Protest Against the Armenia - Turkey Protocols

Toronto - On Saturday, October 10, 2009 over 300 Toronto Armenians gathered at Nathan Phillips Square in front of the Winston Churchill statue to voice their protest against the recently signed protocols between Armenia and Turkey. The rally was organized jointly by the Armen Karo Student Association, ARFYOC Simon Zavarian Chapter and the Armenian Student Associations of York, Ryerson, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, Waterloo and McMaster. The organizers chose the Winston Churchill statue for the location of the rally as the signing of the protocols was to take place in Zurich University’s Churchill room, where Winston Churchill gave a speech in 1946.

The protestors started the rally with the singing of Armenia’s national anthem after which Rupen Janbazian, the MC, gave his opening remarks and began the chanting which could be heard from blocks away. The protestors waved flags and held banners and signs. The slogans being chanted included: “Turkey is Guilty of Genocide”, “Eastern Turkey is Western Armenia”, “Say No to the Protocols”, “Nalbandian Resign”, “Burn the Protocols”, “Artsakh, Moosh, Van… are Armenia”, “Here’s a protocol you can order, Why don’t you recognize Wilson’s border?” “Free Armenia, United Armenia”….

Vartan Kargotzian, president of the Armenian Students’ Association at Ryerson spoke on behalf of all the organizing Armenian Students’ Associations. Harout Kassabian, president of ARFYOC’s Simon Zavarian Chapter, spoke on behalf of ARFYOC. Daron Keskinian, member of the Armen Karo Student Association national executive, delivered the Armen Karo Student Association’s message.

Shant Najarian, member of ARFYOC, Tro Iskejian, member of ARFJOC, Daniel Ohanian, member ASA at York’s executive and Raffi Sarkissian, member of Armen Karo Student Association’s national executive all recited poems.

Through the speeches, poems, songs and chanting, the protestors made clear that the Toronto Armenians are against the protocols. With the protocols on the verge of being signed, those present made every effort to inform the public that the protocols unilaterally benefit Turkey and are just another step in Turkey’s systematic denial of the Armenian Genocide. The protestors joined together with the vast majority of the Armenian nation living in and out of Armenia, to voice their protest to the Armenian Government and President Serzh Sargsyan, with hopes that the president will retract from his decision to sign the protocols in Zurich, Switzerland.

Once the news was heard that the protocols were signed, the protestors became furious. Knowing that the protocols still needed to be ratified by the parliaments of both nations, they continued protesting. Only hours after signing the protocols, Turkey’s leaders declared, just as they always have, that these protocols will not be verified and the border will not be opened, until the Armenians surrender Nagorno-Karabakh.

The protest ended off with the strong message that regardless of the signing of the protocols, the Armenian struggle will continue. It was made clear that this was just another obstacle in the course of justice. Armenians worldwide will fight until the 1.5 million souls of 1915 are put to rest with Turkey’s recognition of the Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. They will not stop until the rightful Armenian Borders as drawn by American President Woodrow Wilson are reinstated and the right to self determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh is respected by the Turkish Government.

More Community News