[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 25, 2006

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the victims 
of the Armenian Genocide.
  Each year on April 24th, the Armenian community and others throughout 
the world remember and solemnly commemorate the 300 Armenian religious, 
political, and intellectual leaders that were arrested in 
Constantinople, taken to Turkey and murdered. Today marks the 91st 
anniversary of the deliberate campaign of genocide perpetrated by the 
Ottoman Empire in 1915. From 1915-1923, 1.5 million Armenians were 
murdered and more than 500,000 were forced from their homeland into 
exile.
  Despite the effort of some to minimize the scope and deny its 
occurrence, the Armenian Genocide is a historical fact. In the years 
since, descendants of Armenian immigrants have clung to their identity 
and have prospered across this nation and throughout the world. In my 
district, there is a significant population of Armenian survivors and 
their families that showed heroic bravery and a will to survive. With 
faith and courage, generations of Armenians have overcome great 
suffering and proudly preserved their culture, traditions, and religion 
by sharing their story of the genocide. It is through their 
unforgettable tragedy that we are able to share in their history and 
strong heritage.
  Mr. Speaker, it is impossible to imagine an evil more powerful than 
the massacre and willful destruction of a people. By commemorating the 
Armenian Genocide, we renew our commitment to prevent future 
atrocities, and therefore we ensure the lessons of the Armenian 
Genocide are properly understood and acknowledged. As U.S. efforts to 
aid victims of genocide continue, it is imperative that we pay tribute 
to the memory of others who have suffered and to never forget the past.

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