TWO SEPARATE GROUPS PROTEST AT EMBASSY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000358

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC AM
SUBJECT: TWO SEPARATE GROUPS PROTEST AT EMBASSY
AGAINST LACK OF INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect
accordingly.

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) Two small groups, for a total of fewer than
100 people, protested in front of the U. S. Embassy
on Monday, February 28. The groups sought to
commemorate attacks on ethnic Armenians in Sumgait
in 1988. Both protests seem to have been intended
to counterbalance reports of efforts to commemorate
killings of Azerbaijani citizens in Khojalu. Both
protests were peaceful, both passed statements to
Embassy authorities. End Summary.

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ONE -- SMALL PROTEST IN FRONT OF EMBASSY
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2. (SBU) A group of 70-80 students from Yerevan
State University protested in front of the Embassy
against an alleged lack of concern for the Armenian
victims killed in 1988 in Sumgait at noon February

28. The students carried several banners with
slogans such as "Save Karabakh from Sumgait's
destiny," "Unpunished Sumgait causes new Sumgaits in
the World," "Yerevan State University condemns
Budapest crime," "Armenian Genocide concerns not
only Armenians but people all over the World." A
student representative also handed over a letter.

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STUDENTS' PROTEST LETTER
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3. (U) Begin text of letter (original in English,
text provided as given):

The students' unions of YSU [Yerevan State
University] appeal to acknowledge and condemn the
slaughters happened in Baku, Sumgait, Ganzak and
other places in 1988, where thousands of innocent
Armenians, mainly women, old people and children
fell victims.

We are worried about the dead silence of the world
society concerning the slaughters happened in
armenian populated areas in Azerbaijan, which in
future will undoubtly cause a new bloodshed both in
our territory and in other parts of the world.

We want to remind the world that the mass slaughters
of 1988 carried out towards Azerbaijan populated
armenians had a terroristic character, the main
target of which was to prohibit the Artsakh people
from the using the right for self-determination,
which come from both the norms of the international
human rights and from the internal state of the
constitution of the USSR.

We raise our voice to the whole world that we will
pursue the prohibition of any unhuman actions all
over the world and appeal to the civilized world to
prevent any kind of crime towards humanity.

The Students' council of YSU
The United Trade Union of the Students' society of
YSU
The Students' scientific society of YSU
End text.

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TWO -- EVEN SMALLER PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE EMBASSY
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3. (SBU) Also on February 28, a group of roughly 10
people gathered to hand over a letter of protest at
3:00 p.m. This gathering of self-styled
intellectuals gave us not only a 3-page letter
(excerpts follow),but an autographed copy of a book
by one of the protestors. The group also carried
banners, including, "Unpunished Sumgait gives birth
to new Sumgaits," "University of Monte Melkonyan,"
"Students of Brusov University," "Sumgait, Baku, New
York, Beslan are all links of the same chain,"
"Crime does not have expiry date," "Azerbaijan
(picture of an axe, referring to the 2004 killing of
an Armenian military officer in Budapest) Council of
Europe - is this how you see 21st Century," "Putin,
Bush and Shirak, before solving the problem of
Karabagh, punish Sumgait," and "Democractic
Progressive Party" (logos, with abbreviation).

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APPEAL TO THE CONGRESS OF THE USA
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4. (SBU) An extremely abridged text follows
(original in English, quoted as given). Begin text:

Recently the member of the commission of the
Congress of the USA Dan Burton appealed to
colleagues to discuss the so-called question of
Khojalu. It goes without saying, the discussion
deals with the firm right of each to voice openly
his point of view on any question, moreover, if it
deals with human rights, crimes against humanity.
It is for sure that no one can take away this right
from the Congressman Barton. However, there are
such questions, which cannot be discussed and even
dangerous to be presented one-sidedly, ignoring the
main principle of the jurisprudence: "to listen to
the other side!" And we, participants of the
meeting are gathered here at the symbolic monuments
- khachkars, established in the memory of the
victims of slaughter, organized pogroms by
Azerbaijan in Sumgait in 1988, and in Baku in 1990,
not only to bow before the blessed memory of our
compatriots, but to urge the Congress of the USA and
Dan Burton, personally, to listen to the other side.
...
End text (paragraph 1 of 13).

EVANS