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OVER 40 HOUSE MEMBERS INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE GENOCIDE
Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 | Posted by Contributor
Congressional hold press conference to introduce Genocide resolution
WASHINGTON-Representatives Robert Dold (R-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA),
David Valadao (R-CA), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with 39 other
Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday introduced the
Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution. This bipartisan
resolution calls upon the President to work toward equitable,
constructive, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the
Republic of Turkey's full acknowledgement of the facts and ongoing
consequences of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution will also
establish a fair, just, and comprehensive international record of
this crime against humanity.
This year, 2015, marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
- a systematic and deliberate annihilation campaign launched by the
government of the Ottoman Empire against its Armenian population which
left 1.5 million Armenians dead and millions more displaced. While
the Armenian Genocide has been recognized by more than twenty nations
including Canada, Italy, Sweden, France, Argentina and Russia, as well
as the European Parliament, it has not been formally recognized by
the U.S. Congress in decades and has not been recognized by President
Barack Obama.
"Denial of the Armenian Genocide undermines foundations for durable
peace and security, making future atrocities more likely," said Rep.
Robert Dold. "As the greatest force for human dignity in the world,
the United States has an obligation to send an unequivocal message
that we will never forget those that were lost, nor shall we tolerate
any country that hides behind bully tactics to shroud violations of
human rights."
"One hundred years ago, one and a half million Armenian men, women and
children were deliberately murdered in the first genocide of the 20th
Century - these facts are indisputable," said Rep. Adam Schiff. "And
on this important anniversary and while there are still survivors
among us, we in Congress and the President have an opportunity and an
obligation to send a strong message that we will never forget those
who were lost, and we will call this crime against humanity what it
was, genocide. We feel a powerful sense of urgency and the profound
call of moral duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide unequivocally
and without delay."
"One hundred years after the Genocide, the sense of loss and pain is
still strong as many in our community have a direct connection to
someone who was unable to escape," said Rep. David Valadao. "While
those impacted by the Genocide are always in our hearts, let us take
an extra moment to remember the two million Armenians whose lives
were lost."
"As we recognize the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we
remember the one and a half million Armenians who were slaughtered
by Ottoman Turks," said Rep. Frank Pallone. "Now is the time for the
United States government to do the moral thing and recognize these
atrocities for what they are--genocide. While we mark 100 years since
this horrible act of violence we also recommit ourselves to the work
of speaking out against oppression and senseless violence. Today,
I join my colleagues in remembering the victims and paying homage to
the Armenian people who, for thousands of years, have shown their
perseverance and strength in the face of great challenges," said
Congressman Frank Pallone.
The full text of the resolution, introduced today during a press
conference on Capitol Hill, reads:
Calling on the President to work toward equitable, constructive,
stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic
of Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences
of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive
international resolution of this crime against humanity.
Whereas the Obama Administration has, since early 2009, sought to
improve Armenian-Turkish relations through diplomatic efforts to lift
the Republic of Turkey's blockade of Armenia and facilitate an end
to Ankara's refusal to establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan;
Whereas at the start of this process, President Barack Obama had, on
April 6, 2009, voiced the United States Government's expectation that
Armenia-Turkey dialogue would `bear fruit very quickly', but that since
then, the Obama Administration has commended Armenia's participation in
this dialogue while holding Turkey largely responsible for the lack of
results from this process, with the Secretary of State noting, on June
4, 2012, that, on this matter, `the ball remains in Turkey's court.';
Whereas on April 24, 2013, President Barack Obama stated, `A
full, frank, and just acknowledgment of the facts is in all of our
interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with
painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a
more just and tolerant future.';
Whereas the Republic of Turkey, rather than acknowledging and reckoning
with painful elements of the past, has escalated its international
campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, maintained its blockade of
Armenia, and increased its pressure on the small but growing Turkish
civil society movement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and seeking
justice for this systematic campaign of destruction of millions of
Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Pontians, Syriacs, and other Christians
upon their biblical-era homelands;
Whereas the United States is on record as having officially recognized
the Armenian Genocide, in the United States Government's May 28, 1951,
written statement to the International Court of Justice regarding the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,
through President Ronald Reagan's April 22, 1981, Proclamation No.
4838, and by Congressional legislation, including House Joint
Resolution 148 adopted on April 8, 1975, and House Joint Resolution
247 adopted on September 10, 1984;
Whereas even prior to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment
of the Crime of Genocide, the United States has a record of having
sought to justly and constructively address the consequences of the
Ottoman Empire's intentional destruction of the Armenian people,
including through Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 adopted on February
9, 1916, Senate Resolution 359 adopted on May 11, 1920, and President
Woodrow Wilson's Decision of the President of the United States of
America Respecting the Frontier between Turkey and Armenia, Access
for Armenia to the Sea, and the Demilitarization of Turkish Territory
Adjacent to the Armenian Frontier, dated November 22, 1920;
Whereas President Barack Obama entered office having stated his `firmly
held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a
personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented
fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence',
affirmed his record of `calling for Turkey's acknowledgment of the
Armenian Genocide', and pledged that `as President I will recognize
the Armenian Genocide'; and
Whereas the United States national interests in the establishment
of equitable, constructive, stable, and durable relations between
Armenians and Turks cannot be meaningfully advanced by circumventing or
otherwise seeking to avoid materially addressing the central political,
legal, security, and moral issue between these two nations, Turkey's
denial of truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on the President
to work toward equitable, constructive, stable, and durable
Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkey's full
acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian
Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution
of this crime against humanity.
http://asbarez.com/133080/over-40-house-members-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-to-recognize-genocide/
From: A. Papazian
Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 | Posted by Contributor
Congressional hold press conference to introduce Genocide resolution
WASHINGTON-Representatives Robert Dold (R-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA),
David Valadao (R-CA), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with 39 other
Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday introduced the
Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution. This bipartisan
resolution calls upon the President to work toward equitable,
constructive, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the
Republic of Turkey's full acknowledgement of the facts and ongoing
consequences of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution will also
establish a fair, just, and comprehensive international record of
this crime against humanity.
This year, 2015, marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
- a systematic and deliberate annihilation campaign launched by the
government of the Ottoman Empire against its Armenian population which
left 1.5 million Armenians dead and millions more displaced. While
the Armenian Genocide has been recognized by more than twenty nations
including Canada, Italy, Sweden, France, Argentina and Russia, as well
as the European Parliament, it has not been formally recognized by
the U.S. Congress in decades and has not been recognized by President
Barack Obama.
"Denial of the Armenian Genocide undermines foundations for durable
peace and security, making future atrocities more likely," said Rep.
Robert Dold. "As the greatest force for human dignity in the world,
the United States has an obligation to send an unequivocal message
that we will never forget those that were lost, nor shall we tolerate
any country that hides behind bully tactics to shroud violations of
human rights."
"One hundred years ago, one and a half million Armenian men, women and
children were deliberately murdered in the first genocide of the 20th
Century - these facts are indisputable," said Rep. Adam Schiff. "And
on this important anniversary and while there are still survivors
among us, we in Congress and the President have an opportunity and an
obligation to send a strong message that we will never forget those
who were lost, and we will call this crime against humanity what it
was, genocide. We feel a powerful sense of urgency and the profound
call of moral duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide unequivocally
and without delay."
"One hundred years after the Genocide, the sense of loss and pain is
still strong as many in our community have a direct connection to
someone who was unable to escape," said Rep. David Valadao. "While
those impacted by the Genocide are always in our hearts, let us take
an extra moment to remember the two million Armenians whose lives
were lost."
"As we recognize the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we
remember the one and a half million Armenians who were slaughtered
by Ottoman Turks," said Rep. Frank Pallone. "Now is the time for the
United States government to do the moral thing and recognize these
atrocities for what they are--genocide. While we mark 100 years since
this horrible act of violence we also recommit ourselves to the work
of speaking out against oppression and senseless violence. Today,
I join my colleagues in remembering the victims and paying homage to
the Armenian people who, for thousands of years, have shown their
perseverance and strength in the face of great challenges," said
Congressman Frank Pallone.
The full text of the resolution, introduced today during a press
conference on Capitol Hill, reads:
Calling on the President to work toward equitable, constructive,
stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic
of Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences
of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive
international resolution of this crime against humanity.
Whereas the Obama Administration has, since early 2009, sought to
improve Armenian-Turkish relations through diplomatic efforts to lift
the Republic of Turkey's blockade of Armenia and facilitate an end
to Ankara's refusal to establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan;
Whereas at the start of this process, President Barack Obama had, on
April 6, 2009, voiced the United States Government's expectation that
Armenia-Turkey dialogue would `bear fruit very quickly', but that since
then, the Obama Administration has commended Armenia's participation in
this dialogue while holding Turkey largely responsible for the lack of
results from this process, with the Secretary of State noting, on June
4, 2012, that, on this matter, `the ball remains in Turkey's court.';
Whereas on April 24, 2013, President Barack Obama stated, `A
full, frank, and just acknowledgment of the facts is in all of our
interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with
painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a
more just and tolerant future.';
Whereas the Republic of Turkey, rather than acknowledging and reckoning
with painful elements of the past, has escalated its international
campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, maintained its blockade of
Armenia, and increased its pressure on the small but growing Turkish
civil society movement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and seeking
justice for this systematic campaign of destruction of millions of
Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Pontians, Syriacs, and other Christians
upon their biblical-era homelands;
Whereas the United States is on record as having officially recognized
the Armenian Genocide, in the United States Government's May 28, 1951,
written statement to the International Court of Justice regarding the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,
through President Ronald Reagan's April 22, 1981, Proclamation No.
4838, and by Congressional legislation, including House Joint
Resolution 148 adopted on April 8, 1975, and House Joint Resolution
247 adopted on September 10, 1984;
Whereas even prior to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment
of the Crime of Genocide, the United States has a record of having
sought to justly and constructively address the consequences of the
Ottoman Empire's intentional destruction of the Armenian people,
including through Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 adopted on February
9, 1916, Senate Resolution 359 adopted on May 11, 1920, and President
Woodrow Wilson's Decision of the President of the United States of
America Respecting the Frontier between Turkey and Armenia, Access
for Armenia to the Sea, and the Demilitarization of Turkish Territory
Adjacent to the Armenian Frontier, dated November 22, 1920;
Whereas President Barack Obama entered office having stated his `firmly
held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a
personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented
fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence',
affirmed his record of `calling for Turkey's acknowledgment of the
Armenian Genocide', and pledged that `as President I will recognize
the Armenian Genocide'; and
Whereas the United States national interests in the establishment
of equitable, constructive, stable, and durable relations between
Armenians and Turks cannot be meaningfully advanced by circumventing or
otherwise seeking to avoid materially addressing the central political,
legal, security, and moral issue between these two nations, Turkey's
denial of truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on the President
to work toward equitable, constructive, stable, and durable
Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkey's full
acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian
Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution
of this crime against humanity.
http://asbarez.com/133080/over-40-house-members-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-to-recognize-genocide/
From: A. Papazian