April 5, 1990

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 113

INTRODUCED MARCH 22, 1990

By Assemblymen HAYTAIAN, DORIA, Russo, Littell, Assemblywoman Ford and Assemblyman Felice

AN ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION memorializing the Congress of the United States to pass, and the President of the United States to sign, Senate Joint Resolution 212 and House Joint Resolution 417 which would designate April 24th, 1990 as Armenian Martyrs' Day.

WHEREAS, The Armenian people have made substantial contributions to the scientific, cultural and artistic life of the United States in the years following their forced departure from Armenia; and

WHEREAS, The United States has always been a haven for the persecuted and oppressed, whether by reason of religion or nationality; and

WHEREAS, The United States has also not failed to recognize the injustices perpetuated by its own government and has in a spirit of justice and humanity attempted to rectify them, as in the case of compensation to be granted to those of Japanese descent interned during World War II; and

WHEREAS, April 24, 1990 will be commemorated by Armenians in this country and throughout the world as the seventy-fifth anniversary of Armenian Martyrs' Day in remembrance of the time seventy-five years ago when 235 Armenian civic, political, religious and intellectual leaders were arrested, tortured, and eventually murdered in Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks, an event which was followed by the widespread persecution, expulsion and killing of the Armenians, resulting in the first instance of genocide in this century; and

WHEREAS, Senate Joint Resolution 212 and House Joint Resolution 417 have been introduced in the Congress of the United States designating April 24, 1990 as "Armenian Martyrs' Day," commemorating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the systematic destruction of the Armenian people in the period from 1915 to 1923, and calling on the people of the United States to join the millions of Armenians and other people around the world to observe April 24th as a day of national remembrance of the one-and-one half million Armenian people who were victims of the genocide of the governments of the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923; and

WHEREAS, Adolph Hitler said, when questioned as to the "final solution" to the Jewish question, "Who remembers the Armenians?"; and

WHEREAS, The United States, as represented by the Congress and the President, should be mindful of these tragic events, should further assure that no future tyrant may ever ask the question asked by Hitler, and act in a spirit of justice and humanity to designate April 24, 1990 as Armenian Martyrs' Day; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House respectfully memorializes the Congress of the United States to pass, and the President of the United States to sign, Senate Joint Resolution 212 and House Joint Resolution 417 which would designate April 24, 1990 as Armenian Martyrs' Day and thereby recognize that the tragic events of 1915 and of later years did actually happen and should be remembered by those of us living today.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and every member of Congress from this States.

STATEMENT

This resolution memorializes the Congress of the United States to pass, and the President to sign, Senate Joint Resolution 212 and House Joint Resolution 417 which would designate April 24, 1990 as Armenian Martyrs' Day.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Memorializes Congress and the President to designate April 24, 1990 as Armenian Martyrs' Day.

Passed by Voice Vote on April 5, 1990