BILL ANALYSIS �
AJR 2
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 4, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES
Nancy Skinner, Chair
AJR 2 (Portantino and Achadjian) - As Amended: March 21, 2011
SUBJECT : Armenian Genocide
SUMMARY : Designates April 24, 2011, as "California Day of
Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923;" commends
educators who teach about human rights and genocide;
memorializes the Congress and the President of the United States
to act likewise to recognize and reaffirm that the atrocities
committed against the Armenian Genocide constituted genocide;
and calls upon the Republic of Turkey to acknowledge the
Armenian Genocide and work toward a just resolution.
Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1)The Armenian Genocide began with the arrest, exile, and murder
of hundreds of Armenian intellectuals, and political,
religious, and business leaders, starting on April 24, 1915.
2)While there were some Turks and others who jeopardized their
safety in order to protect Armenians from the crimes
perpetrated by the Young Turk regime, the genocide of the
Armenian people constituted one of the most egregious
violations of human rights in the history of the world.
3)In 2008, The United States, acknowledged and reaffirmed the
historical record of the Armenian Genocide by stating, the
"administration recognizes that the mass killings, ethnic
cleansing, and forced deportations of over one and a half
million Armenians were conducted by the Ottoman Empire".
4)Unlike other peoples and governments that have admitted and
denounced the abuses and crimes of predecessor regimes, the
Republic of Turkey has adamantly denied the occurrence of
crimes against humanity; and, there have been concerted
efforts to revise history which requires an effort to solidify
recognition of reaffirmation of historical truth.
5)By honoring the survivors and consistently remembering and
condemning the atrocities committed against the Armenian
people, as well as the persecution of the Assyrian and Greek
AJR 2
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populations of the Ottoman Empire, we guard against repetition
of the crime of genocide.
EXISTING LAW : Annually designates April 24 as the "California
Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923."
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS :
1)According to the author, the resolution is intended as a
reminder of the atrocities of genocide and to guard against
the repetition of this crime.
2)Opponents have expressed concern that the resolution presents
a biased and untrue view of the conflict between the Turks and
Armenians and continues to fuel racial animosity.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
Turkish Peace and Justice Committee
Analysis Prepared by : Nicole Willis / RLS. / (916) 319-2800