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Armenian National Committee of New York
P.O. Box 770-693, Woodside, NY 11377
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release ~ 2008-04-25
Contact: Doug Geogerian ~ 646-468-9061 |
CONG. PETER KING (R-NY-3) OFFERS REMARKS FOR CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
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---Follows Appeal by Arch. Oshagan Choloyan and genocide survivor Alice Shnorhokian |
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 New York, NY --- Congressman Peter King (R-NY-3) reaffirmed the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide in remarks offered for the Congressional Record on Thursday, April 24, 2008 reported the Armenian National Committee of New York (ANC of NY).
The issued statement was in response to appeals made by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and genocide survivor Alice Shnorhokian who were joined by representatives of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) to ask that the congressman support the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H. Res. 106, during a meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 in Washington, DC.
Speaking at the meeting, Cong. King told the delegation of Armenian community leaders that he has always known that the events of 1915 constituted genocide, and pledged to include such language in a statement to be offered for the Congressional Record.
In his remarks, he stated: “Today I rise to mark the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide which began on this date ninety-three years ago. From 1915-1923 the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation of approximately 2 million Armenian men, women, and children from their homeland of which 1.5 million were killed. And to this day, neither the Ottoman nor Turkish governments have been held to account for their involvement.”
Among those present at the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of Soorp Khatch Armenian Church of Bethesda, Maryland; ANCA National Board member Onnik Petrossian; ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Karine Birazian; ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian; ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian; Henry Dumanian, a constituent; and Vahig Shnorhokian and Tsoleen Sarian, grandchildren of Alice Shnorhokian.
After learning of the congressman’s statement, ANC of NY Chairman Doug Geogerian said: "We greatly appreciate the congressman’s affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. We look forward to his support for getting the entire House of Representatives to vote in favor of the Armenian Genocide resolution, H. Res. 106.”
The Armenian National Committee of New York is part of the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
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Photo Caption #1: Left to Right: Rev. Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of Soorp Khatch Armenian Church of Bethesda, Maryland, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Armenian Genocide survivor Alice Shnorhokian, Rep. Peter King, and ANCA ER Director Karine Birazian
Remarks of Cong. Peter King (R-NY-3) on April 24, 2008:
Madam Speaker, today I rise to mark the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide which began on this date ninety-three years ago. From 1915-1923 the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation of approximately 2 million Armenian men, women, and children from their homeland of which 1.5 million were killed. And to this day, neither the Ottoman nor Turkish governments have been held to account for their involvement.
The 20th Century witnessed some of the worst violence and atrocities in history: the attempted extermination of the Jewish People during the Holocaust, Tutsis slaughtering Hutus in Rwanda, Stalin’s campaign of mass murder and starvation, the killing fields of Cambodia, and, of course, the Armenian Genocide. Millions upon millions of innocent people were killed solely because of the color of their skin, the tribe they belonged to, or the religion they practiced.
As you know, too often in the past the world has stood by or looked the other way when genocide was taking place. And now we see it happening once again in Darfur. We most stop this horrible violence taking place in Sudan at once and make sure genocide is never repeated anywhere around the world. The call of “never again” must not just be exclaimed but rather acted upon.
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