Montebello Mayor Salvador Melendez, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis, and California Senator Bob Archulta (32nd District) stood together with members of Montebello’s City Council Kimberly A. Cobos-Cawthorne (mayor pro-tem), Jack Hadjinian, and Angie Jimenez to denounce the current violence in the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh, where ethnic Armenians have lived for generations.
 
“Any conflict that claims or damages innocent human life should be condemned.  The current conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is no exception and I, along with those here today, are gathered to ask for peace and restraint. On behalf of all our local Armenian residents, those in our impacted sister city of Stepanakert, and those who have family and loved ones impacted by this violence – we ask the forces involved to stop and act peacefully. Stop the destruction and violence taking a toll on the most vulnerable in the region,” said Mayor Melendez.
 
Wednesday’s appeal was made in front of the Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument, which was the first such monument built on public land in the United States in 1968.  It is a prominent landmark in the City of Montebello, which is home to one of the oldest and largest Armenian-American communities in Los Angeles since the mid-1950’s. The community is also home to Holy Cross Cathedral, the Armenian Center, and the Armenian Relief Society Nayiri Preschool and daycare center.
 
Montebello Councilmember Jack Hadjinian also added to today’s appeal with, “This is not a war as the media has portrayed it, this was an attack and a violation of a cease-fire agreement and we ask the United States State Department to exert more influence in helping to stop the violence being inflicted on our Armenian brothers and sisters.”