[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 76 (Monday, May 18, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN HONOR OF THE SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS OF THE PONTIAN GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 18, 2009

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the 
survivors and victims of the Pontian Genocide of 1915-1923. On May 19 
we remember the treacherous actions of those who murdered hundreds of 
thousands of Pontian Hellenes and destroyed their communities, and we 
remember the survivors and the fallen.
  Nearly a century ago, there were large communities of Hellenes living 
across the Ottoman Empire. In a few short years, these communities were 
destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of lives were taken at the order 
of the Ottoman government. Hellenic Pontians had lived along the 
southeastern coast of the Black Sea in what is now northern Turkey for 
more than three millenia. The perfidious decision to destroy these 
peaceful communities resulted from the fear that foreign populations 
under Ottoman rule would join with their mother countries and destroy a 
crumbling empire.
  During a bloody eight year reign of terror, the Ottoman government 
orchestrated the killing or displacement of hundreds of thousands of 
Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians who had been living in the Pontus 
region. Thousands of people were murdered outright. The rest were 
uprooted and forcibly marched across the Anatolian border, without food 
or other provisions, to the Syrian border. Mass rapes and abductions of 
women and children also occurred. More than half of the Pontian 
population perished from violence, starvation or disease.
  Roughly 400,000 Pontians refugees survived the onslaught and fled to 
Greece, Russia, and the United States. Despite the huge number of 
people who died or were displaced, most of the world paid no attention 
to their suffering. The fact that so many people could be murdered or 
removed from their homes without facing any consequences empowered 
future genocidal regimes to take similar actions.
  One of the greatest tragedies of genocide is that the aggressors 
often succeed in eliminating the memory of those who fled. Few 
Americans today know about the Pontian Genocide. We have an obligation 
to honor the memory of those who died and teach our children about 
those dreadful times in hope that they will never be repeated. On May 
19th, 2009, on the annual day of remembrance, members of the Pan-
Pontian Federation will pay solemn homage to the victims. Although the 
genocide almost caused the extinction of the Pontian people, their 
traditions and culture still resonate today.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Pan-
Pontian Federation as they honor the sacrifices and memory of their 
noble ancestors. I commend the Pan-Pontian Federation in their efforts 
to preserve Greek culture and history. May the victims of the Pontian 
Genocide rest in peace.

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