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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Robert Dold (R-IL), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, released the following statement on the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
“More than 100 years have passed since the start of the Armenian Genocide and the time is long overdue to acknowledge the atrocities committed against the Armenian people for exactly what they were – genocide. As we commemorate this anniversary across the country and around the world, we remember the lives of the one and a half million Armenians who were needlessly slaughtered by Ottoman Turks during the 20th century’s first genocide. We must join together to renew our commitment to prevent and end injustices where ever they exist. Turkey must also come to terms with its own history and remove their shrouded policy of denial from covering up one of the most horrific tragedies in world history.
“As Pope Francis has said, ‘concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it.’ Continued denial of this magnitude manifests itself in the continued demonization of a people who were demonized simply for being Armenian, whether in the United States, in Armenia, or in Nagorno Karabakh. We remain deeply disappointed that President Obama chose to, once again, omit the word ‘genocide’ from his annual statement in his final year as president. We must acknowledge the facts. And the facts are that what happened to the Armenians a century ago was genocide.”