[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2823]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE 23RD ANNIVERSARY OF MASSACRES AGAINST ARMENIANS IN 
                                SUMGAIT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 28, 2011

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the thousands of Armenian 
Americans in my congressional district, I rise to remember the evening 
of February 27, 1988, when a three-day rampage began against Christian 
Armenian civilians living in Sumgait, Soviet Azerbaijan. Armenian 
civilians were at the mercy of Azerbaijani rioters, who murdered, 
raped, and maimed Armenians, throwing women and children from windows 
and burning victims alive. Soviet authorities, who had prohibited 
journalists from entering the area and had instituted a press blackout, 
estimated over 30 individuals had been killed and over 200 injured, but 
others estimated hundreds were murdered.
  In the days before the massacre, Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh had 
been peacefully demonstrating against decades of Soviet Azerbaijani 
repression and discrimination. Many believed the resulting massacres 
were officially sanctioned to send a message to Armenians to stop 
challenging Soviet Azerbaijani authorities.
  Within months of the Sumgait massacres, the U.S. Senate unanimously 
passed Amendment 2690 to the FY 1989 Foreign Operations Appropriations 
bill (H.R. 4782) in July 1988, concerning the Karabakh conflict and 
calling on the Soviet government to ``respect the legitimate 
aspirations of the Armenian people.'' The amendment also noted that 
``dozens of Armenians have been killed and hundreds injured during the 
recent unrests.''
  The anniversary of this horrifying instance of violence serves as a 
reminder that the United States must stand with those around the globe 
engaged in peaceful demonstrations against repression and human rights 
abuses.

                          ____________________