[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        OBSERVING THE 93RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

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                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 23, 2008

  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in observance of the 93rd 
anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman 
government detained hundreds of clergymen, professionals, 
intellectuals, and other political and community leaders. This marked 
the opening of a campaign of genocide that over the next 2 years would 
lead to the deaths of a million and a half Armenians.
  It is important to both remember this event, and to acknowledge it as 
genocide. Not only does it allow us to pay proper respect to those who 
lost their lives in Armenia at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, but it 
also helps us to comprehend the malevolent and inhumane events that 
take place in our global community today. Ethnic conflict and sectarian 
fighting remain an urgent issue for both the U.S. and the international 
community to address. The historical lessons and the exchange of ideas 
that flow from an honest discussion about the genocide that took place 
in Armenia can help us take steps to prevent further atrocities from 
occurring in our time.
  It is my hope that today's observation and reflection on the genocide 
in Armenia is part of a renewed effort of focusing our efforts towards 
the goal of understanding and eliminating the circumstances under which 
genocide can exist.

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