Epress.am News from Armenia
In the meanwhile, groups and individuals have made public calls to stop the interethnic clashes all over the world.
Journalists Tatul Hakonyan from Armenia and Shahin Rzayev from Azerbaijan have made a joint statement pleading “not to turn the world into a new battlefield.” Their statement specifically says the following:
“One should remain a HUMAN.
We, as journalists, are not entitled to make political statements, however we cannot remain silent while Armenian-Azerbaijani clashes take place in various cities across the world.
People are subjected to violence, humiliation and degrading treatment only because they are Armenian or Azerbaijani.
An end must be put to this painful and shameful situation. It is time that the political and religious authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan make calls of calmness, common sense and tolerance.
These clashes, regardless of the fact that an invisible hand is present, do not serve the interests of neither the Armenian, nor Azerbaijani people.
Even during the bloody war of 1991-1994, the conflict did not cross over the borders of TransCaucasus.
Exporting the conflict may have tragic consequences.
We plead not to turn the countries around the globe a new battleground.”
A group of Armenians and Azerbaijanies living in various parts of the world have issued a joint statement calling on the Diasporas of each nation to stop beating each other in the name of “motherland.” The statement presented below, was joined by hundreds of ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijanis across the world.
“As members of Armenian and Azerbaijani emigrant communities across the world, we condemn the ongoing acts of violence and bigotry perpetrated by individuals within our communities towards one another in the name of patriotism.
While our societies have fundamental disagreements regarding the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, fistfights in streets across the world do nothing to advance the cause of either side. Instead, they are an affront to basic safety and human dignity.
As fellow immigrants, we call upon all members in our Diaspora communities to engage in peaceful activism, to respect the right of the others to do the same, and to reject violence, dehumanization and discrimination.
Cavid Aga (Ankara), Philip Gamaghelyan (San Diego), Arzu Geybulla (Istanbul), Ulvi Ismayil (Washington DC), Simon Maghakyan (Denver), Artyom Tonoyan (Twin Cities)”