February 6, 2007 - 15:20 AMT
ANCA calls for US leadership in ending cycle of Genocide
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) in testimony submitted today to a key U.S. Senate Judiciary panel, called for an end to U.S. complicity in Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, and concrete steps to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur. "Today, as we witness the genocide unfolding in Darfur, it has become increasingly clear that the failure of the international community, over the course of the past century, to confront and punish genocide has created an environment of impunity in which the brutal cycle of genocide continues," writes ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, in his testimony.

Hamparian cited the history of U.S. complicity in Turkey's 92-year campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, most recently through the firing of former Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans for properly characterizing the Armenian Genocide as 'genocide,' and the re-nomination of Richard Hoagland for this diplomatic posting - despite his record of denying the Armenian Genocide. Hamparian publicly thanked Senator Robert Menendez, who has placed a "hold" on the Hoagland nomination. At the opening of the hearing, Chairman Richard Durbin presented a video, "Genocide and the Rule of Law" which began with mention of the Armenian Genocide, and went on to cite the other genocides of the 20th century.