Katheryn Barger, member of the 5th supervisorial district of Los Angeles County, presented a resolution condemning Azerbaijan's blocking of the Lachin Corridor at the board meeting. It records that the only road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to the world has been closed since last December, which has become the cause of a humanitarian catastrophe for 120,000 inhabitants.
Katheryn Barger (Supervisorial district of Los Angeles County) – This has been a particularly devastating impact on young people and children who are stranded in Yerevan away from their families and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) during the holidays. Being separated from family is painful for Armenians. It reminds of the families that were separated and lost each other during the genocide carried out by Ottoman Turkey. And I saw one documentary that showed a woman who is trying to get her son for cancer treatment. And the devastation on her family, for life-saving cancer treatment because of this blockade.
Katheryn Barger mentioned the fact of psychological pressure by Azerbaijani "activists" on 19 Artsakh children returning home from Yerevan, calling it a heinous act. She mentioned that the supervisors of the Los Angeles county who have been following and condemning Azerbaijan's continuous aggression against Armenia and Artsakh for two years, should also join the demand of the Armenian people today. According to Barger, the facts clearly refute the falsehood of the Azerbaijani side that nothing is happening.
Katheryn Barger - There is no question what is going on in Lachin corridor is a form of Genocide. They have cut off an entire area, the only way to get in and out. I have seen reports, and I have seen the people interviewed. I am talking about no food, inability to get medical care, and this is wrong. We have to stand up, and we have to stand up for the people who are right now suffering. They are cut off, and we are their last hope. And so I am hoping and I am confident that with my colleagues on this board, all five, we are calling on the Biden administration to represent. You got the largest diaspora here in USA and in this county.
The motion condemning Azerbaijan's actions was co-authored by Lindsey Horvath, a member of the Board of Supervisors. She stated that Azerbaijan's aggression is continuous. That country attacked Armenia three times in the previous 2 years and occupied some parts of its sovereign territory.
Lindsey Horvath (Los Angeles County Supervisor) - We are calling on all our federal representatives including the Biden administration to take action, to protect human rights, to protect people who are in danger, to take affirmative action to protect people on the ground who are in amidst of this conflict. And as we are seeing these atrocities rising back up reminds us of what has happened in our past. We must rededicate ourselves to making sure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past and bring them into our future.
Other members of the Board of Supervisors of the Los Angeles County also joined the resolution condemning the actions of the Azerbaijani government, in which the US government is also called to stop military and financial support to Azerbaijan.
Janice Haan (Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair) – It is necessary that the White House and the Congressional leaders take every step available to end the blockade of the Lachin corridor, provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the Armenian people, impacted by the blockade, and condemn the continued military aggression by Azerbaijan. We are thankful to see the increased EU involvement in the form of fully-fledged common security defense policy mission that will contribute to the stability in the border areas of Armenia. We call on the Biden administration to apply maximum pressure, if necessary, to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan.
Holly Mitchell (Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors) - In 2023 the fact that we are still experiencing worldwide people on sovereign land being attacked, and war-like tactics like blockades that prevent the delivery of medicine and food. To think that we have got to the point, that those are the tactics that are used is just mind-blowing to me. And so I am privileged to stand with all of you and support today’s motion to call it out and to call out the war criminals from there.
The employees of the Board of Supervisors emphasize that this document is signed on behalf of more than 10 million residents of the county.
Anna Muradyan (Chief of Staff of Catherine Barger) - We do not just have active participation of one, two or three supervisors in the largest county in this nation. We have all five supervisors who have taken a personal and direct interest in the Armenian community. And for a small community as Armenians, that means a lot to us. Because it is no longer about the size of the population of the Armenian community in each district, it is the issue.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed the resolution unanimously.
