Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn that will send a five-signature letter to President Biden, urging the United States government to take actions to stop the military assault and atrocities Azerbaijan is committing in Artsakh.
The motion calls for imposing sanctions, providing humanitarian assistance, and ending all U.S. military and economic assistance to Azerbaijan.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for all Armenians, everywhere, who are having to either bear or witness the aggressive assaults taking place in Artsakh,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “I want my Armenian constituents to know they will always have my support. Through this motion, Los Angeles County is adding its powerful voice to call upon the President of the United States to do everything in his power to stop the humanitarian violations and acts of violence being committed by the Azerbaijani government against the Armenian people of Artsakh. We must continue to condemn these attacks and stand in solidarity with the Armenian people. The time to hold Azerbaijan accountable and stop these vicious acts of violence is now.”
“Once again, Armenian people are being forcibly exiled from land they have lived on for thousands of years,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “The world is witnessing an ethnic cleansing. Armenian Americans here in Los Angeles County are devastated and worried for their friends and loved ones. These new Armenian refugees are in desperate need of help—both in the urgent need for immediate humanitarian assistance, and for a diplomatic solution that provides for the safe return to their homes. It is imperative that the U.S. government take firm action now to strengthen international accountability efforts and condemn Azerbaijan’s actions before any further attacks on Armenia.”
The motion was introduced as the Azerbaijani government has, for nine continuous months, blocked the Lachin Corridor – the only road that connects Artsakh to the rest of the world. This aggressive blockade has cut off 120,000 Armenians from food, medicine, and other critical supplies.
The Board of Supervisors’ approval of the motion was recognized and met with gratitude locally. “We are grateful to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors for passing this timely motion and for their unwavering support of the Armenian people,” said Nora Hovsepian, Esq., Chair of the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region. “This motion reverberates the calls of the Armenian-American community of Los Angeles County – one the largest diaspora communities in the world – by calling for accountability for Aliyev’s crimes, meaningful support for the more than 100,000 people of Artsakh who were forcibly displaced by Azerbaijani aggression, and justice for the Armenian political prisoners and POWs held captive by Azerbaijan.”
Supervisor Barger also read in an amendment to the motion, demanding for the Azerbaijani government to release former Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan, along with other Armenian political figures, who have been detained and remain in custody in an Azerbaijani prison.