[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 41 (Monday, March 2, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E242-E243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAKU AND SUMGAIT POGROMS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JUDY CHU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 2, 2020

  Ms. JUDY CHU of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to help 
commemorate the Baku and Sumgait Pogroms and to reaffirm that the U.S. 
stands on the side of democracy and peace--and that means standing with 
the Armenian people.
  Thirty years ago, as the lines of the Soviet Union were fading, the 
people of Artsakh were united and voted for greater independence from 
Azerbaijan. But this peaceful movement for self-determination was 
followed by premeditated and government-sponsored attacks. Over the 
next two years, the Armenian population of Artsakh was repeatedly 
victim to brutal and racially motivated pogroms. Hundreds were 
murdered, and thousands were displaced; not only in Baku, but in places 
like Sumgait and Kirovabad as well.
  These pogroms were a direct assault on the right of self-
determination in Artsakh. And it is an assault that is continuing 
today. I know, because I have recently returned from my first ever trip 
to Armenia and Artsakh.
  Since being elected and getting to know the Armenian community 
myself, I have wanted to visit Armenia. And this visit was so much more 
than I could have imagined. I was able to meet both the Prime Minister 
and the President, have incredible dialogues with the new parliament of 
Armenia, and take in the beautiful country.
  But I also knew that while I was there, I had to visit Artsakh. Prior 
to my trip, my office was visited by the consulate of Azerbaijan. They

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told me not to go, that it was too violent, and that there would be 
consequences. But I knew I had to go, and I had to see for myself.
  Not only was it not a war-torn area, as Azerbaijan would have you 
believe, but Artsakh was beautiful and charming. And I was able to see 
and feel the national pride that was there. Azerbaijan may not want to 
recognize Artsakh, but all you have to do is walk around and talk to 
the people there and you will know. The Armenian people are alive and 
thriving in Artsakh.
  But something else I saw while I was there was the lingering damage 
caused by Azerbaijan's war on Artsakh. Land mines still make so much 
land unusable, threatening the lives of farmers, children, or people 
just out for a walk. And Azerbaijan's military still threatens the 
peace along the border. That is why, last year, I introduced and 
secured House passage of a pro-peace amendment to the National Defense 
Authorization Act. This common-sense amendment urged all parties to 
agree on the non-deployment of snipers, heavy arms, and new weapons; 
the deployment of additional OSCE monitors, and; the placement of 
gunfire-locators along the line-of-contact. But sadly, despite 
overwhelming support in this House, the Senate caved to pressure from 
Azerbaijan and stripped this amendment.
  And now, in another gift to Azerbaijan, the State Department seems 
ready to end funding for demining. This is unacceptable. I was 
privileged to visit the HALO Trust in Artsakh, which leads the demining 
work there, and I was amazed at how much land was cleared and made 
usable again. Thanks to HALO, thousands of mines and unexploded 
ordnance have been identified and removed, and Armenians in Artsakh are 
able to reclaim lands that had been too dangerous before. We cannot let 
this work go unfinished. I am committed to standing with the people of 
Artsakh though, and that is why, as we consider Fiscal Year 2021 
appropriations, I will be supporting no less than $10 million for 
Artsakh demining and rehabilitation services.
  You can count on me to always stand with the Armenian people and to 
stand up for democracy and peace in Artsakh.

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