Congressman Kennedy cosponsors House Resolution 227 on Genocide

December 7, 2013 - 10:24 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts (ANC-MA) has welcomed first-term Congressman Joseph Kennedy's (D-MA-4) decision to cosponsor House Resolution 227, the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution. The bill is a measure to end U.S. complicity in Turkey's Genocide denial campaign and put America back on the side of a truthful and just international resolution of Turkey's still unpunished crime against the Armenian nation, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

ANC of Massachusetts activists Greg Kanarian and John Daghlian joined ANCA Eastern Region Board Member Steve Mesrobian at a November 26, 2013 meeting with Rep. Kennedy. During this meeting they covered a wide variety of topics. Among the subjects covered in these talks were the Congressman’s long family support for the Armenian cause, H.Res.227, the Armenian Orphan Rug issue, the future of Armenian Churches in Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh, and U.S.-Armenia relations — with special attention to increased bilateral trade and investment.

“We are pleased to see Rep. Kennedy supporting House Resolution 227, in the spirit of his family's noble tradition of supporting the Armenian Cause and consistent with the Massachusetts' Congressional delegations longstanding backing for the national and democratic aspirations of the Armenian nation," said ANCA national and regional leader Steve Mesrobian, a local constituent of the Congressman. "We look forward to continuing to work closely with Representative Kennedy and to supporting his work on issues of concern to our community."

The Armenian Genocide resolution

The resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide (H.Res.252) was formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-CA), George Radanovich (R.-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill). On March 4, 2010 it was adopted with a 22-21 vote by the House Committee on Foreign Relations. A similar resolution was introduced in the Senate.

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.