REFERENCE TITLE: Armenian genocide; historical truth; recognition

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-second Legislature Second Regular Session 2016

HR 2001

Introduced by Representative Boyer

 

A RESOLUTION

 

recognizing the historical truth of the Armenian genocide.

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Whereas, April 2016 marks the 101st anniversary of the beginning of the Ottoman Empire's systematic extermination of its Armenian population; and

Whereas, the forced deportation and massacre of more than 1.5 million Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks represented the final culmination of a series of violent persecutions dating back to the late 1800s; and

Whereas, the worst segment of the genocide spanned from 1915 to 1920 and involved the use of murder, forced labor and deportation, the burning of churches and schools, rape, torture and forced conversion to further the eradication of minority populations from their homelands; and 

Whereas, the actions of the Ottoman government were heavily documented by multiple humanitarian organizations, the British government, United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morganthau and the United States Department of State; and

Whereas, as early as May 24, 1915, the massacres documented by these sources drew an official rebuke to the Sublime Porte from the Allied governments, which promised to hold personally responsible "all members of the Ottoman government and those of their agents who are implicated in such massacres;" and

Whereas, the denial of this historical fact is an unconscionable evil that must not be accommodated any longer; and

Whereas, the events surrounding the Armenian persecution have been recognized as genocide by the European Parliament, the governments of 29 countries and 43 of the 50 United States.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona:

That the Members of the House of Representatives recognize the historical truth of the Armenian genocide and support the official adoption of a similar position by the United States Department of State.