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HUNDREDS PROTEST AZERI AGGRESSION AGAINST ARMENIANS AT OTTAWA DEMONSTRATION
asbarez
Friday, March 23rd, 2012
Canadian-Armenians protest Azeri aggression against Armenians
OTTAWA-Hundreds of Canadian-Armenians from across the country took part
in a demonstration on Friday, March 23 at the Embassy of Azerbaijan
in Ottawa, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada.
The demonstrators voiced their concern about Azerbaijan's ongoing
aggression, intimidation and hostility towards Armenians. They chanted
slogans targeting Azerbaijan's continued aggression toward Armenia, the
atrocities and pogroms of Sumgait and Baku, as well as the cultural
genocide of Armenian heritage sites within Azerbaijan. They also
highlighted the current situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region,
proclaiming that Armenians have the right to live freely without
Azerbaijani constraint and hostility.
The government of Azerbaijan has actively continued a policy of
hostility against Armenians; from exile and pogroms in the late 1980s,
to the constant war-mongering rhetoric, ever-increasing military
budget and threats to end the cease-fire with the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic that continue until today. Moreover, the planned destruction
of Armenian Khachkars (cross-stones) in the Nakhichevan region (Julfa),
which are now declared as items of world heritage by UNESCO, proves
to the world that Azerbaijan has been taking active steps towards
erasing the memory of Armenians from their country.
Unfortunately, the Embassy of Azerbaijan refused to accept a letter
addressed to Ambassador Farid Shafiyev, written by the Armenian Youth
Federation of Canada. This lack of dialogue further proves the Republic
of Azerbaijan's ongoing unwillingness to establish peace and stability
in the region.
The Armenian-Canadian community proved today, once again, that they
believe that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's independence must be
universally recognized and that a return to Azerbaijani rule would
jeopardize the lives of the Armenians living there and is therefore
unacceptable. Furthermore, they urged governments around the world
to condemn Azerbaijan for their continued display of religious
intolerance, aggression, and constant attempts to destabilize the
Caucasus.
Founded in 1934, the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada is the
largest and most influential Armenian-Canadian youth organization
in Canada, working to advance social, political, educational, and
cultural awareness among Armenian-Canadian youth.
Text of letter addressed to Ambassador Farid Shafiyev:
March 23, 2012 Ambassador Farid Shafiyev 904-275 Slater Street Ottawa,
ON K1P 5H9
Ambassador Shafiyev, We are sending you this open letter in response
to the Republic of Azerbaijan's continued policy of cultural,
political and physical hostility against the Armenians of the
Caucasus. Armenian-Canadians have gathered at your doorstep today
to commemorate the anti-Armenian pogroms of the 1980s and 1990s; to
bring attention to the destruction of the Armenian cemetery at Julfa;
and to protest the Azerbaijan government's continued anti-Armenian
statements and war threats against the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
a state whose existence you refuse to recognize.
The government of Azerbaijan has denied the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
their right to self-determination for too long. Azerbaijan disregarded
the referendum that solidified Nagorno-Karabakh's decision for
independence and instead, launched a war against its people. Today,
the livelihood of the people of Karabakh is threatened and by imposing
a blockade, hinders the economic and social development of the country.
The culture of ethnocentric hate in Azerbaijan today can be traced back
to the years leading up to the country's independence from the Soviet
Union twenty-one years ago. We remember the brutal and reprehensible
massacre of Armenians at the hand of violent mobs that the government
at the time refused to prevent or punish. The pogrom of Sumgait in
1988 set off similar acts of mob violence in other cities such as Baku
and Marghar, where civilians were dragged from their homes and raped,
burned alive or beheaded with blunt objects. All this was done in an
act of rage, which was fuelled by government propaganda in response
to the people of Karabakh's democratic call for independence.
The complete destruction of the medieval Armenian cemetery at Julfa
clearly demonstrated Azerbaijan's disposition to suppression of
ethnocultural diversity through violent and destructive campaigns.
When it fell under the control of Azerbaijan in the 1920s, this
cemetery was home to 6,000 uniquely carved Armenian tombstones.
Instead of protecting the sacred site, Azerbaijan demonstrated complete
disregard for international law and tenets of its own constitution
by proceeding to remove all traces of this historical Armenian
settlement. The cemetery - located in a region already depopulated
of its Armenian citizens - posed no threat and was of no strategic
significance to Azerbaijan. The desecration of the churches, monastic
sites and thousands of tombstones there can only be seen as a clear
policy of ethnocide on the part of the Azerbaijani government.
This sacred ground is now being used as a military training facility.
At the same time, your government continues to feign to the
international community innocence, victim-hood and a commitment to
peace. The government signals its readiness to end the conflict and
blames the Armenian side for not being able to come to a resolution.
We ask: how is Azerbaijan committed to peace when its military budget
is increased from $300 million to over $4 billion in the last 6 years?
How is it committed to peace when the country continually makes
threats of invading all of Armenia and destroying its people?
We register our indignation at the fact that just last month, the
President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, stated "...our main enemies
are Armenians of the world..." It is simply ridiculous that a head of
state can generalize an entire nation in this manner. This can only
be labelled as racist and truly troublesome. These are unfortunately
all too common within your government and must cease if indeed you
are committed to a peaceful resolution to the war.
The Armenian-Canadian community believes that Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence must be universally recognized and that a return to
Azerbaijani rule will jeopardize the lives of its citizens. Through our
protest and this letter, we condemn the government of Azerbaijan for
its continued display of military aggression, religious intolerance and
dictatorial rule in the South Caucasus. A nation's right to dictate
its own future is firmly enshrined in international law, and we will
continue to guarantee that this right is safeguarded for the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Signed: The Armenian Youth Federation of Canada
From: Baghdasarian
asbarez
Friday, March 23rd, 2012
Canadian-Armenians protest Azeri aggression against Armenians
OTTAWA-Hundreds of Canadian-Armenians from across the country took part
in a demonstration on Friday, March 23 at the Embassy of Azerbaijan
in Ottawa, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada.
The demonstrators voiced their concern about Azerbaijan's ongoing
aggression, intimidation and hostility towards Armenians. They chanted
slogans targeting Azerbaijan's continued aggression toward Armenia, the
atrocities and pogroms of Sumgait and Baku, as well as the cultural
genocide of Armenian heritage sites within Azerbaijan. They also
highlighted the current situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region,
proclaiming that Armenians have the right to live freely without
Azerbaijani constraint and hostility.
The government of Azerbaijan has actively continued a policy of
hostility against Armenians; from exile and pogroms in the late 1980s,
to the constant war-mongering rhetoric, ever-increasing military
budget and threats to end the cease-fire with the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic that continue until today. Moreover, the planned destruction
of Armenian Khachkars (cross-stones) in the Nakhichevan region (Julfa),
which are now declared as items of world heritage by UNESCO, proves
to the world that Azerbaijan has been taking active steps towards
erasing the memory of Armenians from their country.
Unfortunately, the Embassy of Azerbaijan refused to accept a letter
addressed to Ambassador Farid Shafiyev, written by the Armenian Youth
Federation of Canada. This lack of dialogue further proves the Republic
of Azerbaijan's ongoing unwillingness to establish peace and stability
in the region.
The Armenian-Canadian community proved today, once again, that they
believe that the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's independence must be
universally recognized and that a return to Azerbaijani rule would
jeopardize the lives of the Armenians living there and is therefore
unacceptable. Furthermore, they urged governments around the world
to condemn Azerbaijan for their continued display of religious
intolerance, aggression, and constant attempts to destabilize the
Caucasus.
Founded in 1934, the Armenian Youth Federation of Canada is the
largest and most influential Armenian-Canadian youth organization
in Canada, working to advance social, political, educational, and
cultural awareness among Armenian-Canadian youth.
Text of letter addressed to Ambassador Farid Shafiyev:
March 23, 2012 Ambassador Farid Shafiyev 904-275 Slater Street Ottawa,
ON K1P 5H9
Ambassador Shafiyev, We are sending you this open letter in response
to the Republic of Azerbaijan's continued policy of cultural,
political and physical hostility against the Armenians of the
Caucasus. Armenian-Canadians have gathered at your doorstep today
to commemorate the anti-Armenian pogroms of the 1980s and 1990s; to
bring attention to the destruction of the Armenian cemetery at Julfa;
and to protest the Azerbaijan government's continued anti-Armenian
statements and war threats against the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
a state whose existence you refuse to recognize.
The government of Azerbaijan has denied the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
their right to self-determination for too long. Azerbaijan disregarded
the referendum that solidified Nagorno-Karabakh's decision for
independence and instead, launched a war against its people. Today,
the livelihood of the people of Karabakh is threatened and by imposing
a blockade, hinders the economic and social development of the country.
The culture of ethnocentric hate in Azerbaijan today can be traced back
to the years leading up to the country's independence from the Soviet
Union twenty-one years ago. We remember the brutal and reprehensible
massacre of Armenians at the hand of violent mobs that the government
at the time refused to prevent or punish. The pogrom of Sumgait in
1988 set off similar acts of mob violence in other cities such as Baku
and Marghar, where civilians were dragged from their homes and raped,
burned alive or beheaded with blunt objects. All this was done in an
act of rage, which was fuelled by government propaganda in response
to the people of Karabakh's democratic call for independence.
The complete destruction of the medieval Armenian cemetery at Julfa
clearly demonstrated Azerbaijan's disposition to suppression of
ethnocultural diversity through violent and destructive campaigns.
When it fell under the control of Azerbaijan in the 1920s, this
cemetery was home to 6,000 uniquely carved Armenian tombstones.
Instead of protecting the sacred site, Azerbaijan demonstrated complete
disregard for international law and tenets of its own constitution
by proceeding to remove all traces of this historical Armenian
settlement. The cemetery - located in a region already depopulated
of its Armenian citizens - posed no threat and was of no strategic
significance to Azerbaijan. The desecration of the churches, monastic
sites and thousands of tombstones there can only be seen as a clear
policy of ethnocide on the part of the Azerbaijani government.
This sacred ground is now being used as a military training facility.
At the same time, your government continues to feign to the
international community innocence, victim-hood and a commitment to
peace. The government signals its readiness to end the conflict and
blames the Armenian side for not being able to come to a resolution.
We ask: how is Azerbaijan committed to peace when its military budget
is increased from $300 million to over $4 billion in the last 6 years?
How is it committed to peace when the country continually makes
threats of invading all of Armenia and destroying its people?
We register our indignation at the fact that just last month, the
President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, stated "...our main enemies
are Armenians of the world..." It is simply ridiculous that a head of
state can generalize an entire nation in this manner. This can only
be labelled as racist and truly troublesome. These are unfortunately
all too common within your government and must cease if indeed you
are committed to a peaceful resolution to the war.
The Armenian-Canadian community believes that Nagorno-Karabakh's
independence must be universally recognized and that a return to
Azerbaijani rule will jeopardize the lives of its citizens. Through our
protest and this letter, we condemn the government of Azerbaijan for
its continued display of military aggression, religious intolerance and
dictatorial rule in the South Caucasus. A nation's right to dictate
its own future is firmly enshrined in international law, and we will
continue to guarantee that this right is safeguarded for the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Signed: The Armenian Youth Federation of Canada
From: Baghdasarian