Maurice Hinchey: “I rise in remembrance to mark one of the most horrific tragedies of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide. On this…”

“I rise in remembrance to mark one of the most horrific tragedies of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide. On this date in 1915, leaders of the Ottoman Empire began murdering thousands of Armenian people. By 1923, the number of Armenians murdered was over 1.5 million. In spite of irrefutable evidence, the United States of America and the Republic of Turkey have consistently refused to officially acknowledge that the Armenians were victims of genocide. The Armenian Genocide is a historical event that cannot be denied or forgotten. It is vital for Turkey to accept recognition of this tragedy taking place on its soil. Turkey must follow the example of Germany in its swift commendation and acknowledgement of the Holocaust. In 2000 the European Parliament officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. The following year the French Parliament recognized it as well. Many attempts have also been made by the U.S. Congress to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. These attempts, however, have been scuttled by successive administrations for fear of disrupting our strategic relationship with Turkey. While I certainly value Turkey's friendship, as a world leader, the U.S. must officially acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Not doing so sets an extremely poor example for the rest of the world and denies the victims of this horrific tragedy the proper reverence they deserve.”