April 13, 2006

The Massachusetts General Court



Resolutions

ON THE OCCASION OF THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915 TO 1923.

WHEREAS , APRIL 24, 2006 IS BEING OBSERVED AS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE NINETY-FIRST ANNIVERSERY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915 TO 1923, AND
WHEREAS, ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE OF ARMENIAN ANCESTRY WERE VICTIMS OF THE GENOCIDE PERPETRATED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE FROM 1915 TO 1923, AND
WHEREAS, AT THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR I THE YOUNG TURK REGIME DECIDED TO DEPORT THE ENTIRE ARMENIAN POPULATION OF OVER 3,000,000 TO SYRIA AND MESOPOTAMIA, AND
WHEREAS, TALAAT PASHA, LEADER OF THE YOUNG TURK MOVEMENT, WAS PRINCIPAL AUTHOR OF THE PLAN TO EXTERMINATE THE ARMENIANS, AND
WHEREAS, THE PLAN OF GENOCIDE CONSISTED OF DEPORTING ALL ARMENIANS OF WHATEVER AGE OR CONDITION OF HEALTH TO THE TOTALLY BARREN DESERTS OF WHAT IS NOW SYRIA; AND
WHEREAS, THE ARMENIANS WERE DEPORTED ON FOOT, A DEATH MARCH IN WHICH MORE THAN 1,000,000 DIED OF STARVATION OR WERE KILLED, AND
WHEREAS, ARMENIANS WERE ROUNDED UP AND BRUTALLY DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES AND THEIR LAND, SEPARATED FROM FAMILIES, ROBBED OF EVERYTHING THEY OWNED AND STRIPPED OF ALL THEY CARRIED WITH THEM; AND
WHEREAS, THOUSANDS OF CHRISTIAN ARMENIANS WERE TORTURED AND MURDERED FOR REFUSING TO ACCEPT ISLAM AS THEIR RELIGION; AND
WHEREAS, THE ATROCITIES INFLICTED ON ARMENIANS ON THE DEATH MARCHES TO THE SYRIAN DESERT HAVE BEEN VIEWED AS THE PROTOTYPE FOR THE HOLOCAUST OF WORLD WAR II, AND
WHEREAS, THE PRESENT DAY TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN A POLICY OF DENIAL AND DISTORTION OF THE HISTORICAL TRUTH ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, AND
WHEREAS, THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT'S DENIAL PREVENTS AN ATONEMENT BY THE TURKISH PEOPLE, AND HUMANITY, WHOSE LEGACY TURKEY TODAY ENJOYS, AND
WHEREAS, THE MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS WHO ESCAPED DEPORTATION AND REMAINED IN TURKEY WAS CALLED "THE MOST COLOSSAL CRIME OF ALL AGES". BY THE EXAMINING AMERICAN MILITARY MISSION'S REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS; AND
WHEREAS, IN A TELEGRAM SENT BY UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR HENRY MORGENTHAU TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE, MORGENTHAU WARNED THAT "A CAMPAIGN OF RACE EXTERMINATION IS IN PROGRESS UNDER A PRETEXT OF REPRISAL AGAINST REBELLION"; THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED,THAT THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT ACKNOWLEDGES THE CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMONWEALTH AND COUNTRY BY THE CITIZENS OF ARMENIAN ORIGIN ON THE OCCASION OF THE NINETY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915 TO 1923 AND CALLS UPON THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH TO OBSERVE APRIL 24, 2006, BY REMEMBERING THE 1, 500,000 PEOPLE OF ARMENIAN ANCESTRY WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE GENOCIDE OF 1915 TO 1923; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THESE RESOLUTIONS BE FORWARDED BY THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO DR. TANER AKCAM.



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, ADOPTED, APRIL 13, 2006

2 SIGNATURES
SENATE, ADOPTED IN CONCURRENCE, APRIL 13, 2006.

2 SIGNATURES

OFFERED BY:
58 SIGNATURES