[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 6] [House] [Pages 7820-7827] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]90TH COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, which actually took place on April 24, last Sunday. As the first genocide of the 20th Century, it is imperative that we remember this atrocity and collectively demand reaffirmation of this crime against humanity. Just this week I was joined by my co-chair of the Armenian Caucus and 176 additional Members of Congress in sending yet another joint congressional letter to President Bush urging him to use the word ``genocide'' in his April 24 statement. With over 178 signatures, which is 9 more than last year, the message in this letter is loud and clear: that 90 years is too long to wait for justice to be served and proper recognition to be made. Mr. Speaker, I received today a copy of President Bush's statement with regard to the April 24 commemoration, and, unfortunately, once again he did not use the term ``genocide.'' And I think that is unfortunate because it has been consistently the case that this Congress and the United States in general over the last 90 years has referred to the Armenian genocide as a genocide, and it is unfortunate that the President continues not to use the term. This past Wednesday the Caucus, with the cooperation of the Armenian American community, organized a commemorative event on Capitol Hill in the Cannon Caucus room. We were joined by over 350 members of the community as well as numerous Senators and Members of Congress who all spoke on one message: that the United States owes it to the Armenian American community, to the 1.5 million that were massacred in the genocide, and to its own history to reaffirm what is a fact. As we saw on Wednesday night and as we have seen time and time again, the United States has a proud history of action and response to the Armenian genocide. During a time when hundreds of thousands were left orphaned and starving, a time when a nation was on the verge of complete extermination, the U.S. chose to step up. Individuals like Ambassador Morgenthau and Leslie Davis witnessed the atrocities firsthand, and their conscience did not allow them to simply look the other [[Page 7821]] way. It is now time that the U.S. stops looking the other way, reaffirms what we all know to be fact, and properly recognizes the Armenian genocide. I wanted to mention that I was very proud earlier this year when our Ambassador to Armenia, Ambassador Evans, referred to the Armenian genocide as a genocide, and it was unfortunate that he was essentially rebuked by the State Department because of the words he used. Because the fact of the matter is that when we talk about the Armenian genocide, we are simply acknowledging historical fact, and we feel very strongly that if at the time when the genocide occurred, the world and the United States, if we had taken more notice and had tried to prevent it, I think it would have served as a lesson so that the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews and so many other atrocities that took place in the 20th century would not have occurred. If we are going to see a situation in the future in this 21st century when we do not repeat the mistakes of the past, we must acknowledge the Armenian genocide. We know even now, history in the last 100 years has witnessed more horrible episodes since the Armenian genocide. As we speak, the Sudanese Government is taking a page out of the Turkish Government's denial playbook and continuing the vicious cycle of genocide denial in what is happening in Darfur. If we are ever to live in a world where crimes do not go unpunished and fundamental human rights are respected and preserved, we must come to recognize the Armenian genocide, thus allowing for proper reparations and restitutions to be made. I was very upset, Mr. Speaker, on Saturday when I read in the New York Times that the Turkish envoy to the United States continued to say that the only reason why Armenians and Americans wanted the genocide recognized was because they wanted restitution or they wanted reparations. That is simply not true. But it is also true that restitution and reparations must be made. For those who commit a state- sponsored genocide or a state-sponsored massacre, it is important that the state, in this case, Turkey, acknowledge that it occurred and that restitution and reparations are made, just as in the case with Germany in the case of the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to introducing a genocide resolution with my colleagues in the 109th Congress, and as we did in the 108th Congress and the 106th. We will do everything in our power to get legislation passed and reaffirm the U.S. record on the Armenian genocide. Today the United States has the profound responsibility of carrying on the tradition and the work of our predecessors in continuing to combat genocide whenever and wherever it takes place. We must show the world that individuals such as Ambassador Morgenthau did not stay quiet 90 years ago, and we in Congress certainly owe it to them not to stay quiet today. Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. April 24, 2005 marked the day 90 years ago that began a bloody eight-year period during which 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives as a result of this tragic event. We must take this opportunity to heal the wounds of those who survived this calamity, as well as the Armenian people as a whole. Let us officially acknowledge this regrettable moment in human history, as formal recognition is nearly four generations overdue. By finally closing this chapter, we would not only take positive steps towards normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia, but also help to prevent future tragedies. I would also like to take this opportunity to commend Armenian Americans nationwide for their contributions to our country. Through the preservation of their heritage, faith and traditions, Armenian Americans join the multitude of immigrants from many different cultures who contribute to the rich diversity we celebrate together as a Nation. Mr. Speaker, woven deeply into the fabric of our culture, Americans stand for freedom and basic human rights for all. Let us further demonstrate our deep conviction for the ideals we hold dear in our resolute opposition to crimes against humanity and officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, today we gather to remember and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, one of the darkest chapters of World War I, and the first of the series of genocides we saw in the 20th Century. The Armenian Genocide is sometimes called the ``Forgotten Genocide.'' In fact, as most of you know, back in 1939, prior to the invasion of Poland, Adolph Hitler argued that his plans for a Jewish holocaust would, in the end, be tolerated by the West, stating: ``After all, who remembers the Armenians.'' Who remembers the Armenians? Today, we provide an answer: We Do! We Remember! We do so because it is important, indeed it is essential to remember and reflect upon these events, but we also do so because we know that the Armenian people today struggle on an ongoing basis to confront and surmount the legacies and the consequences of those dark days. Consider, for a moment, what might have been. At the end of the first World War, the American public was acutely aware of the atrocities that had been committed against the Armenian people from 1915 on--atrocities that we knew had resulted in the death of more than 1 million Armenians and left the remaining Armenian population starving and destitute. At the time, U.S. Ambassador Henry Morganthau reported that ``When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were simply giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well, and in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact.'' A military mission headed by Major General James Harbord in 1919 had been sent to report on conditions in the region and make recommendations to U.S. policy makers. General Harbord sent a clear message about the defenselessness of the Armenians and the dangers they still faced. By the time of the Paris Peace negotiations at the end of the War, President Wilson was committed to the notion of using the proposed League of Nations to help the Armenians. In a September 6, 1919 speech on the Treaty creating the League, he spoke of the Armenian Genocide, ``When I think of words piled upon words, of debate following debate, when these unspeakable things that cannot be handled until the debate is over are happening, in these pitiful parts of the world, I wonder that men do not wake up to the moral responsibility of what they are doing. Great peoples are driven out upon a desert, where there is no food and can be none, and they are driven to die, and then men, women, and children thrown into a common grave, so imperfectly covered up that here and there is a pitiful arm stretched out to heaven, and there is no pity in the world. When shall we wake up to the moral responsibility of this great occasion?'' On May 24, 1920, Wilson proposed to create a U.S. mandate in Armenia, in which we would have sent in troops to maintain the peace and provide assistance to help the Armenian people establish a functioning government and economy. But the proposed U.S. mandate never occurred. Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge from Massachusetts, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who earlier had championed the cause of the Armenians, refused to support President Wilson's proposed Mandate. Senator Lodge said at the time, ``To invite this country to take charge of that crossroads of the nations in Armenia, to commit itself to sending its troops there for an indefinite period, and to bear the expenses involved for an indefinite period, is something for which I could never bring myself to vote.'' And on June 1, 1920, he, along with the other Republican isolationists in the Senate voted 34 to 43 and 34 to 41 against two Democratic amendments that would have fully or partially authorized the Mandate. And so, Armenia was left on its own, open to attack from both Turkey and the Soviet Union. And the Armenians made a fateful decision. Rather than accept Turkish dominance and the prospect of additional killings, they signed an agreement with the Soviet leadership's point man in the Caucuses--a man named Josef Stalin--to join the Soviet Union. That fateful decision led them to more than 60 years of Armenian suffering under the yoke of the Communists. So, as we all gather together to consider the legacy of the Armenian genocide and the Diaspora it created, it is also appropriate for America as a nation to consider what can be done to give something back to those who, by tragic circumstances, were forced to live through unspeakable atrocities during the Genocide only to then come under the control of a brutal Soviet rule. Armenia today faces enormous economic and political challenges: It has hostile neighbors. It faces blockades that stifle trade and [[Page 7822]] economic opportunities. It needs economic and military assistance. There is much that the U.S. government can and should do to assist the Armenian people: We should grant Armenia Permanent Normal Trading Relations status, so as to facilitate the growth of trade and economic relations. We should provide Armenia with the economic and military assistance it needs to develop its economy and ensure its security. We should press for an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani economic blockades. The writer Milan Kundera once wrote that ``The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.'' There are those that would deny the Armenian Genocide, just as there are those that deny the reality of the Nazi Holocaust. In commemorating the Armenian Genocide, as we do this evening, we all collectively engage in that struggle of memory against forgetting. But we do this not only to remember the past, but to animate the future with a commitment to prevent such things from ever happening again, and to strive towards making a better future for the Armenian people, a people who have suffered so much. In September of 1919, President Woodrow Wilson spoke of his vision of a future Armenia. He said, ``Armenia is to be redeemed . . . So that at last this great people, struggling through night after night of terror, knowing not when they may come out into a time when they can enjoy their rights as free people that they never dreamed they would be able to exercise.'' It has taken Armenia decades to reach a point where its people could enjoy their rights as a free people--the rights Wilson spoke of. Today, we have an opportunity to help ensure that they can build a better future. And so, I look forward to continuing to work with the Armenian- American community and Members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenia to address the issues facing this region, so that together we build something positive, something hopeful, something good for the future--a peaceful, prosperous Armenia with close ties to the United States. Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide is fully documented in the U.S. archives and through an overwhelming body of firsthand, governmental, and diplomatic evidence. The only party denying the Armenian Genocide is the Turkish government. As a young man, I remember learning about the Armenian genocide by listening to the experiences of the men and women who experienced it firsthand. Many of the survivors of this experience fled to the United States, and through time established communities throughout the country, including my district. California is home to the largest Armenian-American population in the United States. The California State Assembly designated April 24, 1997 as ``California Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915- 23, and for the Victims of the Sumgait Pogroms of 1988 and Baku Riots of 1990.'' Morally, it is wrong for the American people to be complicit in the Turkish government's effort to deny the suffering and death of over 1.5 million people. Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide sets a dangerous precedent that makes future genocides more likely. Adolf Hitler, while planning the Holocaust, silenced the potential reservations of his generals by asking: ``Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?'' As a Nation that values the freedom of speech and assembly, we must admit that this event occurred, and force Turkey to do likewise. Additionally, we must ask the EU to refuse Turkey's application to join the EU until Turkey accepts their role in the genocide against the Armenian people. Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to remind the world that the 24th of April marked the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide of the Ottoman Empire. Also, it marked yet another year without the U.S. formally recognizing the atrocities that occurred. Considering how well documented the genocide is in the U.S. archives and through an overwhelming body of first-hand, governmental, and diplomatic evidence this is nothing less than a disgrace. I also rise to reaffirm my support for the adoption of the Genocide Resolution H. Res 193, which was introduced last Congress by Rep. Pallone. Unfortunately, even though this legislation passed unanimously out of my committee, had 110 co-sponsors and was placed on the House calendar, it was not allowed to be brought to the floor for a vote. The purpose of this legislation was prevent future genocides by stressing the importance of remembering and learning the lessons of past crimes against humanity, including the Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, and the Cambodian and Rwandan genocides in hopes of preventing future atrocities. In addition, this resolution strengthened America's commitment to the universal values of the Genocide Convention and asked the United States to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Genocide Convention. As Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, it was an honor to be instrumental in preparing the report last year which gained unanimous approval at the committee level. The report described the Armenian genocide in the following terms: ``Beginning in 1915, the Islamic Turkish state of the Ottoman Empire sought to end the collective existence of the Christian Armenian population. From 1915 through 1918, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire subjected the Armenian people to deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and starvation. The atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923. It is estimated that one and a half million Armenians were killed out of over two million Armenians who had lived in the Ottoman Empire. It should be noted that these activities ceased with the institution of the new Republic of Turkey in October, 1923.'' Two weeks ago, I signed onto a bipartisan letter to President Bush, asking him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide is fully documented in U.S. history. In a July 24, 1915 cable, American Consul Davis noted that, ``I do not believe there has ever been a massacre in the history of the world so general and thorough as that which is now being perpetrated in this region or that a more fiendish, diabolical scheme has ever been conceived by the mind of man. What the order is officially and nominally to exile the Armenians from these Vilayets may mislead the outside world for a time, but the measure is nothing but a massacre of the most atrocious nature. It would be that even if all the people had allowed to perish on the road. As a greater part of them, however, have been actually murdered and as there is no doubt that this was done by order of the government, there can be no pretense that the measure is anything else but a general massacre.'' Now more than ever as the world is gripped by unrest and terrorism, the memory of the Genocide underscores our responsibility to help convey our cherished tradition of respect for fundamental human rights and opposition to mass slaughter. We owe it to the victims of the Genocide to acknowledge what happened and to teach our students and children about their suffering, so that we can fulfill our obligation to ensure that genocide will never happen again. Our future generation should be able to say, ``I learned, I acknowledge, and I will work to prevent it from happening again.'' Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This is both a somber and encouraging day for both myself and many of my constituents, who are survivors or ancestors of survivors. Somber in memory of the millions who lost their lives, and encouraging in the success of the Armenian American community of building new lives in the U.S., as well as an independent Armenia. April 28, 1915 will live as a day of infamy in the lives of all Armenians, all over the world. It was this day that the Turkish government ordered the deportation of 2.5 million Armenians out of the Ottoman Empire. Within hours, Turkish forces had rounded up over 300 Armenian scholars, and deported or killed them. Over the next year, 1.5 million Armenians were killed or deported to concentration camps to await certain death. I have always supported the Armenian American community. However, my support for the community does not only stem from the size of the Armenian Community in Queens, but also because I see the strategic importance of the Caucasus region for the United States. In 2003, I had the opportunity to visit Armenia and to plant a tree at the Genocide memorial. The independent country of Armenia is a living testament to honor the memories of the survivors. I believe that by failing to recognize these barbaric acts, one becomes complicit in them. Let us never forget the 1.5 million Armenians who perished in 1915 and 1916. Mr. Speaker, again I commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and hope that April 28th, 1915 will never be forgotten. I also ask that the New York Times story focusing on survivors of the genocide be inserted into the Record. Their words and memories speak louder than any speech we will hear today. [[Page 7823]] [From the New York Times, Apr. 23, 2005] Armenian Immigrants Recall a 90-Year-Old Tragedy (By Corey Kilgannon) A cheery sign in the New York Armenian Home in Flushing, Queens, yesterday informed its elderly residents in colorful letters of the current date, season and weather. And of an anniversary: ``Remember April 24, the Armenian Genocide.'' A framed proclamation by Gov. George E. Pataki hung nearby, declaring April 24 as Armenian Remembrance Day to commemorate the Turkish massacres of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians beginning in 1915. It called the killings ``the 20th century's first such calculated effort to destroy people on a massive scale'' and added that ``the Armenian Genocide led academics to coin and utilize the very term genocide.'' It is doubtful that even with failing memories, any residents at the home needed a reminder. ``This time of year, they all get disturbed and remember,'' said Jenny Akopyan, assistant director of the home. Tomorrow, thousands of Armenian-Americans from across the Northeast are expected to gather in Times Square to mark the 90th anniversary of the murders of their relatives and forebears by Ottoman Turks during World War I. On April 24, 1915, Turkish soldiers arrested hundreds of Armenian leaders in Constantinople, then tortured and executed them. The mass slaughter of Armenians over the next several years is often called the first genocide of that century and a precursor to the Holocaust. The Armenian Home, on 45th Avenue in Flushing, opened in 1948 and has long housed many genocide survivors who escaped by playing dead, fleeing or other means. Most of the residents are from families decimated by the genocide, but only a half dozen--all in their 90's--actually escaped it as children. The most recent death of a survivor was in August: Lucy Derderian, age 103, who ``only survived the genocide because her mother was smart enough to hide her under the dead bodies during a massacre,'' said Aghavni Ellian, the home's executive director. Ms. Ellian walked into the home's day room, where about two dozen elderly Armenian immigrants sat watching ``The Price Is Right'' on a large television next to an ornate Christian shrine bedecked in crimson and gold. She carried a lamb dish that had been delivered for later: madal, a roast blessed by a priest and traditionally eaten on April 24. The residents had just finished small cups of thick, strong Armenian coffee. Few survivors could offer completely lucid recollections, but each had some snippet of horror seared into memory. Gulumya Erberber, 93, said that Turkish soldiers had beheaded her father, a wealthy academic, and seized his riches and several houses. She was 3 years old then, and her mother fled with the five children to a mountain village where the townspeople did not speak Armenian but did help the family. Israel Arabian, 99, leaned on his cane and related how he was forced to work for a Turkish officer who took Mr. Arabian's teenage sister ``as a wife.'' He ran away and grew up in a Greek orphanage before eventually coming to New York and settling in Queens. Many Armenians bitterly denounce the Turkish government for denying that the killings constituted genocide. In an interview yesterday, Tuluy Tanc, minister counselor for the Turkish Embassy in Washington, said the accusation of genocide was ``unfair and untrue,'' a legal ploy to gain reparations. ``We don't see what happened as genocide, quote-unquote,'' Mr. Tanc said. ``Unfortunate and tragic events took place during World War I and bad things happened to Armenians, and Muslims and Turks also.'' ``The number killed is much less than they say--it's more like 300,000 Armenians who lost their lives,'' he said, adding that Turkish leaders had recently asked Armenia to set up a commission to study the killings. Onorik Eminian, 93, said she was a young child living in the city of Izmir when the Turks killed her parents and other relatives. She said she has never stopped having nightmares about it, especially in April. ``I saw plenty, sir, plenty,'' she said. ``I saw them go in and they broke our churches. They took old ladies, old like me now, and shot them one by one. This I saw in front of my eyes. They chopped the arms off our schoolteachers and hung them from the trees in the street to teach us a lesson. We watched our priest come delivering food, and they killed him and threw the food into the street.'' ``Are you sure you want to hear my sad story?'' she asked. ``I was playing in front of our house when they came on horses. My grandmother pulled me in. The Turks grabbed my father--he was hiding Armenians in his coffee shop--and I cried, `Daddy, Daddy, don't go' and I held onto his leg. Then one soldier told me to shut up and hit me right here with a rifle. Look, I still got the mark.'' Weeping, she pointed to a bump on her forehead between her eyebrows and dabbed her eyes with a tissue. ``I said, `Where's my father?' and they said, `Here's your father,' and they held up his jacket and pants.'' She grew up in an orphanage, and eventually came to New York, lived in Astoria and had two daughters who never saw any mention of Armenian genocide in their history books. ``If you write this in the newspaper,'' she said, ``will the Turks come here and kill me? I'm still afraid of them.'' Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in Commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This yearly commemoration is a testament to the lives and the legacy of the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives, and it underscores our commitment to keeping the Armenian nation and culture alive. As we revisit this dark period in Armenian history, we must be mindful of the lessons that can be learned from this tragedy. Blind hatred and senseless prejudice tear at the very fabric of our society even today. The victims of the Armenian Genocide, the Holocaust, ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, Rwanda, and Sudan, and acts of vicious terrorism remind us of the human cost of hate and implore us to prevent these tragedies from happening again. I want to join my colleagues in renewing our pledge to the Armenian nation to ensure that Armenians around the world can live free of threats to their existence and prosperity. Azerbaijan continues to blockade Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh, denying the Armenian people the food, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance they need to lead secure lives. A key component of this pledge is maintaining high levels of assistance to Armenia. As Ranking Member of the House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, I will fight to maintain funding for Armenia, which recently became eligible for special Millennium Challenge Account funds. We must also be cautious to balance our immediate foreign policy needs with the long-time concerns we have had about both the Azerbaijan and Turkish records. This includes reaffirming that the Section 907 waiver is not automatic and indefinite--it will be carefully evaluated. And it also involves close monitoring of assistance given to Turkey. Building a strong, prosperous Armenia is the best way to honor the memory of the Genocide victims, and I am proud to be a partner in this effort. Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the somber occasion of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and to call upon the Administration to finally recognize this horrible crime for what it truly was, systematic and deliberate murder. The Armenian Genocide began on April 24, 1915, and within 8 years one and a half million Armenians were tortured and killed. Tortures that the Armenians were forced to endure included forced labor, rape, kidnapping, and death marches under the guise of ``temporary relocation.'' A grave injustice was intentionally committed by the Ottoman Empire during these years, and it is imperative that we now stand up and demand that this injustice be officially recognized by Turkey, the United States, and the world. The senseless crime of genocide is one of the most reprehensible acts that can be committed by man. To attempt eradication of an entire population based on a misguided prejudice is absolutely vile, and the United States should do everything in its power to try and prevent such atrocities from happening in the future. Only by explicitly defining genocide and ensuring that all cases of genocide throughout history are appropriately identified can we effectively deter this crime. Particularly at this time of heightened vigilance around the world, it is absolutely imperative that America take a strong stance against the most troubling of all terrorist acts, mass killings. We can not forget Adolph Hitler's haunting remark to his military staff prior to launching the Holocaust: ``Who, after all, remembers the annihilation of the Armenians.'' Let us stand up as a country and let the world know that we do remember. Mr. KIRK. Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, April 24, 2005 marked the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Beginning in 1915, an estimated one and a half million Armenians were systematically murdered over the next eight years. There were nearly two million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire on the eve of W.W.I. In an organized campaign of ethnically motivated genocide, the Ottoman Turks deported a million Armenians, separating families and destroying livelihoods. Hundreds of thousands more were murdered. They did not lose their lives, as common nomenclature refers to the situation. They were murdered. Many others died of starvation, exhaustion, and epidemics which ravaged the concentration camps. [[Page 7824]] On this 90th Anniversary, I join with my colleagues in Congress and the Armenian community worldwide in commemorating this solemn day of remembrance. In particular I commend the Armenian-Americans from my district who departed from the All Saints Community Center in Glenview, IL, to join dozens of Armenians from the Chicago area to peacefully protest at the Turkish Consulate in Chicago. This sort of activism is an important step to finally gaining official recognition of the genocide. This anniversary serves as a reminder of the horrible campaigns of genocide that occurred in the past, from the Holocaust, to Rwanda, to today's atrocities in Darfur, Sudan. We must uphold our duties as global defenders of human rights and give the Armenian community, as the victims of the 20th Century's first genocide, the recognition they deserve. Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This past Sunday, April 24th, marked 90 years since the beginning to one of history's dark chapters. On that day in 1915, the government of the Ottoman Empire began a brutal and systematic campaign of genocide against the Armenian people. It started with the execution of some 300 Armenian leaders, professionals and intellectuals. By 1923, over 1.5 million Armenians had been killed, and another 500,000 had been deported. The Ottoman Empire claimed that it was acting to suppress civil unrest among Armenians during World War I. The absurdity of this justification for a reign of terror was pointed out at the time by no less credible a witness than our own Ambassador to the Empire, Henry Morganthau. His report to Washington described the Ottoman campaign as one of ``race extermination.'' The almost unimaginable pain and suffering endured by the Armenian people has been compounded since by the refusal of the Ottoman Empire and now the government of Turkey to acknowledge that the Genocide ever even occurred. Generations of Turks have been raised to deny this atrocity, perpetuating resentments and hostilities. By trying to defend the indefensible, the government of Turkey has denied the Armenian people, as well as its own people the chance to begin the process of healing these wounds. Mr. Speaker, 90 years is far, far too long for a people to wait for an acknowledgment of the crimes committed against them. That is why I am proud to support the resolution that will be introduced in the coming days remembering the victims and honoring the survivors of the Armenian Genocide. This resolution will appropriately recognize these acts for what they were. Only with a common understanding of this dark period can we move forward and work to prevent similar tragedies in the future. While we mark the loss and pain of the Armenian people every April 24th, it is my fervent hope that some day soon, it will no longer be necessary to urge the recognition of these terrible events as genocide. I am particularly disappointed that the President has once again failed to lead on this issue. Once again, President Bush's statement this weekend studiously avoided proper recognition of this tragedy. Mr. Speaker, I ask that all my colleagues take the time to reflect on this anniversary, and that we renew our commitment to the victims of the Armenian Genocide and to each other to never allow such human suffering to occur again. Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. We are familiar with these events. Hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children were driven from their homes, starved, beaten, and shot. Government-orchestrated intimidation, government-sponsored deportations, and government- perpetrated slaughter are the hallmarks of the Armenian Genocide. They are also the hallmarks of other genocides with which we are all too familiar. The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of its kind, but it was not the last. It has served as a model of the Holocaust in Europe, the Killing Fields of Cambodia, and religiously motivated atrocities in the Sudan. We look regretfully and sorrowfully at the slaughter of so many in these cases, as well we should. These events demonstrate man's inherent sinfulness and the evil that comes so easily. No one denies the events in Europe, Asia, and Africa happened. Anyone rejecting these mass slaughters is themselves rejected. And yet, many suffer some kind of incredulity when it comes to the Armenian Genocide. We demand the perpetrators of these other genocides are made to account for their actions, but not the Armenian Genocide. Photographs and eye witness account point overwhelmingly and undoubtedly to the massacre of over one million human beings, but no one has ever been held accountable. Ninety years after these events, the perpetrators are no longer living. In this world, they can no longer be held responsible for their actions. Their heirs, however, should be made to acknowledge the deeds of their fathers. But they are not. Modern Turkey has made Armenian Genocide denial into an article of faith. Genocide denial is taught in schools, and is supported by the government. Anyone who deviates from the official line is considered a traitor. Indeed, the government of Turkey works feverishly to prevent any government from recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Recognition by the legislative bodies of France, Italy, Switzerland, and Russia has been met with harsh criticism from the Turkish government. In 2000, only intense lobbying and ruthless pressure from Turkey prevented this House from recognizing the Armenian Genocide. It is shameful that the United States House of Representatives refuses to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide. Official American records on the Armenian Genocide are considered to be the most extensive in the world, and yet we refuse to reaffirm what already has been acknowledged to be the first genocide of the Twentieth Century. In past eras, American officials, including U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau and President Ronald Reagan, boldly declared the savage butchery in eastern Anatolia and the Caucuses to be genocide. By allowing Turkey to deny its past actions, we take a step backwards. By not reaffirming the events of 90 years ago, we do not live up to the ideals of our country. I reaffirm the Armenian Genocide in the House of Representatives. I know that it happened. I remember. Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Today we solemnly remember the victims of the Ottoman Government's 8- year campaign of terror against its Armenian population. During this brutal campaign, Armenian communities were systematically destroyed, one and a half million innocent men, women, and children were murdered, and over one million others were forcibly deported. This somber anniversary is a tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and a painful reminder that the world's inaction and denial 90 years ago left a tragic precedent for other acts of senseless bloodshed. This year we marked the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The road from Armenia to Auschwitz was direct. If more attention had been centered on the slaughter of innocent Armenians, perhaps the events of the Holocaust might never have been allowed to occur. And, as we speak today, government-supported Janjaweed militias continue their systematic destruction of black Sudanese in Darfur. Thousands have been murdered, raped, and starved to death, and over one million have been displaced from their homes. The Armenian Genocide stands as a tragic precedent to the brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing currently ravaging Darfur. Today, we honor the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and vow once more that genocide will not go unnoticed or unmourned. We must stand up to governments that persecute their own people, and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to fight all crimes against humanity and the efforts to hide them from the rest of the world. Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the anniversary of a tragic event. April 24th 2005 marks a solemn occasion in world history: the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. From 1915 to 1923, the Christian Armenian population endured a policy of systemic killing implemented by the then-Ottoman and early Turkish Empires, resulting in the ethnic slaughter of one and a half million Armenians. Since that time, descendants of Armenian immigrants have proudly clung to their identity, prospering in communities throughout the world. Here in the United States, we are especially fortunate to have a vibrant Armenian community that has greatly enriched American civic life. It is vital that we remember this dark period in history. Losing the memory of this tragic event would only perpetuate the injustice. For too long, the Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th Century, has been denied the recognition that it properly deserves. As human beings, we all have a responsibility to keep events such as the Armenian Genocide at the forefront of our collective historical memory. We cannot begin to overcome the challenges of the future until we acknowledge our past mistakes. It is perhaps the tragedy of the 20th Century that a cataclysmic occurrence such as the Armenian Genocide has to share a place in our memory with other horrific events such as the [[Page 7825]] wartime atrocities perpetuated during WWII, the ethnic cleansings in Cambodia and Bosnia, and the Rwandan genocide. I truly believe we must take the time and make the effort to find reconciliation between the perpetrator and victims of these events. Currently, we are confronted by a genocide unfolding in Sudan, where tens of thousands die every month; we must not allow ourselves to turn a blind eye. Mr. Speaker, recognizing the Armenian Genocide will help heal the wounds humanity has suffered in the past century. By acknowledging the horrors of our past and working to protect our future, we take one step closer to the goal of ``never again.'' Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, ``those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'' That saying is as true today as it was almost a hundred years ago when the philosopher George Santayana first wrote it. So, today we are here to remember. We are here to remember that the Ottoman Empire brutally tortured and murdered 1.5 million Armenians 90 years ago and that half a million Armenians were forced to flee their country. Let us also remember and honor those who survived the genocide. Although few survivors of the Armenian Genocide are still living today, those who endured the horrors of 1915 are heroes for all time. We are here to honor those who died and to call for recognition of the Genocide carried about by the Ottoman Turkish government. We are here to remember so we don't repeat the same mistake, anywhere, in any country of the world. In my view, all Americans must recognize that the atrocities committed from 1915 to 1923 constitute genocide. We do not use that word lightly. But the word, itself, makes a powerful statement about the horrors suffered by the Armenian people. As Samantha Powers, the leading expert on genocide said in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, ``The extermination of Armenians is recognized as genocide by the consensus of scholars of genocide and Holocaust worldwide. The failure to acknowledge this trivializes a human rights crime of enormous magnitude.'' Today, the people of Armenia and her diaspora are proudly seeking to rebuild their country. From the ashes of despair born of the genocide, and from the ravages of seven decades of communist rule, Armenians the world over are striving to secure a safe and prosperous future for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh. As Armenian-Americans join with Armenians from throughout the world to help to rebuild their homeland, and as they seek to secure an economically prosperous state founded on firm democratic principles, I will stand by them. As a Member of the House leadership and the House International Relations Committee, I promise to do all I can on behalf of Armenia and to ensure that the Armenian genocide is recognized. In closing, I remind you that Adolf Hitler once stated: ``Who today remembers the Armenians?'' I am here to say that we remember the Armenians. The children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of the survivors and of those who perished, remember the Armenians. The friends and neighbors of Armenia, remember the Armenians. And here in the United States, we remember the Armenians. Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand here today with my colleagues to acknowledge this important event and to have the opportunity to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide; one of the saddest chapters of history. We join the Armenian- Americans across the nation and the Armenian community abroad to mourn the loss of so many innocent lives. In this turbulent century, we have witnessed humanity's great potential for good and bad--but the world has triumphed more often in the last 90 years than it has disappointed. And yet, while focusing on humanity's successes is always more attractive than remembering any failures, we as civilized peoples, countries and nations must not deny the immorality of atrocities such as the Armenian Genocide. The U.S. is fortunate to be home to an organized and active Armenian community, whose members contribute and participate in every aspect of civic life. This is one of the reasons that myself--along with 170 members of Congress--have asked President Bush to join us in reaffirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide. As a proud member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and an ardent supporter of Fresno's Armenian-American community, I wish the people of Armenia success in their efforts to bring about the lasting peace and prosperity that they deserve. I pledge to continue my ongoing efforts to sponsor initiatives that would build on our record towards an inevitable, full and irrevocable U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today we mark the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. Every year we participate in this solemn commemoration but this year it has a special significance. For the families of the victims and the survivors, the horrors of that bygone era remain so painful that it is hard to believe how much time has passed. The passage of years has not dimmed the memory or eased the grief. Not a relative or friend has been forgotten, nor have fond memories of native cities faded away. Moreover, no accounting for mass murder has been made. Though many governments and legislative bodies around the world have recognized the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish Government consistently refuses to acknowledge what happened. For Armenians everywhere, Turkey's policy of aggressive denial sharpens the feeling of loss, embittering the lives of those who miraculously survived. Today, those of us without Armenian blood share the sorrow of Armenians everywhere. I had the privilege in September 2000 of chairing hearings on the Armenian Genocide in the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights of the International Relations Committee. The reading I have done over the years, which has included detailed descriptions of the atrocities, shock me. But, I am resolved to speak about this issue, loudly and often. The Armenian Genocide has significance for all of us. It created a monstrous precedent which launched a century of genocides. In numerous countries and cultures, an ethnic group that controlled the state has used its instruments of coercion to slaughter members of a minority group, religion or class. It is enough to recall Adolf Hitler's smug remark, ``Who remembers the Armenians?'' to grasp the universality of what happened to the Armenians. Much has changed in the world since the mass, planned murder in 1915--two world wars, the fall of the Ottoman, Habsburg and Romanov Empires, the rise of the American superpower and most recently, the fall of the Soviet Union. One would have thought that we would have grown wiser over the years. Alas, we have not learned the appropriate lessons from the 20th century's first genocide. Just a few years after Rwanda, at this very moment, another genocide is taking place in Darfur. Yet, instead of mounting a united response, the international community has waffled or slithered away from responsibility, as hundreds of thousands are slaughtered. The record of man's inhumanity to man is awful enough to produce a feeling of resignation. But we must fight that tendency. We must continue to remind the world of what occurred in 1915 and keep calling on Turkey to won up. We must not restrain ourselves from speaking of the Armenian Genocide. Along with many of my colleagues, I urge President Bush to speak the truth to Ankara, which needs to come to terms with its own past. As this somber time, I want to note one optimistic point: OSCE negotiators are guardedly hopeful about the prospects of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. True, we have experienced such moments before and should not get our hopes up. Still, I am encouraged to hear that there is at least some reason for hope. We all pray for a peaceful solution to this conflict, which has caused over 30,000 deaths and many more casualties. Next year, when we once again commemorate the Genocide of the Armenians, I hope their descendants will be living in peace with their neighbors, building a democratic, prosperous country that will be a light unto the world. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. On the night of April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire arrested over 200 Armenian community leaders in Constantinople, thereby marking only the beginning of the horrendous Armenian Genocide to come. On the eve of World War I, an estimated two million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire. Well over a million were deported and hundreds of thousands were simply killed. Between 1915 and 1918, the Ottoman Empire conducted other atrocities against Armenians which also included abduction, torture, massacre and starvation. Armenians living in Armenia and Anatolia were forcibly moved to Syria, where they were left in the desert to die of hunger and thirst. In addition, there were systematic murders; women and children were abducted from their homes and abused. It has been estimated that one and half million Armenians died as a result of this genocide from 1915 to 1923. By 1923 the entire landmass of Asia Minor and historic West Armenia had been expunged of its Armenian population. On this important anniversary, it is a lasting lesson to people everywhere that genocide must not only be opposed by all nations, but that it must be universally recognized as a crime against humanity--no matter where it occurs or against whom it is carried out. [[Page 7826]] Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, during which one and a half million Armenians were tortured and murdered, and more than half a million were forced from their homeland into exile. Despite overwhelming documentation, the Turkish government has refused to admit or apologize for these atrocious acts, or even acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. As Americans, we must guarantee that our foreign policy reflects our values of justice, equality and responsibility. These values should apply in all of our international interactions, including those with Turkey, a NATO ally. Turkey wishes to increase its global profile through accession to organizations such as the European Union. However, if Turkey wishes to gain the world's respect, it must earn it. It must demonstrate its commitment to peace and democracy in the region. It must reopen its borders, end its blockade of Armenia, and encourage Azerbaijan to end its aggressive rhetoric. And most importantly, it must accept responsibility for past injustices through an unconditional recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Only then can Turkey begin to come to terms with its history. Only then can Armenians seek justice from the Turkish government for the losses of so much and so many. Last month, I was honored to lead a conference session for Rhode Island students in which we discussed the genocide and what steps our government should take to recognize that tragedy appropriately. I think practically every student present that morning was amazed that, despite overwhelming evidence and widespread support, Congress has not yet passed the genocide resolution. It is time for Congress and the White House to speak with one voice and ensure that our national ideals are reflected in our foreign policy. Consequently, I joined many of my colleagues in asking the President to recognize the Armenian Genocide in unambiguous terms, and I will again cosponsor the Genocide Resolution when it is reintroduced in the coming weeks. As an ardent supporter of Rhode Island's Armenian-American community throughout my public service career, I am proud to join my colleagues to today in honoring the victims of the genocide by paying tribute to their memory, showing compassion for those who have suffered from such prejudice, and never forgetting the pain that they have endured. Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, for the past nine years, I have come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to honor and remember the genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th Century. This year marks the 90th Anniversary of these heinous acts, which drove so many survivors to the distant shores of the United States. Those of us in central Massachusetts have learned the story of the Armenian Genocide from our friends, neighbors and colleagues who are direct survivors, or the children and grandchildren of those survivors. I have been privileged to participate in many of the annual remembrances of the Armenian Genocide held in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the Armenian Church of Our Savior, one of the oldest Armenian churches and congregations in America. But I feel more privileged to have worked with the Armenian community in Worcester to educate the community, and especially young people and college students, about not only the Armenian Genocide, but about other contemporary and even current genocides that are taking place around the world. I am especially grateful that I will be able to collaborate with them in the future on events that will focus on the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. May we all live to see and celebrate the day when we commemorate the Armenian Genocide in a world where genocides no longer take place against any people. Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and to place in the Record a portion of an opinion article written by Lee Enokian. Armenian Genocide Victims Are Not Forgotten (By Lee Enokian) Today is the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Between 1915 and 1923, more than 1.5 million Armenians were murdered or forcibly exiled because they were the wrong religion and ethnicity. The world community memorializes the anniversary annually as Armenian Martyrs Day. Thousands of Armenians were offered their lives in exchange for their conversion to Islam. They refused and died as a result. Their steadfast faithfulness to the Christian faith is not surprising. Armenia was the first Christian nation and remains the only Christian nation in the Middle East. Various Turkish people invaded southwest Asia during the Middle Ages and carved an empire for themselves from lands occupied by the indigenous Semitic and Indo-European inhabitants. Turkish nationalism grew relentlessly during the following centuries. In the years preceding World War I, they actively sought to Turkify the Ottoman Empire and strengthen their rule by eliminating fractious ethnic minorities. The western two-thirds of Anatolia was once inhabited by Greeks and other Indo-European peoples. It is now primarily occupied by Turks. The eastern third of modern Turkey was once Armenian with an Assyrian minority, but is now populated by Turks and Kurds. Modern Armenia survived only because it was the single province controlled, and protected, by the Russian Empire. The rest of the territory within its historical borders is almost wholly devoid of ethnic Armenians. The organized depopulation of Christians and non-Turks from Anatolia by the Ottoman Empire is one of the worst incidents of racism and religious intolerance documented in the world. The Genocide was master-minded by the ultra-nationalist ``Young Turk'' government of Ottoman Turkey. Mehmet Talaat Pasha was the Minister of the Interior and architect of the Armenian Genocide. He was rewarded by being elevated to the position of Grand Vizier in 1917. Pasha fled to Germany as his empire collapsed in 1918. He was convicted of capital crimes, including massacring the Armenians. The post-war Ottoman government sentenced him to death in absentia. Just-minded federal, state and local governments throughout the world continue to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Illinois is no different. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has continued the practice of his predecessors by remembering the plight of the Armenian people. Part of his annual proclamation reads: ``The Armenian community, as well as the global community, remembers the Armenian Genocide, which occurred 90 years ago; and during this tragic historical period between the years of 1915 and 1923, Armenians were forced to witness the genocide of their loved ones, and the loss of their ancestral homelands; and this extermination and forced relocation of over 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks is recognized every year.'' Sadly, the modern state of Turkey denies the Genocide ever occurred. It restricts the ability of ethnic Armenians, Kurds and Assyrians to enter and travel within the country. In fact, Turkey has done its best to remove every trace of the Armenian people from their ancestral homeland. These efforts still don't change history. Blagojevich concluded his proclamation with the fact that we must remember hateful events like the Genocide to help prevent their future institution. ``Both recognition and education concerning past atrocities such as the Armenian Genocide is crucial in the prevention of future crimes against humanity.'' Evil wins when good men turn a blind eye. Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance of the Armenian Genocide--one of the most horrific tragedies of the 20th century. Beginning on April 24, 1915, leaders of the Ottoman Empire began murdering thousands of Armenian people. By 1923, the number of Armenians murdered was over 1.5 million. Yet, in spite of irrefutable evidence, the United States of America and the Republic of Turkey have consistently refused to officially acknowledge that the Armenians were victims of genocide. The Armenian Genocide is a historical event that cannot be denied or forgotten. It is vital for Turkey to recognize that this tragedy took place on its soil. Turkey should follow the example of Germany in its swift commendation and acknowledgement of the Holocaust. It is also equally vital for the United States to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide, just as many other governments have. In 2000 the European Parliament officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. The following year the French Parliament recognized it as well. Many attempts have also been made by the U.S. Congress to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. These attempts, however, have been scuttled by successive administrations for fear of disrupting our strategic relationship with Turkey. While I certainly value Turkey's friendship, as a world leader, the U.S. must officially acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Not doing so sets an extremely poor example for the rest of the world and denies the victims of this horrific tragedy the proper reverence they deserve. Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with Armenians throughout the United States, Armenia, and the world in commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, one of the darkest episodes in Europe's recent past. This week, members and friends of the Armenian community gather to remember April 24, 1915, when the arrest and murder of 200 Armenian politicians, academics, and community leaders in Constantinople marked the beginning of an 8-year campaign of extermination against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire. [[Page 7827]] Between 1915 and 1923, approximately 1.5 million Armenians were killed and more than 500,000 were exiled to the desert to die of thirst or starvation. The Armenian genocide was the first mass murder of the 20th century, a century that was sadly to be marked by many similar attempts at racial or ethnic extermination, from the Holocaust to the Rwandan genocide and now the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan. In the 90 years since the beginning of this genocide, we have learned the importance of commemorating these tragic events. In 1939, after invading Poland and relocating most Jews to labor or death camps, Hitler cynically defended his own actions by asking, ``Who remembers the Armenians?'' Just a few years later, 6 million Jews were dead. Now is the time when we must answer Hitler's question with a clear voice: We remember the Armenians, and we stand resolved that genocide is a crime against all humanity. We must remember the legacy of the Armenian genocide and we must speak out against such tragedies to ensure that no similar evil occurs again. While today is the day in which we solemnly remember the victims of the Armenian genocide, I believe it is also a day in which we can celebrate the extraordinary vitality and strength of the Armenian people, who have fought successfully to preserve their culture and identity for over a thousand years. The Armenian people withstood the horrors of genocide, two world wars, and several decades of Soviet dominance in order to establish modern Armenia. Armenia has defiantly rebuilt itself as a nation and a society--a triumph of human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity. It is my firm belief that it is only by learning from and commemorating the past can we work toward a future free from racial, ethnic, and religious hate. By acknowledging the Armenian genocide and speaking out against the principles by which it was conducted, we can send a clear message: never again. ____________________