Schiff Archives

US Congressman Schiff, colleagues support bill banning Turkish investments

June 22, 2017 by administrator

US Congressman Schiff

US Congress member Adam Schiff and nine of his colleagues from California sent a letter to California State Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin De León in support of California Assembly Bill 1597, which would divest California’s public pension funds from investment vehicles that are owned, controlled, or managed by the Turkish government.

“California has acted in the past to prohibit new investments by its pension funds in sectors that are inimical to our state’s values, such as the 2015 state law mandating divestment from coal companies,” the Congress members wrote in the letter. “The narrowly drafted AB 1597 proposal is an appropriate use of that authority, blocking future investments directly owned by the Turkish Government, such as government bonds.”

“Given the recent assault on peaceful protestors in Washington, D.C. by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal security forces, as well as Turkey’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide, divestment by California is an appropriate response,” the Congress members also wrote.

System of a Down Members Join Schiff, Akcam to Discuss Genocide Centennial

April 3, 2015 by administrator

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

Serj Tankian (left) with fellow System of a Down member John Dolmayan attend a Genocid demonstration at the Turkish Embassy in Washington in 2006

LOS ANGELES—In a rare instance, the worlds of music, politics, academia and activism came together to call for justice and recognition ahead of the Armenian Genocide Centennial.

Members of the Grammy Award winning System of a Down, Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan joined Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Turkish historian Taner Akcam and the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America Aram Hamparian spoke of the global imperative for justice for the Armenian Genocide during a telephone press conference on Wednesday.

“Genocide is a disease that continues until today,” said Tankiann told reporters on April 1. “As Armenian-Americans and as band members who have had family members perish in this horrible tragedy, it’s important for us not just to raise awareness, but to help bring justice to this cause.”

Tankian stressed that it was important for the international community to come to an agreement that when it comes to countries that commit Genocide, or in the case of Turkey continue to deny the Armenian Genocide, “everything must stop” in order for a clear message to be sent that such human rights violations will not be tolerated.

Tankian and Dolmayan along with fellow System of a Down members Daron Malakian and ‎Shavo Odadjian will kick off the band’s “Wake Up the Souls” tour on Monday at the Forum in Los Angeles. The tour, dedicated to the Genocide centennial will travel through Europe, Russia and will culminate is the band’s first-ever performance in Armenia—a free concert at Republic Square on the evening of April 23.

“It is a big honor for us to be doing our first show there at the 100th year commemoration of the Genocide,” said Tankian.

It is inspiring,” Dolmayan said of the tour, adding that justice for the Armenian Genocide was “something that transcends the music.”

“This is a world issue. We want to prevent this happening to other people,” said Dolmayan.

Dr. Akacm, who is a history professor and the holder of the Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., said that pinning national interests against morality was wrong, thus faulting the US for failing to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide.

“By supporting a denialist regime, the United States contributes to instability not just in the region but here at home,” said Akcam, adding that by recognizing the Genocide, the US would guarantee security at home, since much of the current Middle East situation is predicated on the past.

Akcam said he first started working on the Armenian Genocide in 1990, adding that since then “Turkey has changed and is continuing to change, especially after the assassination of Hrant Dink in Istanbul. People began commemorating the Armenian Genocide in Turkey.”

“To put national interests against morality is plain wrong,” said Akçam, adding that attitudes in Turkey are slowly changing. “I first started working on the Armenian Genocide in 1990. Since then, said Akçam. He also noted that he expects hundreds of diasporan Armenians to join the ever-growing number of Turkish citizens who bravely hold demonstrations in Turkey on April 24.

“With only a handful of survivors left, we feel a moral obligation to speak the truth about the genocide and ensure it is never forgotten,” said Schiff, who also announced that on April 22nd, for an entire hour on the House Floor, he will read names of Armenian Genocide victims.

“In a single hour, I will only be able to read the names of a mere fraction of those who were killed,” said Schiff, adding that “to read all of the names of the more than 1.5 million people murdered at the time, would take many weeks and weeks.” Schiff said that he hoped that the recitation of victims’ names will help call attention to the magnitude of the crime. He also urged those who lost family and loved ones during the genocide to send their names, all of which will be entered into the Congressional Record.

Schiff also provided details about the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, which was introduced on March 18 by Representatives Schiff, Robert Dold (R-Ill.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), along with 40 other members of the House of Representatives. The bipartisan resolution calls upon the president to work toward equitable, constructive, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkey’s full acknowledgement of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide.

“Turkey not only denies the truth of the crime, but also obstructs its justice,” said Hamparian in his introductory remarks.

“We want to see real peace between Turks and Armenians,” he said, adding that peace must be built on a foundation of truth and justice. Hamparian explained that the March to Justice is an interactive global online platform for the growth of sustained grassroots engagement in support of justice for the Armenian Genocide and durable security for the Armenian nation. Hamparian also explained how the ANCA has been pushing President Barack Obama to honor his 2008 pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide, and working hard with congress to end Turkey’s gag rule.

Schiff Questions Samantha Power on UN Action on Kessab

April 3, 2014 by administrator

WASHINGTON—Most United Nations Security Council members have “raised the issue” of the recent takeover of the historically Armenian town of Kessab, Syria, and urged the world body “to do more to meet the needs of these people,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power told Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and members of a key House Appropriations panel Wednesday during a Congressional hearing, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“We join with Armenians across California and around America in thanking Congressman Schiff for raising the plight of the Armenians driven out of Kessab with Ambassador Power,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We appreciate Ambassador Power’s statement that Kessab is ‘an issue of huge concern,’ and value her explanation to Congress about the UN Security Council’s efforts to help the Armenian civilians driven from their homes by extremist militants. We will continue to work, in partnership with our friends in Congress, to encourage our government to speak directly to the cause of Kessab’s suffering – namely the clear complicity of Turkey in the al-Qaeda linked attack that drove more than 2,000 Armenians from their ancestral homes.”

The ANCA has called on the Senate and House Intelligence committees to investigate Turkey’s role in the recent attacks against the Kessab civilian population. A new action alert has been posted and has received broad support following social media posts by citizens and celebrities alike.

During a question and answer session at the House Appropriations Committee State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee hearing with Ambassador Power earlier today, Rep. Schiff asked “About a week ago, the town of Kessab, which is predominantly Armenian Christian, was attacked by Al-Qaeda-linked fighters who had crossed over from Turkey and the town was emptied in a bloody assault. Many of the residents are descendants of the Armenian Genocide and there is particular poignancy in them being targeted in this manner.” Rep. Schiff went on to ask what efforts the United Nations and its agencies are making to address the crisis.

Ambassador Power, noting that the recent attacks on Kessab are a “huge concern,” went on to note that: “Most of the [UN Security] Council members raised the issue of Kessab, calling on the UN to do more, to try to meet the needs of these people. […] I would note that, unfortunately, the extremist group that appears to have taken hold of that town is not one that the United States and the United Nations overall has a great deal of leverage over. And so, our emphasis now, is on supporting the moderate opposition in Syria that is taking on those extremist groups and making sure that the UN has the funding it needs, and the resources of all kinds that it needs to accommodate […] in this case, the Syrian Armenian community, as you said, an internally displaced population flow. So, it’s resources, it’s strengthening the moderate opposition which is taking on ISIL – the very group that appears to have taken over that town – making sure that none of the neighbors are giving support to terrorist groups or extremist groups which would aid their efforts in seizures like that, and going on a funding drive internationally because only a very small percentage of the UN funding appeal for Syria generally has been filled at this point.”

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with Turkey, Kessab had, until very recently, evaded major battles in the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in recently years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On the morning of March 21st, extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack, from Turkey, on Kessab civilians, forcing over 2000 to flee to neighboring Latakia and Bassit. An international social media campaign – #SaveKessab – has garnered broad media attention to the tragedy with over 100,000 tweeting about the crisis and tens of thousands calling for immediate U.S. and U.N. action.

In a statement issued last week, the U.S. State Department noted that they are “deeply troubled by recent fighting and violence that is endangering the Armenian community in Kasab, Syria and has forced many to flee. There are far too many innocent civilians suffering as a result of the war. All civilians, as well as their places of worship, must be protected.” The statement went on to note that “We have long had concerns about the threat posed by violent extremists and this latest threat to the Armenian community in Syria only underscores this further.”

Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) have condemned the attacks and urged the State Department to investigate Turkey’s involvement. In a joint letter to President Obama issued earlier today, Congressional Armenian Caucus co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Michael Grimm (R-NY) and Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.227) lead authors David Valadao (R-CA) and Adam Schiff, commented on the Kessab attacks, noting ” When coupled with a mass exodus of the Armenian community, these events are far too reminiscent of the early days of the Armenian Genocide, which took place nearly 100 years ago in Ottoman Turkey under the cover of World War I.” The letter goes on to note,” With the Christian Armenian community being uprooted from its homeland, yet again, we strongly urge you to take all necessary measures without delay to safeguard the Christian Armenian community of Kessab. We also believe that now is the time to redouble America’s efforts to ensure that all minority communities at risk in the Middle East are afforded greater protection.”

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