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Colorado Legislature passes Armenian Genocide resolution

April 27, 2017 By administrator

The Colorado State Legislature unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, thedenverchannel.com reported.

The resolution states:  “We express support for efforts toward constructive and durable relations between the country of Armenia, the homeland for the Armenian people, and its neighbors, based upon acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime against humanity.”

“Our Colorado Advocacy Day was a great success! We appreciate the Centennial State’s legislators’ support of the Armenian American community, as manifested in their unanimous approval of the annual Armenian Genocide resolution, and the time they took to learn about current issues impacting the Armenian homeland, as well as US-Armenia relations,” Armenian National Committee Western Region said in a statement.

Armenians of Colorado began with a group of 15 Armenian members around 1980. At least 125 families are involved in the organization today.

Filed Under: Genocide, News Tagged With: armenian genocide, colorado, recognize

Colorado Governor Proclaims December 6 as Djulfa Commemoration Day

December 7, 2015 By administrator

3d4180aa-e1f4-4ca0-9e13-e09a9ab103c1DENVER, Colo.–In an official proclamation, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper declared December 6, 2015 as the 10th Anniversary of Djulfa Destruction – joining global commemorations of Azerbaijan’s genocidal destruction of 2,000 Djulfa (Jugha) khachkars, reported Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region.

Gov. Hickenlooper’s proclamation memorializes “the deliberate destruction of the world’s largest collection of medieval khachkars at Djulfa; [which] has been documented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.” The proclamation further mentions that “the State of Colorado commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this year by unveiling a Capitol khachkar memorial, a replica of one of Djulfa’s 2,000 destroyed monuments” and that “Coloradans are encouraged to visit the State Capitol and view the replica Djulfa khachkar.”

“Colorado once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to human rights,” remarked ANCA WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan. “Governor Hickenlooper’s authorization and unveiling of the Colorado State Capitol Khachkar on April 24 was a staunch expression of support to the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide as well as an unprecedented tangible action to restore a piece of medieval Armenian culture lost in a genocidal destruction. We are so proud that Colorado’s Armenian community has become such a vibrant voice in their state’s democratic process and are grateful to Governor Hickenlooper for his strong leadership and commitment to issues important to our community and human rights advocates worldwide.”

The Proclamation will be read by Colorado’s Douglas County Public Defender and Djulfa descendant Ara Ohanian later today at the Shine a Light on All Genocides candlelight vigil and program in Denver, organized by Armenians of Colorado (AOC) in partnership with ANCA-Colorado, the Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness & Action, and the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles.

December 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of Turkic Azerbaijan’s genocidal destruction of 2,000 medieval khachkars, when the army of Azerbaijan utilized heavy technology to conduct an operation against helpless cultural monuments. Despite the fact that the destruction was caught on tape and further documented with satellite evidence, Azerbaijan continues to deny the existence of and the destruction of Djulfa. The destruction of Djulfa was the final step of carefully-planned and executed wipeout of Nakhichevan’s indigenous Christian heritage in line with official historiography in Azerbaijan that claims Armenians did not live in that region until the 19th century. This is often seen as a continuation of Turkey’s pan-Turkic genocidal policy against indigenous Armenians, which started with discrimination then organized massacres and ethnic cleansing, followed by denial and destruction of physical evidence, and is one of the reasons why the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) has argued that any rule by Azerbaijan over it would be tantamount to genocide. For more information on the Djulfa destruction, visit www.djulfa.com.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues. For more information, visit www.ancawr.org. ###
The complete text of the proclamation is presented below:

State of Colorado
Proclamation
WHEREAS, December 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the deliberate destruction of the world’s largest collection of medieval khachkars at Djulfa; and

WHEREAS, this destruction has been documented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science; and

WHEREAS, the State of Colorado commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this year by unveiling a Capitol khachkar memorial, a replica of one of Djulfa’s 2,000 destroyed monuments; and

WHEREAS, Coloradans highly value cultural preservation and tolerance; and

WHERESA, deliberate targeting of cultural monuments continues to pose a threat to our global heritage; and

WHEREAS, Coloradans are encouraged to visit the State Capitol and view the replica Djulfa khachkar;

Therefore, I, John W. Hickenlooper, Governor of the entire State of Colorado, do hereby proclaim, forever after, December 6, 2015 as THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DJULFA DESTRUCTION DAY in the State of Colorado.

GIVEN under my hand and the Executive Seal of the State of Colorado, this sixth day of December, 2015

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: colorado, Djulfa, governor, proclaims

Colorado Senate Kills Pro-Baku Resolution In Presence of Azeri Consul General

January 29, 2015 By administrator

thankyoucoloradoDENVER, Colo.- Only moments before a scheduled vote on Thursday, the Colorado State Senate pulled from consideration a controversial measure (Resolution SJR 15-006) which would have, in the presence of a visiting Azerbaijani diplomat, praised “the strategic partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR).

Sources from the State Capitol report the co-sponsor of the resolution, Senator Larry Crowder, agreed to withdraw the resolution from Thursday’s vote schedule. The resolution has been rescheduled for a vote on May 15, 2015; the Legislature however adjourns on May 7, 2015 thus effectively signaling its defeat.

Prior to withdrawing the resolution from a vote, however, Senator Crowder took the floor and, in a move that confused many Colorado citizens, acknowledged the presence of Nasimi Aghayev the Consul General of Azerbaijan, paying tribute to a regime in Azerbaijan that is widely criticized as a leading violator of human rights. Aghayev surely expected to return to his office in Los Angeles boasting of a legislative victory in Colorado. No such opportunity was even afforded.

20150129_1159171ANCA WR Community Development Coordinator Simon Maghakyan and Armenians of Colorado President Sona Hedeshian

“The speed and power of our grassroots’ mobilization in Colorado against the continued, albeit unsuccessful, attempts from the Azerbaijani lobby to shamefully introduce legislation that blatantly misrepresents facts is a real testament to our community’s and organization’s resolve to pursue truth and justice for our Cause,” remarked ANCA-WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan. “We are pleased that Colorado joins Hawaii, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming in affirming that it too is not for sale to the oil-rich and corrupt regime of Ilham Aliyev’s Azerbaijan. We were particularly gratified to see Senator Crowder reconsider and ultimately withdraw the resolution after gaining a fuller understanding of the facts about Azerbaijan’s domestic abuses and foreign aggression,” added Asatryan.

In the days leading up to today’s vote, ANCA-WR worked with local community leaders and activists to alert state legislators about the corrupt and authoritarian regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the country’s gross human rights violations, coverage of which has increased in the American press most recently in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, under the headlines, “A Thuggish Regime Challenges the U.S.” and “The Two Faces of Azerbaijan’s Mr. Aliyev” respectively.

More specifically, on Monday, January 26 ANCA WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan submitted a written statement to the Colorado State Senate voicing strong opposition to SJR15-006, noting the proposed resolution’s blatant misrepresentation of the truth with respect to the Republic of Azerbaijan, U.S.- Azeri relations and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. On Wednesday January 28th, ANCA-WR also issued an action alert, through which Coloradans were actively writing to and calling State Senator Larry Crowder and key state legislators urging that they VOTE NO on SJR15-006.

Upon learning of the resolution, which includes an incorrect citation that the United States recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, the President of Armenians of Colorado, Sona Hedeshian, along with many others quickly reached out to their elected officials urging them to reconsider the vote. “We deeply appreciate that our elected officials took the time to hear our concerns. Hopefully, we will not find ourselves in similar situations in the future,” stated Hedeshian.

Dr. Ken Touryan, a resident of Denver, Colorado, thanked Colorado Senator Kevin Lundberg and the Republican leadership for carefully reviewing the inaccuracies of the proposed resolution and deciding to effectively withdraw it.

“I was shocked that our Colorado state legislature would even consider honoring a dictatorship that threatens Armenia on a daily basis. The defeated resolution would have contradicted Colorado’s staunch support for Armenian issues going back to WWI, including a 1921 joint unanimous resolution on assisting the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and providing support for the Armenian Republic,” stated an active member of Armenians of Colorado, Kim Christianian.

“We are grateful for the collective efforts of the ANCA-WR and for the concerned citizens of Colorado who worked with their elected representatives to help prevent the adoption of an erroneous motion in the Colorado State Legislature,” expressed Robert Avetisyan, Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) in the United States. “Unfortunately, legislatures across the U.S, are often misguided by biased and one-sided information about Artsakh, which distorts the historical facts and current realities. It is very important that Armenians and all supporters of truth continue sharing objective information regarding the NKR,” he added.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: colorado, kills, pro-baku, resolution, Senate

Why is the Colorado Legislature Supporting Aliyev’s Dictatorship?

January 29, 2015 By administrator

ActionalertOn Thursday morning, the Colorado State Senate is scheduled to vote on SJR15-006, a resolution recognizing and supporting the partnership between the US and one of the most intolerant and corrupt regimes in the world, Azerbaijan.

The big question here is why?

Why would Colorado State Senators Larry Crowder and Laura Woods, and Colorado State Representative Edward Vigil, introduce a joint senate resolution tying the great State of Colorado with a brutal dictatorship like that of Ilham Aliyev’s Azerbaijan?

Why extend such ties between Colorado and a regime that is stifling American journalists, jailing them, and raiding the RFE/RL?

Why plan to honor and recognize on the Senate Floor Azerbaijan’s Consul General, Nasimi Aghayev — the hand-picked mouthpiece of the brutal dictator that pardoned, promoted and praised a convicted axe-murderer, Ramil Safarov, who had killed Armenian Lieutenant Gourgen Margaryan in his sleep?

It is peculiar for this resolution to spring up at all, but especially alarming since just this month, the Wall Street Journal published a scathing review of Azerbaijan’s gross human rights violations, referencing a statement by State Department Assistant Secretary Tom Malinowski who “warned the government of Azerbaijan that its ‘crackdown on civil society’ risked damaging relations with the U.S. Eight days later, prosecutors and police in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku raided the office of RFE/RL.” A few days later, The New York Times published a piece criticizing Azerbaijan’s threats and attempts to blackmail the United States. The Times went on to urge the U.S. to stand up to Azerbaijan regarding the raiding of its own RFE/RL and other human rights violations.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Richard Kauzlarich recently called for sanctions on Azerbaijan. Kauzlarich deplored Azerbaijan’s crackdown on civil society and the staggering number of its jailed journalists. Just yesterday, Azerbaijan extended the pre-trial detention of independent journalist and RFE/RL contributor Khadija Ismayilova, for an additional two months, in a decision that ignores international condemnation of her imprisonment.

On Monday, January 26, 2015, ANCA WR Executive Director Elen Asatryan submitted a written statement (read full below) opposing the resolution on behalf of the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region, noting “Resolutions such as SJR15-006 are being introduced in many states throughout the nation, not because of their veracity or because of deep ties between Americans and Azerbaijanis but rather, due to the well-financed and influential lobby which has emerged in light of Azerbaijan’s growth as an oil-producing nation.”

Earlier today, the ANCA WR issued an action alert by which concerned Coloradans have been contacting their representatives to press them on why this resolution, with its blatant misrepresentations of truth is being considered for a vote, urging them to vote No on SJR15-006, for what does Colorado have to gain through such entanglement with an undemocratic regime? The action alert may be found at www.ancawr.org.

There is still time for the Colorado legislators to rectify this dangerous situation. The initiators of SJR15-006 can simply choose not to advance the measure. And should they succumb to President Aliyev’s political pressure – Members of good conscience in the Colorado legislature can vote down the measure.


IN OPPOSITION TO: SJR15-006 Concerning Recognition and Support for the Strategic Partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

To: Senator Bill Cadman, President of the Colorado Senate, Representative Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, All members of the Colorado General Assembly

On behalf of the Armenian National Committee of America, I submit the following testimony to voice my strong opposition to SJR15-006. We are opposed to the resolution because it misrepresents the truth with respect to the Republic of Azerbaijan, U.S.-Azeri relations and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

This resolution’s stated purpose is to recognize and support the strategic partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan. The truth is that Azerbaijan has demonstrated itself to be one of the most intolerant and corrupt regimes in the world. The only value which Azerbaijan offers to any other nation is its oil reserves. Similarly, other despotic regimes in the region have had substantial oil resources, yet this does not serve to render those nations as peace-loving nations, or worthy of such accolades by the State of Colorado.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal published a scathing review of Azerbaijan’s gross human rights violations, referencing a statement by State Department Assistant Secretary Tom Malinowski who “warned the government of Azerbaijan that its ‘crackdown on civil society’ risked damaging relations with the U.S. Eight days later, prosecutors and police in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku raided the office of RFE/RL.” A few days later, the New York Times published a piece criticizing Azerbaijan’s threats and attempts to blackmail the United States. The Times went on to urge the U.S. to stand up to Azerbaijan regarding the raiding of its own RFE/RL and other human rights violations.

Resolutions such as SJR15-006 are being introduced in many states throughout the nation, not because of their veracity or because of deep ties between Americans and Azerbaijanis but rather, due to the well-financed and influential lobby which has emerged in light of Azerbaijan’s growth as an oil-producing nation. Influence peddling for the benefit of Azerbaijan is rampant as a result of the millions of dollars which have been spent by Azerbaijan in recent years in Washington and state capitals, in conjunction with the junkets to Baku which have been provided to numerous Members of Congress over the past several years.

In 2005 and 2006, 100 members of Congress agreed that “The Republic of Armenia is a valued ally of the United States and democratic countries throughout the world. The United States continues to value the strong bond that exists between Armenia and the United States. The [Baku-Tbilisi-Kars] railroad specifically bypasses Armenia and serves to isolate Armenia from East-West commercial corridors. The exclusion of Armenia from regional economic and commercial undertakings in the South Caucasus undermines the United States policy goal of promoting a stable and cooperative environment in the region. Azerbaijan’s leading role in developing the proposed Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad and other similar actions by Azerbaijan serve to undermine and avoid a just solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and potentially destabilize the region.”

In February of 2012, president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev —in a sweeping and hateful indictment of an entire ethnic group, chillingly similar to Hitler’s attempts to demonize all Jews—publicly announced that “our main enemies are Armenians of the world,” and also said that “Armenia is a country of no value.” As recently as July of 2012, officials of Aliyev’s government have threated to shoot down civilian airplanes flying between Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Since the cease fire began between the Armenians and Azeris, more than 100 Armenian soldiers have been killed by Azeri soldiers in unprovoked attacks. Azeri snipers seriously wounded a 16 year-old civilian girl in addition to killing three Armenian soldiers in recent weeks.

In August of 2012, in an act condemned by President Obama and leaders worldwide, Aliyev pardoned, praised and promoted an unrepentant axe-murderer, who was convicted in a Hungarian court for murdering an Armenian NATO Partnership for Peace participant in his sleep in Budapest.

In February of 2013, Aliyev stripped an Azerbaijani writer, Akram Aylisli, of his state honors and pension (and also caused Aylisli’s relatives to be fired from government jobs) because he wrote sympathetically about Armenians in his recent novel. A political ally of Aliyev had offered a bounty of $12,000 for Aylisli’s ear. In March of 2013, U.S. Ambassador to Baku Richard Morningstar criticized Aliyev’s crackdown on dissenters, and publicly called on Azerbaijan to respect the right of peaceful protest, promote the rule of law, and engage in a meaningful dialogue with citizens to address legitimate public concerns.

This resolution continues to make reference to Azerbaijan’s rapidly growing economy as an asset to the United States. In reality, Azerbaijan remains one of the most corrupt and despotic countries in the world. According to independent reports by international human rights watch-dogs including Transparency International, despite its massive oil resources, “Azerbaijan is plagued by endemic corruption that prevents ordinary Azerbaijanis from sharing in their country’s natural wealth and is a significant barrier to Azerbaijan’s development.” In light of this reality this resolution or others are unlikely to foster a partnership between Azerbaijan and Colorado and its people in any way.

This resolution is flawed in so many ways that it should be opposed if not because of its misinformation, but for its inherent connection to a despotic regime. Azerbaijan continues to acquire weapons and continues its threats to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh to restart the war. Azerbaijan is the main impediment to the region’s security, peace, cooperation, and to the settlement to this conflict.

On behalf of the Armenian-American community of Colorado, I ask that you please oppose this resolution. The sides should not be busy re-writing history or using politics to gain an advantage, but instead should be focusing on ways to achieve lasting peace and security in the region. Thank you for your attention.

Respectfully Submitted,
Elen Asatryan
Executive Director

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: alive, Azerbaijan, colorado, legislature

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