by David Zenian
A grass-roots movement is spreading across the United States. Organized under the heading of The American Committee to Lift the Blockade of Armenia or ACLBA, the movement is politicizing Armenians of all ages and professions.
ACLBA and the 10,000-plus who have joined the movement have the following objectives: l) Raise American public awareness of the Azerbaijani blockade and de facto blockade by Turkey. 2) Increase media coverage, nationally, internationally, and locally, of the Armenian crisis. 3) Educate the U.S. government and United Nations about Armenia and pressure them to effect policies which will end the crisis permanently.
A few people from the Boston area, frustrated by the media blackout about Armenia, decided that old fashioned American grass-roots politics was the way to move mountains. Katherine Manuelian of New York created a comprehensive "PR" campaign for Armenia, while Carol Derboghosian of Connecticut almost overnight manufactured a prototype of the buttons. Bumper stickers and posters were ordered, a Western Union hotline to send mailgrams to UN and U.S. foreign policy makers was set up, and the campaign officially began.
After that, the computer in the Najarian house never stopped humming, strategy conversations between Dr. Carolann Najarian, Nancy Najarian and Attorney Sonya Nercessian burned up the phone line, the fax machine began smoking, and people across the country went into overdrive to fight for a political solution to the crisis. ACLBA operates purely by networking. Each person contacted by the ACLBA contacts 10 other people, each one in turn contacts another 10 people, and the group grows astronomically.
Updates providing recent developments in the political and media arena are circulated weekly throughout the country. At times "Urgent Action Requests" spread across the country like wildfire. For instance, last Friday to get support for Senator John Kerry''s letter, hundreds of people in targeted states called on their Senators to co-sign the letter. The tip off came from the Armenian Assembly, the Committee jumped on board to help out, and nation-wide, people picked up their telephones to use the power of grass-roots. In the same vein, immediately upon notification from the Armenian National Committee that Representative Bonior had introduced House Resolution 86, the Committee used its network to begin a nation-wide rally in support.
The movement is growing stronger and each new U.S. initiative serves to fuel the fires of Armenian and American activism. Armenian-Americans are building a solid grass-roots movement made up of thousands of people who will say to the world, WAKE UP and SAVE ARMENIA BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
Call ACLBA, at 617-259-0202 phone, 617-259-9510 fax. Each and every person is welcome.
