[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 59 (Tuesday, April 24, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               97TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise today to solemnly recognize the 
97th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
  In 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed the 
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 
based in part on the horrific crimes perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire 
against the Armenian people between 1915 1923. Yet, in the 63 years 
that have passed since the Convention was adopted, successive U.S. 
administrations have refused to call the deliberate massacre of the 
Armenians by what it was--a genocide.
  For many years, I have urged these administrations to right this 
terrible wrong, and I do so again today, calling on President Obama to 
acknowledge unequivocally--as he did as a Senator--that the Armenian 
genocide is a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body 
of historical evidence.
  The Armenian genocide--along with the Holocaust--is one the most 
studied cases of genocide in history. A number of sovereign nations, 
ranging from Argentina to France, as well as 43 U.S. States have 
recognized what happened as genocide. Yet, successive U.S. 
administrations continue only to refer to the Armenian genocide as 
annihilation, massacre or murder.
  Every day that goes by without full acknowledgment by the United 
States of these undeniable facts prolongs the pain felt by descendants 
of the victims and the entire Armenian community.
  There is no room for discretion when dealing with unspeakable crimes 
against humanity; genocide must be called genocide, murder must be 
called murder. And every day that goes by without the U.S. 
acknowledgment of what happened to the Armenian people in the early 
20th century undermines the United States' role as a beacon for human 
rights around the world.
  The United States' credibility is particularly important as we seek 
to compel international condemnation of and active response to those 
who are perpetrating extreme violence today--whether it be in 
individual cases of human rights abuses or in cases of government-
driven attacks against citizens protesting for greater freedom and 
opportunity.
  The United States cannot and does not turn a blind eye to atrocities 
around the globe. In fact, the United States is often the first to 
speak out in the face of violence and unspeakable suffering. But sadly, 
our Nation is on the wrong side of history when it comes to the 
Armenian genocide. It is long past time to do the right thing.
  So this April 24, as we pause to remember the victims and to honor 
the countless contributions Armenian Americans have made to our great 
country, I hope that the U.S. will finally and firmly stand on the 
right side of history and officially condemn the crimes of 1915 1923 by 
their appropriate name--genocide.

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