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ANCA Participates In Coalition Campaign to Stop Genocide in Sudan

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  • ANCA Participates In Coalition Campaign to Stop Genocide in Sudan

    Armenian National Committee of America
    888 17th Street NW Suite 904
    Washington, DC 20006
    Tel: (202) 775-1918
    Fax: (202) 775-5648
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Internet: www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    June 24, 2004
    Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
    Tel: (202) 775-1918

    ANCA PARTICIPATES IN COALITION CAMPAIGN TO STOP GENOCIDE IN SUDAN

    -- Takes Part in Congressional Black Caucus/Africa Action Effort
    to Secure U.S. Intervention in the Darfur Region

    -- Calls for Support of Genocide Resolution, H.Res.193/S.Res.164,
    Renewing U.S. Commitment to the Genocide Convention

    WASHINGTON, DC - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
    participated in a press conference, yesterday, organized by the
    Congressional Black Caucus and Africa Action, voicing its support
    for a nationwide, grassroots campaign to secure U.S. intervention
    to stop the impending genocide in Sudan.

    Congressional Black Caucus members, including Chairman Elijah
    Cummings (D-MD), Representatives Donald Payne (D-NJ), Barbara Lee
    (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Sheila Jackson
    Lee (D-TX), and Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) were joined by Democratic
    Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), and Africa
    Action Executive Director Salih Booker in calling attention to the
    ongoing tragedy in Sudan, which has already claimed tens of
    thousands of lives in 2004.

    In response to a question by ANCA Government Affairs Director
    Abraham Niziblian regarding how individuals can get involved in
    stopping the cycle of genocide in Sudan, Rep. Payne cited the
    example of he Armenian Genocide, noting that "if we had done
    something then [1915], we would not have had the 1930's genocide
    committed by the Nazis." Salih then stressed the importance of
    participating in a petition drive, initiated by Africa Action on
    June 15th, calling on Secretary of State Colin Powell to support an
    immediate intervention to stop the killing [in Sudan]."
    Individuals can participate in the Africa Action petition drive by
    visiting: http://www.africaaction.org.

    Over the past several weeks, the ANCA has called attention to the
    atrocities in Sudan through a series of letters to Congressional
    offices, urging them to take a stand to stop the cycle of genocide
    through support of Congressional initiatives regarding Sudan as
    well as for the Genocide Resolution (H.Res.193 / S.Res.164), which
    reaffirms U.S. commitment to the principles of the Genocide
    Convention.

    In a June 17th memo to Congressional staff members, Niziblian
    stated, "as the descendents of survivors of the Armenian Genocide,
    Armenian Americans feel a special obligation to encourage our
    government to take the lead in preventing genocides, anywhere
    around the world. Please stand up against genocide in Sudan and do
    all that you can to ensure we, as a nation, meet our obligations
    under the Genocide Convention to prevent and punish all instances
    of genocide." Similarly on June 23rd, Niziblian asked Members of
    Congress to "work for the passage of the Genocide Resolution
    (H.Res.193 and S.Res.164) to reaffirm our collective commitment to
    the aims of the Genocide Convention."

    The Genocide Resolution was introduced in the Senate in June, 2003
    by Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ). Its
    companion House measure, H.Res.193, led by Representatives George
    Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian
    Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI),
    was adopted unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee last May
    and has 111 cosponsors. The resolution cites the importance of
    remembering past crimes against humanity, including the Armenian
    Genocide, Holocaust, Cambodian and Rwandan genocides, in an effort
    to stop future atrocities. Support for the measure has been
    widespread, with a diverse coalition of over 100 ethnic, religious,
    civil and human rights organizations calling for its passage,
    including American Values, National Organization of Women, Sons of
    Italy, NAACP, Union of Orthodox Rabbis, and the National Council of
    La Raza.

    Africa Action has reported that, "In Darfur, the Sudanese
    government is destroying African Muslim communities who have
    challenged the authoritarian rule of the government. Government
    forces and Arab militias known as the janjaweed have burned and
    pillaged thousands of villages, poisoned water systems, and
    subjected the population to large-scale rape and other atrocities."
    On May 17th, House Members overwhelmingly adopted H.Con.Res. 403,
    condemning the Sudanese Government for its attacks against innocent
    civilians in the impoverished Darfur region of western Sudan, by a
    margin of 360 to 1. Its companion resolution in the Senate,
    S.Con.Res. 99, was adopted unanimously on May 6th. Rep. Payne
    announced that he would introduce additional legislation calling on
    the "UN Security Council to introduce a resolution authorizing
    intervention in Darfur" and "urging the U.S. Administration to
    expose those responsible for the genocide."
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