[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 50 (Friday, April 22, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COMMEMORATING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 21, 2005

  Mrs. MALONEY. 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 to join my colleagues 
in the sad commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
  Today we declare to people living in every comer of our globe that 
the Turkish and American governments must finally acknowledge what we 
have long understood: that the unimaginable horror committed on Turkish 
soil in the aftermath of World War I was, and is, an act of genocide.
  I strongly believe that the tragic events that began on April 24, 
1915, which are well known to all of us, should be part of the history 
curriculum in every Turkish and American school. On that dark April 
day, more than 200 of Armenia's religious, political and intellectual 
leaders were arrested in Constantinople and killed. Ultimately, more 
than 1.5 million Armenians were systematically murdered at the hands of 
the Young Turks, and more than 500,000 more were exiled from their 
native land.
  On this 90th anniversary of the beginning of the genocide, we lend 
our voices to a chorus that grows louder with each passing year. We 
simply will not allow the planned elimination of an entire people to 
remain in the shadows of history. The Armenian Genocide must be 
acknowledged, studied and never, ever allowed to happen again.
  The parliaments of Canada, France and Switzerland have all passed 
resolutions affirming that the Armenian people were indeed subjected to 
genocide. The United States must do the same. I will not stop fighting 
until long overdue legislation acknowledging the Armenian Genocide 
finally passes.
  Of course, an acknowledgment of the genocide is not our only 
objective. I remain committed to ensuring that the U.S. government 
continues to provide direct financial assistance to Armenia. Over the 
years, this aid has played a critical role in the economic and 
political advancement of the Armenian people.
  Additionally, it is clearly in our national interest to foster peace 
and stability in the South Caucasus region. We in Congress need to 
renew our commitment to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which 
denies assistance to Azerbaijan until it ends its stranglehold on the 
embattled region of Nagorno-Karabagh. We will not stand by as the 
Armenian people are threatened yet again.
  On this solemn day, our message is clear: the world remembers the 
Armenian genocide, and the governments of Turkey and the United States 
must declare--once and for all--that they do, too.

                          ____________________