Armenian National Committee of Australia
259 Penshurst Street, Willoughby NSW 2068
PO Box 768, Willoughby NSW 2068
T: (02) 9419 8264 | F: (02) 9411 8898
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SYDNEY: Over 600 say NO to Protocols
SYDNEY: A protest to ‘STOP THE PROTOCOLS’ in the suburb of Ryde attracted
over 600 members of the Armenian-Australian community, who chanted an
emphatic ‘VOCH’/’NO’ to the proposed agreement to normalise relations
between Armenia and Turkey.
The crowd was holding banners, which included: "Don’t compromise Armenia’s
future!", "Armenians Want Justice!", "Justice, not Protocols!", "No to the
Protocols!", "No more protocols, No more lies!", "Protocols = No, Justice
Yes" and others.
The audience yelled chants, including ‘Karabagh-e Hayeroon [Karabakh belongs
to Armenia]’, ‘Hayastane Dzakhoo che [Armenia’s not for sale], ‘Mezi Lessir
Yerevan, Protocols Akhpaman [Hear us in Yerevan, protocols belong in the
trash]’ and the very powerful ‘VOCH’, which translates to ‘NO’.
The ‘VOCH’ theme carried through all speakers, with Haig Kayserian of the
Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) stating: "To the
world leaders pushing these Protocols down the throat of the Armenian
government, we and 10million Armenians worldwide say ‘NO’. "To Turkey, who
feels it can bully Armenia into surrendering its 100-year battle for justice
from the Armenian Genocide, we and 10million Armenians worldwide say ‘NO’.
"To Mr Sargsyan and the government of Armenia, who feel they can fool us
into believing these Protocols contain no preconditions and no surrender of
our rights, we say ‘NO’." ANC Australia President, Varant Meguerditchian was
greeted with whole-hearted applause when declaring "…we reject these
Protocols".
Meguerditchian said the opening of the borders is not worth insulting the
victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. "What are the benefits?" he
asked. "For the opening of a border that is illegitimate? The opening of a
border that only exists as a result of the genocide? The opening of a border
that was drawn not by Armenia but by the USSR and Turkey? The opening of a
border that will spell the end for Armenian industry? The opening of a
border that that will ruin the Armenian economy or the opening of a border
that can and will be closed at any time at Turkey’s discretion?"
Berdj Momdjian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun),
spoke on behalf of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the Armenian
Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) and his own party, declaring opposition
to these Protocols is "united and unanimous".
Kevork Tufenkjian of the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF
Australia) went on record to state the youth community in Sydney also reject
these Protocols, "with or without the signature of President Sargsyan".
Video footage of the Sydney protest and the message of protestors, together
with a petition with 1,500 Armenian-Australian signatures in opposition to
the Protocols and an online poll declaring 96% of Armenian-Australians
oppose the Protocols, has been sent electronically to the office of the
President of Armenia; just 2 hours after the completion of the event.
The protest was supported by the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), the Armenian Democratic
Liberal Party (Ramgavar), the Armenian National Committee of Australia,
Homenetmen, the Armenian Relief Society, Hamazkaine and the Armenian Youth
Federation of Australia.
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The Armenian National Committee of Australia is the peak public affairs body
of the Armenian-Australian community. ANC Australia advances the concerns of
the Armenian-Australian community.