THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	113
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

rECOGNIZING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915.

     WHEREAS, between the years 1915 and 1923, during the chaos of World War I, one and a half million Armenian men, women and children living within the Ottoman Empire's borders were killed in a brutal genocide; and

     WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of Armenians were forced to flee to foreign countries after being stripped of their possessions, their national identities and their homeland; and

     WHEREAS, documented as the first instance of genocide in the twentieth century, the Armenian Genocide remains unacknowledged by Turkey to this day; and

     WHEREAS, even though over ninety years have passed since these mass killings took place, present day atrocities continue to resonate throughout the world; and

     WHEREAS, it is our responsibility to recognize the brutal slayings of so many innocents, remembering their suffering and vowing to help prevent future genocides; and

     WHEREAS, each year Armenians throughout the world honor those who perished and the entire world's people should commemorate the Armenian Genocide because it stands as an ugly testament to man's inhumanity to man; and

     WHEREAS, Armenia's ties to Hawaii started in the 1920's with painter Arman Manookian, a genocide survivor, who became known as Hawaii's Van Gogh; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii has a growing Armenian-American community that is involved in all aspects of public life, from business to education and government; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that this body hereby joins Hawaii's Armenian-American community and all Armenians worldwide in honoring those who were killed and persecuted during the Armenian Genocide, and urge people throughout the world to never forget these horrific crimes against humanity; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate recognizes April 24 as a day of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian State Committee of Hawaii.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Armenian Genocide recognition