Today (Saturday 24th October), a massive number of Armenian-Australians and supporting communities will participate in the ‘March for Armenians’ through Sydney CBD, in solidarity with their brothers and sisters under attack in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) by Turkey-backed Azerbaijani forces.
Since 27th September 2020, both Armenian Republics of Armenia and Artsakh have been subjected to incessant civilian-targeted bombings and a series of war crimes, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of casualties in what is an impending humanitarian disaster.
“As we have seen throughout history, failure to call out and condemn an aggressor and an enabler out by name – especially when they are bombing civilians and openly threatening ethnic cleansing – only emboldens said aggressor to continue committing war crimes,” Haig Kayserian, Armenian National Committee of Australia Executive Director said.
“We often say ‘never again’ when remembering the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides of 1915. Never again means Australia must stand against ethnic cleansing and genocide, Australia must stand against dictatorships, Australia must stand against Neo-Ottoman Pan-Turanist expansionism.”
“Never again means Australia must stand for democracy, Australia must stand for indigenous rights, Australia must stand for self-determination, Australia must stand for freedom. Therefore, never again means Australia must stand for the independent, Armenian Republic of Artsakh,” Kayserian concluded.
The organisers of the ‘March for Armenians’, which will be led by the Homenetmen Scouts Marching Band, political figures and leaders of communities and faith, promise the Armenian-Australian community will “send a loud message”.
For those who would like to be a part of today's event, there will be a rolling car convoy through Sydney's city streets, close to the route of the March for Armenians.
Organisers have requested participants drape their cars with flags and encourage everyone to comply with this police order. Those who do not will be doing so at their own risk.
Details
What: March For Armenians
When: Saturday 24th October 2020
Where: Begins at ABC headquarters in Ultimo. Regularly check Ancaustralia for updates.
Time: 2pm
