US Senators call on President Obama to recognize Armenian Genocide

U.S. Senators – acting on a bipartisan basis – are calling upon President Obama, to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide, this April, as a clear case of genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a letter sent last week to the White House, fifteen Senators underscored the urgent need – on the eve of the Armenian Genocide Centennial – to properly honor the victims of this crime and underscore America’s principled stand against all genocides – past, present, and future.

“We thank Senators Menendez and Gardner and all their colleagues who joined with them, on a bipartisan basis, in encouraging President Obama to speak openly and honestly about the Armenian Genocide during this April’s Centennial observance of this crime against humanity,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.  “As we mark the Centennial – with the world’s attention turning to President Obama’s still unmet pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide – our government should, once and forever, reject shameless Ankara’s efforts to enforce a gag-rule on America.  Very simply, no nation deserves a ‘veto’ against America’s defense of human rights.”

The Senate letter, lead by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), notes that: “While the United States Congress has a long history of support for the victims and the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Administration has not formally recognized the atrocities that were perpetrated against the Armenians as ‘genocide'”  The Senate signatories stressed that a principled stand by the President would: “send a powerful signal to the international community that this Administration is committed to recognizing the Armenian Genocide, to upholding the ideals of tolerance and universal human rights upon which our country was founded, and to preventing similar atrocities from ever happening again.”

Senate signatories of the Armenian Genocide letter to President Obama include Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dean Heller (R-NV), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Edward Markey (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

A separate U.S. House letter, spearheaded by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Robert Dold (R-IL) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), is also being sent to President Obama.