April 24, 1990

City of Troy, Michigan Proclamation

WHEREAS, Two hundred and fourteen years ago, our nation committed itself to oppose tyranny and oppression, and begin its historic struggle for freedom and independence; and

WHEREAS, That struggle has given hope and inspiration to millions of victims of persecution and oppression all over the worlds, many of who have found refuge in our country; and

WHEREAS, Seventy five years ago, million of Armenians fled in terror from their ancient ancestral homeland of Armenia; and one and a half million innocent Armenian men, women and children were brutally massacred by the Ottoman Turkish Empire, with the intent of exterminating the entire Armenian population; and

WHEREAS, On April 24, 1990, Armenians throughout the world will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the day in 1915 when the Ottoman Turks arrested and killed 250 Armenian community leaders and intellectuals, and marked the beginning of the first genocide of the 20th Century; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting to honor the memory of those martyrs, in the hope that the conscience of the world can bring a halt to senseless massacres and holocausts, and end to all human suffering, a reawakening of a sense of justice for peoples and nations of the world; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate to pay tribute to the survivors of the Armenian Genocide, especially to the hundreds of thousands who made their home in our country and have become loyal, hard-working, honorable citizens, many of whom we are proud to have reside in our city of Troy, and its neighboring cities and towns.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Martin G. Mahar, Mayopr of the City of Troy do hereby proclaim Tuesday, April 24, 1990 as ARMENIAN MARTYR'S DAY in the City of Troy and urge all citizens of Troy to remember the Armenian Martyrs, for we, as a peace-loving and God-fearing people, must never be indifferent, never forget, and never ignore injustice and human suffering.

Signed
Martin G. Mahar
Mayor -- City of Troy