PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) ─ A conflict happening halfway around the globe is hitting home with Rhode Island’s Armenian community.
A large group of Armenians gathered at the State House on Friday to raise awareness about the attacks on a region in the Middle East that they consider their homeland.
The deadly conflict is unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region given to Azerbaijan by Russia in the 1980s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but governed and populated by ethnic Armenians who call it “Artsakh.”
The latest round of fighting broke out in late September and has left hundreds dead, including civilians.
Garo Tashian helped to organize Friday’s rally in Providence.
“Basically another genocide is happening in the world and people aren’t taking notice,” Tashian said. “We’re here to let the world know that it’s wrong, we’d like it to stop and these are our homelands.”
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and Congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin were all in attendance to show their support.
“The danger is that longer, more drawn-out conflict will see increased involvement by outside powers and risk a wider regional war,” Cicilline said. “And this is a very significant risk.”
“We have to stop this violence immediately and this damage to Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,” Reed added. “It has to be ended.”
Just a few hours later, Armenia and Azerbaijan announced they had negotiated a cease fire that is set to begin at noon on Saturday. But people like Tashian are still worried for their family and friends back in Armenia, some of whom are on the front lines.
“I know it doesn’t really pertain to most Americans, but when you are fighting for Black lives and other major social issues in the United States, also understand that there are other issues happening in the world that are very similar to what are happening here,” Tashian said.