– Mayor Gordo Joins Glendale Mayor Ardy Kasskhian in Urging President Biden to Hold Azerbaijan Accountable
PASADENA, CA – Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo has issued a proclamation standing in solidarity with the Armenian-American community, and condemning Azerbaijan’s ongoing humanitarian blockade of the region’s 120,000 indigenous Armenians, reported the Armenian National Committee of America – Pasadena Chapter (ANCA Pasadena). Mayor Gordo also co-signed a letter, initiated by Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian, calling on the Biden Administration to immediately end military assistance to Azerbaijan and request emergency humanitarian aid for Artsakh.
“We would like to thank Mayor Gordo for this powerful message of solidarity with the Armenian people amidst the existential threat posed by Azerbaijan, and for joining a groundswell of local calls demanding immediate action be taken to hold Azerbaijan to account,” stated ANCA Pasadena Chair Shoghig Yepremian. “We look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Gordo, alongside other elected officials throughout Southern California, in urging the administration to end its military assistance to Azerbaijan, and provide much-needed humanitarian relief to the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh.”
The city proclamation issued by Mayor Gordo strongly condemned Azerbaijan’s ongoing campaign of aggression against the Armenians of Artsakh, noting that the 2020 war was launched “with the intention of annihilating the Armenian people of Artsakh.”
The proclamation also urged the United States to condemn Azerbaijan’s unabated belligerency, and to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
“As a country with democratic values that is devoted to freedom, these actions should be condemned. The words ‘Never Again’ were immortalized following the atrocities of the twentieth century, and these words should not be merely be spoken but shown in action,” the proclamation read.
Mayor Gordo’s statement accompanying the proclamation also drew attention to Azerbaijan’s September attack on the sovereign territory of Armenia, and reaffirmed the city’s support for the local Armenian community. “The City of Pasadena stands in solidarity with the people of Artsakh and, although we’re separated by distance, we condemn the humanitarian catastrophe and pledge our ongoing support locally,” stated Mayor Gordo.
Additionally, Mayor Gordo added his signature to a powerful letter to President Biden issued by Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian, which expressed profound disappointment at the Administration’s failure to hold Azerbaijan to account for its flagrant human rights violations – including the continued provision of military assistance to the regime in Baku through the waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.
“In continuing to supply Azerbaijan with U.S. military assistance – amidst verifiable reports of war crimes and egregious human rights abuses – we reward Azerbaijan’s aggression and risk emboldening and enabling this type of conduct,” the letter read.
Last week, Glendale Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) spearheaded a strongly worded bi-partisan Congressional letter to President Biden, demanding the Administration stop U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan and restart humanitarian assistance to the Armenians of Artsakh. “Azerbaijan is once again weaponizing basic human necessities to further degrade already strained living conditions for the Armenians living in Artsakh. If this situation continues, a humanitarian crisis with potentially tragic consequences is imminent,” wrote Rep. Schiff and 28 House colleagues, including local Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), and Brad Sherman (D-CA). “We urge the Administration to use all tools at its disposal to ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh, now and in the future, including cessation of financial support to Azerbaijan and imposition of sanctions. We cannot allow Azerbaijan’s policy of aggression and intimidation to continue,” concluded the U.S. Representatives.
Since December 12th, the first day of Azerbaijan’s Artsakh blockade, ANCA Pasadena has worked with the nationwide ANCA grassroots network to urge the White House, State Department, and Congressional leaders to stop U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan and send emergency humanitarian assistance to Artsakh. Thousands have used the ANCA online portal – anca.org/blockade – to call, tweet, and write the White House and Congressional leaders to address this enfolding Artsakh humanitarian crisis immediately.
Fifty U.S. Senators and Representatives have already condemned Azerbaijan’s blockade, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-RI). See the full list at anca.org/blockade.
ANCA Pasadena advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the city’s Armenian American community and promotes increased civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.
The full text of Mayor Gordo’s proclamation is provided below and available at:
https://anca.org/assets/pdf/122222_MayorGordo_Pasadena_Artsakhproc.pdf
The full text of Mayor Gordo’s statement accompanying the proclamation is provided below and available at: https://anca.org/assets/pdf/122222_MayorGordo_Pasadena_Statement.pdf
The full text of Mayor Kassakhian’s letter is provided below and available at:
https://anca.org/assets/pdf/122122_MayorKassakhian_ArtsakhBlockade.pdf
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Text of Statement By Pasadena CA Mayor Victor Gordo
I have issued a declaration announcing the City of Pasadena’s support of our Armenian-American community members, and together we mourn victims of military aggression in Artsakh. The struggles and extreme hardship are hard to comprehend day-today, let alone during this holiday season.
Pasadena is home to a large population of Armenians and Armenian organizations who have shaped our city and always stand strong in their continued quest for peace and freedom. These unprovoked attacks and military aggression cannot be tolerated.
On December 12, Azerbaijan imposed a blockade along the corridor linking Artsakh to Armenia-Artsakh’s only humanitarian lifeline and the primary means by which food, medical supplies, and other vital goods are transported to the region. Since the imposition of the blockade, Azerbaijan has cut off the region’s gas supply, leaving Artsakh’s 120,000 Armenians without gas for heating, hot water, and electricity during freezing weather, threatening a humanitarian disaster.
This recent conflict follows a 2020 Azerbaijani military offensive to retake the Nagorno-Karabakh region. In the most recent fighting, Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of not only attacking Armenians inside the disputed territory but also within Armenia’s borders.
The City of Pasadena stands in solidarity with the people of Artsakh and, although we’re separated by distance, we condemn the humanitarian catastrophe and pledge our ongoing support locally.
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Text of City of Pasadena Proclamation on the Artsakh Blockade
CITY OF PASADENA
DECLARATION
Whereas in September, 2020, Azerbaijan, assisted by Turkey, launched a massive attack against Artsakh whit the intention of annihilating the Armenian population of Artsakh; and
Whereas last week, Azerbaijan imposed a blockade along the corridor linking Artsakh and Armenia – Artsakh’s only humanitarian lifeline – and the primary means by which food, medical supplies, and other vital goods are transported to the region; and
Whereas since the imposition of the blockade, Azerbaijan has cut off the region’s gas supply, leaving Artsakh’s 120,000 Armenians without gas for heating, hot water, and electricity – in freezing cold temperatures – threatening a humanitarian disaster; and
Whereas these actions understandably bring back very painful memories to the Armenian American community of Pasadena, many of whom are descendants of the survivors of the 1915 Genocide which is memorialized in Memorial Park; and
Whereas as a country with democratic values that is devoted to freedom, these actions should be condemned. The words “Never Again” were immortalized following the atrocities of the twentieth century, and these words should not be merely spoken, but shown in action. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”;
Now, Therefore, I, Victor M. Gordo, Mayor of the City of Pasadena, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby declare that the City of Pasadena stands with its Armenian American community members in these difficult times, and mourns for the innocent victims of military aggression.
Victor M. Gordo
Mayor of the City of Pasadena
