08-R184

2008 -- S 2986

Enacted 04/24/07

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING MAY 19TH OF 2008 AS GREEK PONTIAN GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Gallo, Paiva-Weed, and Jabour

Date Introduced: April 24, 2008

     WHEREAS, Rhode Island is proud to be the home of numerous ethnic communities,

many of whom have prospered and enjoyed the freedom and democracy upon which our nation

was founded; tragically, throughout history, the people of many countries have not realized the

same autonomy and equality; and

     WHEREAS, From 1914 until 1922, in a systematic attempt to exterminate an entire

population, the Ottoman Turks directed the killing of 353,000 Pontian Greeks, in addition to over

a million Armenians and Assyrians living in Pontos, and forced an equal amount to flee their

homeland, in one of the most condemnable atrocities in the history of the world; and

     WHEREAS, The Ottoman and Kemals Neoturks engaged in exile, starvation, slaughter

and murder, using axes and fire, to massacre the Pontic Greek population and perpetrate the first

mass genocide of the 20th century; and

     WHEREAS, It is vital and proper to remember those who lost their lives in the Pontian

Genocide, and it is paramount that people of all nations look at this horrific event in our worlds

not-so-distant history as a way to learn a valuable lesson so that such atrocities are not tolerated

and are never committed again; and

     WHEREAS, It is likewise important to pay tribute to the survivors of this atrocious

period, as well as their descendents, who have made countless contributions to the enrichment of

our culture and our way of life here in the Ocean State, and stand as an inspiration to oppressed

people around the world; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby joins the Greek-American community on May 19th of each year in a solemn

commemoration of the Pontian Genocide of 1914-1922; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mr. Demetrios S. Kosmidis of the Pontian

Society of Boston.

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LC02702

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