NEW YORK, NY— The Armenian Youth Federation – Youth Organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (AYF-YOARF) Washington, DC “Ani,” Manhattan “Moush” and New York “Hyortik” chapters led community members during a march through New York City on Friday afternoon demanding immediate action by the United Nations to stop Azerbaijan’s current blockade of Artsakh. Over the past 35 years, anti-Armenian aggression and hate has increased exponentially in Azerbaijan, accumulating in the current blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor by Azerbaijani authorities. During this 120+ day blockade, the only road leading in and out of Artsakh has been closed off, leaving Artsakh citizens without proper access to food, energy and life-saving medicine. Azerbaijani soldiers are expressing their hatred toward Armenians by terrorizing school children sitting on buses on their way home, entering the borders of Armenia and threatening villagers, breaking ceasefires, among other countless examples.
Protesters marched through the streets of New York on Friday while wearing shirts stating “Azerbaijan is against human rights” and chanting “US silence fuels Azeri violence,” “United Nations put an end to genocidal nations” and “Armenians united will never be divided.” At the Azerbaijani Consulate to the UN, AYF New York “Hyortik” Chapter member Isabel Hagobian gave a powerful speech to the group, describing how “the blockade in Artsakh is a violation of several legal principles under international law” and “the UN’s failure to hold the dictatorship of Aliyev accountable for the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh caused by the blockade has only contributed to its continuation.” “We are here today to show that the Armenians of Artsakh will never be alone,” she declared, adding that Armenians “living in the Diaspora have a duty to continue calling on the international community and the United Nations to put an end to the blockade and humanitarian crisis that Artsakh is facing.”
AYF members continued their march while posting signs along the way describing the inhumane treatment that the people of Artsakh are facing today. Once they reached the Turkish consulate to the United Nations, across the United Nations Park, they continued their chanting until AYF Washington, DC “Ani” member Hovsep Seferian began his remarks. Speaking directly to the crowd of people outside the UN, as well as the Turkish consulate staff who stood outside to listen, he explained how the purpose of the United Nations is to “maintain international peace and security, collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, respect of self determination, and solving international problems of humanitarian character.” He described that by “allowing Azerbaijan to violate human rights left and right with no consequences, consistent silence on border breaches and clear invasion attempts of Armenia proper, and a complete disregard for the people of Artsakh’s right to self determination” does not adhere to the UN’s principles. He remarked that the “world needs action, and it is the UN’s duty to provide it. The 120,000 people in Artsakh, starving to death under a 124-day-old blockade need action, and it is the UN’s duty to provide it. It is a duty that they have placed upon themselves, and one with no excuse to shy away from.”
After Seferian’s speech, protesters completed their march declaring that they will “never give up the fight for the Armenians of Artsakh to live on their indigenous homeland peacefully and freely,” while urging bystanders not to stay silent, to learn about the issue, and take action by visiting anca.org/blockade.
Nayiri Shahnazarian
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