from The Congressional Record 3/13/15

We'll stand with Representative Cicilline as we know he is a good man. As for the Speaker and the presentation of memorials we're a little befuddled and will wait further clarification. Oh wait if you read the "memorial" as presented by New Mexico State Senator, Mary Kay Papen, we begin to see- just a little - why perhaps Elie Wiesel doesn't call his good friend, Netanyahu, out for NOT recognizing the Armenian genocide. (see our tweets for today 3/15/) Anyway it does make for a curious entry into our nation's daily congressional journal.

SPEECH OF

 HON. DAVID N. CICILLINE OF RHODE ISLAND IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

• Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, this week we commemorate the 27th Anniversary of the horrific Sumgait Pogroms. On February 27, 1988 organized mobs of Azerbaijanis aimed at killing and driving Armenian Christians living in Sumgait from their homes. Police allowed the pogroms to go on for 3 days, during which Armenians were burned alive and thrown from windows.

• The Sumgait massacre is a black mark on history and sadly, this event sparked further violence as Armenians would be targeted less than 9 months later in Kirovbad and again in Baku in 1990.

• The Azerbaijani Government has shamefully continued to undermine prospects for a lasting peace in the Southern Caucuses, recently they were reported violating the ceasefire and killing several Armenian soldiers on the border.

• From the earliest days of its formation, the people of Nagorno Karabakh have fought and died for their independence and held open and transparent elections, a tradition of democracy that the United States should honor and respect.

• As we reflect on these horrific outbreaks of ethnic violence, I join with Armenians in Rhode Island, and across the world in remembering these victims and renewing our commitment to justice, independence and finding lasting peace.

LATER THAT SAME MORNING:

MEMORIALS -- (House of Representatives - March 13, 2015)

[Page: H1635]  GPO's PDF
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   Under clause 3 of rule XII,

   12. The SPEAKER presented a memorial of the Legislature of the State of New Mexico, relative to Senate Memorial 99, commending the long-standing traditions of tolerance, inclusion and interfaith harmony in the Republic of Azerbaijan; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

• SENATE MEMORIAL 99
  52ND LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2015
  INTRODUCED BY Mary Kay Papen
  A MEMORIAL COMMENDING THE LONG-STANDING TRADITIONS OF TOLERANCE, INCLUSION
  AND INTERFAITH HARMONY IN THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN.
  
  
  WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan is a staunch ally and partner of the United States in a strategically important south Caucasus region bordering Iran, Russia, Turkey and Central Asia; and
  WHEREAS, having ancient traditions of tolerance and inclusion, Azerbaijan offers an environment where Muslims, Jews and Christians enjoy peaceful coexistence and live in dignity and harmony and with respect for each other; and
  WHEREAS, Azerbaijan was home to one of the earliest Christian nations in the world; and
  WHEREAS, the Christian community has helped to shape Azerbaijan's history through the ages, and today, this community remains an important and vibrant part of Azerbaijani culture and society; and WHEREAS, living alongside the Christian and Muslim communities is a thriving Jewish community of about thirty
  thousand people that also has a long heritage in Azerbaijan, dating back more than two thousand years; and WHEREAS, over the centuries, when Jews in the surrounding regions found themselves persecuted, Azerbaijan was a haven for them, and during World War II, many European Jews escaping Nazi
  persecution found shelter in Azerbaijan; and 11 WHEREAS, the Jewish community has been an integral part of 12 Azerbaijan's economic, cultural and political life, and today, 13 synagogues and Jewish schools flourish in the country; and 14 WHEREAS, it is no coincidence that Azerbaijan is one of 15 the few secular countries with a predominately Muslim 16 population that maintains close, friendly ties with the state 17 of Israel; and 18 WHEREAS, the three major religions have prospered not only 19 because of the age-old respect and tolerance of the Azerbaijani 20 people, but also because of the important role the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan has played in constantly fostering an environment of tolerance, mutual acceptance and respect in the country; and
  WHEREAS, since the very beginning of its independence, Azerbaijan has created an environment that nurtures and
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  1 promotes the ancient traditions of tolerance and rejects 2 radicalism, extremism and hatred; and 3 WHEREAS, Azerbaijan sees diversity as one of the country's 4 great strengths and virtues and has worked to ensure that this 5 diversity continues to blossom; and 6 WHEREAS, Azerbaijan has recently built and rebuilt 7 churches and synagogues and has created new cultural centers 8 for different faiths and has supported all three religions 9 financially without discrimination, all the while making sure
  10 that Christians and Jews are represented in all three branches 11 of the government in Azerbaijan; and 12 WHEREAS, Azerbaijan has repeatedly, over the course of the 13 last decade, brought together religious leaders from the region 14 and from around the world to promote interfaith dialogue,
  15 providing an example that is sorely needed; and 16 WHEREAS, in May 2015, Azerbaijan will host the third world 17 forum on intercultural dialogue; and 18 WHEREAS, the United States has an interest in such a 19 success story, since Azerbaijan — secular, tolerant, and 20 inclusive — is crucial to a region ridden with hatred and
  21 22 23 24 25
  strife; and WHEREAS, given the rising levels of radicalism, terrorism,
  hate, xenophobia and intolerance in the world, it is important for the United States to support its tolerant and secular friends, and it considers the Azerbaijani model of interfaith
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  underscored material = new [bracketed material] = delete
  1 acceptance and community engagement as a functioning example 2 and encourages this policy around the world; 3 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE 4 OF NEW MEXICO that it recognize and commend the long-standing 5 traditions of tolerance and inclusion in Azerbaijan and commend 6 the efforts by Azerbaijan to foster interfaith harmony, which 7 can be a model and functioning example in these troubled times; 8 and 9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
  10 transmitted to the president of the United States, the United 11 States secretary of state, the United States ambassador to the 12 Republic of Azerbaijan, the president pro tempore of the United 13 States senate, the speaker of the United States house of 14 representatives and New Mexico's congressional delegation.
  
  
  
  Later that same week: in the NYTimes
• 
  

• Armenia and Azerbaijan Clash Over Separatist Region

  By REUTERS

  MARCH 19, 2015
  
  

  • 
    

  At least three Armenian soldiers were killed in clashes with troops from Azerbaijan on Thursday near the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, but the two sides gave conflicting accounts about who was to blame. Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan but is controlled by its majority ethnic Armenian population. The two neighbors fought a war over it in the 1990s. Defense officials in Nagorno-Karabakh said three Armenian soldiers were killed in an attack by Azerbaijani commandos. Azerbaijan accused separatists of setting off the clash and said 20 Armenian soldiers were killed or wounded.

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