LA is home to the largest population of Armenian people in the world outside of Armenia. Today, many are rightfully terrified by violent aggression from Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region of Artsakh.

Here's what's happening, and why we stand with Armenians. (thread)

Artsakh is a de facto independent state of ethnic Armenians, adjacent to Azerbaijan.

Rising nationalism in Azerbaijan has led to the country attempting to gain sovereignty over this region with military force, supported by Turkey.

At the end of September, the Azerbaijan military attacked the capital of Artsakh, targeting civilian buildings and holy sites with cluster bombs.

A ceasefire was negotiated yesterday, but it is tenuous. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/10/nagorno-karabakh-armenia-and-azerbaijan-agree-to-ceasefire

The aggression against Artsakh recalls historic tragedy for Armenians. Between 1914-1923, the Ottoman government in Turkey carried out a genocide against Armenians, leading to 1.5 million dead and displaced.

Most of the first Armenians in LA arrived as a result of the genocide.

The aggression against Artsakh has raised fears of another genocide. Ethnic Armenians fear what will happen to them if they lose sovereignty of the region to Azerbaijan.

That’s why Armenians in LA have been protesting for days. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-06/hundreds-protest-outside-l-a-times-building-over-coverage-of-armenians

Artsakh has the right to self-determine, and denial of past atrocities allows atrocities to continue.

We stand with our Armenian neighbors in their resistance against ethnonationalist aggression, and in recognition of the wounds still open from the Armenian Genocide.