[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6401]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  COMMEMORATING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 2, 2011

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, each year on April 24, we gather to honor 
the memory of those lives that were destroyed in the events of the 
Armenian Genocide. Because this year a Congressional recess coincided 
with that date, I take the opportunity today to commemorate the 
atrocious acts of genocide that occurred 96 years ago.
  It is notable that today also happens to be Yom Hashoah, Holocaust 
Remembrance Day. The history of these two genocides remains tragically 
intertwined by the world's intransigence at the suffering of the 
victims while the atrocities took place and the ongoing efforts of 
those who seek to deny what happened.
  It is said that the trajectory from Armenia to Auschwitz was direct. 
It is said that when asked if the world would tolerate the ``Final 
Solution'' to annihilate the Jews, Hitler remarked ``Who remembers the 
Armenians?''
  We remember the Armenians. More than 1.5 million men, women and 
children systematically murdered, chased from their communities and in 
many cases marched to death. The suffering of the victims, the courage 
of the survivors, and the battle of their descendents to preserve this 
history deserves full recognition. Silence only inflicts more pain and 
leaves those who suffer to suffer alone. Silence encourages those 
willing to engage in genocide to believe their actions will be met with 
impunity.
  Nearly 100 years later, we are still learning from this tragedy. The 
United States must embrace and encourage international recognition of 
the Armenian genocide not only for the peace of mind of those who 
suffered, but to reaffirm our commitment to preventing the genocides of 
the future.
  Let us raise our voice so that the Armenian Genocide will be mourned 
and remembered for generations to come.

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