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Overflow Crowd in Glendale Voices Support for People's Movement
Raffi Hovannisian addresses a capacity crowd in Glendale (photo by
Sako Shahinian)
GLENDALE - An overflow crowd of community members at St. Mary's Armenian
Church hall on Sunday pledged to join the popular movement, attending
the `Rally for Armenia. With our People, For our People,' during which
opposition presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian addressed the
gathering live via Skype to thunderous applause.
The crowd was decisive in its message. The anger that the people of
Armenia are feeling today as a result of widespread fraud and election
violations was echoed loudly in Glendale, as the community united its
voice with the thousands who have demonstrating in Armenia following
the presidential elections on February 18.
Hovannisian greeted the crowd with `Barev, or Parev' in a message that
included harsh criticism of the government for allowing widespread
election violations, and condemnation of foreign leaders who have
rushed to validate the elections in Armenia.
The opposition leader vowed to continue the movement in the name of
the people of Armenia, who lived a reawakening of sorts on election
day when their votes tipped the scales in favor of the people.
Organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central
Committee and the All Armenian Student Association, the Armenian Bar
Association, the ARF Shant Student Association and the Armenian Youth
Federation, the rally featured musical performances by popular singer
Harut Pamboukjian.
ARF Western US Central Committee chairman Dr. Viken Hovsepian was
clear in his message that those who conjecture that this movement will
die down are mistaken, because the movement is `pure, clean, bright
and nationalistic.'
`This movement will revolutionize our homeland. Let no one criticize
or intimidate [the movement] by throwing in the threat of
destabilization,' said Hovsepian. `Those destabilizing the country are
those who violate the right to free expression and vote of the people
of Armenia.'
`We have joined the movement so that finally, after struggling for 21
years, we can achieve our right to have truly just leadership, which
pursues national ideals,' said Hovsepian.
Also speaking at the rally was Armenian Bar Association president Garo
Ghazarian, who was in Armenia during the elections and witnessed some
of the rampant violations going on in precinct after precinct.
He recounted his meetings with international polling monitors, who he
said, would privately admit to the violations but went on to
publically validate the vote.
Ghazarian said, however, that the movement that was sparked after the
election will endure, because the people of Armenia are not afraid and
will stand firmly for their rights and fight for justice.
`The people of Armenia, in the name of securing their rights, instead
of being threatened by a long struggle, on February 18, through some
super human strength have risen to say `NO' to the violations being
forced upon them,' said Ghazarian.
`The people affirmatively heeded Raffi's call and rose up to take
ownership of their voice,' added Ghazarian.
Attorney Edvin Minassian, the former president of ArmenBar, touched on
President Barack Obama's validation of the Armenian elections.
`We as American Armenians have been deeply saddened and disappointed
with President Obama, who has sent a congratulatory message to Serzh
Sarkisian,' said Minassian.
`The United States in the past has also saluted `fine' leaders such as
Fulgencio Batista (the corrupt and brutal dictator of Cuba), Shah Reza
Pahlavi, Somoza, Manuel Noriega, Pinochet, Zia of Pakistan and Suharto
of Indonesia. The regrets have come after significant price was paid,'
said Minassian.
The program began with Pamboukjian singing the Armenian National
Anthem, after which Master of Ceremonies Tro Krikorian welcomed the
crowd and explained the importance of joining our voices with the
people of Armenia.
Davit Arakelyan, a student activist and the former chairman of the
Armenian Youth Federation, touched on the importance of the youth and
student movement that has sprung up in Armenia.
By encouraging the students, who after rising up to demand justice,
have been faced with harsh resistance from police and school
administration, who have initiated a lock-down of state institutions,
Arakelyan loudly proclaimed the `we join with the student movement in
Armenia to create a better future for our homeland.'
The AYF's Caspar Jivalegian also spoke of the youth's commitment to
the popular movement and voiced his solidarity with the young
generation in Armenia.
Tamar Shahabanian Voskanian, an international affairs expert with
years of experience in Bosnia and Armenia, provided a first-hand
account of the election violations that have been rampant in Armenia,
especially during the February 18 presidential elections.
She did express hope that the popular movement has demonstrated that
the people of Armenia are willing to stand up for their rights and are
fed up with the government continued efforts to stifle the voices of
its citizens.
http://asbarez.com/108631/overflow-crowd-in-glendale-voices-support-for-people%E2%80%99s-movement/
Raffi Hovannisian addresses a capacity crowd in Glendale (photo by
Sako Shahinian)
GLENDALE - An overflow crowd of community members at St. Mary's Armenian
Church hall on Sunday pledged to join the popular movement, attending
the `Rally for Armenia. With our People, For our People,' during which
opposition presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian addressed the
gathering live via Skype to thunderous applause.
The crowd was decisive in its message. The anger that the people of
Armenia are feeling today as a result of widespread fraud and election
violations was echoed loudly in Glendale, as the community united its
voice with the thousands who have demonstrating in Armenia following
the presidential elections on February 18.
Hovannisian greeted the crowd with `Barev, or Parev' in a message that
included harsh criticism of the government for allowing widespread
election violations, and condemnation of foreign leaders who have
rushed to validate the elections in Armenia.
The opposition leader vowed to continue the movement in the name of
the people of Armenia, who lived a reawakening of sorts on election
day when their votes tipped the scales in favor of the people.
Organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central
Committee and the All Armenian Student Association, the Armenian Bar
Association, the ARF Shant Student Association and the Armenian Youth
Federation, the rally featured musical performances by popular singer
Harut Pamboukjian.
ARF Western US Central Committee chairman Dr. Viken Hovsepian was
clear in his message that those who conjecture that this movement will
die down are mistaken, because the movement is `pure, clean, bright
and nationalistic.'
`This movement will revolutionize our homeland. Let no one criticize
or intimidate [the movement] by throwing in the threat of
destabilization,' said Hovsepian. `Those destabilizing the country are
those who violate the right to free expression and vote of the people
of Armenia.'
`We have joined the movement so that finally, after struggling for 21
years, we can achieve our right to have truly just leadership, which
pursues national ideals,' said Hovsepian.
Also speaking at the rally was Armenian Bar Association president Garo
Ghazarian, who was in Armenia during the elections and witnessed some
of the rampant violations going on in precinct after precinct.
He recounted his meetings with international polling monitors, who he
said, would privately admit to the violations but went on to
publically validate the vote.
Ghazarian said, however, that the movement that was sparked after the
election will endure, because the people of Armenia are not afraid and
will stand firmly for their rights and fight for justice.
`The people of Armenia, in the name of securing their rights, instead
of being threatened by a long struggle, on February 18, through some
super human strength have risen to say `NO' to the violations being
forced upon them,' said Ghazarian.
`The people affirmatively heeded Raffi's call and rose up to take
ownership of their voice,' added Ghazarian.
Attorney Edvin Minassian, the former president of ArmenBar, touched on
President Barack Obama's validation of the Armenian elections.
`We as American Armenians have been deeply saddened and disappointed
with President Obama, who has sent a congratulatory message to Serzh
Sarkisian,' said Minassian.
`The United States in the past has also saluted `fine' leaders such as
Fulgencio Batista (the corrupt and brutal dictator of Cuba), Shah Reza
Pahlavi, Somoza, Manuel Noriega, Pinochet, Zia of Pakistan and Suharto
of Indonesia. The regrets have come after significant price was paid,'
said Minassian.
The program began with Pamboukjian singing the Armenian National
Anthem, after which Master of Ceremonies Tro Krikorian welcomed the
crowd and explained the importance of joining our voices with the
people of Armenia.
Davit Arakelyan, a student activist and the former chairman of the
Armenian Youth Federation, touched on the importance of the youth and
student movement that has sprung up in Armenia.
By encouraging the students, who after rising up to demand justice,
have been faced with harsh resistance from police and school
administration, who have initiated a lock-down of state institutions,
Arakelyan loudly proclaimed the `we join with the student movement in
Armenia to create a better future for our homeland.'
The AYF's Caspar Jivalegian also spoke of the youth's commitment to
the popular movement and voiced his solidarity with the young
generation in Armenia.
Tamar Shahabanian Voskanian, an international affairs expert with
years of experience in Bosnia and Armenia, provided a first-hand
account of the election violations that have been rampant in Armenia,
especially during the February 18 presidential elections.
She did express hope that the popular movement has demonstrated that
the people of Armenia are willing to stand up for their rights and are
fed up with the government continued efforts to stifle the voices of
its citizens.
http://asbarez.com/108631/overflow-crowd-in-glendale-voices-support-for-people%E2%80%99s-movement/