Congressman Sherman Statement Commemorating Anniversary of the 1988 Sumgait Pogrom Against Armenians
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today,westand shoulder-to-shoulder in solidarity with the Armenian American community to reflect upon the February 1988 Sumgait Pogroms. This tragic massacre sparked a wave of unimaginable acts of horror against the Armenian people, culminating with the murder of approximately 1.5 million Armenians and the forcible expulsion of 390,000 Armenians from Azerbaijan.
It is our collective responsibility to remember this dark saga in history for we were taught that ‘to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time'.
Regrettably, the shadows of past anti-Armenian violence loom over us still, as Azerbaijan's campaign of aggression against the people of Armenia and Artsakh continues to this day. Azerbaijan's unprovoked assault against the Armenian people in Artsakh, along with its ruthless blockade that plunged thousands into a grave humanitarian crisis, underscore the horrific consequences when aggression and hatred grow unchecked.
To honor the past victims of anti-Armenian hate, we must fight this hatred when we see it today. That's why, through my role as a senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Congressional Armenian Caucus, I have continually urged the United States to immediately and permanently stop all U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan, worked to direct U.S. humanitarian assistance to Artsakh, and have called for the safe and unconditional release of the remaining Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians. I will continue my efforts to ensure that we use all the tools at our disposal to not only hold Azerbaijan accountable for its violent crimes against humanity, but to also ensure Artsakh's safety now and in the future.
On this tragic anniversary, as we pause to remember the innocent victims of the pogroms, we must reaffirm our resolve to actively fight against today's anti-Armenian violence with the same level of determination and resiliency that the Armenian people have consistently exhibited for decades.
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