{"id":6610,"date":"2015-10-26T19:00:36","date_gmt":"2015-10-26T19:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=6610"},"modified":"2015-10-26T19:00:36","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T19:00:36","slug":"nationwide-grassroots-civic-action-supports-royce-engel-congressional-call-for-artsakh-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=6610","title":{"rendered":"NATIONWIDE GRASSROOTS CIVIC ACTION SUPPORTS ROYCE-ENGEL CONGRESSIONAL CALL FOR ARTSAKH PEACE"},"content":{"rendered":"

ANCA chapters, local activists and student groups lead the charge urging concrete steps to end Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia and Karabakh<\/strong> <\/p>\n

WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressional meetings from Washington state to Virginia, national call-in days, letter writing campaigns, and classroom civic initiatives were all part of a nationwide grassroots groundswell in support of a pro-peace initiative, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel, calling for an accountability-based approach to stop Azerbaijani aggression and save lives, as international negotiators continue their efforts toward a fair and enduring Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) peace, reported the Armenian National Committee of America<\/a> (ANCA).<\/p>\n

The effort began following the devastating Azerbaijani attacks against Armenia and Artsakh at the end of September that led to over 7 deaths in 2 days. Border area shelling and snipers have taken over 60 Armenian and Azerbaijani lives this year, making 2015 amongst the bloodiest since the Artsakh ceasefire was signed in 1994.<\/p>\n

Thousands of Armenian American and pro-peace activists from across the U.S. used the ANCA\u2019s online action portal \u2013 anca.org\/nkpeace \u2013 emailing and calling their legislators regarding the Royce-Engel letter, which gained the support of 85 U.S. House members, including senior members of the Armed Services, Intelligence and Appropriations Committees.<\/p>\n