THOUSANDS PROTEST PROTOCOLS IN BEIRUT
Asbarez
thousands-protest-protocols-in-beirut/
Oct 6, 2009
BEIRUT (Aztag)-In response to President Serzh Sarkisian’s trip to
Beirut, the Lebanese-Armenian community Tuesday announced a strike
and began marching, in the thousands, to Metropolitan Hotel, where
the president was meeting community organizations.
On Monday night, hundreds of members of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation "Zavarian" Student Organization and the ARF Youth of
Lebanon greeted the president with their protests at the Beirut
international airport.
The caravan of protesters, holding signs and chanting "Stop to
Protocols," "Votch (No!)" and "the blood of Armenians not up for
sale," arrived from Bourdj Hammoud to the hotel, where His Holiness
Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia addressed the crowd
before entereing the meeting. He told the protesters the Cilician
Catholicosate will stay true to the Armenian Cause and the struggle.
Last week, the Catholicos sent a letter to President Sarkisian
expressing his dissatisfaction with the protocols and cautioning the
Armenian leader about the detrimental effects of the protocols. Before
embarking on his Diaspora tour, Sarkisian had a telephone conversation
with the Catholicos.
Agence France Presse reported that some demonstrators clashed
briefly with anti-riot police who were deployed around the hotel,
and a handful of people were lightly injured by batons.
ARF Lebanon Central Committee member Avo Gidanian read out the ARF’s
message that was delivered to the president during the meeting.
"After nearly 100 years of fighting for our cause, how can our enemy
become our friend in the blink of an eye," asked a visibly angry Koko
Marashlian, a store owner in Bourdj Hammoud told the AFP.
Hagop Pakradouni, one of six Armenian deputies in Lebanon’s parliament,
said the community was all for improved ties between Armenia and
Turkey but not at any price. "This issue concerns Armenians worldwide
and not just those in Armenia," Pakradouni told AFP.
"We are not talking about a simple economic accord between two
countries but a historic one that concerns each Armenian family,
whatever its nationality," he said.
Community members have drawn up a petition condemning the agreements
set to be signed later this month between Turkey and Armenia on
establishing diplomatic ties.
"We remember, we demand, we refuse," read placards put up throughout
Bourdj Hammoud "These agreements will sound the death knell of our
cause," store-owner Marashlian said. "As descendants of those exiled,
we are the main victims of these agreements."
On Monday night, thousands gathered at a political rally and
candle-light vigil with members of the three political parties,
religious denominations and youth and students organizations in
attendance to express a unified stance against the protocols.
On the last leg of his tour, President Sarkisian in scheduled to
visit the Russian-Armenian community is Rostov.