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 WASHINGTON–The
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Monday unveiled
“Countdown to Erdogan” – a month-long campaign of grassroots
activism aimed at encouraging the U.S. Congress, the media, and
– ultimately – the White House to put America on the right side
of the Armenian Genocide.
Starting on Monday, November 9th, the ANCA
website www.anca.org/countdown will launch a new action item
every day, ranging from on-line activism and call-in days to
social networking, coalition-building, community outreach, and
hands-on activities – all aimed at educating and inspiring
President Obama, on December 7th, to tell Prime Minister Erdogan,
to his face, that American stands for a truthful and just
resolution of the Armenian Genocide. Each week will also include
at least one action item geared to end the ongoing genocide in
Darfur, as part of the ANCA’s broader commitment to fostering
U.S leadership in ending the cycle of genocide.
The first week of the campaign will address
the U.S. Senate, the second the U.S. House, followed by the
media on the third week, and then a final push in the final
seven days directly to the White House. President Obama is set
to meet with President Erdogan on December 7th. On the first day
of the campaign, November 9th, activists are urged to send a
free ANCA WebFax to their Senators and encourage them to
cosponsor the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.316,
spearheaded by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and John Ensign
(R-NV). A special Call-in Day for Senators is set for Thursday,
November 12th.
“As we all know far too well, when President
Obama met this April in Ankara with Prime Minister Erdogan, he
got it wrong, breaking his clearly and repeatedly stated promise
to recognize the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian, in a letter to campaign participants.
“Even worse, in the weeks that followed, he compounded his
broken pledge by joining with Turkey in pressuring Armenia, a
landlocked and blockaded country, into accepting a historical
“commission” that calls into question this very crime against
humanity. This time, on American soil, President Obama has a
chance to make it right – to honor his pledge and be, as he
stated during the campaign, the President the American people
deserve.”
The “Countdown to Erdogan” campaign launch
coincides with recent statements by Prime Minister Erdogan
denying both the Armenian and Darfur genocides. In recent
remarks, he asserted that “It’s not possible for a Muslim to
commit genocide.” His statements came in response to
international pressure on Turkey to arrest Sudanese dictator
Omar al-Bashir during a scheduled visit, later postponed, to
Ankara. “We are comfortable [with the visit of al-Bashir],”
explained Erdogan.
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