SEN. CHAFEE RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The Armenian National Committee of Rhode Island reported an important victory in gaining U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide when Senator Lincoln Chafee had the following remarks entered into the congressional record on Monday, April 25, 2005:
“Mr. President, yesterday marked the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. A date of great significance for many Rhode Islanders, and growing in significance for all Americans, this day not only commemorates the atrocities of the past, but also reminds us that it must not happen again. Remembering the victims is our duty to the past and to the future.
The term ``genocide'' did not even exist when these atrocities occurred from 1915 to 1923, yet the numbers are staggering. Over 1.5 million people perished. Over 500,000 people were forcibly removed from their homes and their homeland. Armenian religious, political, and intellectual leaders were killed. Men were removed from their families and women and children were left vulnerable to deportation, kidnapping, and starvation, and 132,000 Armenian orphans became foster children in American families.”
Senator Chafee joined over forty members of Congress, who issued special order speeches on the occasion of the 90 th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Official U.S. recognition of the genocide now enjoys the support of every member of Congress from New England. The Senator's statement resulted from the ANC of RI's five year effort of reaching out to Chafee, who dealt a significant blow to the Turkey's campaign of pressuring the U.S. government to deny the Armenian Genocide. “We applaud Senator Chafee for taking a principled stand through his recognition of the Armenian Genocide. His decision is yet another confirmation of the valuable work achieved by the ANC of Rhode Island in advocating for the interests of Armenians and pursuing the advancement of human rights,” said Steve Mesrobian, Chair of ANC of Rhode Island.
During visits to Congressional office in Washington D.C. on April 20 th , the ANC of Rhode Island brought a large group of concerned constituents accompanied by Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian to meet with Senator Chafee. Most of the discussion centered around gaining Senator Chafee's support on genocide recognition. During the meeting, the Senator indicated that he had been reconsidering his views on the issue.
“We are grateful for the stand Senator Chafee's has taken on the Armenian genocide and thank him for standing with the 15,000 Armenians in Rhode Island who continue to remember the 1.5 million victims of the genocide. To have the Senator's comments made this week, means that Rhode Island is one of few states to have the entire delegation recognizing the genocide, and adds to the work that so many Rhode Islanders have done to commemorate the 90 th anniversary of the genocide,” said Mayor Avedisian.
At an Observance of the Armenian Genocide on Capital Hill, the co-chairs of the Armenian Issues Caucus announced that they would soon introduce a genocide resolution, similar to H.R. 398, which would have passed in 2000 had President Clinton not intervened and prevented a vote in the House of Representatives. The ANC of Rhode Island will look forward to the Senator's support of the bill in the coming weeks.
Link