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Kessab leader Garo Manjikian addresses the town hall via Skype

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  • Kessab leader Garo Manjikian addresses the town hall via Skype

    Kessab leader Garo Manjikian addresses the town hall via Skype

    April 11, 2014

    Hundreds Attend AYF's Town Hall Meeting on #SaveKessab


    GLENDALE--The Armenian Youth Federation - Western Region hosted a town
    hall meeting on Wednesday at the Krikor and Mariam Karamanoukian
    Glendale Youth Center. Hundreds were in attendance as representatives
    from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian National
    Committee of America, the Kessab Educational Association of Los
    Angeles, and the Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund presented information
    about the recent attacks on the predominantly Armenian town of Kessab,
    Syria, as well as Turkey's involvement in the occurrences.

    Vahe Lepedjian, a member of the AYF-WR Central Executive, explained in
    his opening remarks that the AYF-WR thought it necessary to hold this
    meeting in order to present the community with up-to-date and accurate
    information regarding the recent occurrences in Kessab. Over the past
    few weeks, the AYF-WR has seen an overwhelming response to its
    #SaveKessab campaign on the internet, but information shared through
    social media has not always been truthful.

    "As an organization that is dedicated to strengthening and educating
    our community, engaging and activating the masses serves as the best
    motivation to continue working toward our goal," Lepedjian said.
    "Whether online or in person, our efforts have been matched with an
    overwhelming amount of interest and support."

    Speaking on behalf of the ARF was Dr. Viken Hovsepian, chairperson of
    the ARF Western United States Central Committee. He presented the
    facts of the attack, saying that residents of Kessab have evacuated
    the town and there have been no Armenian casualties to date. He also
    explained that an emergency meeting was called with the U.S. State
    Department the day of the attacks. Representatives from the ARF and
    ANCA presented facts and evidence, urging the State Department to
    begin a formal, independent investigation into Turkey's involvement in
    the attacks. Raffi Hamparian, ANCA National Board member, spoke to the
    crowd about the importance of contacting their representatives in
    Congress and calling for congressional intelligence inquiry into the
    attacks.

    Joining the meeting from Latakia via Skype was Garo Manjikian. He is
    heading relief efforts in Latakia, where the majority of Kessab
    residents have found refuge. He said that on the morning of March 21,
    locals noticed that Turkish police posts at the border were vacated.
    Hours later, the attackers crossed the border and attacked the town.
    Residents, he said, adamantly wish to return to their homes in Kessab.
    He thanked the international Armenian community for all its support in
    the last few weeks.

    Esther Tognozzi, president of the KEA, thanked the community for its
    support and asked that any information found online be verified before
    sharing. She also conducted the Q&A session with Manjikian. The final
    speaker was Zaven Khanjian on behalf of SARF. He urged the crowd to
    attend the Hye Aid 3 benefit concert, the proceeds of which will help
    relief efforts in Kessab.

    The crisis in Kessab is of particular concern to the Armenian
    community because of its unique historical significance as the last
    indigenously-populated Armenian town on the lands of historic Western
    Armenia. The attacks on Kessab serve as a bitter reminder of the same
    tactics Turkish forces utilized as a precursor to genocide in 1909 and
    1915.

    Wednesday's town hall meeting attracted activists of different
    backgrounds. Jason Acherman, a member of the Encino Neighborhood
    Council, attended the meeting to be further informed on the subject of
    Kessab. "I just wanted to get a better sense of what's going on and
    see what I, as a non-Armenian-American, can do to help," he said. "I'm
    Jewish and my people have faced genocide as well, so I have deep
    empathy for the Armenian community."

    The AYF-WR is gratified and inspired by the success of the #SaveKessab
    campaign, but is likewise aware of a mass distribution of inaccurate
    information and images not associated with the crisis in Kessab.
    Moving forward, it is crucial that specific information is clarified
    so that the campaign and its followers can take steps in the direction
    of effective intervention and aid.

    The AYF-WR would also like to address that its only official outlets
    for the #SaveKessab campaign operate under "AYFWest" social media
    accounts and www.ayfwest.org. Any merchandise found online is
    unofficial and we discourage purchasing such merchandise as the
    proceeds cannot be tracked. At this time of crisis, our united efforts
    are critical.

    Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most
    influential Armenian-American youth organization in the United States
    working to advance the social, political, educational, and cultural
    awareness of Armenian-American youth.

    http://www.horizonweekly.ca/news/details/36115

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