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Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA JOINS WASHINGTON, DC PROTEST TO STOP GENOCIDE IN SUDAN
-- New York Congressman Charles Rangel Arrested
during Demonstration at Sudanese Embassy
"When human lives are in jeopardy, there should be outrage"
-- Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY)
WASHINGTON, DC - Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
staff and activists joined with Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY)
and leading African American and human rights activists at a
demonstration today outside the Sudanese Embassy calling for U.S.
and international pressure to end the genocide in the Darfur region
of Sudan.
The protest, organized by the Sudan Campaign, featured the arrest
of Congressman Rangel, a senior New York legislator who serves as
the Ranking Member on the influential U.S. House Ways & Means
Committee. He was arrested for trespassing by the police after
stepping to the door of the Embassy. He was released within hours
from a Washington, DC jail after paying bail of fifty dollars.
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, Government Affairs Director
Abraham Niziblian and the ANCA "Leo Sarkisian" Internship program
participants, led by Director Arsineh Khachikian, joined the noon-
time protest which included some hundred and fifty activists and
representatives from a diverse coalition of Sudan Campaign partner
organizations including the Congressional Black Caucus, Center for
Religious Freedom at Freedom House, Institute on Religion and
Democracy, American Anti-slavery group, Wilberforce Project, and
Christian Solidarity International, among others.
"We marched today, in the name of all Armenians, to do our part to
help end the cycle of genocide," said Hamparian. "As the
descendents of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, we bear a
special burden to fight intolerance and to demand moral leadership
- and decisive action - from our government to prevent hundreds of
thousands of deaths in Darfur."
During the demonstration, Niziblian, in an interview with the
Associated Press (AP), was quoted as saying that, "A lot more
people should be protesting and taking to the streets now." This
AP report, along with several photos from the demonstration, have
since appeared in New York NewsDay, CBS News wire, and a host of
other publications and media outlets. Significantly, the lead AP
photo featured Congressman Rangel, in handcuffs, being escorted by
police with an "Armenians against Genocide" poster in the
background.
The Sudan Campaign is led by Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy, co-founder of
the Congressional Black Caucus, and Joe Madison, a civil rights
activist and radio personality in the Greater Washington, DC area.
The group has been holding noon-time protests in front of the
Sudanese Embassy for the past month, during which several leading
human and civil rights activists have been arrested.
Speaking to the protestors prior to his arrest, Congressman Rangel
said, "When human lives are in jeopardy, there should be outrage."
During his remarks, Madison announced that he is launching a hunger
strike until the Sudanese government takes action to end the
obstruction of humanitarian assistance from reaching hundreds of
thousands in need in Darfur.
On Wednesday, July 14th, Robert Edgar, a former member of Congress
and the current president of the National Council of Churches, will
be arrested in front of the Sudanese Embassy. Similar protests are
planned in Boston, New York, San Antonio, San Diego and Toronto.
Over the past month, the ANCA has called attention to the
atrocities in Sudan through a series of letters to Congressional
offices, urging them to take a stand to stop the cycle of genocide
through support of Congressional initiatives regarding Sudan as
well as for the Genocide Resolution (H.Res.193, S.Res.164), which
reaffirms U.S. commitment to the principles of the Genocide
Convention. On June 23rd, Niziblian participated in a press
conference organized by the Congressional Black Caucus and Africa
Action. The ANCA has urged Armenian Americans to add their names
to the Africa Action petition drive for Sudan, by visiting
www.africaaction.org.
Some 30,000 have already perished over the past 18 months in
Darfur, Sudan, with approximately one million forced to flee their
homes. If the Sudanese government does not take action to allow
the distribution of international humanitarian assistance, the
death toll could rise to 350,000, according to conservative
estimates.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
888 17th Street NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA JOINS WASHINGTON, DC PROTEST TO STOP GENOCIDE IN SUDAN
-- New York Congressman Charles Rangel Arrested
during Demonstration at Sudanese Embassy
"When human lives are in jeopardy, there should be outrage"
-- Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY)
WASHINGTON, DC - Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
staff and activists joined with Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY)
and leading African American and human rights activists at a
demonstration today outside the Sudanese Embassy calling for U.S.
and international pressure to end the genocide in the Darfur region
of Sudan.
The protest, organized by the Sudan Campaign, featured the arrest
of Congressman Rangel, a senior New York legislator who serves as
the Ranking Member on the influential U.S. House Ways & Means
Committee. He was arrested for trespassing by the police after
stepping to the door of the Embassy. He was released within hours
from a Washington, DC jail after paying bail of fifty dollars.
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, Government Affairs Director
Abraham Niziblian and the ANCA "Leo Sarkisian" Internship program
participants, led by Director Arsineh Khachikian, joined the noon-
time protest which included some hundred and fifty activists and
representatives from a diverse coalition of Sudan Campaign partner
organizations including the Congressional Black Caucus, Center for
Religious Freedom at Freedom House, Institute on Religion and
Democracy, American Anti-slavery group, Wilberforce Project, and
Christian Solidarity International, among others.
"We marched today, in the name of all Armenians, to do our part to
help end the cycle of genocide," said Hamparian. "As the
descendents of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, we bear a
special burden to fight intolerance and to demand moral leadership
- and decisive action - from our government to prevent hundreds of
thousands of deaths in Darfur."
During the demonstration, Niziblian, in an interview with the
Associated Press (AP), was quoted as saying that, "A lot more
people should be protesting and taking to the streets now." This
AP report, along with several photos from the demonstration, have
since appeared in New York NewsDay, CBS News wire, and a host of
other publications and media outlets. Significantly, the lead AP
photo featured Congressman Rangel, in handcuffs, being escorted by
police with an "Armenians against Genocide" poster in the
background.
The Sudan Campaign is led by Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy, co-founder of
the Congressional Black Caucus, and Joe Madison, a civil rights
activist and radio personality in the Greater Washington, DC area.
The group has been holding noon-time protests in front of the
Sudanese Embassy for the past month, during which several leading
human and civil rights activists have been arrested.
Speaking to the protestors prior to his arrest, Congressman Rangel
said, "When human lives are in jeopardy, there should be outrage."
During his remarks, Madison announced that he is launching a hunger
strike until the Sudanese government takes action to end the
obstruction of humanitarian assistance from reaching hundreds of
thousands in need in Darfur.
On Wednesday, July 14th, Robert Edgar, a former member of Congress
and the current president of the National Council of Churches, will
be arrested in front of the Sudanese Embassy. Similar protests are
planned in Boston, New York, San Antonio, San Diego and Toronto.
Over the past month, the ANCA has called attention to the
atrocities in Sudan through a series of letters to Congressional
offices, urging them to take a stand to stop the cycle of genocide
through support of Congressional initiatives regarding Sudan as
well as for the Genocide Resolution (H.Res.193, S.Res.164), which
reaffirms U.S. commitment to the principles of the Genocide
Convention. On June 23rd, Niziblian participated in a press
conference organized by the Congressional Black Caucus and Africa
Action. The ANCA has urged Armenian Americans to add their names
to the Africa Action petition drive for Sudan, by visiting
www.africaaction.org.
Some 30,000 have already perished over the past 18 months in
Darfur, Sudan, with approximately one million forced to flee their
homes. If the Sudanese government does not take action to allow
the distribution of international humanitarian assistance, the
death toll could rise to 350,000, according to conservative
estimates.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress