PROTOCOLS HUNGER STRIKE ENTERS SECOND DAY
By Allen Yekikan
ls-hunger-strike-enters-second-day/
Oct 7th, 2009
Hundreds of people gathered together across from the Armenian
Consulate in Glendale Tuesday evening, joined in solidarity with 34
young Armenians holding a hunger strike against the Turkey-Armenia
protocols set to be signed on Friday.
The hunger strike, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation as part
of the "Stop the Protocols Campaign," kicked off Monday at midnight
and will last for 96 hours until midnight Friday, when the Armenian
Foreign Minister is scheduled to sign the document in Switzerland.
The protocols are also to be signed by Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian on Oct. 13, when he is expected to visit Turkey to attend
a soccer match between the Armenian and Turkish national teams. If
signed, the document will require Armenia to relinquish all legal
claims to historic lands occupied by turkey and bind it to an agreement
to establish a historic commission to investigate the veracity of
the Armenian Genocide.
The protocols also contains a clause that bars Armenia from supporting
the self determination of the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
"We’re here to make our voices heard to the Armenian Consulate and
the government in Yerevan because they have refused to listen to
the Diaspora for far to long on this issue," Berj Parseghian, the
strike’s group leader, said reflecting on the global opposition to
the protocols expressed by the Armenian Diaspora. "Our fasters, 34
strong, have an incredible resolve that motivates me every second of
the day, especially when I stop to think about the dire circumstances
our nation is facing today."
On Tuesday night, more than 400 people turned out to join the hunger
strikers in a revolutionary song night with patriotic singer Karnig
Sarkisian. The atmosphere was lively and the strikers hopes were high.
More than 200 people attended the opening ceremony Monday evening,
kicking off the program with a candle light vigil in memory of the
1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.
The strikers began the next morning making signs and preparing for a
day of activities to raise awareness among bystanders and passerby’s
in the area. With red tape over their mouths, the 35 youth chained
themselves together and sat across the street from the consulate
holding signs that said "Hunger Strike" and "Sarkisian Don’t Sign
Armeno-Turkish Protocols."
Reporters from the Los Angeles Times and Glendale Newsperess visited
the site to cover the story.
The hunger strikers have also prepared a flier called "Read Between
the Lines," which presents the dangers of the protocols in plain
English. They have been passing out copies for two days now. They
are also calling the Consulate to tell them why they are opposed to
the protocols and encouraging visitors and supporters who come by to
make the same call.
Participant at the scene, as well as others from the campaign, have
been providing live updates of the hunger strike through Facebook,
twitter, and youtube. They are also video blogging the entire
experience.
Later in the evening, the hunger-strikers and community supporters
will join together in an "Open Mic Night" to express their thoughts
on the Genocide, why they are personally out, and how these protocols
endanger the cause for Justice for the Armenian people. Participants
will read personal poems and statements, as well as testimony from
genocide survivors, including letters from the recently deceased
Ghazaros Kademian.
Thursday evening’s activities will revolve around raising awareness
of the Nagorno-Karabakh liberation struggle. The protocols threaten
the independence of Artsakh-an independence that was won through the
sacrifice and martyrdom of thousands of Armenians.
The organizers anticipate the hunger strike will continue to draw
broad based support from the community in the coming days until the
conclusion of the demonstration on Friday.