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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: April 15, 2003 <br />Action Agen a <br />Item No, - <br />SUBJECT: Armenian Martyrs Day -April 24, 2003 <br />DEPARTMENT: Human Rights and Relations PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Proclamation Annette M. Moore, ext 2254 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To recognize and remember Armenian Martyrs Day and the millions who perished <br />in similar genocides throughout the 20th Century. <br />BACKGROUND: The first genocide of the 20th Century occurred when two million Armenians <br />living in Turkey were, through forced deportation and massacres, eliminated from their <br />homeland. The government order to exterminate the Armenian people on April 24, 1915 led to <br />more than 1.5 million Armenians being killed (3/4 of the population and spawned other <br />governmental efforts to exterminate populations throughout the 20 Century including Nazi <br />Germany under Adolph Hitler. On August 22, 1939, Hitler gave the following instructions to his <br />Army commanders: <br />"Thus for the time being I have sent to the East my `Death's Head Units' with the orders to <br />kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of Polish race or language. Only in <br />such a way will we win the vital space that we need. Who still talks nowadays about the <br />Armenians?" <br />In recognition and remembrance of those who perished between 1915 and 1923 in the <br />genocide, Armenians have traditionally designated April 24th as ARMENIAN MARTYRS DAY. <br />Throughout the 20th Century, countries have perpetrated genocide or race killing in the name of <br />hate. The Human Relations Commission calls upon the Orange County Board of County <br />Commissioners to proclaim April 24th as Armenian Martyrs Day in remembrance of all persons <br />who perished in the 20th Century and throughout history in the name of racial, religious and <br />ethnic cleansing so that we do not forget the inevitable outcome of our daily intolerances. <br />