October 28, 2020
AYF members go on hunger strike to demand justice for Artsakh
LOS ANGELES—On Monday, October 26, the Armenian Youth Federation Western United States began a hunger strike in-front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles to call attention to war crimes being committed against Armenians. The hunger strike will culminate in a community-wide march on Sunday from the Federal Building to the Azerbaijani Consulate.
The hunger strikers are demanding the United States to recognize the Independent Republic of Artsakh, hold sanctions against Turkey and Azerbaijan for their blatant aggression in the region and escalation of war.
The hunger strike comes on the heels of a war that has been going on for over 30 days now — with confirmed reports of Turkey fueling the conflict by supplying weaponry and sending jihadist mercenaries to Azerbaijan. Armenians in the diaspora — many of whom were displaced during the genocide committed by Turkey in 1915 — have been protesting around the world to raise awareness and demand a call to action from the international community.
The AYF-WUS decided to hold the hunger strike in front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles because “As American citizens, we are tired of our taxpayer money going to nations like Turkey and Azerbaijan who are committing war crimes against innocent civilians” stated Aram Manoukian, AYF-WUS Chairperson.
“The world needs to open their eyes to the violence being perpetrated upon Armenians in the region, a landlocked Christian nation who is forced to defend itself against dictators like Aliyev from Azerbaijan and Erdogan from Turkey” stated Alik Ourfalian, an AYF-WUS member.
The young activists say the hunger strike will culminate up to a march on Sunday from the Federal Building to the Azerbaijani Consulate, beginning at 11a.m.
Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and the most influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness among Armenian-American youth.