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Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Ste 600
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.aaainc.org
PRESS RELEASE
April 8, 2008
Contact: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
MASSACHUSETTS MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CUTS TIES WITH "NO PLACE FOR HATE"
PROGRAM OVER STANCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Washington, DC - Expressing strong disapproval over the
Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) unwillingness to unequivocally
recognize the Armenian Genocide, the Massachusetts Municipal
Association (MMA) severed ties with the "No Place for Hate" (NPFH)
program, a community-based program offered by the human rights group.
In a statement issued today, the MMA Board of Directors expressed
disappointment with the ADL's refusal to "clarify and strengthen" its
earlier statements concerning the Armenian Genocide at the ADL's
National Commission meeting in November 2007.
"The Board believes that unequivocal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is both a matter of basic justice to its victims, as well as
essential to efforts to prevent future genocide," stated the MMA, a
nonprofit, nonpartisan association that provides advocacy, training,
publications, research and other services to Massachusetts cities and
towns.
"The MMA feels strongly that it is imperative to speak with absolute
clarity on the genocide and that due to the NPFH program's association
with the National ADL, the Association will no longer be a sponsor of
the program," the organization explained.
"The Massachusetts Municipal Association has made a just and rightful
decision," said Massachusetts State Representative Rachel Kaprielian
(D-Watertown), a member of the Assembly's Board of Trustees who has
been working on this issue. "As Armenians across the globe continue
to fight for official recognition of the Genocide of 1915 committed at
the hands of the Ottoman Empire-- this is another step on the long
path toward worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide."
"As a former member of this board, a former municipal official and
current State Representative, I am deeply heartened by today's
unanimous decision," Kaprielian continued.
"The MMA did the right thing by disassociating with the ADL's "No
Place for Hate" program because ultimately its credibility was
compromised by the ADL's refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide,"
said Assembly State Chair for Massachusetts Herman Purutyan, who has
also been working on this issue. "I hope that the ADL will reconsider
its position in light of today's events and recognize the Armenian
Genocide."
Following repeated calls by members of the Armenian, Jewish and other
communities in Massachusetts and elsewhere, the ADL one of the oldest
and most influential Jewish organizations in the US, issued a
statement in August 2007 in which they categorized the events of
1915-1918 as "tantamount to genocide."
The Assembly welcomed the declaration as a step forward, but urged the
ADL to unequivocally recognize the crimes and support congressional
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide resolutions, H. Res. 106 and
S. Res. 106, pending in the House and Senate respectively.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#2008-039
Editor's Note: To read the full text of the MMA statement, click on
the following link:
http://www.aaainc.org/fileadmin/aaainc/pdf_ 2008/MMAStatementofApril82008.pdf
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
1140 19th Street, NW, Ste 600
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.aaainc.org
PRESS RELEASE
April 8, 2008
Contact: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
MASSACHUSETTS MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION CUTS TIES WITH "NO PLACE FOR HATE"
PROGRAM OVER STANCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Washington, DC - Expressing strong disapproval over the
Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) unwillingness to unequivocally
recognize the Armenian Genocide, the Massachusetts Municipal
Association (MMA) severed ties with the "No Place for Hate" (NPFH)
program, a community-based program offered by the human rights group.
In a statement issued today, the MMA Board of Directors expressed
disappointment with the ADL's refusal to "clarify and strengthen" its
earlier statements concerning the Armenian Genocide at the ADL's
National Commission meeting in November 2007.
"The Board believes that unequivocal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is both a matter of basic justice to its victims, as well as
essential to efforts to prevent future genocide," stated the MMA, a
nonprofit, nonpartisan association that provides advocacy, training,
publications, research and other services to Massachusetts cities and
towns.
"The MMA feels strongly that it is imperative to speak with absolute
clarity on the genocide and that due to the NPFH program's association
with the National ADL, the Association will no longer be a sponsor of
the program," the organization explained.
"The Massachusetts Municipal Association has made a just and rightful
decision," said Massachusetts State Representative Rachel Kaprielian
(D-Watertown), a member of the Assembly's Board of Trustees who has
been working on this issue. "As Armenians across the globe continue
to fight for official recognition of the Genocide of 1915 committed at
the hands of the Ottoman Empire-- this is another step on the long
path toward worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide."
"As a former member of this board, a former municipal official and
current State Representative, I am deeply heartened by today's
unanimous decision," Kaprielian continued.
"The MMA did the right thing by disassociating with the ADL's "No
Place for Hate" program because ultimately its credibility was
compromised by the ADL's refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide,"
said Assembly State Chair for Massachusetts Herman Purutyan, who has
also been working on this issue. "I hope that the ADL will reconsider
its position in light of today's events and recognize the Armenian
Genocide."
Following repeated calls by members of the Armenian, Jewish and other
communities in Massachusetts and elsewhere, the ADL one of the oldest
and most influential Jewish organizations in the US, issued a
statement in August 2007 in which they categorized the events of
1915-1918 as "tantamount to genocide."
The Assembly welcomed the declaration as a step forward, but urged the
ADL to unequivocally recognize the crimes and support congressional
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide resolutions, H. Res. 106 and
S. Res. 106, pending in the House and Senate respectively.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#2008-039
Editor's Note: To read the full text of the MMA statement, click on
the following link:
http://www.aaainc.org/fileadmin/aaainc/pdf_ 2008/MMAStatementofApril82008.pdf
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress