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Speech of Hon. David Cicilline of Rhode Island in the House of Reps

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  • Speech of Hon. David Cicilline of Rhode Island in the House of Reps

    US Official News
    March 1, 2014 Saturday


    Washington: HON. DAVID N. CICILLINE OF RHODE ISLAND IN THE HOUSE OF
    REPRESENTATIVES Friday, February 28, 2014

    LENGTH: 448 words

    DATELINE: Washington

    The Library of Congress, The Government of USA has issued the following Speech:

    Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, today we commemorate the 26th Anniversary
    of the horrific Sumgait Pogroms. On February 27, 1988 organized mobs
    of Azerbaijanis aimed at killing and driving Armenian Christians
    living in Sumgait from their homes. Armed with sticks, axes and iron
    rods, they attacked Armenian men, women and children by breaking into
    their homes and brutally beating and killing them just because of
    their ethnicity. Despite Sumgait's 30 minute proximity to Baku, police
    allowed the pogroms to go on for 3 days, during which Armenians were
    burned alive and thrown from windows.

    These acts were merely a continuation of the Azerbaijani authorities'
    unswerving policy of racism towards Armenians and ethnic cleansing of
    the Armenian population, with unpunished killings and deportations.

    The Sumgait massacre is a black mark on history and sadly, this event
    sparked further violence as Armenians would be targeted less than 9
    months later in Kirovabad and again in Baku in 1990.

    The Azerbaijani Government has shamefully continued to undermine
    prospects for a lasting peace in the Southern Caucuses, recently in
    2012, pardoning an Azerbaijani military officer Ramil Safarov who
    brutally murdered Armenian military officer Gurgen Margaryan during a
    NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace exercise in 2004. Safarov
    confessed and was convicted in Budapest for brutally axing Margaryan
    while he was sleeping. Safarov never showed remorse for the murder and
    stated that he wished he had killed more Armenians. Immediately after
    his pardon Safarov received a promotion in the Azerbaijani military,
    an apartment, and years of back pay for his time spent in prison.

    For more than 20 years, the people of Nagorno Karabakh have fought and
    died for their independence. From the earliest days of its formation,
    the Republic's freely elected governmental bodies have helped build an
    open democratic society through transparent elections and it is
    critical that the United States support their independence and
    autonomy.

    As we reflect on these horrific outbreaks of ethnic violence, I join
    with Armenians in Rhode Island, and across the world in remembering
    these victims and renewing our commitment to justice, independence and
    finding lasting peace.

    I am proud to say Rhode Island was the first state in our nation to
    pass a resolution to recognize the Independence of the Nagorno
    Karabakh Republic and set an example for other legislatures to follow,
    like Massachusetts, Maine and Louisiana. The time has come for the
    United States Congress to do the same.



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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