REAFFIRMATION AND COMMEMORATION
The Armenian Council of America strongly supports official recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Reaffirming the American record on the Armenian Genocide ensures that other crimes against humanity are not repeated. Passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution will encourage our ally Turkey to come to terms with its past.
Background
- On April 24, 1915, the Turkish government placed under arrest over 250 leaders of the Armenian community in Constantinople (president day Istanbul).
- During the period of 1915-1923, 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were killed in the Ottoman Empire and over a half million survivors were exiled.
- The United States National Archives contains thousands of pages documenting eyewitness accounts by American diplomats and missionaries of the atrocities.
- The United States launched humanitarian relief missions to protect the survivors.
- Forty-two states have resolutions reaffirming the Armenian Genocide.
- Twenty-one countries have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Position
- The present U.S. Administration should continuously reaffirm the U.S. record and properly commemorate the Armenian Genocide in his official statement on April 24th.
- Congress should adopt the Armenian Genocide Resolution
