Urgent Action Needed to End Turkey's Gag Rule

Dear Friends,

THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON JUNE 18TH AND 19TH. PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS!

On June 18th, the House Foreign Affairs Committee will host a hearing regarding the Caucasus and the Turkish blockade of Armenia. Bay Area Representatives Lynn Woolsey and Barbara Lee are committee members.

Please call their offices:

Congresswoman Woolsey's office: 202 225 5161

Congresswoman Barbara Lee's office: 202 225 2661

Here is a sample of the points you can make in your phone message. We encourage you to review them and leave a message in your own words.

1.) Hello, my name is __________________ and I am calling to thank the Congresswoman for her support of human rights and recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

For Woolsey's office:

2). Ask to speak with Jennifer Goedke (pronounced "Get-key"), who handles foreign affairs. Speak directly to Jennifer, or leave a message saying:

Regarding the House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on the Caucasus on June 18 at 10:00 am - I strongly urge Congresswoman Woolsey to ask questions concerning the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish blockade of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

For Lee's office:

2.) Ask to speak with Gregory Berry, who handles foreign affairs. Speak directly to Gregory, or leave a message saying:

Regarding the House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on the Caucasus on June 18 at 10:00 am - I strongly urge Congresswoman Lee to ask questions concerning the Armenian Genocide, the Turkish blockade of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

3.) Thank them for their time.

On June 19th, the U.S. Senate will hold a confirmation hearing for President Bush's nominee for ambassador to Armenia, Marie Yovanovitch. We urge you to call Senator Barbara Boxer, a member of the confirmation committee and ask to leave a message for her about the upcoming confirmation hearing for a new ambassador to Armenia.

Call Senator Boxer's Fresno office: (559) 497-5109

(Sen. Boxer's liaison with the Armenian-American community, Tom Bohigian, is based in the Fresno office and is handling this issue)

Here is a sample of the points you can make in your phone message. We encourage you to review them and leave a message in your own words.

1. Hello. My name is __________________ and I live in __________________, California.

2. I would like to leave a message for the Senator.

3. I would like to first thank Senator Boxer for her strong opposition to the nomination of Ambassador Richard Hoagland, who denied the Armenian Genocide.

4. Within a few weeks time, a hearing will likely be held on confirming a new ambassadorial nominee to the Republic of Armenia.

5. I am very concerned that the prior Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, was fired for speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide and that the Turkish government was involved in his dismissal.

6. Our country should not be victim to a gag-rule by Turkey, not allowing our ambassadors to speak about the Armenian Genocide. As Turkey tightens its gag rule, it is also increasing its ties with the genocidal regime of Sudan. Allowing this gag rule, which amounts to our complicity in Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide signals to Turkey and the rest of the world that genocide and its denial are both permissible.

7. I urge the Senator to attend the hearing and ask questions concerning our policy on the denial of the Armenian Genocide, the role the Turkish government plays in dictating that policy and the consequences of that policy on genocide prevention in general.

8. I hope the Senator will also ask questions concerning Turkey and Azerbaijan’s blockade against landlocked Armenia, Azerbaijan’s increasing aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh and U.S. foreign assistance to Armenia.

9. If the Senator or her staff would like more information, they can call the ANCA at (202) 775-1918.

10. I can be reached by phone at _______________ or through my mailing address at ____________________. I would appreciate your getting back to me with any actions that the Senator takes on this matter.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EFFORT.

TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE'S RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE LAUNCH OF THE

"END TURKEY'S GAG RULE" CAMPAIGN, PLEASE GO TO: http://youtube.com/watch?v=WM9KiSWoXzk

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