1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: February 14, 2023
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Judie Wilke, Assistant City Manager
By: Viviana Garzon, MPA, Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT: Consideration of a Resolution Condemning Azerbaijan’s Blockade of Artsakh and Anti -Armenian Sentiment Towards the Armenian American Community
RECOMMENDATION
The City Council could:
1. N ote and file the report;
2. D irect staff to come back for a second step; or
3. I n the interest of time due to the sensitive nature of the conflict, forgo the customary second step in the additional agenda item process ; Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK CONDEMNING AZERBAIJAN’S
BLOCKADE OF ARTSAKH AND ANTI -ARMENIAN SENT IMENT TOWARDS THE ARMENIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
BACKGROUND
At the January 31, 2023 City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Anthony requested a first step report on a resolution condemning Azerbaijan's blockade of Artsakh and all anti-Armenian sentiment. Council received requests from Sarkis Simonian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America – Burbank Chapter and Tony Ordoukhanian, member of the Burbank Armenian Association to pass a resolution condemning the actions in solidarity with the A rmenian American community. Both Mr. Simonian and Mr.
Ordoukhanian provided draft resolutions for Council’s consideration. Staff referenced the sample resolutions and applied whole or part of the sections to write the final resolution presented as Attac hment 1 for Council’s consideration should they choose to forgo the CITY MANAGER’S
OFFICE
2 second step report. Mr. Simonian and Mr. Ordoukhanian are active community members and should be commended for their work and representation of the Armenian American community.
DISCUSSION
Anti-Armenian Sentiment
Over the weekend of January 28, 2023, anonymous flyers calling on four countries to “wipe out Armenia from the world map” appeared throughout the City of Beverly Hills and City of Los Angeles. The flyers were posted ahead of an Armenian Youth Federation march to protest Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh. The Beverly Hills Police Department launched an investigation into the posting of the anti -Armenian flyers and almost two weeks later determined the flyers fall within the protection of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Beverly Hills Mayor Lille Bosse had immediately denounced the flyers and they were also condemned by other local, state, and federal officials.
Azerbaijan's Blockade of Artsakh
Since December 12, 2022, the only route neighboring Armenia can use to supply 120,000 ethnic Armenians, 33,000 of which are children, living in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) has been blocked by Azerbaijan. Citizens of Azerbaijan claiming to be eco-activists launched a blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh to the outside world and to Armenia. Although Azerbaijan claims to have peaceful intentions, the blockade is causing severe consequences. For over two months, residents of this region have been denied food, fuel, medicine, and other vital essentials. Azerbaijan has also cut off the only natural gas supply to the region, leaving people without heat in the winter months with temperatures nearing zero degrees. The government of Armenia has been able to send limited amounts of essential supplies, such as infant formula, diapers, medicine, and hospital food only twice with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
CONCLUSION
The blockade of Artsakh is part of a conflict that escalated in September of 2020 when hostilities erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory of Artsakh.
Council has taken an active approach since 2020 to condemn Azerbaijani aggression in Artsakh, recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh, demand an immediate 3 end to hostilities, and cut off military aid from the United States to Azerbaijan by way of adopting resolutions and sending letters to President Biden and the United States Congress. The distribution of anti -Armenian flyers in the Cities of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles is unfortunately also connected to this conflict. Due to the timeliness of this sensitive matter, Council may choose to forgo the second step report and adopt the attached Resolution in support of the Armenian American community across the United States.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Resolution