US embassy cable - 05YEREVAN358

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 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
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 
--------------------------------- 
 
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