Remarks by Ambassador Tigran Sargsyan at the Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide

22 April, 2015

Members of Congress,
Your Eminences,
Dear Friends, compatriots

Let me start by expressing my appreciation to the Co-Chairs, Congressman Pallone and Congressman Dold for their leadership and co-hosting this Congressional Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide with the Embassy of Armenia, the NKR office, and the Armenian-American organizations.

Dear friends,

One hundred years have passed since the Genocide. A whole century has passed, an era. Poetry captures the zeitgeist of an era; it reflects the spirit of the times, the national consciousness, and the experience and wisdom of a people. A poet is the nation’s honor and conscience. By choosing my favorite poet, I choose my path, my destiny, my way, my miles…
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Today, I want to recall Armenian poets and writers:

Hrant (Melkon Gyoorjian) and Tigadintsi (Hovhannes Harootunian),
Grikor Zohrab and Smpad Pyoorad (Der Ghazariants),
Yerookhan (Yervand Srmakeshkhanlian) and Ardashes Harootunian,
Roopen Zartarian and Siamanto (Adom Yarjanian),
Kegham Parseghian and Taniel Varoozhan (Chubookyarian),
Digran Chogyoorian and Roopen Sevag (Chilingirian).

What do these poets all have in common?
The date of their death. They were all murdered in 1915.

Can you imagine?
Assassinating all the poets of a nation at the same time. The agents of Armenian honor and conscience.
Can this ever be forgotten?

Dear Friends,
Our century-long struggle for recognition of the Armenian Genocide pursues NO political aim. It is not a pragmatic one—not for political dividends.
We are fighting for the restoration of historical justice, for our honor and conscience, for our essence. It is the call of the soul of our poets, carried by Armenians all around the world:

In Australia and Canada;
In Brazil and Russia;
In Poland and India;
In France and Lebanon;
In Syria and Iraq,
And here, in the United States…

…more than anything, Armenians share this sentiment, this sense of justice. Our struggle is unwavering. Our determination is unbreakable.

For as long as even one Armenian lives on the earth, the verses of our martyred poets will always be reflected in his soul. Poets killed only for their creation of Armenian poetry, killed only for being Armenian. Poets can be killed. One and a half million people can be killed. But poetry is eternal, like the nation that creates it.

We are grateful to the countries and nations that share our sentiment, the ones that cherish the ideals of justice and liberty, equality and honor. Twenty-one countries around the world have officially recognized these atrocities of the Ottoman Empire as a genocide. 43 US states have also recognized the 1915 Genocide of the Armenians. We are grateful:
To Uruguay and Cyprus,
To Russia and Canada,
To Lebanon and Belgium,
To France and Greece,
To The Vatican and Italy,
To Switzerland and Argentina,
To Slovakia and The Netherland,
To Venezuela and Poland,
To Lithuania and Chile,
To Sweden and Bolivia,
To Austria.

We thank these countries. Their solidarity has sparked a light of hope in our nation.

Dear Friends,
Why are we here today? Because we want to make an appeal to the congressmen and senators of this great country: a country that holds dear the universal values of freedom and equality, a country that has built a strong democracy. A country that inspires all those fighting for justice around the world.

Here is our appeal: for the Armenian Question, please, avoid the exclusive pursuit of political dividends. It would be a mistake! Politics stripped of values will lead to new tragedies. Official recognition of the 1915 Genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire can prevent new evil.
It will be the Triumph of Justice.

I would like to conclude my remarks by quoting Smbad Pyoorad, one of those martyred poets:

“Մենք կարոտ ենք Լույսի։
Հույսի դարպասները կբացվեն Լույսով։”

“We are longing for the Light.
The gates of hope will be opened by the Light."

Thank you.

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