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Congressional Record: April 20, 2005 (Senate)]
[Page S4012]
>>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr20ap05-113]
THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923
Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, this is in observance of the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide where atrocities were committed
against the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire during the First
World War. In April 1915, the Ottoman government embarked upon the
systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian population. The Armenian
genocide was centrally planned and administered against the entire
Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. The Armenian people were
subjected to deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre,
and starvation. The great bulk of the Armenian population was forcibly
removed from Armenia and Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was
sent into the desert to die of thirst and hunger.
Large numbers of Armenians were methodically massacred throughout the
Ottoman Empire. Women and children were abducted and horribly abused.
After only a little more than a year of calm at the end of WWI, the
atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923, and the remaining
Armenians were subjected to further massacres and expulsions. In 1915,
33 years before the UN Genocide Convention was adopted, the Armenian
Genocide was condemned by the international community as a crime
against humanity.
In 1923, the people of the region overthrew the Ottoman government
and established modern day Turkey. Since its establishment, the
Republic of Turkey has disputed the tragic suffering inflicted on the
Armenian people during this period. Sadly, it is estimated that 1.5
million Armenians perished between 1915 and 1923.
Affirming the truth about the Armenian genocide has become an issue
of international significance. The recurrence of genocide in the
twentieth century has made the recognition of the criminal mistreatment
of the Armenians by Turkey all the more a compelling obligation for the
international community. It is a testament to the perseverance and
determination of the Armenian people that they were able to overcome
one of the most egregious acts in history. I support this important
annual commemoration of a horrible chapter of history so that it is
never repeated again. Congress should continue to show support for
Armenia and their struggle to set the historical record straight on
this tragedy.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, we solemnly remember the men and women
who perished in the Armenian genocide 90 years ago. A million and a
half Armenians were systematically massacred at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire and more than 500,000 fled their homeland.
When the Armenian genocide occurred from 1915 to 1923, the
international community lacked a name for such atrocities. In January
1951, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide entered into force to affirm the international commitment to
prevent genocide and protect basic human decency. Today, we have the
words to describe this evil, and we have an obligation to prevent it.
But we must also have the will to act.
During the Holocaust, and later in the former Yugoslavia and in
Rwanda, the world has seen the crimes of ethnic cleansing and genocide
recur again and again. Too often, the will to stop atrocities has been
lacking, or far too late in coming. Today, as we read report after
report detailing the horrific plight of the people of Darfur, Sudan, we
must muster the will and the sense of urgency required to save lives.
The international community has made the first steps, but it has a
long way to go in punishing and, especially, preventing genocide. As we
move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia's genocide. We
cannot be misled by the rhetorical veils of murderous leaders, thrown
up to disguise the agenda at hand. We cannot respond to evidence of
methodical, brutal violence by wringing our hands and waiting for some
definitive proof that these events qualify as genocide. Enforcing a
collective, international commitment to prevent and stop genocides from
occurring is imperative. We owe the victims of the Armenian genocide
this commitment.
This is why we must remember the Armenian genocide. To forget it is
to enable more genocides and ethnic cleansing to occur. We must honor
its victims by reaffirming our resolve to not let it happen again.
[Page S4012]
>>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr20ap05-113]
THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923
Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, this is in observance of the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide where atrocities were committed
against the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire during the First
World War. In April 1915, the Ottoman government embarked upon the
systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian population. The Armenian
genocide was centrally planned and administered against the entire
Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. The Armenian people were
subjected to deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre,
and starvation. The great bulk of the Armenian population was forcibly
removed from Armenia and Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was
sent into the desert to die of thirst and hunger.
Large numbers of Armenians were methodically massacred throughout the
Ottoman Empire. Women and children were abducted and horribly abused.
After only a little more than a year of calm at the end of WWI, the
atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923, and the remaining
Armenians were subjected to further massacres and expulsions. In 1915,
33 years before the UN Genocide Convention was adopted, the Armenian
Genocide was condemned by the international community as a crime
against humanity.
In 1923, the people of the region overthrew the Ottoman government
and established modern day Turkey. Since its establishment, the
Republic of Turkey has disputed the tragic suffering inflicted on the
Armenian people during this period. Sadly, it is estimated that 1.5
million Armenians perished between 1915 and 1923.
Affirming the truth about the Armenian genocide has become an issue
of international significance. The recurrence of genocide in the
twentieth century has made the recognition of the criminal mistreatment
of the Armenians by Turkey all the more a compelling obligation for the
international community. It is a testament to the perseverance and
determination of the Armenian people that they were able to overcome
one of the most egregious acts in history. I support this important
annual commemoration of a horrible chapter of history so that it is
never repeated again. Congress should continue to show support for
Armenia and their struggle to set the historical record straight on
this tragedy.
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, we solemnly remember the men and women
who perished in the Armenian genocide 90 years ago. A million and a
half Armenians were systematically massacred at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire and more than 500,000 fled their homeland.
When the Armenian genocide occurred from 1915 to 1923, the
international community lacked a name for such atrocities. In January
1951, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide entered into force to affirm the international commitment to
prevent genocide and protect basic human decency. Today, we have the
words to describe this evil, and we have an obligation to prevent it.
But we must also have the will to act.
During the Holocaust, and later in the former Yugoslavia and in
Rwanda, the world has seen the crimes of ethnic cleansing and genocide
recur again and again. Too often, the will to stop atrocities has been
lacking, or far too late in coming. Today, as we read report after
report detailing the horrific plight of the people of Darfur, Sudan, we
must muster the will and the sense of urgency required to save lives.
The international community has made the first steps, but it has a
long way to go in punishing and, especially, preventing genocide. As we
move forward, we must learn the lessons of Armenia's genocide. We
cannot be misled by the rhetorical veils of murderous leaders, thrown
up to disguise the agenda at hand. We cannot respond to evidence of
methodical, brutal violence by wringing our hands and waiting for some
definitive proof that these events qualify as genocide. Enforcing a
collective, international commitment to prevent and stop genocides from
occurring is imperative. We owe the victims of the Armenian genocide
this commitment.
This is why we must remember the Armenian genocide. To forget it is
to enable more genocides and ethnic cleansing to occur. We must honor
its victims by reaffirming our resolve to not let it happen again.