UCLA Armenian Student Association
405 Hilgard Ave.
Kerckhoff 146
Los Angeles, CA. 90095
Contact: Arpine Hovasapian
Email: asaucla@ucla.com
Web:

PRESS RELEASE ~ April 14, 2005
Contact: Public Relations Director, Arpine Hovasapian asaucla@ucla.edu

UCLA STUDENT GOVERNMENT UNANIMOUSLY PASSES RESOLUTION
`FIGHT TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY’

The UCLA student government, the Undergraduate Student Association
Council (USAC) unanimously passed a resolution introduced by the UCLA
Armenian Student Association (ASA) Wednesday night in support of an
initiative to ban the sale of Turkish goods at UCLA until Turkey
addresses its human rights record.

The resolution, entitled `Fight to Protect Human Rights in Turkey’
made reference to numerous historical and current human rights
violations which Turkey has committed towards its people, especially
minorities. `What makes this so important is that it not only
highlights the historical human rights violations committed by the
Turkish government, but also the crimes the government commits against
its citizens today,’ asserted Shant Taslakian, a fourth year
Philosophy major and ASA member who researched goods sold in the
ASUCLA store in preparation for the council meeting.

Other ASA members, including Garen Kirakosian and Ani Garibyan had
done extensive research ` starting in 2004 ` before presenting their
findings to USAC. `The passage of this resolution is a great step
toward justice throughout the world. It is important that institutions
of higher learning, like UCLA, take the necessary steps to make it
known that they will not conduct business with governments that
mistreat their people and attempt to deny and revise history,’
proclaimed Mr. Kirakosian, a third-year Political Science student.

The resolution sends a clear and bold message to the government of
Turkey by the UCLA student body. `This was a great victory not only
for the Armenian community at UCLA, but for all those who believe in
the protection of human rights,’ asserted Raffi Kassabian, president
for the Armenian Student Association at UCLA. `We have seen USAC pass
resolutions similar to this before whether it is with the divestment
from South Africa during Apartheid and divestment from Burma. It is
important for the UCLA student body to take a clear and consistent
stance on such human rights abuses.’

The ASA must now present the resolution to the Campus Services
Committee of the ASUCLA, which consists of various students and
economists, among others. The committee must determine the economic
impact the resolution would have on the university, before they can
implement it. `Going into May’s meeting with a resolution that has
been unanimously approved by USAC is a huge step for the ASA. We will
do our utmost to work with the services committee in implementing the
resolution,’ mentioned Miss Garibyan fourth-year Political Science
student.

The full text of the resolution will be printed in next Thursday’s
(April 21, 2005) edition of UCLA’s campus daily newspaper, the Daily
Bruin, which is the second largest circulating newspaper in Los
Angeles.

The UCLA ASA is one of the oldest Armenian-American student groups
in the United States. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its
existence. The UCLA ASA seeks to cultivate a true understanding and
appreciation of Armenian history, heritage, and culture through
cultural, social, and recreational activities.