H 4494 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

they have been made to wait just because they need this test to see if a

pocket mouse is in that area.

The frustration here that the kids do

not understand and the parents don’t

understand is ‘‘Wait a minute, I

thought that the private citizen was

innocent in our society until proven

guilty.’’ However, with many of these

regulations, the way they are being administered, and we need to address

this, they do not have any rights until

the Federal agency says ‘‘OK.’’

I think we need to look at that. We

are a Jeffersonian democracy. We are a

democracy who believes that the individual is a premier element of our society, and that the individual’s rights

desperately have to be preserved and

cannot be trod under by a well-intentioned but misguided majority.

I do not think any of us that ever

supported environmental regulation or

environmental preservation expected

the Constitution to be destroyed in the

works.

b 1815

Mr. LATHAM. The gentleman is absolutely right.

Mr. CHAMBLISS. I think it is very

remarkable that here, TOM, you are

from Iowa, BRIAN, you are from California, I am from Georgia. We represent

three different parts of the country,

East to West and in the middle.

I think it is very interesting that all

three of us have heard the same concerns from our constituents over the

last 3 weeks. Basically they are the

same things that we all campaigned on

last summer and that are contained

within the Contract With America.

It is exciting to me to see the people

all over the country as excited about

politics and about what is going on in

Washington as they are. Obviously we

all shared the same experiences concerning these issues.

I think that is very interesting, and

again goes to reinforce that the American people did speak on November 8,

that the American people want

changes, and even though they may not

agree with every single thing we are

doing in Washington right now, they

understand we are doing something.

I heard that again time after time:

‘‘We may not agree with everything

you’re doing, but by golly, you guys

are doing something, you’re making

progress, and just keep at it.’’ That

probably was the most constant theme

I had the whole time I was home.

Mr. BILBRAY. My district has over

10 naval military facilities there, in

fact, one of them North Islands where I

was born. That just shows you, you

may think Californians move around a

lot, but I am still living in my district.

The fact is the military is learning,

in San Diego, in California, across this

country, a new reality. They are

changing, adapting, becoming progressive, looking at ways of doing more

with less. I think it sets an example for

those of us in Congress and the way we

look at our laws.

The fact is there is a new progressive

change that has taken over here. A lot

of people call it conservative, but the

fact is if you look at this by definition,

you have citizens who are saying, ‘‘We

want you to do better. We want you to

be brave enough to try new things.’’

The new majority, and especially led

by those of us that are freshmen, are

the progressives who are willing to say

the old was fine for them, but not for

the future. We not only have a right to

change things for the better, we have a

responsibility to do that.

I would like to thank you two gentlemen for participating in part of the

revolution that is moving this progressive agenda along.

Mr. LATHAM. I thank the gentlemen

for this great conversation.

I just want to say, I pointed out at

every town meeting that I had that the

Contract With America was not passed

just with the 53 percent in the House

here that is Republican. On the average, in total, 78 percent of the Members

of Congress supported items in the

Contract With America.

It is not a partisan issue. The change

and reform, new ideas, and the idea of

bringing back responsibility and accountability to the Government is not

a partisan issue. It is on both sides of

the aisle, when you have over threefourths of the Members supporting

what was in the Contract With America. Obviously, there are some things

that we differ on, but the American

people know who is on what side. They

will remember next year, whatever.

Again, we have all mentioned it, but

the thing that I was told time after

time after time was, ‘‘TOM, keep it up,

don’t let up. You have just started to

turn the wheel of this great aircraft

carrier we call the Government. It is

just starting to turn, but there is a lot

of work out there ahead. Keep up the

pressure, redouble your efforts.’’

We are going to do that. As freshmen

Members, we are going to keep up the

heat, continue the efforts, and, folks,

you haven’t seen anything yet, like

they say.

EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

fThe SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.

FORBES). Under the Speaker’s announced policy of January 4, 1995, the

gentleman from New Jersey [Mr.

PALLONE] is recognized for 60 minutes

as the designee of the minority leader.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I intend

to use some of this 60 minutes for myself, and then yield to the gentleman

from Illinois [Mr. PORTER] and the gentleman from California [Mr. MOORHEAD], who are here. We are here basically to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Mr. Speaker, April 24, 1995, marked

the 80th anniversary of the unleashing

of the Armenian genocide. Each year,

Members of Congress from both the

House and the Senate take time to

honor the memory of the Armenian

men, women, and children who were

slaughtered by the Ottoman Turkish

Empire.

I am proud to continue this proud

congressional tradition today. In my

capacity as the cofounder, along with

the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. PORTER] of the Congressional Caucus on

Armenian Issues, I will be working

with many of my colleagues on behalf

of continued support for the people of

Armenia and for the significant Armenian-American community. I will also

work to continue to press for the modern Republic of Turkey—a NATO member and recipient of hundreds of millions in United States aid every year—

to finally accept responsibility for this

crime against humanity and express its

sorrow and contrition. I also believe we

should continue to use the means at

our disposal to force modern Turkey to

lift the blockade it has imposed on Armenia. I know many of our colleagues

feel the same way.

Mr. Speaker, today’s occasion is, of

course, a time for solemn reflection on

the suffering of a people, the Armenians, as well as the larger question of

humanity’s capacity for evil. Yet, it is

also time for us to celebrate the human

capacity of resilience, the ability even

of people faced with the most unthinkable disasters to rebuild their shattered lives. This capacity to overcome

unimaginable horrors can be seen on

the individual level in the faces of the

survivors, a group of whom attended a

very moving reception here on Capitol

Hill today. On the national level, the

struggle for survival and the sense of

hope for the future can be seen by the

very existence of the independent,

democratic Republic of Armenia.

On April 24, 1915, 200 Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders from Istanbul were arrested and exiled—in one fell swoop, silencing the

leading representatives of the Armenian community in the Ottoman capital. This date is thus the symbolic beginning of the genocide. Over the years

from 1915 to 1923, 1.5 million men,

women, and children were deported,

forced into slave labor, tortured, and

exterminated.

What happened in the Ottoman Turkish Empire during the years 1915–23 was

more than a series of massacres in a

time of instability, revolution, and

war. It was the first example of genocide in the 20th century, a precursor to

the Nazi Holocaust, and other cases of

ethnic cleansing and mass extermination in our own time.

But, unlike the case of Germany,

which officially accepts its guilt for

the crimes against humanity committed by the Nazi regime and has made

restitution to many of the victims,

modern Turkey continues to deny that

the Armenian genocide took place.

There were no Nuremberg trials, no

concerted effort to aid the survivors

and let them give their testimony.

While various Turkish sources express

the view that certain unfortunate incidents took place, it denies that any
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4495

systematic, ethnically based policy

targeted against the Armenian people

ever took place. In fact, many Turkish

accounts actually suggest Armenians

deserve a share of blame for having

stirred up trouble in the Ottoman Empire—while vastly understating the

number of victims.

It is not entirely clear why Turkey

continues to deny the truth of its

past—perhaps concerns about reparations claims may be one reason, combined with a misguided sense of national honor. In any case, it is a disgraceful policy, refuted by the historical record. Americans should continue

to press Turkey’s leaders to finally acknowledge the truth—even if it is a

diplomatic irritant in United StatesTurkish relations.

U.S. Administrations have avoided

using the term ‘‘genocide’’ in describing what happened 80 years ago. While

President Clinton and his predecessors

have acknowledged that the Armenian

people were the victims of tragic massacres, these Presidential statements

have not sufficiently conveyed the full

extent of the evil that occurred. Earlier this month, Congressman PORTER

and I, as cochairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,

asked our colleagues to join us in urging the President to make a much

stronger statement acknowledging the

genocide. Sixty-eight Members of the

House of Representatives signed this

letter to the President. Although the

President’s statement was strong and

moving last week, it still failed to use

the word genocide, a very important

issue. We will continue to press the administration on this, as well as future

administrations.

The preponderance of evidence about

the historical fact of the genocide

against the Armenian people is strong

and undeniable. The U.S. National Archives holds the most comprehensive

documentation in the world on this

historic tragedy—more than 30,000

pages. Of course, I personally have seen

some of this. The United States Embassy in Constantinople, Istanbul, as

well as various consulates, closely

monitored events in Turkey, and received reports from other countries to

which some Armenians had escaped.

This information is specific and detailed, collected from eyewitness accounts. Newspaper accounts from this

period also provide strong documentation, based on a wide variety of

sources, of wholesale, ethnically based

killings of Armenians.

Formal protests were made by the

United States Ambassador Henry Morgenthau to the Turkish Government.

American consular officials and private

aid workers secretly housed Armenians, distributed aid, and helped in

their escape to other nations—at great

personal risk to themselves and in direct defiance of Turkish orders not to

help the Armenians. The first-hand accounts of U.S. government officials,

journalists and aid workers on the

scene provides a vast amount of objective evidence of the genocide, including

information on: deportation, massacres, refugee camps, condition of deportees, confiscation of property,

methods of deportation, policy of extermination, execution of the male

population, mistreatment of women

and children, forced conversions, use of

slave labor, malnutrition and starvation, cases of resistance, survivors, orphanages and resettlement of survivors. All of it is very well documented.

After the genocide occurred, there

was some effort to bring the organizers

of the genocide to court, or to justice.

Some of the organizers of the genocide were court-martialed in absentia

in Paris after World War II. But no attempt was made to carry out the sentences, many accused war criminals

were set free and no serious efforts

were made by the Allies to assist the

Armenian victims. In fact, the Allies,

after the First World War, caved in to

Turkish nationalist demands that no

Armenian independent state be created. Revised peace treaties did not

even mention Armenia or Armenians.

Armenians who returned to their

homes in Turkey were again driven

out. Armenian place names were

changed, and Armenian cultural monuments were destroyed. The geographical term ‘‘Armenian plateau’’ was

changed to Eastern Anatolia. Thus, the

Turks attempted to obliterate not only

the Armenian people, but any vestiges

of their culture. The 3,000-year presence of Armenians in Asia Minor had

come to an abrupt end by 1923.

With the rise of totalitarian regimes

in Europe during the 1920’s and 1930’s,

and the outbreak of World War II, the

Armenian genocide was largely forgotten. It is said that Hitler, when planning the Nazi strategy of conquest and

extermination against the Jews, remarked: ‘‘Who remembers the Armenians?’’

Most of the survivors of the genocide

have since died, while the few who are

still living are extremely old now. But

their sons and daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will

continue to speak out for generations

to come.

Remembering the Armenian genocide

is important not only for the Armenian

people. Many school districts in this

country have developed curricula on issues of genocide, and it is important

that these programs be promoted and

expanded to expose children of all ethnic groups to the facts of history.

The survivors of the genocide and

their descendants have made great contributions to every country in which

they have settled—including the United States, where Armenians have made

their mark in business, the professions,

and our cultural life.

One of the most inspiring events of

recent years has been the emergence of

the Republic of Armenia. Rising out of

the ashes of the former Soviet Union,

the Republic of Armenia has shown a

remarkable resilience, a commitment

to democracy and a market economy.

And it has not been easy: Armenia has

been squeezed by cruel and illegal

blockades imposed by modern Armenia’s two neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. In spite of these difficulties,

last year, Armenia’s was the only

former Soviet Republic to register

positive growth in its gross domestic

product. Given the industriousness and

proven determination of the Armenian

people, I am confident that this small,

emerging nation will become an economically viable, self-sufficient nation

in the near future.

I wanted to give a little background

about what our caucus on Armenian issues has been doing to help promote

the Republic of Armenia.

A few weeks ago, I testified before

the Foreign Operations Subcommittee

of Appropriations that oversees foreign

aid to call for U.S. assistance to at

least remain at its present level of $75

million. In addition, I will be working

to maintain United States participation in the International Development

Association, a World Bank program

that has assisted Armenia with $145

million in support for earthquake reconstruction, power and irrigation systems, and transition to a market economy. I hope I’ll have strong support

from my colleagues. I know many

members of the Armenian Caucus are

here today and will speak after I speak.

I believe 1995 will be a critical year

for the Republic of Armenia, and the

United States can play a major role.

These programs are not handouts: by

helping Armenia to get on its feet we

can help establish a strong and stable

member of the international economic

community, a viable market for American goods and services and a market

for other emerging nations. Given the

terrible suffering of the Armenian people during the Ottoman Empire and

their repression under the Soviet Empire, I believe we have a moral obligation to support the Republic of Armenia.

Another way we can help Armenia is

by ending the illegal blockades imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Current United States law blocks the provision of American assistance to Azerbaijan until the Azeris lift their blockade. We must continue that provision

of the U.S. law.

b 1830

I also strongly support the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act which bars

United States assistance to any country that blocks delivery of United

States humanitarian assistance, in

other words, Turkey. I find it incredible that a country like Turkey that

gets $600 million in United States taxpayers’ funds can get away with blocking the delivery of American humanitarian assistance to its small, struggling neighbor. While in Washington

many know that the Turkish Prime

Minister told President Clinton a few

weeks ago that Turkey would open an

air corridor to Armenia, but frankly

this is a very minor step, and even if it
H 4496 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

actually happens it does not have much

significance; it does not change the

need for the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act. We still have to insist on reopening the land routes, and we should

continue to link United States aid to

Turkey to that country’s international

behavior.

Earlier this year Congressman PORTER and I founded the Congressional

Caucus on Armenian Issues to be a

voice for a stronger United States-Armenia partnership and to better represent the interests of the ArmenianAmerican community. We now have 35

Members, from both parties and all regions of the country.

In closing, I want to pay particular

tribute to the survivors of the genocide, some of whom made the trip to

Washington today. Many of us who are

in the Chamber now were at a reception that was held earlier today where

many of the survivors were present and

some spoke. The horrors that they witnessed and experienced are unthinkable. We have to remember what happened to them, their families, their

neighbors, their friends. And I want to

pledge to their survivors, their children, grandchildren, that they have

friends in this United States Congress

who are committed to keeping alive

the memory of what happened to the

Armenian people in the past, and to

play a role in working for a brighter future for the Armenian people.

The bottom line is we have no choice,

Mr. Speaker. The Armenian genocide

was really the first genocide in this

20th century, but the problem remains

that the Turkish Government has not

recognized it, and until the day comes

when we can see the Prime Minister of

Turkey come here to Washington and

recognize the genocide and see the type

of commemoration of the genocide in

all places, in all towns and villages in

Turkey, then I do not think that we

can rest. I think the lesson of history

is we cannot forget the past, and that

is why we are here today to commemorate this 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

I now yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. PORTER], who is the

cofounder and the cochairman of our

Armenia caucus.

Mr. PORTER. I thank the gentleman

from New Jersey [Mr. PALLONE] for

yielding to me. I commend him for the

tremendous leadership that he has

brought to bear on the question of Armenia and Armenian issues in the Congress, and was very pleased to join with

him when he called me earlier this

year and asked me if I would join him

as cochairman of the Armenian Issues

Caucus. I can think of nothing more

important for us to do, and I commend

him for his leadership this evening in

bringing the question of Armenian

genocide again before the American

people, who must know its history, who

must understand its meaning, as he has

done so very forcefully this evening.

We do mark the 80th anniversary of

the Armenian genocide, which did not

occur in 1 year, 1915, but lasted over an

8-year period, from 1915 to 1923, during

which time the Turks of the Ottoman

Empire carried out a systematic policy

of eliminating its Christian Armenian

minority.

There are those who would say we

should not offend our Turkish allies by

using the word genocide, but let us call

it what it was. It was a genocide, a

most horrible genocide, resulting in

the deaths of over a million and onehalf people, resulting in 500,000 Armenians being exiled as well, and eradicating the Armenian historic homeland

from Turkey.

The horrors of this genocide rank as

one of the most heinous violations of

human rights in all of human history.

Let us call it what it was, and is. Let

us remind ourselves that our country

at the time and all of the rest of the

world at the time turned away and did

nothing to prevent these horrible

human rights violations against an innocent people, and let us remind ourselves as well that today in Turkey another genocide is occurring by the

Turkish Government against yet another Turkish minority, the Kurdish

people, and today thousands of Turkish

troops not only have driven through

the southeastern portion of Turkey,

executing those in the Kurdish minority who oppose them, burning and tearing down Kurdish towns, but have

crossed into the border in Iraq to attack Kurdish peoples in their camps,

refugee camps. And let us remind ourselves as well, Mr. Speaker, that our

Government has not acted to prevent

this additional genocide, but has actually supported it, our President has

supported this action against an innocent people.

We remind ourselves today of our responsibilities to other human beings,

and in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, each

one of us should say to ourselves we

are our brother’s keeper, we do have a

responsibility to others and to stand up

and tell the world that a genocide occurred in 1915 to 1922, and another

genocide is occurring today.

Last year through the appropriations

process on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee we initially struck 25 percent of the support, economic and military support, foreign assistance that

we give to Turkey. We ended up with

cutting it by only 10 percent in conference. We did it because of ongoing

human rights abuses by the Turks, not

only against the Kurdish people but

against their own people, systematic

torture, execution, and disappearances,

the kinds of things that a country like

ours should stand up against in outrage, and we should in fashioning a foreign assistance bill in this year of this

104th Congress look once again as we

always should to our own values of a

belief in democracy and human rights,

in the rule of law, in free-market economics, and provide, I believe, not 1

cent of assistance to Turkey until reforms, major reforms, come about in

that society, in each of these areas.

We also see Turkey cutting off any

opportunity for us to give humanitarian assistance across their borders

to the Armenians. This to me is unacceptable. If we have an aid program

and cannot deliver it through a supposed ally, that ally cannot be claiming to be a friend of ours whatsoever.

We should pass the Humanitarian Corridor Act and cut off humanitarian assistance to any country, cut off all assistance to any country who would cut

off our own aid programs crossing their

borders to help others.

We made great progress in the last

few years in helping to establish a new

Armenia, an Armenia that is free and

democratic, and moving ahead to provide through economic freedom a

greater economic life, a more prosperous economic life to its people and

greater stability for its future. We

made that commitment previously. We

have to renew that commitment this

year. And even in tough budgetary

times we ought to realize that if we

can provide the kind of foreign assistance to Armenia that does reflect the

values that this country stands for and

believes in, we will do a great deal to

extend those values across this world.

We are working with the ArmenianAmerican community to provide that

kind of assistance.

Mr. Speaker, let me end by saying

many people in the Turkish Government say well, this is jut anti-Turkish

rhetoric. You just want to play games

with your constituents in America.

You do not want to be allies with us.

We do want to be allies with the

Turks. We understand the importance

of a free Turkey. We understand the

importance of a democratic Turkey,

but we also understand that we do not

have a free and democratic Turkey

today. We have a Turkey with a democratic government that is elected but

only can do those things that the

Turkish military permits it to do. And

it is time that Turkey looked to its future. It is time that Turkey looks to

its past and acknowledges that it did

commit genocide against the Armenian

people. It is time that it looks currently at what it is doing to its Kurdish minority. It is time that it stop its

human rights abuses against the Kurds

and others within its own borders. It is

time that is release the six parliamentarians that were tried and imprisoned for standing up for Kurdish

human rights and to drop the charges

of sedition against its most famous author, whose only crime was to stand up

and say we cannot be doing this to our

own people.

It is time that Turkey look to a part

in the economic development of Europe. It wants to be a part of the economic community. I would like to see

it a part of the economic community,

but it can never be part of the economic community in Europe nor a

close ally of the United States until it

looks to itself and reforms its way.
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4497

The values we look to are democracy,

human rights, the rule of law, free economics, the things the American people have stood for over 200 years. We

should not be providing aid to those

who do not believe in those same values; we should be providing it to those

that do.

We believe we should be a strong supporter of Armenia, who is moving in all

of the right directions, and we should

be a strong supporter of Turkey only

when it also changes its ways, reforms

and moves in those directions.

It is time America stood up for its

own values and counted across the

world those who believe in the same

things we believe in and support them,

and not those that are moving in other

directions.

So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that the

gentleman from New Jersey [Mr.

PALLONE] is providing the kind of leadership on this issue that is bringing us

together in a bipartisan way, it is

keeping the issues affecting Armenians

before you, the Congress, and this observance of the 80th anniversary of the

Armenian genocide is a very, very important acknowledgment of the past

and also a very, very important acknowledgment of what we must see

changed in the future. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the

gentleman from Illinois [Mr. PORTER]

for those insightful remarks. And I

think particularly his reference to

what Turkey is doing today with the

Kurdish population points out very

well that the problems that we face

from Turkey historically with Armenia

have not gone away, and they are continuing now in a different form against

another minority people.

I also wanted to say I was with your

wife, Kathryn, in Times Square a couple of weeks ago when we did the commemoration there, and I do not think I

have ever heard anyone speak so well

about the problems that Armenia faces

and the Kurds face, and she really expressed such passion over the issue. I

know she has been over there so many

times, and she just summed everything

up better than certainly I could say or

certainly any of us could say on this

issue, so thanks again.

Mr. PORTER. If the gentleman will

yield, I very much appreciate your

kind and generous comments. I am

very proud of the fact that Kathryn has

taken a very, very active role in working with the Armenian people, in attempting to make a difference in that

country that is struggling to reflect

the things that we believe in and is

fighting to prevent ongoing abuses

against the Kurdish people, which as

you very eloquently pointed out, is a

reflection today of exactly what they

did to the Armenian people 80 years

ago. It has to change.

b 1845

Mr. PALLONE. I thank the gentleman. I yield now to the gentleman

from California [Mr. MOORHEAD].

Mr. MOORHEAD. Mr. Speaker, 1995

marks the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Every year in Congress April 24 is remembered on the floor of the House,

and I have participated in this occasion

for a large number of years, a tribute

to the Armenian martyrs who are the

victims of one of the worst genocides of

this century.

On this date in 1915, hundreds of Armenian political and intellectual leaders were rounded up, exiled, and eventually murdered in remote places.

In the years that followed from 1915

to 1923, 1.5 million men, women and

children were murdered in attempted

genocide of the Armenian people by the

government of the Ottoman Empire.

We must never forget this tragic crime

against humanity.

I have had friends that were present

during that time. I know those people

that will claim that this never took

place. One friend of mine had been

turned over to a Turkish family by his

own father and mother,, and he had to

stand in the community square and

watch every single member of his family murdered by the Turks as they

came into the community. That man

never grew an inch after that time. He

died a man barely 4 foot 6 inches tall.

A strong, resilient people, the Armenians survived these cruelties as they

have survived persecution for centuries. Their durability comes from

their love and intense faith in God dating back to the fourth century when

Armenia became the first nation to

embrace Christianity.

The survivors and descendants who

now number more than 1 million Americans have not forgotten the Armenian

genocide. As a nation, we must never

forget the terrible widespread massacre

of the Armenian people and their deportation from their homeland of almost 3,000 years.

We must remind mankind genocide is

a crime against all humanity, not just

those who perished in the first genocide of this century.

As a leader of a free and democratic

nation, we have a moral obligation to

acknowledge and deplore the events

surrounding the Armenian genocide,

and we must ensure that such atrocities do not continue.

Armenia, now independent but burdened with the war in NagornoKarabakh, is blocked by Turkey and

Azerbaijan; we live in a humane, civilized world, and cannot continue to

allow another reign of terror against

the Armenian people. Violence is not

the solution to this crisis. With aggression inflicted by both sides, it will only

lead to more deaths, greater suffering,

continued hatred and instability in the

region.

History is a cruel teacher, but has

shown that gross inhumanities have

not perished from the Earth.

The brutality against Armenians

continues today. This is why recognition of the Armenian genocide by the

United States is vital. I hope all Americans and the entire U.S. Congress will

join with the Armenian community in

commemorating this 80th anniversary.

Along with several of my colleagues

here with us today, I have sponsored

Concurrent Resolution 47 which honors

the members and the victims of the Armenian genocide. It specifically calls

on the United States to encourage the

Republic of Turkey to take all appropriate steps to acknowledge and commemorate the atrocities committed

against the Armenian population of the

Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923.

This resolution renews the commitment of the American people to oppose

any and all genocide. The United

States must send a strong message to

the world about our Nation’s resolve

and determination to prevent crimes

against humanity.

Today Armenians flourish in the

United States, as prominent and successful citizens in spite of the crimes

committed against them. Many of the

survivors of this genocide live in my

district. I believe I have more than any

other district in the United States. The

mayor of Pasadena is an Armenian. A

member of Glendale city council, who

has several times served as our mayor,

is Armenian. A member of our community college board of education is Armenian. Many of the leading citizens of

our community are serving the community well, but they are concerned

about Armenia also.

They have sent several plane loads of

materials to the survivors there in Armenia who have suffered so much, and

they will continue to do so as long as

this tragedy continues.

I want to thank my colleague, the

gentleman from New Jersey [Mr.

PALLONE], for arranging this special

order and for the work that he is doing

on the Armenian task force.

Mr. PALLONE. I want to thank the

gentleman from California for those

words.

I now yield to the gentleman from

Michigan [Mr. BONIOR], the minority

whip.

Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, today democracy is beginning to flourish in Armenia—and freedom’s flame is burning

bright.

But 80 years ago, things were different.

Eighty years ago—in the midst of

World War I—beginning on the night of

April 24, 1915—the religious and intellectual leaders of the Armenian community of Constantinople were taken

from their beds, imprisoned, tortured,

and killed.

In the days that followed—the remaining males over 15 years of age

were gathered in cities, towns and villages throughout Turkey—roped together, marched to nearby uninhabited

areas, and killed.

In the ensuing weeks, families were

deported.

Innocent women and children were

forced to march through barren wastelands—urged on by whips and clubs—

denied food and water.
H 4498 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

And when they dared to step out of

line, they were constantly attacked,

robbed, raped, and killed.

And when all was said and done—over

a million Armenians lay dead, and a

homeland which had stood for over

3,000 years was nearly completely depopulated.

Mr. Speaker, we come to this floor

today to remember the victims—and

the survivors—of the Armenian genocide of 1915.

We do so at a very solemn time in

America.

While some of us gathered the past

week to remember the 80th anniversary

of the Armenian genocide—most Americans were focused on the senseless

tragedy in Oklahoma City.

The murder of innocent men, women,

and children is no easier to understand

today than it was 80 years ago.

Tragedies like these remind us all of

the true meaning of the words family,

friendship, community, compassion,

and faith.

It is this same strong sense of community that has enabled the Armenian

people not only to survive—but to

thrive—the past 80 years.

Mr. Speaker, as we come to this floor

today we do so with the knowledge

that all of us have a responsibility—to

remember the victims, to speak out

and to make sure that tragedies like

this are never allowed to happen again.

That’s part of the reason why some of

us have introduced a resolution to remember the victims of the Armenian

genocide.

Now—more than ever—those of us

who embrace democracy have a responsibility to speak out for all those who

live under tyranny.

Because sadly, the world does not

seem to have learned the lessons of the

past.

From Bosnia, to Rwanda, to Nagorno

Karabakh, we see new examples every

day of man’s inhumanity to man.

The conflict taking place in Nagorno

Karabakh is one of the great tragedies

of our time.

This is not a CNN war.

For most Americans, Nagorno

Karabakh is not a place that registers

on the radar screen.

But it is a place where 100,000 have

been killed or wounded in the past 6

years—where over a million people

have been left homeless.

It is a place where doctors are forced

to operate without anesthesia, where

land mines continue to maim innocent

women and children.

Mr. Speaker, we’re all hopeful this

terrible tragedy ends soon. We’re all

hopeful that the year-long cease-fire

leads to a peaceful end.

And we’re all encouraged by President Clinton’s announcement last week

that he will appoint a Special Negotiator to advance the negotiations.

But there is much more that needs to

be done.

The United States has tried to send

humanitarian aid to Armenia but it

has continually been blocked by a

blockade enforced by Turkey.

It is utterly unconscionable to me—

that a country who is an ally of ours—

who is a member of NATO, and who accepts U.S. aid, would think it has the

right to block U.S. humanitarian assistance, and we should do all we can

to lift that blockade.

Mr. Speaker, some of us have introduced a bill that would cut off all aid

to Turkey until the blockade is lifted,

and thankfully, we are seeing some

progress.

Turkey recently announced it would

open one air corridor to Armenia—possibly as soon as this week—and that’s a

hopeful sign.

But we must keep working until the

blockade is lifted entirely, or the need

for aid is eliminated entirely.

For 70 years, the people of Armenia

and the people of Nagorno-Karabakh

lived under the brutal boot of Soviet

dictatorship, and they shouldn’t be

forced to live under these conditions

any longer.

It’s in all of our interests to see a

free and democratic Armenia and

that’s why the United States has made

aid to Armenia such a priority the past

6 years.

But today, we pause and remember

the victims and survivors of the Armenian genocide, and to say: Never again.

We can never forget that in 1939, another leader used the Armenian genocide as justification for his own genocide.

This leader said, and I quote: ‘‘I have

given orders to my Death Units to exterminate without mercy or pity men,

women, and children belonging to the

Polish-speaking race. After all,’’ Adolf

Hitler asked, ‘‘who today remembers

the extermination of the Armenians?’’

Mr. Speaker, it is up to all of us to

remember.

For centuries, the Armenian people

have shown great courage and great

strength.

The least we can do is match their

courage with our commitment.

Because in the end, we are their

voices and we must do all we can to remember.

Because if we don’t, nobody else will.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want

to thank the minority whip, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. BONIOR],

for participating in our special order.

As many of you know, he has been a

long-time advocate of human rights in

this House.

Next, I yield to the gentleman from

Massachusetts [Mr. BLUTE].

Mr. BLUTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my

colleague from New Jersey. I want to

commend you and the gentleman from

Illinois [Mr. PORTER] for arranging this

important commemoration of a terrible period in history.

Recent history has seen the Armenian people subjected to a number of

very difficult, troubling, and tragic circumstances, from being forced to live

under the Soviet Communist regime, to

the terrible 1988 earthquake, much

worse than any this Nation has ever

seen, to the present blockade and violence imposed by the Azeris.

There can be no doubt that the Armenian people have long suffered, but

nothing is more tragic and more important to remember than the genocide

which took place from 1915 to 1923; 1.5

million people died, countless more

lost mothers and fathers, sons and

daughters, uncles and aunts, comrades

and friends.

We stand here today in the people’s

House of Representatives, more than a

half century later, to ensure that others will never forget, not forget the

massacres, not forget the persecutions,

the death marches, the bloodshed, and

not forget that all citizens in the world

deserve to live in freedom without the

threat of destruction, without the fear

of systematic oppression and murder.

And that is why it is important we

commemorate this 80th anniversary of

the Armenian genocide. We cannot afford to let the people of the world or

the people of our own country forget

that genocide can and does happen.

Just this week we marked the 50th

anniversary of the liberation of Dachau

and the terrible genocide in Europe

perpetrated against the Jewish people,

and already in this decade, there have

been many events in places like Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia that remind us of man’s inhumanity to man,

and that evil forces still exist in our

so-called modern world.

In light of these sorry events in those

countries, we must do everything in

our power to make sure that the people

of the world remember that genocide in

Armenia 80 years ago, for if we forget

the past, we most certainly will be condemned to repeat it.

b 1900

And as part of this effort, the distinguished minority whip, the gentleman

from Michigan [Mr. BONIOR] and I, and

others have introduced House Concurrent Resolution 47. This resolution

would put the House on record honoring the memory of the 1.5 million genocide victims. The House should pass

this resolution and send a message to

the world that we will never forget

what happened during that terrible period in history and that we will do

every thing in our power here in the

House of Representatives to make sure

that it does not happen again anywhere

in our world.

I want to commend my colleague, the

gentleman from New Jersey [Mr.

PALLONE], and my colleague from Illinois [Mr. PORTER] for their great leadership on this issue and for making

sure that we did not let this 80th anniversary pass without taking some time

on the floor of this House to remember

this terrible period, and I want to

thank the gentleman from New Jersey

for the time and for his leadership.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want

to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. BLUTE] and now yield to
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4499

the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs.

MALONEY].

Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, as the

proud Representative of a large and vibrant community of Armenian-Americans, I rise to participate in this important and timely special order.

Let me first commend my friends

FRANK PALLONE and JOHN PORTER, the

cochairs of the Congressional Caucus

on Armenian Issues, not only for sponsoring this special order, but for all of

their hard work in the area of human

rights and international decency.

My colleagues, this year we mark the

50th anniversary of the end of World

War II and the defeat of the Nazi killing machine.

It has often been asked: ‘‘How could

the world have done nothing to prevent

the deaths of six million Jews in the

Holocaust?’’

Tragically, the answer lies in the

haunting and hateful words of Adolf

Hitler, who cruelly justified the Final

Solution by asking, ‘‘Who remembers

the Armenians?’’

Tonight we remember the Armenians.

Tonight we recall that 80 years ago,

Ottoman Turkish forces launched their

brutal reign of terror which resulted in

the deaths of 11⁄2 million Armenians.

When the carnage ended 8 years later,

two out of every three Armenians

living in Ottoman Turkey had been

killed.

Tonight we express our sorrow for

those who died, and renew our respect

for those who survived.

Eight decades have passed since this

hideous episode in the history of man’s

inhumanity to man, but tonight we

must pledge that we will hold commemorations like this one 80 years

from now and 80 years from then to ensure that the lessons of the Armenian

genocide are never forgotten.

Nothing we can ever say or do will

bring back to life those who perished.

But we can endow their memories

with everlasting meaning by teaching

the lessons of the Armenian genocide

to future generations.

The first lesson is the truth.

The time has come for Congress to

pass the Armenian genocide resolution.

We must put our Government squarely

on the side of the facts. I commend our

colleagues DAVID BONIOR and PETER

BLUTE for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 47, which I have cosponsored.

This resolution not only represents

official United States recognition of

the memory of those who died, but will

also put pressure on the Turkish Government to do what it has callously refused to do—to acknowledge and commemorate the atrocities committed 80

years ago.

There is no statute of limitations on

genocide. Congress must not condone

the efforts of those in Turkey and elsewhere who seek to downplay the terrible events of 80 years ago, or worse

yet, who claim that the Armenian

genocide never even happened.

And the second lesson is one of current international significance.

We must use the commemoration of

this terrible era to renew our friendship with Armenia. This valiant and

struggling nation deserves and needs

U.S. humanitarian and developmental

assistance.

And the United States must make

this demand of Turkey: ‘‘Allowing a

few airplane flights in is not enough!

Lift your blockade of Armenia now!’’

Tonight we salute the indomitable

spirit of the citizens of Armenia.

We commend the magnificent contributions that Armenian-Americans

have made to our own society.

And we pledge to honor the martyrdom of the victims of the Armenian

genocide to ensure that their sacrifices

will never be forgotten and their fate

never repeated.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I want

to thank the gentlewoman from New

York [Mrs. MALONEY] for her comments, and now I yield time to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. FOX].

Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New

Jersey [Mr. PALLONE] and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. PORTER] for

this special order and for their leadership in making the proper recognition

of the Armenian genocide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my

colleagues in commemorating the 80th

anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

As you know, 1.5 million Armenians

were massacred by the Turkish Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923.

The Armenian community in the

United States is mostly descended from

survivors of this tragedy who were

forcibly exiled from their homeland.

These citizens, many of whom reside in

Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District, have made tremendous contributions to American life while honoring

their own rich traditions.

Mr. Speaker, on the evening of April

24, 1915, the political, religious, and intellectual leaders of the Armenian

community in Constantinople—now

Instanbul—were arrested, exiled from

the capital city, and murdered. After

the ‘‘young Turk’’ government silenced

the voices of the Armenian community

in this inhumane way, they began a

systematic deportation and extermination of all Armenians.

Mr. Speaker, it is our duty to ensure

that these reprehensible crimes against

humanity are not forgotten. I am deeply concerned that the Turkish Government refuses to acknowledge this

shameful genocide, even today. We

know all too well the consequences of

forgetfulness. As Elie Wiesel reports,

and the gentleman from Michigan [Mr.

BONIOR] and others reiterated this

evening, ‘‘Before planning the final solution, Hitler asked, ‘Who remembers

the Armenians?’’’

Today Turkey refuses to allow U.S.

shipments of humanitarian aid to

reach Armenia. I urge my colleagues to

join me in cosponsoring the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act (H.R. 942),

which would eliminate U.S. aid to

countries that would obstruct the delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance.

I have recently learned that Turkey

will open air corridor H–50, and I call

upon the Government of Turkey to immediately cease all interference with

the transport and delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid to Armenia. I hope that

our message is heard.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues

for allowing us to be part of this important special order to make sure we

highlight the 80th anniversary of the

genocide of Armenians, and I thank the

gentleman for this time.

Mr. PALLONE. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. FOX],

and next I yield to the gentlewoman

from California [Ms. ESHOO], who I believe is maybe the only, but certainly

one of the, Armenian Members of Congress.

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my

good friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr.

PALLONE]. I would like to pay tribute

to him and the wonderful leadership

that he has given here in the House of

Representatives on behalf of American

Armenians. It is so important that

there be Members that take on what he

has, and I want to pay tribute to him,

to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr.

PORTER] and all of my other colleagues

that are part of this special order that

is helping to raise the awareness on the

80th anniversary. I wish there was not

such an anniversary. This is not in

celebration. This is, of course, in commemoration of the Armenian genocide

and the millions of Armenians who

were systematically exterminated by

the Ottoman troops.

The slaughter began on April 24, 1915,

when hundreds of Armenian leaders

were arrested and executed in Istanbul

and other areas.

By the time they were finished, Ottoman troops had executed 1.5 million

Armenians including innocent women

and children.

Tragically, the crying voices of these

innocent victims fell upon deaf ears because the international community refused to confront the perpetrators of

these atrocities.

As the only Member of Congress of

Armenian descent, I know full well how

the Ottoman Empire decimated people

and wrote one of the darkest chapters

in human history. I am committed to

ensure that their suffering is not diminished and cannot be denied by the

perpetrators of this disgraceful policy.

By recalling the atrocities of the Armenian genocide we remind the world

that a great tragedy was inflicted upon

our people, that the murder of Armenians was a catastrophe for the entire

family of nations, and that unchecked

aggression leads to atrocity.

By mourning the losses of our past,

we renew our determination to forge a

future in which our people can live in

peace, prosperity, and freedom.
H 4500 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

And we remember that Armenians

were persecuted throughout the Ottoman Empire because we were a vulnerable, homeless people with no nation of

our own in which we could seek sanctuary, no borders behind which we

could seek protections. Isolated and

abandoned, we were attacked and

killed.

Despite our history of suffering at

the hands of others, Armenians have

remained a strong people. We are committed to our families and united by

our enduring faith.

And we have risen from the ashes of

the Armenian genocide to form a new

country from the remains of the Soviet

Union * * * a new country which flourishes in the face of severe winters, ongoing military conflict in NagornoKarabagh, and the absence of strong

international assistance.

Today’s Armenia is a living tribute

to our people’s indelible courage and

perseverance and the greatest assurance that what took place 80 years ago

will not be repeated.

As we remember the tragic history of

my people, it is essential also for us to

discuss the future of Armenia and the

role which the United States can play

in establishing peace in the Caucasus.

Many of the Members speaking this

evening have worked tirelessly with

the administration to encourage it to

take a more proactive role.

And President Clinton recently announced he will nominate a special negotiator for Nagorno-Karabagh at the

rank of ambassador.

This could be an important first step.

Yet, in my view, true peace in the

Caucasus will only be achieved when

the political and economic isolation of

Armenian ceases and regional leaders

recognize the inherent rights of Armenia—including its land and its history.

Congress can play an important part in

this process.

For example, there is pending legislation which would help ensure lasting

peace in the Caucasus. The Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act is essential because it would exert the appropriate

pressure on countries which block U.S.

foreign assistance to the region.

It is not enough for third party nations to allow commercial flights into

aid-recipient countries—land convoys

must be allowed through in order to

move necessary amounts of American

food, medicine, and clothing. I urge my

colleagues to pass this important bill.

In addition, we must maintain the

Freedom of Support Act which prevents U.S. foreign assistance going to

Azerbaijan until they lift their blockade of Nagorno-Karabagh. In my view,

the Freedom of Support Act must be

upheld until the isolation of Armenia

ends and its territorial rights are adhered to.

Mr. Speaker, if the tragedy of the Armenian genocide has taught us anything, it is that sitting back is tantamount to helping Armenia’s oppressors.

As the recent decision by the President to end all United States trade

with Iran indicates, tensions in the

Caucasus are rising and they are global

in scope. The United States is finding

that it cannot sit back and observe

events unfolding in the region. The

Russians, Chinese, and Turks have important interests in the region, and so

do we.

As Members of Congress, we have the

responsibility of ensuring that an enhanced United States role in the affairs

of the Caucasus follows a course sensitive to the region’s history and culture. This includes a heightened sensitivity to Armenia, whose history and

culture are often denied or misunderstood.

I thank my colleagues who have

joined us here today to remember the

Armenian genocide.

We must do all we can to prevent this

tragic history from repeating itself and

help advance a proactive foreign policy

to bring lasting peace to the region.

b 1915

I genuinely thank my colleagues, and

pay tribute to each one of you who

have joined in this tribute this

evening, a commemoration of the Armenian genocide. Many of my family

members of another generation were

taken during that genocide. So we

must do all that we can to prevent this

tragic history obviously from repeating

itself, but we must renew ourselves in

the efforts that really count today toward the end of this century and preparing for a new one, to help advance a

proactive foreign policy to bring lasting peace to the region.

The Armenian community will be in

great gratitude to the Congress of the

United States as we renew our efforts

toward this goal. I again pay tribute to

you, Mr. PALLONE, and all of my colleagues for doing what you have done

in the past and your tireless efforts on

behalf of the issues that affect Armenians around the world, certainly in

the region. On behalf of the ArmenianAmerican community, I pay tribute to

you as well.

Mr. PALLONE. I just want to thank

the gentlewoman from California for

her remarks. It is particularly I think

appropriate that you conclude our special order. I know we have other speakers. I just wanted to say one thing. One

of the things I noted over the weekend,

as you know, the last week was also

the occasion when we commemorated

the Nazi Holocaust. I was with many of

the victims of the Nazi Holocaust over

the weekend and shared thoughts with

some of them. But the one thing that

was outstanding and the big difference,

if I could make the comment, is that

those victims of the Nazi Holocaust at

least knew that the German Government recognized that it occurred and

that people today in Germany hold

commemorations and basically say

they are sorry for what occurred.

Unfortunately, that is not the case

with the Government of Turkey or in

fact most of the people of Turkey,

many of whom are not aware of what

happened 80 years ago. That is why we

have to continue with our special

order. We have to make it so the day

comes when Turkey takes notice of

what happened and the same type of

commemoration occurs in Turkey as

takes place now in Germany with reference to the Nazi Holocaust.

Ms. ESHOO. The gentleman has made

a very, very important profound point

and underscored a very profound issue

here. It seems incomprehensible that a

government of today would not look

over its shoulder and say these are the

sins of the past that were visited upon

innocent people, but that it is a different day and time.

I think that this Congress can and

will make the difference, and you have

done much to lead us toward that. I

thank the gentleman.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, before I

begin, I just want to comment on the

profound words of my colleague from

New Jersey, Mr. PALLONE. Adolph Hitler himself said that the world’s indifference to the slaughter in Armenia indicated that there would be no world

outcry if he undertook the mass murder of Jews and others he considered

less than human, and he was right. It

was only after the Holocaust that the

cry ‘‘never again’’ arose throughout

the civilized world, but it was too late

for millions of victims, too late for the

6 million Jews, and too late for the 1.5

million Armenians. I too appreciate

your having that special order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with

my colleagues to honor the 1.5 million

Armenians who were murdered during

the Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1923.

Mr. Speaker, Armenians wiped away

their tears and cried out ‘‘Let us never

forget. Let us always remember the

atrocities that have taken the lives of

our parents and our children and our

neighbors.’’ I rise today to remember

those cries and to make sure that they

were not uttered in vain.

Unfortunately, this tragedy is still

not even acknowledged by the Turkish

Government, and today the Armenian

people continue to suffer.

Mr. Speaker, as many of us know, the

ongoing conflict over NagornoKarabakh led last year to an Azerbaijan-orchestrated blockade. I am

deeply concerned for the innocent people who are suffering as a result of this

blockade, which left many in Armenia

without power, food, or medicine. As

my colleagues and I stand here today

to remember the events of 80 years ago,

let us not lose sight of the events that

have transpired recently. Let us take

this opportunity to pledge to do everything in our power to settle the ongoing dispute in Nagorno-Karabakh. Let

me be perfectly clear: The United

States must stand firm against any

dealings with Azerbaijan until it ends

the blockade against Armenia and

against Nagorno-Karabakh.
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4501

Mr. Speaker, last year I fought to

have $75 million in the 1995 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act earmarked

for Armenia. Regrettably, too few of

my colleagues shared my belief that we

must set aside these sorely needed

funds for Armenia. It is critical that

we take the time today to make explicit our commitment to the people of

Armenia. I ask my colleagues on both

sides of the aisle to do so.

Strongly support section 907 of the

Freedom Support Act, which restricts

aid to Azerbaijan until that nation lifts

its embargo against the people of Armenia.

Cosponsor H.R. 942, the ‘‘Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act,’’ which would

prohibit U.S. assistance to any country

which in any way restricts the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian

assistance to other countries. This legislation will ensure the speedy,

unhindered, and effective delivery of

needed United States humanitarian assistance to Armenia.

And finally, I implore my colleagues

to call on Azerbaijan to negotiate a

peace settlement under the guidelines

established by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

[CSCE].

It is tragic that Azerbaijan’s tactics

denied food and medicine to innocent

men, women, and children within Armenia, and created thousands of refugees. The war over Nagorno-Karabakh

has set a dangerous precedent for the

resolution of conflicts among the many

new nations that were formerly part of

the Soviet Union. We must make clear

that warfare and blockades aimed at

civilians are unacceptable as means for

resolving disputes.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate that I will always remain mindful

of the terrible suffering the Armenian

people have endured during this century. I cannot stress enough that we

must never forget the Armenian genocide, and that we must do everything

in our power to ensure that the Armenian nation can live in peace and security from this time forward.

Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, today I join with

my colleagues in Congress and Armenians all

over the world to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Once again

we call today for recognition of this tragedy

because the horrible truth of the Armenian

genocide is still not universally acknowledged,

even after all these years.

We must forever speak out against genocide as a constant reminder of the consequences of silence in the face of oppression. We must call attention to the reality of

the Ottoman Empire’s systematic persecution

of Armenians in part so that such inhumanity

is never tolerated again, ever. And we must

voice our support for the rights of all people as

we demand an end to the extermination of innocent civilians caught in ethnic conflicts today

in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Nagorno-Karabagh.

Our remembrance of the loss of 11⁄2 million

Armenian lives is our declaration of absolute

opposition to such acts of inhumanity and our

statement of hope for a world free of genocide. We must not let this atrocity be forgotten.

To let this happen would be to condemn future

generations to the same fate. Only through remembrance and recognition can we stop such

acts of senseless cruelty and violence against

humankind from happening again.

Mr. MOAKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to

take this opportunity to remember the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives in one of

the greatest tragedies of this century. The

year 1995 marks the 80th anniversary of the

beginning of the Armenian genocide, and I

would like to add my voice to those who are

commemorating this grevious event. The murder of over 1 million people is such an unspeakable appalling act that it is difficult for a

person to comprehend. For this reason it is

important to recognize the genocide, and in

remembering we will ensure that such an

atrocity will never occur again. It serves as a

lesson that we can never ignore a situation

where such a callous disregard for human

rights is demonstrated.

The Armenian genocide began on April 24,

1915, when Turkish officials rounded up and

murdered over 200 Armenian intellectuals in

Constantinople. During the next 8 years, over

1.5 million Armenians were needlessly butchered. By 1923, only one in every three Armenians who was alive before 1915 was still living. Before planning the final solution in Nazi

Germany, Adolph Hitler asked, ‘‘Who remembers the Armenians?’’ We owe it to the memory of these brave souls to make sure that

they are never forgotten again.

Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for

having been invited to join in this special order

today honoring the memory of the hundreds of

thousands of innocent men, women, and children who suffered a horrible death of the genocidal actions carried out by the former Ottoman Empire starting 80 years ago.

The genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people of the former Ottoman Empire

during the First World War was merely a portent of things to come.

Only a few years later, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were to die in the artificial

famine created by the Communist dictator of

the former Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin.

A few years after that, millions of Jews and

others were to fall victim to the genocide perpetrated by the former Nazi regime of Adolph

Hitler.

It has always been my honor and privilege

to participate in congressional ceremonies and

special orders commemorating the Armenian

genocide during the time that I have served as

a Representative to the Congress.

I am indeed pleased to be a part of such

ceremonies again this year, which carry on

with an important tradition.

Just as the unfortunate victims of the Holocaust and of the Ukrainian famine should be

remembered, so must the victims of the genocidal action against Armenians be in our

thoughts at this time.

As we contemplate their suffering, we note

that today the death of those innocents 80

years ago is commemorated not just by their

descendants around the world but by the people of the newly independent state of Armenia.

Certainly, the people of Armenia face difficult new challenges today, but they now are

free of foreign rule for the first time in hundreds of years.

As we commemorate the victims of a bloody

persecution that began 80 years ago, let us

therefore join in celebrating Armenia’s newfound independence—the best guarantee that

such bloody persecutions will not befall the Armenian people again.

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to

address the House of Representatives to commemorate the Armenian genocide. Only by remembering the tragic events of the Armenian

genocide can we ensure respect for human

rights and democratic principles throughout

the world.

In 1894, a pattern of persecution emerged

in the Ottoman Empire, placing the Armenian

population in great jeopardy. The persecutions

climaxed in 1915, marking the height of systematic massacres and forced exile of the Armenian people. Over 1 million people were

murdered. Today, less than 100,000 Armenians remain in Turkey. We must never forget

the atrocities of the Armenian genocide as we

look back on this 80th anniversary.

I feel proud to be the Representative of an

active and prosperous Armenian community in

my own district of Massachusetts. They have

given me hope for future generations of Armenians. It is for these people, as well as Armenians around the world, that I both commemorate the Armenian genocide and urge the

world not to tolerate anything of this kind

again.

Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I

rise today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Beginning on April 24, 1915, hundreds of

Armenian religious, political, and intellectual

leaders were rounded up, exiled, and murdered. The genocide of the Armenian people

by the Turkish Ottoman Empire continued for

9 years and claimed over 1,500,000 lives. Another 500,000 Armenians were forced to flee

their homeland, some of whom formed the origins of the Armenian community in our country. Therefore, it is imperative that we, as the

elected Representatives of the people of the

United States, recognize and commemorate

the genocide of the Armenian people.

In addition, it is incumbent upon us to speak

out about messages of hate and bigotry on

the rise in this country. As we have learned in

this country and witnessed abroad at least

twice this century, hate must not be allowed to

grow unchecked. We must continue to denounce messages of hate and bigotry and

promote tolerance within our communities.

Mr. Speaker, the commemoration of this

tragic episode in world history is vitally important. I urge my colleagues to join me in commemorating the genocide of the Armenian

people.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

commemorate the tragic events leading to the

deaths of over 1.5 million Armenians. I join

millions around the world in vowing, once

again, to ensure that our generation and future

generations never again have to bear witness

to such inhuman behavior and feel the pain

and suffering of an entire people.

We had hoped that the crime of genocide

would never again be allowed to mar the history of humankind.

Yet today as we stand with our Armenian

brothers and sisters to remember and share in

their grief for those who died from 1915 to

1923, we are all reminded of the ongoing

genocide in Bosnia today in 1995, where we

too, share in the people of Bosnia’s anguish.

Let us also today be reminded, as Americans, of the freedoms we enjoy but so often

take for granted.
H 4502 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

We must remember that only too often has

this disrespect for the most basic of our

human rights—the right to speak, to worship,

and to believe as one pleases—led to the

deaths of millions in the Holocausts of this

century. We must continue to hold vigil for

those who have perished so that the rights of

all humanity will be protected in the future.

Finally, I am pleased to stand here today to

pay tribute to the Armenian people. Armenia is

a land composed largely of rock and stone,

hewn out of the earth by 1 million years of

evolution and left to its people as the basis of

construction of one of the world’s oldest and

richest civilizations.

The people of Armenia, like the stone out of

which they have built their history, are a

strong and lasting people, a people who have

withstood the onslaught of tragedy. Because

of the resilience of the Armenian people, they

will continue to enrich our world with their creativity and tradition.

Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, Today we

commemorate the memory of generations of

Armenians, victims of a horrible genocide that

we all hope will never be repeated.

From 1915 to 1923, the Ottoman Empire

systematically murdered over 1.5 million Armenians living in Turkey. And, throughout history, we have witnessed similar acts of unspeakable cruelty—the killing of over 12 million during the Holocaust, escalating death

tolls in Bosnia and Rwanda and, most recently, the bombing in Oklahoma City.

It is vital for us as a nation to remember

what happened in Turkey 80 years ago, and

to recognize that we must work to promote

peace and democracy throughout the world to

help prevent such atrocious crimes from repeating themselves.

As we pay tribute to and remember those in

the Armenian community who lost their lives,

Americans must continue to denounce racism,

sexism, anti-Semitism, bigotry, religious persecution, and ethnic violence. Only by learning

from past experiences, no matter how difficult

they might be to remember, can we grow and

develop as a nation. Because, as we continue

to wipe out existing stereotypes and prejudices, we are able to refocus our attention on

the important contributions that all groups of

people make to our country.

As Americans became aware of the tremendous suffering being endured 80 years ago

and took steps to end the senseless tragedy,

thousands of Armenians came to the United

States in search of better lives. Now, they,

their children, and their children’s children

have grown to be successful in all aspects of

life. Having one of this Nation’s largest Armenian community’s, I can proudly say that their

strong sense of family values and emphasis

on education symbolize what is best in America, and a model for other families to follow.

But, despite all that has been achieved, we

must also remember that Armenia’s plight is

not yet over. In the middle of the NagornoKarabagh conflict, Armenia finds itself in a

struggle for survival. While the international

community increases its efforts to bring about

democracy and stability in the TransCaucasus,

we, too, must continue our resolve to restore

security in the region and cleanse it of ethnic

hatred.

None of us will ever forget the awful tragedy

that took place on this 80th anniversary of the

Armenian genocide. And, by working to reconcile present conflicts, we hopefully will not

have to look back on similar tragedies in the

future.

Mr. DOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

join my colleagues in commemorating the 80th

anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

This terrible human tragedy must not and

will not be forgotten. Like the Holocaust, the

Armenian genocide stands as an historical example of the human suffering that results from

hatred and intolerance. More often than not,

when people think of genocide or ethnic

cleansing, it is the Holocaust that comes to

mind. However, let us remember that the Armenian genocide was the historical basis of

Adolf Hitler’s plan for the Holocaust. Today we

commemorate the Armenian genocide and reflect upon the suffering endured by Armenia

and her people—to ensure that this terrible

tragedy is not forgotten.

One and one-half million Armenian people

were massacred by the Ottoman Turkish empire between 1915 and 1923. More than

500,000 Armenians were exiled from a homeland that their ancestors had occupied for

more than 3,000 years. A race of people was

nearly eliminated.

It would be a great tragedy to forget that

this loss of human life and homeland ever occurred. Years prior to unleashing his plans for

the Holocaust, Hitler predicted that no one

would remember the atrocities and the human

suffering endured by the Armenians. After all,

it was Hitler who posed the question, ‘‘Who remembers the Armenians?’’ Our statements

today are intended to preserve the memory of

the Armenian loss, and to remind the world

that the Turkish Government continues to

refuse acknowledgement of the Armenian

genocide.

This 80th anniversary is underscored by the

current suffering of the Armenian people, who

remain immersed in tragedy and violence by

the continuing unrest between Armenians and

Azerbaijanis in the region of NagornoKarabagh. Thousands of innocent people have

already perished in this dispute, and still many

more have been displaced and are homeless.

Frustrating the situation is the continuing destruction of fuel and power lines, as well as

the blockade of supply routes into Armenia

through neighboring Georgia and Turkey.

In the face of this difficult situation comes

an opportunity for reconciliation. Now is the

time for Armenia and its neighbors, including

Turkey, to come together, to work toward a

lasting peace and to rebuild relationships between countries. The first step in this process

should be ending of the blockades that are

hampering the recovery of Armenia and her

people. Although Turkey has recently opened

an air corridor to Armenia, the land blockade

continues to frustrate humanitarian relief efforts.

Meanwhile, in America, the Armenian-American community prospers and continues to

provide solidarity and assistance to its countrymen and women abroad. Numbering nearly

1 million, the Armenian-American community

is bound together by strong generational and

family ties, an enduring work ethic and a

proud sense of ethnic heritage. Today we remember the tragedy of their past, not to place

blame, but to answer a fundamental question,

Who remembers the Armenians?

Today our commemoration of the Armenian

genocide speaks directly to that end, and I answer, We do.

Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr.

Speaker, I want to thank Mr. PALLONE and Mr.

PORTER, co-chairs of the Armenia caucus, for

their leadership in once again giving this

House the opportunity to address the deep

concerns many of us have about developments in Armenia.

Over the course of my years in Congress,

we have been engaged on many fronts on the

Armenia issue—whether it be emergency relief

after the massive earthquake that devastated

the country in 1988, trying to address the suffering and deprivation caused by the withering

blockade of Armenia imposed by Agerbaijan

and Turkey, or offering support for efforts to

end the fighting in the region through a negotiated peace process.

But today is a special day. It is a time for

special remembrances, for reflection, commemoration, and to remind ourselves of our

moral obligations to our fellow human beings,

whatever their ethnicity, their religion, or their

color.

I am reminded that the first action I saw

when I came to Congress with regard to Armenia was the attempt to get this Congress to

recognize the Armenian genocide on April 24,

1915—the beginning of a terrible campaign

against the Armenian people that resulted in

the killing of more than 1 million people merely

on the basis of their nationality.

Today, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the genocide, a 9-year reign of terror

that set a gruesome standard for 20th century

atrocities. All of us in the Congress and across

America and the world, should take a moment

to remember this horrible crime, and to resolve that we will fight injustice wherever we

find it.

While the experience of trying to win recognition of the Armenian genocide was a painful one, I must say that the vast majority of my

work on issues of Armenia and with the Armenian community here in the United States has

been a joyful experience.

I have been inspired by the ability of the Armenian community here to make a deep and

lasting contribution to our Nation—to our

schools and neighborhoods, in the areas of art

and culture, and in the political arena. My

home State of Massachusetts has one of the

most vibrant and active Armenian communities

in the United States and we are a better,

stronger State because of that.

At the same time, Armenians in the United

States have done a tremendous job of maintaining their own culture, their language and

their churches, and a remarkable commitment

to maintaining ties to their homeland or the

homeland of their ancestors. Recent articles in

the Boston Globe attest to the strength of this

community in my district, the State of Massachusetts, and the Nation.

This commitment, and a capacity to respond, has of course been demonstrated in

moments of crisis such as the earthquake,

30,000 people were killed in an instant. In

many parts of the country there was incalculable damage to homes, to factories, and to infrastructure. Thousands of Armenians continue

to live today, 7 years later, without electricity

or running water in makeshift shelters that

were set up in the wake of the loss of their

homes.

The response of the Armenian community in

the United States was phenomenal. They provided food, clothing, medicine, and funds. Just

as importantly, they challenged this Nation,
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4503

and other nations around the world, to recognize the extraordinary scale of damage done

by the earthquake and to provide the resources that were needed to address this humanitarian disaster. It is important to recognize that the humanitarian challenge posed by

the earthquake has yet to be fully met. I was

pleased to see that just in February 1994 the

World Bank released a long-delayed loan designed to rebuild housing and repair other

damage from the earthquake.

While the earthquake—a dramatic event—

focused the attention of the international community, the blockade against Armenia, which

remains in place until this day, exacts its terrible, unrelenting cost, day in and day out,

over years. It has driven a proud and determined people to face the types of choices that

no civilized nation should have to confront—

the choice, for example, of stripping the nation

of trees and burning its books in order to provide heat to prevent infants and the elderly

from freezing to death.

It is absolutely crucial that the United States

remain clear and focused in its efforts to secure the lifting of this blockade and the opening up of commerce, transportation, and communication throughout Transcaucasia. This

means maintaining the prohibition against

United States assistance to the Government of

Azerbaijan until they are willing to lift the

blockade. And it means continued pressure on

the Government of Turkey—which receives

more than $500 million in United States economic aid and military loans—to do the same.

That is why I introduced, along with Representative CHRIS SMITH, the Humanitarian Aid

Corridor Act. We must maintain this pressure

not out of vengeance, but as a sign of our

commitment to finding a solution to open up

all the borders in the region. If this type of arrangement can be put together—whereby Turkey and Azerbaijan lift their blockade against

Armenia—then I think there is no question that

there would be overwhelming support in the

Congress, and, I think, in the Armenian community in the United States, for lifting the restriction on direct assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan as well.

I had the opportunity to see the desperate

situation Armenians face first hand when I visited Armenia in February 1993. We arrived at

the Yerevan airport late at night and went by

van to downtown Yerevan. It was snowing so

hard and there was not a light in the place, so

that we could not even tell we were in the

middle of a city. What we found was that there

was no heat, no electricity, no running water,

no telephones; and yet, the spirit of the Armenian people continued to provide a bright light.

I visited orphanages where the little babies

were lying in empty, cold rooms, in soiled

clothes that could not be changed because

there was no place to wash or dry the clothes.

I visited senior citizens stuck in hospitals who

have lived through the Armenian genocide we

commemorate here this evening, who lived

through the earthquake, who were now forced

to suffer and to die in a climate inside of a

hospital room where the temperature never

rises above 15 to 20 degrees.

It was one of the most devastating few days

of my life, to see the kind of human suffering

that takes place. But it reestablished my own

personal commitment to stand strong for the

people of Armenia, to stand strong with people

of this great nation that has inspired freedomloving people throughout the world.

So I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to add my

voice to those of my colleagues in saying: We

must never forget.

Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise

today to join with my colleagues in commemorating one of the most heinous atrocities committed against humanity: the Armenian genocide.

In 1915, the Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire were subjected to systematic extermination through a policy of deportation and

massacre. It is estimated that a million and a

half Armenians eventually perished because of

the atrocities committed against them by

agents of the Ottoman Turks.

This terrible event is known as the first

genocide of the 20th century, and we must

never forget it. Elie Wiesel, chairman of the

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and a survivor of the Holocaust, summed up the reason

why. He said, ‘‘Before planning the final solution, Hitler asked, ‘Who remembers the Armenians?’ No one remembered them, as no one

remembered the Jews.’’

Today, all people of conscience remembers

the Armenians. Let us resolve on this day of

remembrance never to forget the one and a

half million people who lost their lives solely

because they were Armenian. And let us resolve to speak out whenever genocide is used

by tyrants as an instrument of state policy.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

join in the observation of the 80th anniversary

of the beginning of the Armenian genocide

during the Ottoman Empire. I commend my

colleagues Representatives PORTER and

Pallone for calling this special order to draw

Congress’ attention to the tragic slaughter of

the Armenian people. In addition to participating in this special order, I am proud to have

joined Representatives BONIOR and BLUTE in

cosponsoring House Concurrent Resolution

47, which honors the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who perished earlier this century. I have also joined a number of my congressional colleagues in writing President Clinton urging that he, too, issue a strong statement of remembrance and recognition of the

Armenian genocide as a crime against humanity.

On April 24, 1915, despots of the Ottoman

Empire began a systematic campaign of terror, brutality and murder against the Armenian

people. This campaign was the first genocide

of the 20th century. By the end of the campaign of terror in 1923, 1.5 million Armenian

men, women, and children had been massacred and more than 500,000 had been deported from their homeland of 3,000 years.

These actions were a clear case of genocide.

The genocide was horrific, it is well-documented and it must not be forgotten.

Today, the Armenian-American descendants

of the Armenian exiles make a vibrant contribution to the life and energy of the San

Francisco Bay area. I join with them in observing this anniversary of the Armenian genocide

and in honoring the memory of their ancestors.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, words fall short

of expressing the shock and revulsion Americans felt in the wake of the brutal terrorist

bombing in Oklahoma City. Words especially

ring hollow when we struggle with the vision of

bloody and dying children. While we did not

know these children or their families, we know

in our hearts that not one ever did anything to

warrant their fate.

There is a well-worn saying that ‘‘Time

heals all wounds.’’ In the wake of the tragedy

in Oklahoma, we can draw some solace from

it. Mercifully, the immediate pain and sadness

of even a most horrible event pass over time.

However, it does not mean that we are expected or should forget.

With the TV pictures fresh in our minds, and

the sadness of this time fresh in our hearts,

we must come to grips with the fact that this

crime was the work of Americans. It was the

product of hate and evil that originated in this

country. Hate and evil know no boundaries.

This is an especially poignant time to recall

another horrible act of hate and evil, the genocide committed against the Armenian people

in Turkey 80 years ago. Just as we will never

forget the terrorism committed in Oklahoma, it

is important that we not forget the 1.5 million

Armenian men, women, and children who

were brutally murdered in the inaugural genocide of the 20th century.

Each year, Americans, and not just Armenian-Americans, come together on this occasion. We do so to do more than simply remember that the Armenians were the first victims of what sadly has become man’s bloodiest century. Rather, we each hope that raising

the consciousness of past atrocities helps prevent similar tragedies in the future.

With tragedy so near and so fresh in our

minds, we are easily reminded that hate and

evil are unfortunate aspects of the human condition. However, it is our responsibility as

Americans to remain vigilant against hate, violence, and intolerance, whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my

time.

Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and

join my distinguished colleagues in commemorating the tragedy of the Armenian genocide.

During and after the First World War, from

1915 to 1923, over 1.5 million Armenians were

deliberately starved, murdered, and drive from

their homeland by the Ottoman Turks. It was

the first modern example of the gruesome policy of ethnic cleansing.

Unfortunately, it was not the last. Since

1923, genocide has frequently become the

policy of choice for totalitarian governments

and aggressor states. From Adolf Hitler to the

Bosnian Serbs, ethnic cleansing has been

used by a variety of tyrants. The victims of this

horrible act have been as widely different as

German Jews, Ukrainian farmers, and Rwandan Tutsis. History has repeated itself time

and again.

History threatens to repeat itself today.

Across the globe, minorities like the Bosnian

Muslims are threatened with extinction. As

members of the free world, we must not allow

these murderous intentions to succeed. We

must stand up and tell those who wish to murder whole nations that we will not permit them

to follow this gory tradition. It is a tradition that

must end now.

Mr. Speaker, the world must act now to stop

any further repetitions of the Armenian genocide. We cannot allow any other ethnic minorities to be slaughtered as the Armenians were

slaughtered. To permit another example of the

horrible practice of ethnic cleansing would be

to dishonor the memories of those who died at

the hands of the Ottoman Turks.

Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank

my colleagues. Mr. PALLONE and Mr. PORTER,
H 4504 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

for organizing this special congressional opportunity for both houses of Congress to

pause to honor the memory of the one-and-ahalf-million Armenians who were killed between 1915 and 1923 by agents of the Turkish

Ottoman Empire in what is known in infamy,

and perhaps with some controversy, as the

Armenian genocide.

Some would claim that our remembrance

today fans the flames of atavistic hatred and

that the issue of the Ottoman government’s efforts to destroy the Armenian people is a matter best left to scholars and historians. I do not

agree. For whatever ambiguities may be invoked in the historic record of these events,

one fact remains undeniable: the death and

suffering of Armenians on a massive scale

happened, and is deserving of recognition and

remembrance.

This solemn occasion permits us to join in

remembrance with the many Americans of Armenian ancestry, to remind this country of the

tragic price paid by the Armenian community

for its long pursuit of life, liberty, and freedom.

Today, I rise to recall and remember one of

the most tragic events in history and through

this act of remembrance, to make public and

vivid the memory of the ultimate price paid by

the Armenian community by this blot against

human civility.

We come together each year with this act of

commemoration, this year being the 80th anniversary of this genocide, to tell the stories of

this atrocity so that we will not sink into ignorance of our capacity to taint human progress

with acts of mass murder.

The Armenian genocide was a deliberate

act to kill, or deport, all Armenians from Asia

Minor, and takes its place in history with other

acts of genocide such as Stalin’s destruction

of the Kulaks, Hitler’s calculated wrath on the

Jews, and Pol Pot’s attempt to purge incorrect

political thought from Cambodia by killing all of

his people over the age of 15.

We do not have the ability to go back and

correct acts of a previous time, or to right the

wrongs of the past. If we had this capacity,

perhaps we could have prevented the murders

of millions of men, women, and children.

We can, however, do everything in our

power to prevent such atrocities from occurring again. To do this, we must educate people about these horrible incidents, comfort the

survivors, and keep alive the memories of

those who died.

I encourage everyone to use this moment to

think about the tragedy which was the Armenian genocide, to contemplate the massive

loss of lives—on both sides of this conflict,

and to ponder the loss of the human contributions which might have been.

Although, the massacre we depict and describe started 80 years ago, the Armenian

people continue to fight for their freedom and

independence. Today, in the Nagorno

Karabagh, Armenian blood is being shed even

while negotiations continue to attempt to find

a solution to this deadly conflict.

Again, this year, I would like to close my remarks with an urgent plea that we use this

moment as an occasion to re-commit ourselves to the spirit of human understanding,

compassion, patience, and love. For these

alone are the tools for overcoming our tragic,

and uniquely human proclivity for resolving differences and conflicts by acts of violence.

This century has been characterized as one

of the bloodiest in our archives of human history. Certainly, the genocide perpetuated

against the Armenian peoples has been a factor in this dismal record.

The dawning of a new century offers our

human race two paths. One continues along a

road of destruction, distrust and despair.

Those who travel this path have lost their connection to the primal directives, which permit

us as a society to maintain balance, continuity

and harmony.

I would ask my colleagues, on this 80th anniversary of one of histories bloodiest massacres of human beings, to contemplate the

second path. The map to this path exists within the guiding teachings of all major world religions and are encapsulated in what Christians

refer to as the 10 Commandments. I would

ask my colleagues, no matter their religious or

political persuasions and beliefs, to re-visit

these core teachings which form a common

bond between all peoples. To use these common beliefs as the basis for action and understanding in these common beliefs as the basis

for action and understanding in these trying

times. The surface differences between peoples, offer only an exciting diversity in form. At

the core all peoples are united by common

dreams, aspirations and beliefs, in a desire for

harmony, decency, and peace with justice.

Let these testimonies of the atrocities perpetuated against the Armenian people serve

as a reminder that as a human race we can,

and must, do better. It takes strength and wisdom to understand that the sword of compassion is indeed mightier than the sword of steel.

Certainly, as we reflect over the conflicts of

this century, we can only come to the conclusion that violence begets violence, hatred begets hatred and that only understanding, patience, compassion and love can open the

door to the realization of the dreams which we

all hold for our children and for their children.

Let our statements today, remembering and

openly condemning the atrocity committed

against the Armenians, help renew the commitment of the American people to oppose

any and all instances of genocide.

Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased

to join with my colleagues here today in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. I want to thank my colleagues,

Mr. PORTER and Mr. PALLONE, for their work in

organizing this tribute.

This observance takes place every year on

April 24. It was on that date in 1915 that more

than 200 Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders were arrested in constantinople and murdered. Over the next 8 years, persecution of Armenians intensified, and by

1923, more than 1.5 million had died and another 500,000 had gone into exile. At the end

of 1923, all of the Armenian residents of

Anatolia and western Armenia had been either

killed or deported.

The genocide was criticized at the time by

United States Ambassador Henry Morgenthau,

who accused the Turkish authorities of ‘‘giving

the death warrant to a whole race.’’ The

founder of the modern Turkish nation, Kemal

Ataturk, condemned the crimes perpetrated by

his predecessors. Yet this forthright and sober

analysis has been spurned by Turkey and the

United States during the last decade.

The intransigence of this and prior administrations to recognizing and commemorating

the Armenian genocide demonstrates our continued difficulty in reconciling the lessons of

history with realpolitik policies; that is, those

who fail to learn the lessons of history are

condemned to repeat it. We have seen continually in this century the abject failure to learn

and apply this basic principle. The Armenian

genocide has been followed by the holocaust

against the Jews and mass killings in

Kurdistan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Bosnia.

Many of these situations are ongoing, and

there seems little apparent sense of urgency

or moral imperative to resolve them.

Commemoration of the Armenian genocide

is important not only for its acknowledgement

of the suffering of the Armenian people, but

also for establishing the historical truth. It also

demonstrates that events in Armenia, Nazi Europe, and elsewhere should be seen not as

isolated incidents but as part of a historical

continuum showing that the human community

still suffers from its basic inability to resolve its

problems peacefully and with mutual respect.

I hope that today’s remarks by Members

concerned about Armenia will help to renew

our commitment, and that all of the American

people, to opposing any and all instances of

genocide.

Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the

Armenian genocide. While this anniversary

may evoke painful memories, it would be

worse if we did not remember the terrible

atrocities perpetrated against the Armenian

people. It began on April 24, 1915, when over

200 religious, political, and intellectual leaders

of the Armenian community in Istanbul were

executed by the Turkish Government. Thus

began a war of ethnic genocide by the governments of the Ottoman Empire against Armenians. When it ended in 1923, over half of the

world’s Armenian population—an estimated

1.5 million men, women, and children—were

killed.

The Armenians are an ancient and proud

people. In the fourth century, they became the

first nation to embrace Christianity. In 1915,

Christian Russia invaded the Moslem Ottoman

Empire, which was allied with Germany in

World War I. Amid fighting in the Ottoman Empire’s eastern Anatolian provinces, the historic

heartland of the Christian Armenians, Ottoman

authorities ordered the deportation of all Armenians in the region. By the end of 1923, virtually the entire Armenian population of

Anatolia and western Armenia had been either

killed or deported.

While it is important to remember this horrible fact of history in order to help comfort the

survivors, we must also remain eternally vigilant to prevent future calamities. Only a fraction of the Armenian population escaped this

calculated attempt to destroy them and their

culture. Approximately 500,000 Armenian refugees fled north across the Russian border,

south into Arab countries, or to Europe and

the United States.

I am proud to say that a strong and vibrant

Armenian-American community is flourishing

in northwest Indiana. In fact, my predecessor

in the House of Representatives, the late

Adam Benjamin, was of Armenian heritage.

There are still strong ties to the Armenian

homeland among Armenian-Americans. Mrs.

Vicki Hovanessian and her husband, Dr. Raffy

Hovanessian, residents of Indiana’s First Congressional District, helped to raise over

$750,000 for purchases of winter rescue supplies of heating fuel and foodstuffs for victims

of the devastating Armenian winter of 1992–

93. Last year, Dr. Heratch Doumanian and his
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4505

wife, Sonya, also residents of northwest Indiana, spearheaded the organization of a highly

successful legislative conference focusing on

important issues of concern to the ArmenianAmerican community.

The Armenian genocide is a well-documented fact. The U.S. National Archives contain numerous reports detailing the process by

which the Armenian population of the Ottoman

Empire was systematically decimated. However, there is an unsettling tendency among

both individuals and governments to forget or

blot out past atrocities. Less than 20 years

after the Armenian genocide, Adolph Hitler

embarked upon a similar extermination of European Jews. While the Jewish holocaust is

certainly as terrible an event as the Armenian

genocide, at least the Jews have had the catharsis of the world’s recognition of what happened to their people. In search of acknowledgment of what happened to their families

and ancestors between 1915 and 1923, regretfully, Armenians too often hear that their

claims of genocide are lies or exaggerations.

Unfortunately, there is still a concerted effort

to deny the existence of the Armenian genocide. As representatives of the American people, those of us who have the privilege to

serve in Congress must lead the way in shining the bright light of truth onto those who

claim that the genocide did not occur. All attempts at historical revisionism must be condemned, whether done in ignorance or simply

to avoid controversy. For example, as recently

as last year, a court in France strongly criticized a history professor for publishing literature denying the existence of the Armenian

genocide. The French court stated that the

genocide was an internationally recognized

historical fact, not subject to denial.

Although it has suffered greatly, Armenia is

once again a sovereign, independent country.

Its people are strong and determined to succeed. I am proud to support Armenia and the

many ideals which it represents. It is my sincere hope that the United States continues to

strengthen its relationship with the nation and

the people of Armenia.

In closing, I would like to commend my colleagues, Representatives PORTER and

PALLONE, for organizing this special order to

commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. This remembrance will not

only console the survivors and their families,

but may also serve to avert future atrocities.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian holocaust. One and a half million Armenians were ruthlessly slaughtered at the hands

of the Turks, a people were scattered throughout the world, a culture was defiled and

churches were demolished while their stones

were used to build shelter for the oppressors.

We can never forget this infamous and despicable chapter in history.

As Americans, we have witnessed the eternal courage and strength of the Armenian

people here in their adopted land, where they

have displayed great patriotism and valor. And

we have seen this strength in the Armenian

Republic, where its people struggle to maintain freedom and to prosper in a dangerous

world. However, these brave people cannot

stand alone. Our two great countries, the United States and the Republic of Armenia, must

stand as one.

As we commemorate the suffering of the Armenian people, we honor the spirit of the Armenian people. This spirit has endured the

unendurable. It has transformed the horror of

this holocaust into a lasting commitment to

honor those whose lives were lost and those

who continue to fight for freedom. We must

pledge that the Republic of Armenia shall

never stand alone, that America will always

stand with her and together, we will stand for

democracy, decency, and the dignity of all

people.

Mr. LAFALCE. Mr. Speaker, I join today with

millions of Armenians, human rights advocates, and ordinary caring people the world

over in observing the 80th anniversary of a

most tragic period in history—the deaths of

more than 1.5 million Armenians. Remembering this catastrophe for the Armenian people

and their culture is a difficult but necessary

part of being ever vigilant that such events do

not recur.

Yet, sadly, awareness by the many does not

always seem to stop the actions of a few. The

bombing of the Federal building in Oklahoma

City is the most recent example of this, showing once again that hatred of those who are

seemingly threatening still provides an excuse

for some to carry out massive violence against

innocents. Such hateful deeds are stunning

and incomprehensible whether they took place

80 years ago or last month, and the dislocation and dehumanization they represent must

and will be condemned and mourned.

As I observe the Armenian suffering of the

past, as a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, I also want to make

a commitment to building and maintaining a

strong and dynamic relationship between Armenia and the United States and to appending

to a memory of occupation and persecution a

future legacy of personal and sovereign freedom and security, prosperity and democracy

for the Armenian people.

Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, today I ask you

to join me in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. On April

24, 1915, under the direction of the Turkish

Ottoman Empire, a campaign of Armenian extermination began. By 1923, 1.5 million Armenians were murdered, with another 500,000

forced into Russian exile. Today we recognize

the struggle of the Armenian people to live

peacefully in their historic homeland.

Armenians in the United States and elsewhere should know that their history of suffering has not and will not be ignored. Like the

Jewish and Cambodian holocausts, the Armenian genocide stands out as one of the world’s

most morally reprehensible acts. We need to

address and trace the causal factors leading

to the rise of totalitarian governments, and ensure that the seeds of Fascism are never

again planted.

On this day, we all should take a moment

to remember those Armenians who died 80

years ago. The United States and our allies

should also reaffirm our resolve to ensure that

no nation will ever again have the opportunity

to participate in mass genocide.

Mr. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, on the night of

April 23–24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire initiated one of the great human disasters of the

modern age when it began the systematic arrest, deportation, and execution of Armenian

political, religious, educational, and intellectual

leaders. During the years that followed, more

than 1.5 million Christian Armenian men,

women, and children lost their lives and another 500,000 were cruelly uprooted from their

ancestral homes.

Today we mark the 80th anniversary of this

terrible and tragic blight on humanity. It is essential that we honor the memory of those

who perished in the Armenian genocide. But

as we remember the victims of this vicious

event, it is also essential that we renew our

determination to preserve basic human rights

for all people everywhere. I believe deeply that

the Armenian Christians so senselessly murdered 80 years ago deserve nothing less than

our utmost efforts to prevent such a tragedy

from happening again.

The efforts of the Armenian Assembly of

America, the Armenian National Committee,

and the entire Armenian-American community

have ensured that the passage of time does

not erase the memory of these terrible events

which started 80 years ago. In these efforts,

they have performed a great service for all

people and I want to take this opportunity

today to recognize and to honor their very important work.

Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate the 80th

anniversary of the Armenian genocide, we

pause to remember its 1.5 million victims and

all those who have suffered crimes against humanity. And, in doing so, we reaffirm our

pledge that such crimes will not be repeated.

Mr. ZIMMER. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege

to join my colleagues today in remembering

and honoring the 11⁄2 million Armenians who

were victims of a brutal campaign of genocide

between 1915 and 1923 by the Ottoman Empire and its successor state.

This systematic campaign of murder and

forced exile is one of the darkest events in this

century, and as we recognize it we should

also vow to do whatever we can to help prevent such atrocities again.

Today, we honor those who fell in the Armenian genocide. But we also honor the spirit of

perseverance and courage that has enabled

Armenians to transcend such horrible destruction by surviving not only as individuals but

also as a vital people.

Eighty years after the onset of the genocide,

Armenia is an independent, democratic state.

It was the first among the former Soviet Republics to privatize agricultural land and livestock production, and it is working hard to

build a strong economy despite tremendous

obstacles, both natural and manmade. The

1988 earthquake continues to leave deep

scars, and the blockade of Armenia’s rail lines

and roads has severely limited international

trade. Turkey’s refusal to allow humanitarian

relief to pass through its territory to Armenia

also has taken a tragic human toll.

Armenians time and again have displayed

enormous courage in the face of adversity,

and it is that quality that we commemorate the

most here today, even as we honor those Armenians who suffered the evil of the genocide

eight decades ago.

Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

join my colleagues to commemorate the 80th

anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915

to 1923 and pay tribute to the more than 1.5

million Armenians killed by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. I commend my colleagues, Congressman PORTER and Congressman

PALLONE, for arranging this special order to

observe this horrific day in world history.

On this date, 80 years ago, the Ottoman

Turkish Government launched their systematic

and deliberate campaign of genocide against
H 4506 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

the Armenian people. This violent campaign

resulted in the deaths of over one-third of the

Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire and the exile of approximately 500,000

Armenians from their homeland.

In 1915, the New York Times reported on

the devastating suffering and victimization of

the people of Armenia. A reporter noted that

children under 15 were thrown into the Euphrates to be drowned; women were forced to

desert infants and to leave them by the roadside to die; young women and girls were appropriated by the Turks and thrown into harems. They also reported on the murder and

torture of men and the turning of women and

children into the desert where thousands perished of starvation.

Unfortunately, the persecution of the Armenians did not end in 1923, but continues

today. Since 1988, the Nagorno-Karabakh

conflict involving Armenia and Azerbaijan, has

left more than 1,500 Armenians dead and

hundreds of thousands of refugees in the

three territories. A withering blockage of economic disruption has made everyday life a

struggle for Armenians. Acquiring necessities

for survival has become a great obstacle.

As a member of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, I have been working with my

colleagues on the caucus on issues which effect the Armenian community. Recently, I

joined my colleagues in sending a letter to

President Clinton asking him to discuss with

Prime Minister of Turkey, Tansu Ciller the continuing pattern of misguided and punitive policies toward the Republic of Armenia by Turkey. I also joined my colleagues in sending

the President a letter asking him to join the

Congressional Armenian Caucus in reaffirming

the American record on the Armenian genocide and to honor the memory of the survivors.

In addition, I urge my colleagues in joining

me in cosponsoring House Concurrent Resolution 47, honoring the memory of the victims

of the Armenian genocide. It calls for the United States to encourage the Republic of Turkey

to acknowledge and commemorate the atrocity

committed against the Armenian population of

the Ottoman Empire from 1915–1923.

It is my hope that next year when we remember the 81st anniversary of Armenian

Martyrs Day we will be able to celebrate a restored peace to the Armenian people and confidently proclaim that never again will the

world allow such a senseless tragedy to occur.

Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues tonight in commemorating the 80th

anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The

20th century has tragically been marked by

campaigns of ethnic, racial, and religious

genocides that have indelibly stained the annals of human history.

The unforgivable fact, Mr. Speaker, is that

the world was silent in the face of the first systematic, bloody effort to eliminate an entire

group of people—the Armenian people. On

April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Turks unleashed

the forces of hatred and death throughout their

empire, wreaking havoc on unsuspecting Armenian men, women, and children. An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands

of the Ottoman Turks through ruthless

marches of forced starvation and endless

waves of bloody massacres.

Mr. Speaker, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide to remember the heroic spirits of these fallen victims,

and to render justice to their cause. It is difficult to grasp the concept that man is capable

of such a barbarous monstrosity, of such ruthless depravity. But yet this century is littered

with the victims of racial hatred and intolerance. The Armenian people, however, have

the unenviable distinction of being the first

community to fall victim to this heinous crime

against humanity—a crime that we must never

allow to be expunged from our memory.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, we observe the Armenian genocide tonight so not to forget. We

remember the horrific conflagration that engulfed the lives of 1.5 million innocent men,

women, and children so that governments

around the world will know that they will be

held accountable for their actions. Let it be

known that there is not enough time in eternity

to wipe out the memory of the first genocide

of the 20th century—the first systematic campaign to exterminate a whole race of people.

Eight decades have now come and gone

since this tragic event unfolded and, yet, the

Turkish Government continues to deny the undeniable and refute the unrefutable. Although

it is difficult, to say the least, for any generation to recognize the atrocities committed by

their parents or their parents’ parents, true

healing can never occur until Turkey acknowledges its role in orchestrating the Armenian

genocide.

Mr. Speaker, the Armenians around the

world demand no less, and the United States

of America cannot ask for any less.

Mr. MCNULTY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay

tribute to the memory of the more than 1.5

million innocent Armenian men, women, and

children exterminated by the Ottoman Turks in

1915—and the more than 1 million Armenians

who were forced into exile from their ancestral

homeland of 3,000 years.

Three years later, Henry Morgenthau, United States Ambassador to Turkey, wrote in his

memoir, ‘‘Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story’’:

When the Turkish authorities gave the

order for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race;

they understood this well, and, in their conversations with me, they made no particular

attempt to conceal this fact.

The survivors of this deportation made their

homes in different lands. They formed the

core of what became the largest Armenian

community in the Diaspora. In the United

States, Armenians—proud of their heritage—

have dedicated themselves to the preservation

of democracy. And I was proud to be in

Yerevan when the Armenian people declared

their independence from the Soviet Union in

1991. But the memories of the horrible nightmare of 1915 are deeply ingrained in their

memories.

In this age of genocide—the Armenian

genocide, the Holocaust, and the genocides

being perpetrated upon the innocent in other

countries—the members of the Armenian community stand shoulder to shoulder with all who

cherish freedom and human dignity in seeking

an end to these crimes against humanity.

In commemoration of the 80th anniversary

of the Armenian genocide, I am proud to join

my colleagues in supporting legislation which

would honor the victims and survivors of this

tragedy. The United States must take a principled stand on this issue and encourage Turkey to acknowledge and commemorate this

sad page in its history.

If Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish

Republic, was able to condemn these massacres by his predecessors, the leaders of

present-day Turkey can do no less.

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The Ottoman Empire, between 1915 and 1923, tried to advance its political interests by committing genocide against

the Armenian people. The genocide of the Armenian people is widely recognized as the

first genocide of the 20th century. Each year,

throughout the United States and the world,

Armenians and all people of good conscience

pause to remember the 1.5 million victims of

this crime against humanity.

While these crimes are in the past, their significance has not faded from the consciousness of Armenia. The victims of these massacres not only represent the attempts of an

oppressive regime to extinguish the dignity

and spirit of a people, but also of the consequences of permitting such a regime to go

unchecked.

By recognizing the victims of this act of

genocide, we commemorate both their sacrifices and those who have perished in the

name of freedom since. In addition, recognition of this atrocity will help erase the vestiges

of an era in which propaganda and deceit held

precedent over truth and human dignity. The

United States must take a stand and encourage other countries to do the same. We must

always voice our firm opposition to the use of

violence and repression as tools of government.

Mr. Speaker, with the dawn of the post-coldwar era, and the emergence and development

of newly independent nations, it is more important than ever for the United States to directly convey its rich tradition of respect for

fundamental human rights. It is for this reason

that I rise today to remember the anniversary

of the Armenian genocide.

Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in

memory of people killed in an event so horrific

that at the time, there was no word to describe

it. I am referring to the mass slaughter of Armenians that began on April 24, 1915. The Armenian people endured a forced deportation

from their homes that turned into a death

march. It is estimated that more than 1 million

Armenians died during this tragic event. Today

we have a word for crimes like this: genocide.

And we have learned as well the result

when genocide is allowed to be carried out

with impunity. Adolf Hitler asked rhetorically,

‘‘Who remembers the Armenians?’’ He used

the example of the atrocities against the Armenians to reassure his followers that no one

would care if he exterminated the Jewish people.

It would be wonderful to say that, following

the hardships inflicted upon them in the early

part of this century, the Armenian people have

been able to enjoy peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, that is far from the case. Instead,

decades of Communist rule meant hunger and

deprivation. The Soviet Union has collapsed,

but Armenia is surrounded by hostile neighbors, and Armenians are enduring a blockade

against all goods, including humanitarian assistance.

There would be no more fitting memorial to

those who died in Armenia than to build a just

and lasting peace for all people. To do otherwise would be to condone genocide.
May 2, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE H 4507

Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to

call attention to a grim and shameful chapter

in world history: the perpetration of a genocide

against Armenian men, women, and children

carried out with brutal precision during the

waning days of the Ottoman Empire. On this

solemn day of remembrance, I join Armenians

throughout the United States, in Armenia, and

around the world in commemorating the 80th

anniversary of this horrific period.

In 1915, a systematic massacre of Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders

began. Continuing until 1923, the cruelty and

ruthlessness which marked this campaign of

terror still shock us 80 years later. Between

1915 and 1923, 1.5 million Armenians lost

their lives, and more than 500,000 were expelled from their homes. Innocent Armenians

were rounded up and sent away to unknown

destinations to be murdered. Uncovered by a

researcher only a few years ago, a report from

a United States consul stationed in eastern

Turkey from 1914 to 1917 provides disturbing

details of this coordinated effort to commit

genocide against the Armenian people. This

record of cold-blooded murder is harrowing.

Despite the calculated attempt to purge the

Armenian people from their land and erase Armenian culture and traditions, today the Republic of Armenia is emerging as a vital and

progressive nation committed to establishing

democratic institutions. The Armenian Government has drafted a constitution, launched a

program of industrial reform, privatized agricultural land, and made substantial progress in

small-enterprise privatization. Armenia also

has taken steps toward resolving the

Karabakh conflict and moved to stabilize its

economy based upon free-market principles.

I am pleased that our government has recognized the importance of Armenia and has

been working closely with international lending

institutions to help ease Armenia’s transition to

a market economy. Through a comprehensive

assistance program, USAID has funded numerous initiatives in Armenia, including one

aimed at improving the distribution of muchneeded commodities such as kerosene. Armenia has cooperated with the World Bank and

the International Monetary Fund, made the difficult fiscal decisions necessary to construct a

market-based economy, and steadily progressed toward a free and open democratic

system.

As we mark the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, we join with our Armenian

friends in remembering those who lost their

lives in the early years of this century. While

we reflect upon the past and dedicate ourselves to preserving the history of this humanitarian disaster, we also look forward. We look

forward to a future in which Armenia will, we

hope, grow prosperous, achieve economic

strength, and, above all else, enjoy peace.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I

rise to commemorate the Armenian genocide,

which began 80 years ago, when the Ottoman

Empire launched the first of this century’s

campaigns against an entire people. It has become traditional for friends of Armenia to mark

this awful April anniversary with them, to demonstrate our solidarity and to express the determination never again to allow such a horror

to take place.

Though April 24 is the date singled out to

mark the catastrophe, the actual process of

genocide took place over a period of years.

During that nightmarish era, which lasted from

1915 to 1923, some 1.5 million Armenians

were brutalized, tortured, massacred, starved,

deported, and force-marched to death.

But, the Armenian spirit survived intact this

ruthless assault. Steeled by adversity, many of

the survivors came to the United States,

where they could nurse their physical and

emotional wounds, and begin their lives anew.

The community of new arrivals prospered in

America, contributing to our cultural development, enhancing our diversity, and influencing

our political process.

American-Armenians never forgot their origins, or the horrific circumstances of the flight

and exile from their native lands. The Armenian Apostolic Church has nurtured the spiritual growth and national consciousness of its

flock. Armenian-Americans resolved to mark

the atrocities and exile every year, to keep the

memory of their relatives alive, not to let the

world forget. And, they have consistently

preached the message that what happened to

the Armenians must never be permitted to

happen again to anyone else. With this universal message, I—and other Members of this

body—have often expressed our solidarity. I

do so again today, in sorrow and in pride, with

a strengthened sense of dedication, as I think

about independent Armenia.

In commemorating the Armenian genocide,

we mourn the dead and recall the suffering

and sacrifice of the victims. Yet, we also reflect upon the heroic, moving odyssey of the

Armenian people in modern times. During the

20th century, the Armenians have lived

through their worst moment—the genocide—

and their best, most exhilarating moment as

well: the restoration of an independent Armenian state, after centuries of dreaming and

struggle on behalf of that cause.

The people of independent Armenia have

gone through very difficult times, coping with

the consequences of the Nagorno-Karabakh

conflict, as well as a wrenching transition from

Communist misrule to pluralism and a market

economy. But throughout, the Armenian people have demonstrated the sturdiness of character and perseverance that have become

their hallmark. Their spirit remains strong, despite the deprivations they have endured; their

commitment to democracy, and to Armenian

nationhood and statehood, has not faltered.

Thankfully, a ceasefire in the NagornoKarabakh conflict has been in place since May

1994. We all hope the ongoing multilateral

talks in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will soon lead to a peaceful conference and a negotiated settlement.

The survivors of the 1915 horror and their descendants could enjoy no better gift, all the

more treasured for having been so hard-won,

than peace and prosperity for a rejuvenated

Armenia that will surely stun the world with its

enterprise and success. Nor could the memories of the victims of 1915–1923 be better

honored, a worthy goal for all of us to strive

for, as we note this solemn anniversary.

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate one of the most tragic events of the

20th century, and indeed, of all recorded history, the Armenian genocide. This year the

world marks the 80th anniversary of the century’s first calculated campaign of official mass

murder.

In 1915, the Ottoman Turkish Empire undertook a deliberately planned effort to exterminate the Armenian people. The Ottoman Turks

were responsible for the deaths of more than

one million Armenian men, women and children. This vicious campaign of genocide was

only halted by the Ottoman Empire’s defeat by

the Allies in 1918.

Unfortunately, the Armenian genocide has

been largely forgotten by the people of the

world. It has been reported that on the eve of

the beginning of his ‘‘Final Solution,’’ Adolf Hitler cynically remarked that the world would

stand by and allow him to murder the European Jews, because, he asked ‘‘who today remembers the Armenians?’’

Just as we remember the Holocaust, we

must honor the memory of the victims of the

Armenian genocide, so that future generations

never forget these monumental crimes against

humanity nor fail to realize the human potential for profound evil.

In the first 80 years of this century, the

world witnessed the Armenian genocide, Stalin’s mass murder of the Kulaks and millions of

political opponents, the Holocaust, the millions

of dead in Mao’s cultural revolution, and Pol

Pot’s liquidation of more than a million Cambodians. In our own time we have witnessed

the ethnic cleansing of the Bosnian Moslems

and the brutal tribal mass murders in central

Africa.

We must not disgrace the memories of the

victims of the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide and this century’s other countless victims

of institutional mass murder by standing by

and allowing the Bosnian Moslems to be

exterminated as the killing begins anew in the

former Yugoslavia. We must act to make the

words, ‘‘never again,’’ a reality. We must stop

history from once again repeating itself. I can

think of no better way to commemorate the

victims of the Armenian genocide.

Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speaker, as a

long-time friend of the Armenian-American

community, I am once again proud to join my

colleagues in our annual special order commemorating the Armenian genocide of 1915—

to take time to honor the victims and survivors

of this atrocity and pay our respects to their

families.

Persecution of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire began toward the end of the 19th

century and increased through the beginning

of the 20th century. On April 24, 1915—the

date that symbolizes for Armenians the beginning of the Armenian genocide—over 200 religious, political and intellectual leaders of the

Armenian community were arrested, exiled

and murdered. Armenian representation in

Turkey was eliminated. In a single night, the

voice of the Armenian nation in Turkey was silenced.

From that infamous date until 1923, 1.5 million Armenians died from the Ottoman Empire’s attempts to eliminate the Armenian people. According to the United States Ambassador to Turkey at that time, ‘‘When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death

warrant to a whole race; they understood this

well and in their conversations with me, they

made no particular attempt to conceal the

fact.’’

Mr. Speaker, we must remember this deplorable example of man’s inhumanity towards

his fellow man, so that we can renew both our

responsibility and our pledge to prevent the

repetition of similar atrocities against any other

people anywhere in the world. I thank my colleagues, Mr. PALLONE of New Jersey and Mr.

PORTER of Illinois, for calling this special order
H 4508 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE May 2, 1995

and focusing our attention on this horrible

blight on our history.

Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915 to 1923.

Today, we are marking the anniversary of a

terrible time for the Armenian people, a time of

tragic oppression and horrific suffering. April

24, 1915, marks the date when many Armenians were uprooted and deported from Turkish Armenia, dying of starvation, disease, and

massacres. An estimated one and a half million people died during the period 1915–1923,

the victims of the last years of the Ottoman

Empire.

In recalling those awful days, we are also

commemorating the strength of the Armenian

people whose fortitude of character and culture gave them the will to triumph over their

tragedy. In our own country, Armenian-Americans have flourished. Their individual accomplishments have contributed greatly to the

wealth of our Nation. Their achievements are

a moving testimony to the truth that tyranny

cannot extinguish the human spirit.

In remembering this tragedy, we are remembering as well other acts of savagery and

genocide in human history. Murder and destruction have not been eliminated from this

Earth. In Bosnia today evil men and women

still seek to exterminate a people and eliminate their culture. We end this century as we

began it: with the death of innocents on the

altar of tyranny.

By marking this day the Armenian genocide,

we, the American people, are renewing our

commitment to oppose the persecution of any

people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join

with me in remembering the tragedy of the Armenian people and in renewing our commitment to human rights.

Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to join

my colleagues today in remembrance of the

tragedy that overtook the Armenian people in

the years 1915–23.

Extensive massacres of Armenians took

place in eastern Anatolia during the latter

years of the Ottoman Empire. Those events

have indelibly and permanently marked the

consciousness of many Americans, including

Americans of Armenian descent, who commemorate April 24, 1995, as a national day of

remembrance of man’s inhumanity to man and

a special day of remembrance for the Armenian victims of these tragic events in the early

years of this century.

April 24 this year marks the 80th anniversary of this calamity. It is appropriate on this

occasion to direct our attention and prayers to

the memory of the men, women, and children—most scholars believe more than 1 million—who died in these tragic events.

It is in the interest of all of us and in the interest of mankind that this type of tragedy not

occur again. The leading organizations of the

Armenian-American community have been

seeking to work within our political system for

a statement concerning these critical events in

their heritage. I feel we should work with them

in a constructive fashion and this is why it is

important for us to recognize this day of remembrance. No one can deny these events

and the centrality of these events in modern

Armenian history. I am proud to be associated

today with my colleagues in this important day

of remembrance.

The Republic of Armenia, a country of 3.3

million people, is developing important ties

with the United States. Americans have an interest in the economic development of Armenia, its progress toward a free-market economy, and its development of democratic institutions. We want to work for the earliest possible end to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

We want to work with Armenia and its neighbors to promote peace, stability, and economic

progress in the Caucasus region. As a small

step in this direction, I welcome Turkey’s decision to restore an air corridor to Armenia for

humanitarian relief. I hope that the Government of Turkey will take additional steps to reopen a land corridor to Armenia. There is no

better way to honor the misdeeds of the past

than to rededicate ourselves to a better future,

for Armenia and all the people and states of

the region.

We should also use this occasion to rededicate ourselves to the cause of human rights.

I commend those governments, private organizations, and individuals, including Armenians

and the Armenian-American community, who

are working toward this end. I hope that their

efforts will make the world a safer place,

where innocent people no longer suffer the

unspeakable crimes of war and terror.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask

GENERAL LEAVE

funanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days within

which to revise and extend their remarks on the special order just given.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there

objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey?

There was no objection.

By unanimous consent, leave of abLEAVE OF ABSENCE

fsence was granted to:

Mr. SAXTON (at the request of Mr.

ARMEY), for today on account of preparation for Base Realignment and Closure Commission hearing.

Mr. ROGERS (at the request of Mr.

ARMEY), for today, on account of illness in the family.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (at the request of

Mr. ARMEY), for today, on account of

illness in the family.

Mr. MENENDEZ (at the request of Mr.

GEPHARDT), for today, on account of official business.

Mr. BAESLER (at the request of Mr.

GEPHARDT), for today, on account of a

death in the family.

Mr. MORAN (at the request of Mr.

GEPHARDT), for today after 2:30 p.m.

and tomorrow, on account of illness in

the family.

By unanimous consent, permission to

SPECIAL ORDERS GRANTED

faddress the House, following the legislative program and any special orders

heretofore entered, was granted to:

(The following Members (at the request of Ms. JACKSON-LEE) to revise

and extend their remarks and include

extraneous material:)

Ms. KAPTUR, for 5 minutes, today.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE, for 5 minutes,

today.

Mr. HOYER, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. MFUME, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. WYNN, for 5 minutes, today.

Ms. DELAURO, for 5 minutes, today.

Mrs. SCHROEDER, for 5 minutes,

today.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. MINETA, for 5 minutes, today.

Ms. NORTON, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. HAMILTON, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. GIBBONS, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, for 5

minutes today.

(The following Members (at the request of Mr. WAMP) to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material:)

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, for 5

minutes today.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART, for 5 minutes,

today.

EXTENSION OF REMARKS

fBy unanimous consent, permission to

revise and extend remarks was granted

to:

(The following Members (at the request of Ms. JACKSON-LEE) and to include extraneous matter:)

Mr. MILLER of California.

Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts.

Mr. BERMAN in two instances.

Mr. HAMILTON in three instances.

Mr. OBERSTAR.

Mr. MOAKLEY.

Ms. DELAURO.

Mrs. MALONEY in three instances.

Mrs. LOWEY.

Mr. LEVIN.

Mr. FAZIO of California.

Mr. TOWNS in eight instances.

Mr. MENENDEZ in four instances.

Mr. BEILENSON.

Mr. GEJDENSON.

Mr. COLEMAN.

Mr. LANTOS.

Mr. GEPHARDT.

Mr. NADLER in two instances.

Mr. COSTELLO.

Ms. KAPTUR.

Mr. GONZALEZ.

Mr. BONIOR in two instances.

(The following Members (at the request of Mr. WAMP) and to include extraneous matter:)

Mr. RADANOVICH.

Mr. LARGENT.

Mr. CLINGER.

Mrs. MORELLA.

Mr. DAVIS.

Mr. BAKER of California in three instances.

Mr. FORBES.

Mr. BUNNING.

Mr. WOLF.

Mr. SOLOMON in two instances.

Mr. BURTON of Indiana.

Mr. ZELIFF.

Mr. BOEHLERT.

Mr. COBLE.

Mr. SPENCE.

Mr. MARTINI.

Mr. ZIMMER.