Rep. Schiff launches Armenian Genocide Congressional Record Campaign

May 6, 2010 - 17:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) launched an effort to parallel H. Res. 252, the Congressional resolution he introduced to recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, by calling on survivors of the genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, as well as their family members and descendants, to submit their stories and memories for inclusion into the Congressional Record, Rep. Schiff’s spokesperson Maureen Shanahan told PanARMENIAN.Net

Survivors of the genocide and their families from throughout the country are encouraged to send Congressman Schiff the story of what happened to their family during the Genocide. The Congressman will then make these accounts a part of the Congressional Record - the nation's enduring record of proceedings before Congress.

"Let us fill the Congressional Record with the personal histories of those who survived the genocide and their families," Rep. Schiff said. "While there are still some survivors left, we can use the official record of the Congress to document the first genocide of the last century. This can become an important resource for historians, a vital part of our nation's archives, and a part of the continuing effort to educate Members of Congress as we move forward with the genocide resolution," Rep. Schiff said.

While the Armenian Genocide has been recognized by more than 20 nations including Canada, Italy, Sweden, France, Argentina and Russia, as well as the European Parliament, it has not been formally recognized by the U.S. Congress in decades.

Congressman Schiff is the primary sponsor of H. Res. 252, the Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide, which calls on the President and the U.S. Government to properly recognize the atrocities that occurred in Armenia beginning in 1915, and which resulted in 1.5 million deaths, as genocide.

On April 22, Rep. Schiff sent a letter to President Obama, again urging him to properly characterize the murder of 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children as "genocide" in his statement marking the April 24 anniversary of the start of the genocide. The President's statement fell tragically short, failing to speak plainly of the genocide, to the great consternation of the survivors and their descendants.

On April 24, Rep. Schiff joined members of the community to commemorate the Armenian Genocide.

Rep. Schiff is also the co-author of the California State law allowing family members of Armenian Genocide victims to request payment on the life-insurance policies of relatives. He represents California's 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.

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.