BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)—Hundreds of activists holding Armenian tricolors, posters, and banners, held a protest in front of the Turkish Consulate in Boston on April 24, demanding recognition, restitution, and reparations for the Armenian Genocide. The protest was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF-YOARF) Greater Boston “Nejdeh” chapter and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Sardarabad gomideyutiun.
AYF member Shant Mahrokhian chanting into the megaphone (Photo: Knar Bedian)
Demonstrators chanted “We Demand Justice,” “Turkey is guilty of genocide,” and “Ani is Armenia, Javakhk is Armenia, Artsakh is Armenia” during the protest.
A scene from the protest (Photo: Ken Martin)
Activist Shant Maroukhian, a member of the Greater Boston “Nejdeh” Chapter, delivered opening remarks, demanding that the Turkish government acknowledge and atone for its genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 and return all occupied Armenian lands to the Armenian people along with just reparations. He then invited Meghri Dervartanian to speak on behalf of the AYF “Nejdeh” chapter, U. Meghri addressed the fact that the Armenian Diaspora plays an important role in spreading awareness about the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian people.
Hundreds of activists holding Armenian tricolors, posters, and banners held a protest in front of the Turkish Consulate in Boston on April 24 demanding recognition, restitution, and reparations for the Armenian Genocide. (Photo: Knar Bedian)
Maroukhian then invited AYF “Nejdeh” Junior Executive member Knar Krafian to address the crowd. “I am 13 years old and proudly protesting and us youth are also taking it upon ourselves to stand for what’s right in a way that’s different than how it’s been done in the past… we use the power of a post to spread the word and educate others about the Armenian Genocide..” she said.
The protest was organized by the AYF-YOARF Greater Boston ‘Nejdeh’ chapter and the ARF Sardarabad gomideyutiun. (Photo: Ken Martin)
Maroukhian announced that AYF members Sanan Maroukhian and Haig Aboyan tried delivering a letter to the Turkish Consulate but that they did not accept it. The crowd then continued to chant “no justice, no peace” and “Turkey is guilty of genocide.”
AYF Junior Knar Krafian addressing the crowd of protesters (Photo: Knar Bedian)
Dikran Khaligian was then invited to speak on behalf of the ARF. “Time is running out for Turkey, Turkey is losing… [It is] our job to wake up the American public, to wake up the American government, and to stop their aiding and abetting Turkish genocide denial. That’s why we are here, that’s why we will always be here, that’s why we will continue to demand our lands and not stop until Artsakh is Armenia, until Western Armenia is Armenia, until Akhalkalak is Armenia,” Khaligian said.
Ida Barsoumian of the AYF chanting (Photo: Knar Bedian)
Araz Chiloyan, AYF “Nejdeh” Executive member, concluded the protest by addressing the Turkish Consul General. “Dear Mr. Consul General. Know well, that as long as your government continues to deny the Armenian Genocide—the great crime your predecessors committed 102 year ago—we will continue to gather here, united, to remind you that your days of denial are limited. We strongly believe that the walls of injustice will come down from within, and your own people—the citizens of Turkey—will also demand justice for the Armenian Genocide,” said Chiloyan.
The Armenian Weekly provided live video coverage of the protest on its Facebook page.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Hundreds Protest, Demand Justice at Turkish Consulate in Boston