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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
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