The local community comes together to raise funds – and awareness – over the recent attack on Armenia.

By Mary O’KEEFE

It felt like history repeating itself when Armenians around the world woke up about two weeks ago to the news of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan military forces. French President Emmanuel Macron reported that evidence suggested Syrian jihadist fighters had traveled to the Caucasus through Turkey, which backs Azerbaijan in the fighting.

“I don’t want to say it was a surprise,” said Nareh Ohanian, a junior at CSUN and treasurer for the Armenian Youth Federation of Crescenta Valley Zartonk Chapter.

Ohanian said the area has been fraught with violence over the years but the recent extreme violence surprised her.

“It is very upsetting to see family, friends and just your people being hurt in your motherland,” she said.

In response, on Tuesday night members of the AYF and Homenetmen La Crescenta Shant Chapter were working on gathering and packaging hundreds of medical items to send to Armenia.

“As soon as everything happened, Armenians all over the world united, every Armenian wanted to help,” she said.

She added that several Armenian Americans have volunteered to fight and are now in Armenia.

“We are ready to fight for our lives,” she added. “If we don’t have guns, our people are ready to run in with rocks to save our lives.”

This attitude of fighting for their motherland comes from a historic anger about the Armenian Genocide that occurred in 1915 when the Ottoman Empire killed millions of Armenians. For over 100 years the Armenian community has been asking governments to recognize that what happened was, in fact, genocide; however, the United States has not yet recognized the atrocity.

“It is like history has repeated itself in many ways,” said Mike Kalachian, member of the Armenian Center in Glendale.

He pointed out that when the Genocide occurred, led by Turkey, it was during WWI and the world was dealing with the Spanish flu. Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the attacks have begun again and, as it did last time, Kalachian feels the world is turning away.

“Honestly, we are not asking for money [for Armenia],” Ohanian said. “We are asking for people to speak up. Word of mouth is important.”

Congressman Adam Schiff, who has attempted for many years to get the U.S. to recognize the Armenian Genocide, along with 46 bipartisan members of the House sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo expressing concern with the escalating conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“The Members noted that Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh [Nagorno Karabakh] has cost the lives of civilians and soldiers on both sides, and raised the danger of a broader regional conflict particularly due to Turkey’s involvement. The letter also asks that the State Department take specific steps to deescalate the conflict and encourage all sides to reengage in a diplomatic process to peacefully and democratically resolve the longstanding conflict,” according to a statement from the House members.

A March for Victory will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. beginning at the Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd. in LA and ending at the Turkish Consulate, 8500 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Masks, social distancing and COVID precautions will be strictly enforced.

Donations can be made at ANCA.org or at armeniafund.org/donate.

  Mary Okeefe