SYDNEY: A protest to 'STOP THE PROTOCOLS' in the suburb of Ryde attracted over 600 members of the Armenian-Australian community, who chanted an emphatic 'VOCH'/'NO' to the proposed agreement to normalise relations between Armenia and Turkey.
The crowd was holding banners, which included: "Don't compromise Armenia's future!", "Armenians Want Justice!", "Justice, not Protocols!", "No to the Protocols!", "No more protocols, No more lies!", "Protocols = No, Justice = Yes" and others.
The audience yelled chants, including 'Karabagh-e Hayeroon [Karabakh belongs to Armenia]', 'Hayastane Dzakhoo che [Armenia's not for sale], 'Mezi Lessir Yerevan, Protocols Akhpaman [Hear us in Yerevan, protocols belong in the trash]' and the very powerful 'VOCH', which translates to 'NO'.
The 'VOCH' theme carried through all speakers, with Haig Kayserian of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) stating: "To the world leaders pushing these Protocols down the throat of the Armenian government, we and 10million Armenians worldwide say 'NO'. "To Turkey, who feels it can bully Armenia into surrendering its 100-year battle for justice from the Armenian Genocide, we and 10million Armenians worldwide say 'NO'.
"To Mr Sargsyan and the government of Armenia, who feel they can fool us into believing these Protocols contain no preconditions and no surrender of our rights, we say 'NO'." ANC Australia President, Varant Meguerditchian was greeted with whole-hearted applause when declaring "...we reject these Protocols".
Meguerditchian said the opening of the borders is not worth insulting the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide. "What are the benefits?" he asked. "For the opening of a border that is illegitimate? The opening of a border that only exists as a result of the genocide? The opening of a border that was drawn not by Armenia but by the USSR and Turkey? The opening of a border that will spell the end for Armenian industry? The opening of a border that that will ruin the Armenian economy or the opening of a border that can and will be closed at any time at Turkey's discretion?"
Berdj Momdjian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), spoke on behalf of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) and his own party, declaring opposition to these Protocols is "united and unanimous".
Kevork Tufenkjian of the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia (AYF Australia) went on record to state the youth community in Sydney also reject these Protocols, "with or without the signature of President Sargsyan".
Video footage of the Sydney protest and the message of protestors, together with a petition with 1,500 Armenian-Australian signatures in opposition to the Protocols and an online poll declaring 96% of Armenian-Australians oppose the Protocols, has been sent electronically to the office of the President of Armenia; just 2 hours after the completion of the event.
The protest was supported by the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar), the Armenian National Committee of Australia, Homenetmen, the Armenian Relief Society, Hamazkaine and the Armenian Youth Federation of Australia.
