ottoman Empire. From 1915 until 1923,
1.5 million Armenians were murdered and another 500,000 were forced
into exile in Russia, ending a period of 2,500 years of an Armenian
presence in their historic homeland. In addition, Armenian religious,
political, and intellectual leaders from Istanbul were arrested and
exiled--silencing the leading representatives of the Armenian community
in the Ottoman Empire.
Today, we pause to remember and honor the victims of this terrible
period in human history. Like the Jewish and Cambodian holocausts, and
more recently, the Serbian ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, the Armenian
genocide was terrible and morally reprehensible. Thus, today I honor
those Armenians who were killed, arrested, exiled, and otherwise
mistreated, and I remind my colleagues and the world that we must never
forget what happened during that terrible period in history.
Furthermore, we must reaffirm our resolve to ensure that no people will
ever again be the victims of such a mass genocide.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues in Congress
to commemorate the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Between 1915 and 1923, approximately two million Armenians were
massacred, persecuted, and exiled by the Young Turk government of the
Ottoman Empire. This campaign of murder and oppression was an attempt
to systematically wipe out the Armenian population of Anatolia.
Even though there were numerous witnesses to the atrocities
committed, including U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, Sr., and even
though the Turk government itself held war crime trials and condemned
to death the chief perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity,
the Turk government continues to deny the Armenian Genocide ever took
place.
This denial cannot be allowed to stand. The failure of the Turkish
government to acknowledge the sinful acts of its predecessors sent the
wrong message to the leaders of Germany, Rwanda, and Bosnia. As Nobel
Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote:

``It is sadly true what a cynic has said, that we learn
from the history that we do not learn from history. And yet
it is possible that if the world had been conscious of the
genocide that was committed by the Ottoman Turks against the
Armenians, the first genocide of the twentieth century, then
perhaps humanity might have been more alert to the warning
signs that were being given before Hitler's madness was
unleashed on an unbelieving world.''

It is imperative that each of us works to ensure that our generation
and future generations never again witness such inhuman behavior and
suffering. Only through remembrance and recognition can we stop such
acts of senseless cruelty and violence against humankind from happening
again.
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a Member of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues to recognize the horrific Armenian Genocide.
Today we mark the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, where,
in 1915, 1.5 million men, women and children died at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire.
Another 500,000 Armenians were forcibly deported, deprived of their
homes, their possessions and their homeland.
Many of these refugees made their way to the United States, and it is
with pride that we recognize today the more than 1 million people of
Armenian descent who live in our great nation.
However, it is with regret that we admit today that our nation, which
has seen first-hand the effects of that brutal genocide, still refuses
to acknowledge this crime against humanity.
This injustice must be corrected.
Today our children learn about other plights in our world's history,
such as slavery and the Holocaust.
But our voices remain mute when it comes to the genocide of innocent
Armenian men, women and children.

[[Page H1600]]

But our children need to learn that on April 24, 1915, hundreds of
Armenian leaders were murdered in Istanbul after being summoned and
gathered.
Soon, the rampage spread to the Armenian people who were led to
slaughter across the Ottoman Empire.
It is imperative that these events be recognized as a genocide, and
this recognition can only be realized if our government has the courage
to stand up and proclaim the truth.
Unless this crime against humanity is acknowledged and compensated
for, we run the risk of somehow repeating it.
I urge my colleagues and President Bush to do the right thing and
join me this evening in affirming the existence of the Armenian
Genocide.
Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak of one of the great
horrors of our century: the Armenian genocide. As a member of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I once again join my
colleagues in recognizing the great tragedy of the Armenian people.
As we all know, the genocide of the Armenian people occurred in 1915,
when the Ottoman Empire began to force Armenians from their homeland,
and lasted until 1923. These eight years saw the deaths of 1.5 million
innocent victims and 500,000 exiled survivors. Despite the tremendous
magnitude of the genocide, the world stood by as families were torn
asunder and millions of lives were taken.
There is no doubt that calling the events by their rightful name--
genocide--is an important element of this recognition of
responsibility, and I was pleased to sign a letter to the President
urging him to do exactly that next week when we commemorate this tragic
event. I would hope that all leaders would join me in denouncing this
act of genocide.
Today, as I once again honor the victims of the Armenian genocide on
behalf of the 6th district of Massachusetts, I also honor the
commitment and perseverance of the Armenian-Americans who have
tirelessly struggled to ensure that the great sorrow of their people
becomes known to all people. It is the very least that this Congress
can do to stand up and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, and I am
pleased to join my colleagues in doing so.
Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, as I have every year since I was elected
to this institution, I come before this chamber to honor my Armenian
friends on the eve of the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
As we all know, the 20th century was one of historic progress and
horrible brutality. Unfortunately, as we enter into the 21st Century we
have seen this brutality continue. America is often the first nation to
combat brutality around the world. Our reaction was no different when
we responded to the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians by the
Ottoman Empire between 1015-1923. This horrific event that took place
during those years has become to be known as the Armenian Genocide.
As members of this body, and as Americans, we have an obligation to
educate and familiarize the world on the Armenian Genocide. In fact, we
must ensure that the legacy of the Genocide is remembered, so that this
human tragedy will not be repeated. As we have seen in recent years,
genocide and ethnic cleansing continue to plague nations around the
world--and as a great nation--we must always be firm in standing
against such atrocities. Part of standing against such brutal
repression is making sure it is never forgotten or repeated. Therefore,
it is critical that we educate people about the systematic and
deliberate annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians.
As such, we make it clear that Americans do not and will not accept
such atrocities or their denial. Silences, either out of indifference
or as the result of political pressure, only serves to encourage others
who would again use ethnic cleansing as a tool of government. By
recognizing and learning from the past, we work toward a future free of
genocide.
When I began the process of seeking affirmation of the voluminous
record on the Armenian Genocide years ago, I did not on behalf of a
united Armenian-American community who appropriately sought from this
body recognition and affirmation of the truth regarding a horrible
catastrophe that is so often forgotten. Having paid close attention to
the views of those opposed to my efforts, I am now more committed to
this effort--not for Armenian-Americans, but for all Americans.
If we are serious about learning the lessons from history--as painful
as they sometimes are--then we must be willing to speak openly and
honestly about this more serious violation of human rights. To shy away
from recognizing genocide, or, even worse, to be complicit in any way
in its denial would represent a retreat from our nation's historic
commitment to human rights.
I say that we must affirm history--not bury it. We must learn from
history--not reshape it according to the geo-strategic needs of the
moment. And we must refuse to be intimidated. Otherwise, nations with
troubled pasts will ask that the American record on their dark chapters
be expunged.
During President Bush's campaign he pledged to properly commemorate
the Armenian Genocide. Today, I have every reason to believe that he
will honor that pledge and do what is right for both the Armenian
people and for historical record. While President Bush used the
textbook definition of genocide in his annual statement last year, I
encourage him to take the final step and use the ``G'' word this year--
``Genocide.''
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn memorial to the
estimated 1.5 million men, women, and children who lost their lives
during the Armenian Genocide. As in the past, I am pleased to join so
many distinguished House colleagues on both sides of the aisle in
ensuring that the horrors wrought upon the Armenian people are never
repeated.
On April 24, 1915, over 200 religious, political, and intellectual
leaders of the Armenian community were brutally executed by the Turkish
government in Istanbul. Over the course of the next 8 years, this war
of ethnic genocide against the Armenian community in the Ottoman Empire
took the lives of over half the world's Armenian population.
Sadly, there are some people who still deny the very existence of
this period which saw the institutionalized slaughter of the Armenian
people and dismantling of Armenian culture. To those who would question
these events, I point to the numerous reports contained in the U.S.
National Archives detailing the process that systematically decimated
the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. However, old records are
too easily forgotten--and dismissed. That is why we come together every
year at this time: to remember in words what some may wish to file away
in archives. This genocide did take place, and these lives were taken.
That memory must keep us forever vigilant in our efforts to prevent
these atrocities from ever happening again.
I am proud to note that Armenian immigrants found, in the United
States, a country where their culture could take root and thrive. Most
Armenians in America are children or grandchildren of the survivors,
although there are still survivors amongst us. In my district in
Northwest Indiana, a vibrant Armenian-American community has developed
and strong ties to Armenia continue to flourish. My predecessor in the
House, the late Adam Benjamin, was of Armenian heritage, and his
distinguished service in the House serves as an example to the entire
Northwest Indian community. 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. Raffy Hovanessian, residents of Indiana's First
Congressional District, who have continually worked to improve the
quality of life in Armenia, as well as in Northwest Indiana. Three
other Armenian-American families in my congressional district, Dr. Aram
and Seta Semerdjian, Heratch and Sonya Doumanian, and Ara and Rosy
Yeretsian, have also contributed greatly toward charitable works in the
United States and Armenian. 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.
In the House, I have tried to assist the efforts of my Armenian-
American constituency by continually supporting foreign aid to Armenia.
This past year, with my support, Armenia received $94.3 million in U.S.
aid to assist economic and military development. In addition, on April
12, 2002, I joined several of my colleagues in signing the letter to
President Bush urging him to honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide.
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, which 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
Armenian had either been killed or deported.
While it is important to keep the lessons of history in mind, we must
also remain committed to protecting Armenia from new and more hostile
aggressors. In the last decade, thousands of lives have been lost and
more than a million people displaced in the struggle between Armenia
and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabagh. Even now, as we rise to
commemorate the accomplishments of the Armenian people and mourn the
tragedies they have suffered, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and other

[[Page H1601]]

countries continue to engage in a debilitating blockade of this free
nation.
Consistently, I have testified before Foreign Operations
Appropriations Subcommittee on the important issue of bringing peace to
a troubled area of the world. I continued my support for maintaining of
level funding for the Southern Caucasus region of the Independent
States (IS), and of Armenia in particular. I also stressed the critical
importance of revisiting Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act that
restricts U.S. aid for Azerbaijan as a result of their blockade.
However, I commend my colleagues on the Foreign Operations
Appropriations Subcommittee for striking the appropriate balance last
year regarding Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which will now
allow Azerbaijan to do their part in the war against international
terrorism. Unfortunately, Armenia is now entering its thirteenth year
of a blockade and I must request that the Congress review the waiver to
Section 907 on a yearly basis. The flow of food, fuel, and medicine
continues to be hindered by the blockade, creating a humanitarian
crisis in Armenia.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleagues, Representatives Joe
Knollenberg and Frank Pallone, for organizing this special order to
commemorate the 87th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Their
efforts will not only help bring needed attention to this tragic period
in world history, but also serve to remind us of our duty to protect
basic human rights and freedoms around the world.
Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, one of
the most tragic atrocities that the twenty-first century has witnessed,
occurring eighty-seven years ago. The Armenian Genocide, which began on
April 24th, 1915 began with the systematic killings of 200 intellectual
and spiritual Armenian leaders, and ended with a count of over 1.5
million dead and another half million deported. It was an attempt on
ethnic cleansing that has marred the pasts of native Armenians, now
living in their native country or residing in America.
As members of the international community, it is important for our
nation to acknowledge this terrible act on the Armenian people. We must
make sure that the voices of the Armenian people do not go unheard.
Although the Republic of Turkey has continued to deny that the Genocide
took place on its soil, those of us here today are aware of the truth.
We cannot allow the truth of the Armenian Genocide to linger in the
shadows of this world's history. With information and education our
world will be better equipped to tackle equally disturbing human rights
atrocities that occur around the globe. Through education,
commemoration and remembrance, we send a signal out that the United
States does not condone human rights atrocities and we will not forget
those that have occurred in the past. We must continue to recognize
that the events of 1915-1923 in Armenia were indeed a genocide and in
this recognition process, we may prevent incidents like this from
occurring ever again. The special orders today on the House floor are
testaments to that message and I hope that this annual effort will
continue.
Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, for the fourth consecutive
year, to commemorate a people who despite murder, hardship, and
betrayal have persevered. April 24, 2002, marks the 8th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide; unbelievably, an event that many still fail to
recognize.
Throughout three decades in the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries, millions of Armenians were systematically uprooted from
their homeland of three thousands years and deported or massacred. From
1894 through 1896, three hundred thousand Armenians were ruthlessly
murdered. Again in 1909, thirty thousand Armenians were massacred in
Cilicia, and their villages were destroyed.
On April 24, 1915, two hundred Armenian religious, political, and
intellectual leaders were arbitrarily arrested, taken to Turkey and
murdered. This incident marks a dark and solemn period in the history
of the Armenian people. From 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Empire launched
a systematic campaign to exterminate Armenians. In eight short years,
more than 1.5 million Armenians suffered through atrocities such as
deportation, forced slavery and torture. Most were ultimately murdered.
I have had the privilege of joining my colleagues in a letter to the
President asking that he acknowledge the Genocide in his April 24th
commemoration statement. It is my hope that the President will stand by
this pledge he made in 2000. It is my hope that this will be one more
step toward official recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United
States.
Many of our companions in the international community have already
taken this final step. 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 join the chorus and acknowledge the
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, overthrown and repudiated by the modern
Turkish Republic.
As I have in the past, as a member of the Congressional Armenian
Caucus, I will continue to work with my colleagues and with the
Armenian-Americans in my district to promote investment and prosperity
in Armenia. And, I sincerely hope that this year the U.S. will have the
opportunity and courage to speak in support of the millions of
Armenians who suffered because of their heritage.
Mr. FELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to participate once again
in the annual remembrance of the Armenian genocide today, eighty seven
years after this terrible tragedy which claimed the lives of over 1.5
million Armenians between 1915 and 1923.
The Armenian Genocide began in 1915 with the rounding up and killing
of Armenian soldiers by the Turkish government. After that, 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 their actions, 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 driven
from their homeland.
It is important that we make the 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,
history continues to prove us wrong. That is why we must be so vigilant
in remembering the past.
It is important to continue to talk about the Armenian 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. And we must
call this tragedy what it is: a genocide. That is why I joined my
colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush earlier this year
asking him to recognize the Armenians Genocide as that--genocide---in
his annual statement.
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. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand with my colleagues
today to remember a terrible chapter in human history, the Armenian
genocide. April 24 holds as a reminder of the Armenian intellectuals
and professionals in Constantinople who were first rounded up and
deported or killed so many years ago. This action was a precursor to
the attempted genocide of an entire people.
From 1915 to 1923, a million and a half Armenians were killed and
countless others suffered as a result of the system and deliberate
campaign of genocide by the rules of the Ottoman Empire.
Half a million Armenians who escaped death were deported to the
Middle East. Some were fortunate enough to escape to the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I am thankful that more than a million Armenians managed
to escape the genocide and establish a new life here in the United
States. In the Seventh District of New Jersey, I am proud to represent
a number of Armenian-Americans. They make incredible contributions to
the area and enrich every aspect of New Jersey life, from science to
commerce to the arts.
Our statements today are intended to preserve the memory of the
Armenian loss and to honor those descendants who have overcome the
atrocities that took their grandparents, their parents, their children,
and their friends. We mark this anniversary each year to remind our
Nation and to teach future generations about the horrors of genocide
and oppression endured by the Armenian people.
Let us stand today, united in our remembrance of those who died and
committed to ensuring that future horror as, like those faced by the
Armenian people, never happen in our world again.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide, one of the ugliest periods in world history, which
took the lives of 1.5 million Armenians and exiled the Armenian nation
from its homeland.
My colleagues and I join with the Armenian-American community, and
with Armenians throughout the world, in remembering one of humanity's
darkest times, when senseless hatred and prejudice attempted to erase
an historic people from the face of our earth.

[[Page H1602]]

We cannot turn our backs on history. We cannot ignore the atrocities
perpetrated in the past, lest we repeat them. Now, more than ever, we
must remain vigilant and steadfast in our defense of right and good. We
have seen great horror in just the last year, and we know from
history--from the Armenian Genocide and from other massacres--that
letting fundamentalist aggression go unchecked and forgotten will come
back to haunt us all.
We know this because the world has experienced it. The lessons of
what results when hatred is left unchecked have been too slowly
learned. Adolf Hitler looked to the Armenian Genocide before
perpetrating the Holocaust, calculating that his plans to annihilate
the Jewish people would encounter little opposition, just as the
Armenian Genocide spurred no global outcry. In a year in which the
seemingly unthinkable has happened time and again, we acknowledge that
good people will be forever engaged in a battle against the evil in our
world. In memory of those who perished in the Armenian Genocide, and in
similar acts around the world and throughout the ages, we will never
give up this fight.
As we remember the past, we must also pledge our support for ensuring
the future of the Armenian nation. Our country must be vigilant in
bringing about an end to the blockade of Armenia, helping the people of
that nation to live secure and prosperous lives. Our yearly package of
assistance to Armenia--economic and now military as well--is a signal
of the United States' commitment to this goal. It must be maintained.
Mr. Speaker, the Armenian people have shown true resilience in
confronting the obstacles they have faced in the last century. From the
ashes of the Genocide, the Armenian nation has become strong, making
invaluable contributions to our country, to Armenia, and to the world.
I join my colleagues in remembering the atrocities of the past, but
also in celebrating the hope of a better future.
Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 87th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide and pay my solemn respects to those who lost
their lives because of their ethnicity. The Armenian Genocide was a
terrible tragedy that must never be forgotten.
On April 24, 1915, hundreds of Armenian leaders were murdered in
Istanbul by order of the Young Turk regime of the Ottoman empire. The
Young Turks were a dictatorial regime that orchestrated the systematic
destruction of the Armenian people in the Ottoman empire. This genocide
occurred through forced labor, concentration camps and death marches.
By 1923, the Ottoman empire had killed 1.5 million Armenians and
deported 500,000.
However, the present day Turkish government has not yet admitted its
involvement in the Armenian Genocide. This denial disrespects the
memories of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and compels its
survivors and all of us to remind the world of this terrible tragedy
every April 24th. Only by raising our voices together will these crimes
be known, condemned forever, and--hopefully--never repeated.
Today, I beseech the Turkish government to finally acknowledge its
role in the Armenian Genocide. In attempting the systematic
annihilation of the Jews of Europe half a century ago, Adolph Hitler
asked ``Who today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians?'' We
answer: we remember. And it is long past time for the Turkish
government to join us in remembering.
I proudly represent a large and active Armenian community in my
Congressional District in Massachusetts. Every year, survivors and
their descendants make public and vivid the hidden details of the
Armenian Genocide as they participate in commemoration ceremonies in
Boston, Lowell, and other parts of Massachusetts's Merrimack Valley.
The commemoration offers participants an opportunity to remind the
world of the tragedy that befell Armenians of the Ottoman empire.
To conclude, I am honored to add my voice to those of my colleagues
today in commemorating the Armenian Genocide. We will never forget the
truth.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 87th anniversary of the
beginning of the Armenian Genocide. I rise today to commemorate this
terrible chapter in human history, and to help ensure that it will
never be forgotten.
On April 24, 1915, the Turkish government began to arrest Armenian
community and political leaders. Many were executed without ever being
charged with crimes. Then 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
because this tragedy for the Armenian people was a tragedy for all
humanity. It is our duty to remember, to speak out and to teach future
generations about the horrors of genocide and the oppression and
terrible suffering endured by the Armenian people.
We hope the day will soon come 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 commemorate as
well the memory of genocide's victims.
Sadly, we cannot say humanity has progressed to the point where
genocide has become unthinkable. We have only to recall the ``killing
fields'' of Cambodia, mass ethnic killings in Bosnia and Rwanda, and
``ethnic cleansing'' in Kosovo to see that the threat of genocide
persists. We must renew our commitment never to remain indifferent in
the face of such assaults on innocent human beings.
We also remember this day because it is a time for us to celebrate
the contribution of the Armenian community in America--including
hundreds of thousands in California--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 success is
moving testimony to the truth that tyranny and evil cannot extinguish
the vitality of the human spirit.
The United States has an ongoing 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 am very pleased
that this year's foreign aid bill earmarks $94.3 million in aid for
Armenia, including, for the first time, $4.3 million in military
assistance. This signifies a new stage in the U.S.-Armenia
relationship.
Adolf Hitler, the architect of the Nazi Holocaust, once remarked
``Who remembers the Armenians?'' The answer is, we do. And we will
continue to remember the victims of the 1915-23 genocide because, in
the words of the philosopher George Santayana, ``Those who cannot
remember the past are condemned to repeat it.''
Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as I have every year at this
time, in a proud but solemn tradition to remember and pay tribute to
the victims of one of history's worst crimes against humanity, the
Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1923.
In 1915, 1.5 million women, children, and men were killed, and
500,000 Armenians were forcibly deported by the Ottoman Empire during
an eight year reign of brutal repression. Armenians were deprived of
their homes, their dignity, and ultimately their lives.
Yet, America, the greatest democracy in the world, has not made an
official statement regarding the Armenian genocide and it is my hope
that the Congress will have the courage to finally recognize the
genocide.
It's fundamental that we learn from our past and never let this kind
of tragedy happen again.
Opponents have argued that recognizing the genocide would severely
jeopardize U.S.-Turkey relations.
Recognizing the genocide is not an indictment of the current Turkish
government nor is it a condemnation of any former leader of Turkey.
The U.S. and Turkey can and will be able to continue its partnership
should the Congress recognize the genocide.
Mr. Speaker, as one of two Members of Congress of Armenian descent,
I'm very proud of my heritage.
Like many Armenians, I learned from my grandparents of the hardship
and suffering endured by so many at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.
That is how I cam to this understanding and this knowledge and why I
bring this story to the House of Representatives.
I am very proud of the contributions which the Armenian people have
made to our great nation.
They've distinguished themselves in the arts, in law, in academics,
in every walk of life and they continue today to make significant
contributions in communities across our country today.
It's essential to not only publicly acknowledge what happened, but
also understand that we are teaching present and future generations
about the Armenian Genocide.
We need to recognize the genocide to enlighten our young people and
to remind ourselves that wherever anything like this occurs around the
globe that we, as Members of the United States Congress, and as
citizens of this great Nation, raise our voices.
Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and remember the
1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide, who were systematically
slaughtered solely because of their race. While there is never a
justification for genocide, in this case there also regrettably has
never been an apology, and the criminals were never brought to justice.
Such

[[Page H1603]]

an unconscionable act, however, can never be forgotten.
Accordingly, it is our duty as elected officials to state in no
uncertain terms that the Armenian Genocide is clearly and unambiguously
defined as genocide. Repeatedly, many leaders, including the President,
have called the Armenian Genocide everything but a genocide. Only when
this term is understood will the tragic events that began on April 24,
1915, be placed in the correct historical context. The Armenian
Genocide cannot be denied.
Mr. Speaker, I also rise in tribute to the Armenian people who have
fully recovered from this atrocity by maintaining their proud
traditions and culture, becoming an integral part of America, and nine
years ago, forming the Republic of Armenia.
The Ottoman Empire's last, desperate act was one of profound cruelty,
tragic and gruesome beyond description. During World War I--a
tumultuous, revolutionary time of great societal transformations and
uncertain futures on the battlefields and at home--desperate Ottoman
leaders fell back on the one weapon that could offer hope of personal
survival. It is a weapon that is still used today, fed by fear,
desperation, and hatred. It transforms the average citizen into a
zealot, no longer willing to listen to reason. This weapon is, of
course, nationalism. Wrongly directed, nationalism can easily result in
ethnic strife and senseless genocide, committed in the name of false
beliefs preached by immoral, irresponsible, tyrannical leaders.
Today I rise not to speak of the present, but in memory of the
victims of the past, who suffered needlessly in the flames of vicious,
destructive nationalism. Exactly 87 years ago today, the leaders of the
Ottoman government tragically chose to systematically exterminate an
entire race of people. In this case, as in the case of Nazi Germany,
nationalism became a weapon of cruelty and evil. Let us never forget
the 1.5 million Armenians who died at the whim of wicked men and their
misguided followers.
The story of the Armenian Genocide is in itself appalling. It is
against everything our government--and indeed all governments who
strive for justice--stands for; it represents the most wicked side of
humanity. What makes the Armenian story even more unfortunate is
history has repeated itself in all corners of the world, and lessons
that should have been learned long ago have been ignored. We must not
forget the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, or
Bosnia. It is our duty that by remembering the millions who have been
victims of genocide, we pledge ourselves to preventing such acts from
repeating themselves.
It is an honor and privilege to represent a large and active Armenian
population, many who have family members who were persecuted by their
Ottoman Turkish rulers. Michigan's Armenian-American community has done
much to further our state's commercial, political, and intellectual
growth, just has it as done in communities across the country. And so I
also rise today to honor to the triumph of the Armenian people, who
have endured adversity and bettered our country.
The Armenian people have faced great trials and tests throughout
their history. They have proved their resilience in the face of tragedy
before, and I have no doubt that they will endure today's tragic
occurrence, recognize that a madman's bullet can never put an end to a
people's dreams, and keep moving forward on the path of peace and
freedom.
Mr. Speaker, let no one, friend or foe, ever deny that the Armenian
Genocide occurred. Let us not forget the heinous nature of the crimes
committed against the Armenian people. Let us promise to the world as
American citizens and citizens of the world, that we will never again
allow such a crime to be perpetrated, and will not tolerate the forces
of misguided nationalism and hate.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor those who died in the
Armenian Genocide.
In the first part of the 20th century, a tremendous evil was done to
the Armenian people. April 24, 1915 is a day that will forever live in
infamy. A Turkish campaign to eliminate Armenians from the face of the
earth began that day. In the end, that campaign killed 1.5 million
people.
More than 200 religious, political and intellectual leaders were
assassinated. 500,000 people were exiled from their homes. As a result
of this violence, one of earth's oldest civilizations virtually ceased
to exist.
Unfortunately this terrible chapter of history is not well known.
Many Americans don't know much about the Armenian genocide, but it
should stand as a constant reminder to all of us that we must be
vigilant and stand firm against bigotry and hatred at every turn.
We must take the horrors of the past and transform them into
compassion and hope. We must learn from the Armenian genocide--learn
about perseverance and hope. We can't change the past, but we can
prepare for the future.
While we remember with sorrow, we must also be heartened that eighty-
five years later, Armenians remain a proud, dignified people. Their
spirit lives in the independent republic of Armenia and in many
communities around the United States, particularly in my home state of
California.
Every one of these people is the product of generations of courage,
perseverance and hope. Understanding what it is to struggle as a people
motivates many Armenians to educate others about the atrocities
committed in the past.
The bonds between Armenia and the United States are growing stronger
all the time. Economic cooperation is growing. Democracy is blossoming.
These are testaments of strength to the Armenian people.
While we did not do enough for the victims eighty-five years ago, we
can honor their memory now, and ensure that nothing so horrendous
happens again.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, today we solemnly commemorate the 87th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, when the Ottoman Government
unleashed a campaign of devastation and destruction against its
Armenian population.
Over the course of eight years, beginning in 1915, Armenian
communities were systematically destroyed. One and a half million men,
women, and children were murdered and nearly one million others were
deported. From the ashes of destruction, the survivors rebuilt their
lives and many established vibrant Armenian communities here in the
United States, but the scars of the massacres are deeply embedded in
their history and our conscience.
The world was silent during the bloodshed of Armenians. It was
tragically just a short number of years before this inaction
degenerated into paralysis against Hitler's attempt to annihilate the
Jews.
At a time when the flames of anti-Semitism are reigniting across
Europe, we have a responsibility to redouble our efforts against the
bigotry and intolerance that sparked the Armenian Genocide and later
the Holocaust. At a time when there are still attempts to refute the
Armenian Genocide and Holocaust denial is spreading rampantly through
the Arab world, we have an obligation to resolve ourselves against the
dangers of historical revisionism.
Today we mourn the victims, pay tribute to the survivors, and stand
together with all who are committed to promoting awareness about this
dark chapter of history. Today we remember to never forget.

____________________