1999 Assembly Resolution 42
ENGROSSED RESOLUTION
Relating to: designating April 24 of each year as "Wisconsin Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to 1923".
Whereas, a systematic destruction of thousands of Armenian communities, through massacres and death marches in which some 1,500,000 Armenians perished and hundreds of thousands more were uprooted from their homes and ancient homeland, was carried out from 1915 to 1923; and
Whereas, despite the overwhelming evidence borne out by a wealth of documentation, the Turkish government has never recognized nor accepted responsibility for the genocide of the Armenian people from 1915 to 1923; and
Whereas, by denying, and trying to expunge, the record of their genocide, the Turkish government deprives the Armenian people of their own history; and
Whereas, recognition of these instances of the Turkish inhumanity to the Armenian population is crucial to guarding against the recurrence of genocide and provides the Armenian people with a greater understanding of their heritage; and
Whereas, the discrimination against and the hardship of the Armenian people persist today as fundamental freedoms are eroded through various governmental administrative orders; and
Whereas, the differences between the Turkish and Armenian people remain and even today lead to the loss of human lives and numerous violations of human rights; and
Whereas, the government of Turkey denies its Armenian community religious freedom, the right to control its own schools, the right to teach its children its own language, and the right to express its ethnic identity; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, That the assembly of the state of Wisconsin hereby designates April 24 of each year as "Wisconsin Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to 1923"; and, be it further
Resolved, That the assembly chief clerk shall provide a copy of this resolution to the Governor, the Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee and the President of the United States.
