Azbarez Armenian News - Senate and House Members Condemn Sumgait, Baku Massacres

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Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) was joined by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Robert Dold (R-IL) and Representatives Katherine Clark (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Brad Sherman (D-CA) in commemorating the brutal massacres of Armenians in the Azerbaijani cities of Baku, Sumgait and Kirovabad from 1988-1990 and condemning the ongoing violence and intimidation fostered by the government of President Ilham Aliyev, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). They add their voices to Rep. Judy Chu, who was the first to offer impassioned remarks on the topic on the House floor last week.

"Armenian Americans from Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, and California and across America thank these bold legislators for adding their voices to those of their Congressional colleagues in commemorating the Azerbaijani government fomented pogroms against the Armenian populations of Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad," stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Their powerful words help commemorate the lives of those who were lost, while also helping to protect those who survived -- by both condemning Azerbaijan's ongoing aggression and supporting the freedom and security of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic."

"I wish to recognize the victims of the mass murder of Armenians 27 years ago during the state-sponsored pogroms in Sumgait, Azerbaijan," began Senator Peters. "True democracies must respect the rights of the minority, allow citizens to peacefully speak freely, and protect the human rights of all residents. The people of Nagorno Karabakh and the victims of this senseless massacre played a critical role in promoting a democracy movement which helped to end the Soviet Union."

Congressman Pallone explained, "We have a shared responsibility to speak out when groups of people are targeted with oppression and violence just because of their ethnicity. Along with my colleagues on the Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus, I continue my efforts to try and shed light on these events so that those lives lost are not forgotten. We will continue to promote mutual understanding and security through the Caucasus region. It is my hope that we can all join together in condemning acts of violence in the past, and renew our commitment to vigilance in the future."

In a statement shared with the ANCA, Rep. Dold noted, "The massacres that took place 27 years ago in Sumgait serve as a reminder of the struggle for freedom and liberty around the world. Today I stand in solidarity with the Armenian community and the people of Nagorno Karabakh who mourn the loss of friends and family. The United States must continue to work with the people of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh to ensure their future safety and peace."

Congressman Schiff reminded his colleagues of Pres. Ilham Aliyev's pardon and praise for the killer of an innocent Armenian soldier in his sleep. "Time has not healed the wounds of those killed and hurt in the pogroms in Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku. To the contrary, hatred of Armenians is celebrated in Azeri society, a situation most vividly exemplified by the case of Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani army captain who savagely murdered an Armenian army lieutenant, Gurgen Margaryan with an axe while he slept. The two were participating in a NATO Partnership for Peace exercise at the time in Hungary. In 2012, Safarov was sent home to Azerbaijan, purportedly to serve out the remainder of his sentence. Instead, he was pardoned, promoted, and paraded through the streets of Baku in a sickening welcome home. And as we speak, Azerbaijan continues its dangerous and provocative behavior along its border with Armenia and in Karabakh."

"I am proud to stand today with the Armenian-American community, including many of my constituents in Massachusetts, in remembrance and mourning of this unspeakable tragedy," stated Rep. Clark. "Like the persecution of too many others before it, the lessons of the Sumgait Pogrom must not be forgotten. We have a moral obligation to promote tolerance and justice, and we have a duty to recognize the atrocities that have kept us from our common goal."

Reminding colleagues of Azerbaijan's ongoing attacks on Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, Rep. Costa stated, "In November 2014, Azerbaijani armed forces shot down a Nagorno-Karabakh helicopter participating in a training exercise near the cease-fire line, killing the three crew members on board. This aggression is completely unacceptable and further hurts efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution. Today, I ask my colleagues to stand with the proud people of Nagorno Karabakh in recognizing the anniversary of these tragic events. Let today serve as a reminder for each and every one of us to continue advocating for human rights and democratic freedoms around the world."

Congressman Sherman noted his meeting last month with Marat Khoudabakhshiev, "whose family barely survived pogroms perpetrated 27 years ago today against the Armenian residents of then-Soviet Azerbaijan. He recounted how Azerbaijanis who had lived alongside Armenians for generations suddenly turned violent against them, causing Armenian families like his to flee their homes for safety." Rep. Sherman explained, "Recognizing the ethnic-cleansing of the Armenians from Azerbaijan is an important step. However, we need to do more--we need to demonstrate to Azerbaijan that the United States is committed to peace and to the protection of Artsakh from coercion. As the current government of Azerbaijan grows even more hostile towards Armenians, we must call for an end to all threats and acts of violence by Azerbaijan's government against the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Congress should strengthen Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act by removing the President's ability to waive U.S. law prohibiting aid to Azerbaijan because of its continuing blockade against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh."

Khoudabakhshiev was part of a delegation of survivors of anti-Armenian attacks in Baku, who travelled to Washington, DC last month to share their eye-witness accounts with legislators and speak out in support Artsakh independence. In addition to Congressional meetings, the delegation participated in the ANCA sponsored Capitol Hill program, titled: "Nagorno Karabakh -- A Generation After Anti-Armenian Pogroms: The Challenge of Promoting Peace and Developing Democracy," which featured powerful remarks by Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte, a lawyer, lecturer, and author of "Nowhere, A Story of Exile,' and Dr. Alina Dorian, an internationally respected public health expert and advocate who has worked for decades to strengthen and expand public health programs in Nagorno Karabakh.