Janice Schakowsky: “I rise today on this somber occasion to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and to remind our nation…”

“I rise today on this somber occasion to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and to remind our nation and the world about one of the greatest tragedies and darkest moments of the 20th Century. On April 24, 1915, the Armenian Genocide began. Within the next eight years, 1.5 million Armenians had been massacred and 500,000 more had been deported during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. They were denied their freedom, deprived of their possessions, and systematically massacred. For those who have spent years attempting to refute the facts or minimize the extent of this tragedy, the facts are indisputable. The Armenian Genocide is a fact, a disturbing fact. Those who deny it are guilty of historical sabotage, and just as guilty as those who continue to deny that six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust in Europe. I am certain that years from now some will also deny the human tragedy and ethnic cleansing taking place in Kosovo today. Many survivors of the Armenian Genocide came to America in search of freedom. Their stories, passed from one generation to the next, serve as a record of the horrors faced by millions. Their stories will help in our efforts to ensure that history is not distorted and that future generations are fully aware of what truly happened. On this solemn day, I commend Armenian Americans for their contributions to our nation and join with them in paying tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.”