Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27) released the following statement marking the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide:
“Today marks the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, an event that claimed 1.5 million lives. Able-bodied men were massacred or forced into labor. Women, children, the elderly and the sick were sent on death marches that spanned hundreds of miles. Those who survived were often separated from their loved ones, and left behind the only homes they had ever known.
“The only way to describe such atrocities is a genocide. On this somber anniversary, we owe it to those who were lost, their loved ones, and the few remaining survivors to recognize what happened, and to recommit ourselves to the protection of human rights around the world.
“I am committed to seeing Congress formally recognize the Armenian Genocide in a resolution. I have co-sponsored legislation every Congress, and look forward to doing so again this year. America’s commitment to human rights is absolute, and we have a duty to recognize this tragedy, and to remind the world that mass murder and destruction will not be ignored.”
-Photos by Terry Miller