Ensign speaks out against Armenian genocide

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., speaks out against genocide. Here's the statement from his office:

Washington, D.C. - Senators John Ensign and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today introduced the Armenian Genocide Resolution to affirm that the atrocities committed on the Armenian people beginning in 1915 were indeed genocide.

“It is inconceivable that after so many years the international community has yet to affirm that the deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre and starvation of the Armenian people was genocide,” said Ensign. “By joining together and affirming that genocide was committed on the Armenian people, we send a strong message to the international community that we will not turn a blind eye to the crimes of the past simply because they are in the past.”

In Turkey between 1915 and 1923, it is estimated that one and a half million Armenians perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as a result of genocide. At the time, the international community condemned the Armenian Genocide, but no strong actions were taken.

In addition to introducing this legislation on the Senate floor today, Senator Ensign met with leaders from the Armenian National Committee of America to discuss his Armenian Genocide Resolution and the Turkish-Armenian Protocols, which are aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.