Author: Badalian Vardan

Ethnic cleansing in Armenia: What is happening since the Azerbaijan invasion

Badalian Vardan
Her Campus
Oct 20 2023


JULIA TORTORIELLO

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.

The conflict has been happening for a long time, but the major trigger for a starter was the end of the Russian Revolution and the fall of the URSS. Nagorno-Karabakh is the victim of this whole situation, a territory where most of the population is Armenian, but it has a different country that controls it, Azerbaijan.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region with a lot of history. The area carries a meaning in its name, “The dark garden” and it settled many battles throughout the historical events of humanity. The place was part of the Armenian Kingdom in ancient times, but the territorial control has changed over the years, going through Arabic and Persian domination. And lastly, in 1813, the Russian Empire.

However, the Armenian and Azerbaijani conflict started way after that, with the Russian Revolution and the fall of the czarism. Nevertheless, with Russia (URSS) in control of the political decisions, it was established that Nagorno-Karabakh would have an autonomous government, but it would be still integrated with Azerbaijan. 

After the URSS collapse, the Armenians got a huge advantage in the conflict, and after 30,000 deaths the Russian government held a ceasefire in 1994. With the majority of the population being Armenian, they self-proclaimed a republic but without national recognition.

Years passed with cold conflicts, but the conflict resurfaced in 2020 when Azerbaijan took complete advantage of the war and wanted to dominate the territory, which made this battle extended until nowadays.

During 2020, the pandemic year, a new outcome happened for this warfare. With Azerbaijan’s advantage, there were 44 bloody days of conflict, leaving 6,500 deaths and an Azerbaijani victory.

 On September 19th, 2022, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive to put into practice what they classified as “anti-terrorism measures”, causing 400 deaths on both sides (Armenian and Azerbaijani). Still, in 2022, Azerbaijan began a new military project, called Lachine Corridor, a 5km area. This plan would be a way to supervise the communication of the Armenian Authority to its people. The Armenian citizens who live in Nagorno-Karabakh assert that the corridor is a way to receive medicine, food, and fuel, however, the Azerbaijani Administration denies this statement and affirms that the rival nation uses it for gunrunning.

Finally, on September 28th, Samvel Shahramanian the Artsakh leader of the self-declared Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, announced that from the 1st of 2024, all state institutions would cease to exist, meaning that the Armenian authority would be none in that region. Also, according to the leader’s words, the decision to dissolve the state was based on the “priority of ensuring the physical security and vital interests of the people.”

After so many attacks and the conceded defeat to Azerbaijan, more than 120,000 ethnic Armenians gathered what they could and fled. Azerbaijan claims that the population could stay as long as they accepted new conditions, however, the Nagorno-Karabakh representative said that “ethnic cleansing” could occur if they remained despite following the orders of the new government.

Turkey, Russia, and Israel are some of the countries that were slightly involved in this war. 

Azerbaijan has two allies: Turkey and Israel, who already had made their supportive thoughts public. The Israeli and Azerbaijani presidents met up, so Israel could show their support to the country and sell armament to them. However, Turkey has a bloody history with the Armenian people, through the story of humanity it is estimated that 800,000 to 1,000,000 Armenians have died in Turkey’s hands since 1915. Furthermore, Azerbaijan received military help from Turkey in 2020, with military drones and missiles; The president of each nation met up to show support since the Turkish leader congratulated the Azerbaijani president.

Armenia has an alliance with Russia, something that has weakened in recent times due to Armenia’s rapprochement with the USA, which did not please the Russian president, but also due to the Ukraine-Russia war. However, Russia has not stopped sending weapons or military peacekeeping forces to contain a war.

https://www.hercampus.com/school/casper-libero/ethical-cleaning-in-armenia-what-is-happening-since-the-azerbaijan-invasion/


AI from school and the significance of science commercialization. FAST representatives at Digitec23 panel discussions

Badalian Vardan

 19:27,

YEREVAN, 16 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The impact of artificial intelligence on higher education was one of the key issues discussed at the Digitec23 business expo-forum, which started on October 13 in Yerevan. Leading Armenian technological companies, startups, business and scientific and technological organizations presented their educational, scientific and commercialization programs in the field of high technologies.

Suzanna Shamakhyan, Vice President of Strategic Programming at the Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) addressed the development of the AI industry in Armenia, the challenges of a scarcity of researchers in the field, and the idea of creating the "Generation AI" program during the panel discussion titled “The Impact of AI on Higher Education.”

“We have implemented various incubator and scientific programs and have consistently encountered the challenge of finding even junior researchers in the AI field. As we delved deeper into the root of the problem, we realized that starting at the school level was essential. Consequently, we decided to initiate the “Generation AI” program. It was a challenging endeavor that took more than 2.5 years of preparation. We were pleased to receive more school applications for the open competition than anticipated: 47 schools expressed their eagerness to engage in this significant initiative," as Armenpress informs, Suzanna Shamakhyan remarked.

Suzanna Shamakyan emphasized that 400 10th-grade students are currently enrolled in the program. When asked about the program's first graduates, she stated, “It’s a 3-year program, and we will witness the first graduates in 3 years. The primary objective is to teach mathematics and then the Python programming language. Depending on the progress students demonstrate, they will have the opportunity to either continue studying the basic AI program or pursue a more advanced path and engage in projects.”

The program is currently at school level, and during this period, close collaboration with higher educational institutions will persist to ensure that children regularly learn about research methodologies, their execution, and the opportunities they present. In essence, the “Generation AI” program has a substantial component of professional orientation. If we aspire, as a country, to be competitive in this field, we must cultivate suitable human resources to ensure that competitiveness. Unlike other large countries, which can recruit talent from various parts of the world, we cannot afford it. We must discover and harness our potential from within," added Shamakhyan to the discussion.

Arman Darbinyan, Head of the Department of Mathematical and Mathematical Modeling at RAU; Kristina Sargsyan, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at UFAR; Tigran Sargsyan, Director of Engineering, ML at Krisp; and Rem Darbinyan, Founder & CEO of ViralMango, also participated in the “The Impact of AI on Higher Education” panel discussion. The moderator was Hrant Khachatryan, Director of YerevanN.

 Ruben Osipyan, Entrepreneurial Programs Lead at FAST, highlighted during the panel discussion on "Innovation as a Vital Component of Technological Education," that the first project in the science commercialization sphere was ASCENT, influenced by the experience of Flagship Pioneering, whose founder and CEO, Noubar Afeyan, is one of FAST’s co-founders.

In general, entrepreneurial activity in Armenia holds significant potential for development. Various methods can facilitate this growth, with a systematic approach being paramount. Often, scientists are not able to convincingly present their inventions as innovations with a competitive edge. They must navigate this path effectively to sell their ideas to investors. Unfortunately, some scientists view entrepreneurship as incompatible with a scientific career, while development is impossible without the commercialization of science,” Osipyan added.

The panelists explored the interconnections between innovation and science, innovation and education, and the unique aspects of applying innovations in higher and postgraduate education.

Arevik Khnkoyan, Head of Unit for Science Field Data Collection and Analysis at HESC, moderated the panel discussion. The speakers included Naira Sahakyan, Senior Researcher and Lecturer at the Faculty of Oriental Studies in YSU; Nejdeh Hovanessian, Assistant Director of EPIC; Hayk Margarian, CEO at NCIE; Gevorg Poghosyan, Chief Executive Officer of Impact Hub Yerevan; and Atom Mkhitaryan, Dean at ISEC, NAS.

At Digitec23, FAST has established its booth, exhibiting its activities and programs, notably the "Generation AI" high school pilot program, providing detailed insights into the initiative and answering the questions of visitors to the booth.

 


Azerbaijan may invade Armenia soon, lawmakers told

Badalian Vardan
BoingBoing
Oct 14 2023
ROB BESCHIZZA

Post-Soviet countries Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought several conflicts over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in recent decades, but the last, in 2020, ended with Azerbaijani forces finally overrunning the disputed territory and pushing out its Armenian population. Now, reports Politico, it is anticipated that Azerbaijan will invade Armenia itself to create a land corridor to one of its own ethnic enclaves there.

Azerbaijiani President Ilham Aliyev has previously called on Armenia to open a "corridor" along its southern border, linking mainland Azerbaijan to an exclave that borders Turkey and Iran. Aliyev has threatened to solve the issue "by force."

In an Oct. 3 phone call, lawmakers pressed Blinken on possible measures against Aliyev in response to his country's invasion of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September, the people said, who were granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive call.

Blinken responded that the State Department was looking at avenues to hold Azerbaijan accountable and isn't planning to renew a long-standing waiver that allows the U.S. to provide military assistance to Baku. He added that State saw a possibility that Azerbaijan would invade southern Armenia in the coming weeks.

Below, a post from Azerbaijan's president outlining his plan for Armenia: slavery.

Britain better get used to hosting Eurovision contests won by countries that can't be expected to run the event next year.


https://boingboing.net/2023/10/14/azerbaijan-may-invade-armenia-soon-lawmakers-told.html

ANCA Eastern Region brings hundreds together at “United for Artsakh” in Boston

Badalian Vardan
 ANCA-Eastern Region Community News, Diaspora, ANCA News 0

Kristina Ayanian presides over the 2023 ANCA ER 17th Annual Awards Program “United for Artsakh” (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

BOSTON—Somber emotions mixed with gratitude for community were evident as more than 300 Hai Tahd activists and community leaders gathered together at the ANCA Eastern Region’s 17th annual Awards Program – United for Artsakh – on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at the Royal Sonesta Boston Hotel. Kristina Ayanian, a finance industry professional who is the executive producer and host of Nasdaq Listings “Live from MarketSite” and Miss Universe Armenia 2022, presided over the evening which featured a silent auction, dinner and program that cast a spotlight on the recent loss of lives and land in Artsakh.  

2023 ANCA ER 17th Annual Awards Program “United for Artsakh” host committee (l. ro r.): Maral Abrahamian, Meg Babikian, Tamar Gregorian, Tsoler Avedissian, Dr. Ara Nazarian, Ani Zargarian, Josh Tevekelian, Dina Apovian and Steve Mesrobian (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

During the evening, the region honored several deserving individuals, including Representative Katherine Clark with the ANCA Eastern Region Freedom Award; longtime ANC of Eastern Massachusetts and ANC of Merrimack Valley activists Barkev Kaligian and Joseph Dagdigian with the ANCA Eastern Region Vahan Cardashian Award; beloved longstanding principal of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School Digin Houry Boyamian with the inaugural Excellence in Education Award; Michael Rubin, Ph.D. with the inaugural Advocacy Award; and ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Fellows Olivia Abajian, Vahagn Boudakian, Tsoline Gevorkian, Emma Lopez, Nver Saghatelyan and Ruby Topalian. 

ANC of Eastern Massachusetts activist and “United for Artsakh” committee member Ani Zargarian began the evening with heartfelt and soulful renditions of the Artsakh, Armenian and American national anthems, followed by the invocation by Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian of St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church. Prior to her opening remarks, Ayanian invited all to stand for a moment of silence in solidarity with the victims of the latest attack on Artsakh – the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh who were blockaded for more than nine months, forcibly removed from their homes and ethnically cleansed from their indigenous homeland. 

A poignant highlight of the evening was a special visual presentation prepared by Narek Sahakian to honor the memory of the martyrs and the resilience of the people of Artsakh, set to Gomidas’ Andouni performed by renowned opera singer Isabel Bayrakdarian. As Bayrakdarian’s soaring soprano filled the room, attendees viewed images direct from Artsakh as well as the current relief efforts underway by the region and the Armenian Relief Society (ARS). 

“Tonight, we gather as supporters of the Armenian National Committee of America [ANCA] Eastern Region,” Ayanian said, “but also as guardians of a legacy and as voices for those who were silenced.” She reminded those gathered that the Armenian struggle continues as “Azerbaijan and Turkey continue to commit genocide against the Armenian people” more than 100 years after the 1915 Genocide. “Artsakh is more than just geography; it is the very soul of our identity,” Ayanian continued. “It is a dark chapter in our history, one where the actions of Azerbaijan have not only robbed us of our land but have also committed acts that history cannot ignore – a genocide that stains the conscience of humanity.” While there are feelings of hopelessness, Ayanian stressed that remaining united in Hai Tahd – our common cause of a free, united and independent Armenia – is imperative. “We come together today, at the ANCA Eastern Region Awards Program under the theme ‘United for Artsakh.’ The strength we find in our unity is our most powerful weapon against the forces that seek to erase our identity,” Ayanian said. 

ANCA ER Board Members Tamar Gregoian, Board chair Dr. Ara Chalian, Sosy Bouroujian, Steve Mesrobian, Areni Margossian, Nairi Diratsouian and Maral Abrahamian at the 17th Annual ANCA Eastern Region Awards Program (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

ANCA Eastern Region Board chair Dr. Ara Chalian provided a regional update, including an overview of the work of the region’s 31 states and 34 local ANCs. Dr. Chalian highlighted the advocacy work the region’s activists, local committees and leaders have done toward ensuring the safety and security of Artsakh and its citizens, including securing friendship city resolutions with cities in Artsakh, calling for sanctions against Azerbaijan and its leaders and for enforcement of section 907 restrictions on military aid to Azerbaijan.

“The genocidal attacks, blockade and removal march of the Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh is a crime,” Dr. Chalian said. “Voices may not be heard in the lands of the Republic of Artsakh, but the actions and advocacy of the ANCA and its Eastern Region remain strong and committed for the rights of our people.” 

On the heels of Chalian’s remarks, Steve Mesrobian, ANCA Eastern Region Board member and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Eastern USA Central Committee member, recognized the next generation of activists – the ANCA Leo Sarkisian internship fellows from the eastern region who spent six weeks in Washington, D.C. this summer learning the ins and outs of Hai Tahd work. 

“One of the critical measures of a successful organization is developing new leaders to ensure continued long-term viability. The ANCA has been embracing youth empowerment by investing in our Armenian youth for decades to build this next generation of Armenian American political activists and community leaders,” Mesrobian said. 

In an effort to ensure annual funding for this critical program, the ANCA Eastern Region started the ANCA Leo Sarkisian Internship Program Endowment Fund in 2019. Donors commit to a $5,000 annual donation for three years. To date, philanthropists have committed $120,000 in pledges to the fund towards a goal of $450,000 for the youth activists and internships throughout the eastern region.

“United for Artsakh” Mistress of Ceremonies Kristina Ayanian pictured with 2023 ANCA Leo Sarkisian interns from the Eastern Region Emma Lopez, Tsoline Gevorkian and Vahagn Boudakian, and ANCA Eastern Region Board Member Steve Mesrobian (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

Mesrobian recognized the six ANCA Eastern Region Leo Sarkisian summer interns: Abajian, a freshman at the University of Maryland studying government and politics with a concentration in international relations; Boudakian, a Brooklyn College CUNY student majoring in political science with a minor in psychology; Gevorkian, a junior at the University of Vermont studying psychology and sociology; Lopez, who recently graduated from the University of Massachusett Amherst with a degree in political science; Saghatelyan, a Johns Hopkins University student majoring in international studies and economics; and Topalian, a sophomore at Trinity College Dublin pursuing a dual degree program through Columbia University in political science, Middle Eastern and European languages and cultures. 

During dinner, attendees were serenaded with a musical interlude of songs by Gomidas, arranged by S. Aslamazian and performed by New England Conservatory musicians Danilo Thurber, violin; Enoch Li, violin; Sidney Lee, viola; and Camden Archambeau, cello. Selections included Armenian News (The Crane), Karoun a (It is Spring), Yerginkn Ambela (Cloudy Sky) and Vagharshabadi Bar (Dance of Vagharshabad).

Other dignitaries in attendance included Pastor Ghazar Bedrossian with Holy Cross Catholic Church in Belmont; Massachusetts State Representatives John Lawn and Steve Owens; ARF Eastern USA Central Committee members Maral Abrahamian and George Aghjayan; ARF Central Committee Executive Director Maral Choloyan; and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. 

Ayanian began the awards portion of the evening by introducing the ANCA Eastern Region Freedom Award, the highest honor bestowed upon individuals in recognition of their resilience, courage and determination in pursuit of freedom and justice for the Armenian Cause. Representative Clark was selected as this year’s recipient for her steadfast support of the Armenian Cause and her dedication to her Armenian American constituents since taking office. 

Massachusetts State Senator William Brownsberger introduced Representative Clark, who sent a video message, as she was unable to attend due to a previous conflict. Her staffer Wade Blackman accepted the award on her behalf. In her video message, Representative Clark expressed her appreciation for the recognition and said that it is her privilege to stand with the region “in the fight for the Armenian Cause.” “The story of the Armenian diaspora is one of unceasing strides towards truth and justice – a march that continues today…We’re going to keep sharing the stories of the Armenian people, especially in the face of such unjust unprovoked violence,” she stated, referring to the recent attacks on Artsakh by Azerbaijan.

The region also honored longtime ANC of Eastern Massachusetts activist Kaligian and ANC of Merrimack Valley activist Dagdigian with the Vahan Cardashian Award, an award given annually to an activist who demonstrates longstanding leadership and success on behalf of the Armenian Cause. The award is named in honor of the late Vahan Cardashian, who led the American Committee for the Independence of Armenia (ACIA), the precursor to the ANCA.

2023 ANCA ER 17th Annual Vahan Cardashian Award recipient Barkev Kaligian pictured with his son Dikran Kaligian (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

Kaligian’s son Dikran presented his father with the Cardashian Award after sharing Barkev’s lifelong dedication to Armenian truth and justice for the Armenian Genocide, never wavering or backing down in the face of denialists. Barkev sang in the St. Stephen’s Church choir for decades, but “his greatest passion was reserved for promoting Hai Tahd and fighting against Turkish governmental denial and Azeri aggression against Artsakh,” Dikran said. This activism became an integral part of the family’s household, a legacy that continues to this day with Barkev’s 11 grandchildren.

Kaligian accepted the award with humility, focusing attention on others who have served the community. “We have to make sure we have people like that,” he said. “Always work with better people.”   

2023 ANCA ER 17th Annual Vahan Cardashian Award recipient Joseph Dagdigian pictured with Mistress of Ceremonies Kristina Ayanian and Dagdigian’s nephew Dimitri Petrosian (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

Dagdigian was presented with his Cardashian Award by his nephew Dimitri Petrosian. Petrosian honored his uncle’s life work and dedication to the Armenian Cause and community in which he said he “left an indelible legacy.” He spoke about his contributions to the Armenian nation saying that his “philanthropic endeavors” are “inspiring” as he works tirelessly to fundraise to provide “a lifeline for students from small towns and villages” in Armenia “to enable them to pursue higher education affordably in Yerevan. Petrosian called his uncle “a true beacon of hope and change in our Armenian community.”

Dagdigian accepted the award, saying, “This is indeed a great honor,” and expressing that many candidates were deserving of the award. “Nothing we achieved would have been possible without the support of many Armenians who trusted us, sometimes not even knowing what the details of the projects were. But they trusted that we knew what we were doing and it was good for Armenians,” Dagdigian said. He expressed sincere appreciation to the ARS for awarding him a scholarship in 1964 to learn Armenian at the Nshan Palandjian Djemaran in Beirut, and because of that, he is able to converse and carry out projects in Armenia.

Dagdigian then shared the story of Vahan, a fruit vendor he met on the side of the road in Artsakh who urged Dagdigian to thank the people in America for all the help given to the people of Artsakh. “Hopefully this fulfills part of that promise,” Dagdigian said. He went on to say that Vahan had fought in every battle up until the first Artsakh War but had not been well and his current status is unknown. “As has recently become abundantly clear, Vahan’s and our struggle are not over. In fact, they’re intensifying. So, we need to keep on our track and do even better than we’ve done. The legacy we leave our children, grandchildren and their children should be a safe and independent Armenia,” Dagdigian concluded. 

Other notable honorees included the first-ever recipients of the ANCA Eastern Region Excellence in Education Award, longtime principal of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School Digin Boyamian, and Advocacy Award recipient Dr. Rubin, a former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. 

2023 ANCA Eastern Region inaugural Excellence in Education Award recipient Houry Boyamian, long-time principal of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School, pictured with former student Tsoler Avedissian and Kristina Ayanian (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

Boyamian was presented with her award by one of her former students, Tsoler Avedissian, who also served as an integral member of the Awards Program committee and silent auction committee. Avedisian, like so many of Boyamian’s students, was eager to share how the former principal, Digin Houry as she is affectionately known, had molded her life.  

“In the heart of Armenian culture and heritage in our community, there exists a beacon of knowledge, inspiration, and devotion… A lifelong champion of Armenian education, she stood as a guiding light at the St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School for countless years – shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation of Armenians. Throughout her remarkable journey, she has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to nurturing young minds and preserving the rich traditions of the Armenian heritage,” Avedissian said. “Her legacy, a true luminary in our community, holds a special place in my heart, my childhood principal and educator. As a guiding presence in my formative years, she instilled in me those important markers of education, community and heritage and set a remarkable example of how dedication to one’s roots can shape a brighter future,” Avedissian continued. 

ANCA Eastern Region inaugural Excellence in Education awardee Digin Houry Boyamian pictured with generations of former students and graduates of St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

Boyamian then took the podium and shared the impetus for her journey into education, saying that her father was a Genocide survivor and educator. “He believed the only way for the Armenian people to avoid total annihilation was to keep our language and culture alive through education. My father fulfilled his calling by dedicating 40 years of his life to educating generations of Armenians in Lebanon. I have tried to follow in his footsteps here in the United States, by continuing his mission to provide an excellent Armenian education at St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School in Watertown. This mission becomes increasingly critical and urgent given the ongoing threats to our nation,” Boyamian said. 

“At this point in our history, I strongly believe that our diasporan communities should give special attention to the education of our youth. We need to prepare them to be exemplary citizens and teach them the skills that are critical to their academic, personal and professional success. We also need to nurture their sense of Armenian identity, ensure that they are knowledgeable about their history, and encourage them to share their talents and skills for the benefit and advancement of their communities and of our homeland,” concluded Boyamian as she thanked the ANCA Eastern Region and the Boston community for this honor.

“United for Artsakh” Awards Program chair Dr. Ara Nazarian presented the final award of the evening, the inaugural ANCA Eastern Region Advocacy Award to Dr. Rubin. 

“Dr. Rubin has used his voice to call attention to the atrocities committed by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Artsakh and advocated for them in publications such as the National Interest and the Washington Examiner. His writings often highlight the importance of understanding the deeper roots and historical dynamics of approaching Artsakh. In one of his articles, he notes, ‘to only see the conflict through the lens of recent geopolitics is to miss the centuries of history, identity and cultural connections that underpin the region.’ Such perspectives underscore his commitment to engaging in thoughtful discourse, delving deep into the subject matter, and ensuring that discussions are not solely influenced by contemporary biases or oversimplified views, but instead reflect the historical truth,” said Nazarian. 

Mistress of Ceremonies Kristina Ayanian pictured with inaugural ANCA Eastern Region Advocacy Award recipient Michael Rubin, Ph.D. and 2023 Awards Program chair Ara Nazarian Ph.D. (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

Upon taking the stage to accept the award, Rubin spoke about the work of the ANCA and its activists in raising awareness of the genocide in Artsakh. He also spoke about the American response to the genocidal actions of Azerbaijan, commenting on how it sets a precedent for current and future genocides. 

“We need to have a policy. Again, this is a problem among Democrats and among Republicans. It’s bipartisan. We should never fall into a trap where we bully democracies simply because it is easier than seeking concessions from dictators. That unfortunately has been the case ever since Armenia had its democratic moment. And it’s essential that we support Armenia as a democracy rather than personalized policy,” Rubin stated. “Nothing is etched in stone. The United States and even Yerevan can believe that they can make compromises on behalf of the people of Artsakh. But it’s not either Yerevan or Washington’s business to suggest that certain people don’t have the right to self-determination… The spotlight over the last couple weeks was unfortunate in terms of why people were paying attention. But it’s even more dangerous now because genocide happens in the darkness. It doesn’t happen when you’re shining the light. And that’s why I want to thank the ANCA for everything they’re doing to shine a light so that genocide cannot happen without consequence,” Rubin concluded. 

As the evening came to an end, Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian offered the closing prayer. Ayanian then invited ANCA National Chairman Raffi Hamparian to the stage to conclude the evening’s program. Hamparian’s powerful remarks brought attendees to attention as he left them with a call to action during this very difficult time in the Armenian nation’s history.

ANCA National Chairman Raffi Hamparian closes out the ANCA Eastern Region’s 17th Annual Awards Program with a resounding call to action (Photo: Salbe Antreassian, Salbe A. Photography)

“In these dark and forbidding times – times that twist your stomach and torture your soul, times that make you question all that you believe in – it is fitting that we honor individuals who represent rays of light in the darkness… Communities are built on the strong – seemingly indestructible – backs of men and women like Barkev Kaligian, Houry Boyamian and Joseph Dagdigian. These are members of our volunteer army – our ‘gamavor panag’ – who seek nothing more and nothing less than a strong and vibrant Diaspora in service to the cause of freedom and liberty for the Armenian nation… In this time of crisis, we must summon new strength to rebuild, to restore and to renew. Rebuild our own faith that Artsakh – against all odds – will be free again,” Hamparian concluded.

For more information about this year’s programs or to donate, please visit givergy.us/ancaer.

  •  Bio
  •  Latest Posts
The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region is part of the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization, the ANCA. Working in coordination with the ANCA in Washington, DC, and a network of chapters and supporters throughout the Eastern United States, the ANCA-ER actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.


Armenia’s vote to join ICC irks Russia

Badalian Vardan
DW – Deutsche Welle, Germany
Oct 3 2023

Armenia's parliament votes to join the International Criminal Court in a move that Russia had already said would be an unfriendly step. Meanwhile, there are "surreal" scenes in the abandoned enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian parliament on Tuesday voted to sign up to the International Criminal Court (ICC), a development that is expected to further sour relations with the country's old ally Russia.

A chasm has opened up between the two countries, with Yerevan angry with the Kremlin over its perceived inaction in a long-standing confrontation between Armenia and fellow post-Soviet state Azerbaijan.

Countries that sign and ratify the Hague-based court's founding Rome Statute are in theory obliged to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicted for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine, if he were to enter their terrritory. 

In the parliamentary session, 60 deputies voted in favor while 22, mainly opposition lawmakers, cast their vote against joining the ICC.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan last week tried to soothe Kremlin fears, saying the initiative was not "directed against" Russia.

Whatever the motive, Moscow has already described the parliament's decision as an affront.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a briefing that, while Moscow regarded Yerevan as an ally, it would have to question the country's current leadership

Russia had previously warned Armenia against voting to ratify the court treaty, saying this would be viewed as "extremely hostile."

Armenia's parliament voted on the issue on the same day that French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna was in Yerevan, pledging future support from France. 

Colonna announced plans for future French military materiel deliveries in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. She also explicitly praised the country for signing up to the ICC. 

"From Yerevan, I salute the decision of the Armenian parliament to ratify the Rome Statute and thus allow Armenia to become a state party to the International Criminal Court. The fight against impunity for crimes is a condition of peace and stability,"Colonna wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Tuesday.

Rumors had existed ever since the 2020 conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, where ethnic Armenians lost ground to Azerbaijan, that Pashinyan was increasingly looking for allies other than the country's most traditional backers in Moscow. These only intensified as the exclave fell to Azeri forces within a matter of hours, despite the presence of a Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh. 

"The world is getting smaller for the autocrat in the Kremlin," wrote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X — praising Armenia's vote in favor of joining the ICC and referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin's international arrest warrant.

Former Soviet state Armenia has accused Russian "peacekeeping" troops of failing to prevent recent hostilities that it says allowed Baku to take full control of the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The breakaway statelet lies wholly within Azerbaijan's territory, but it had come under the control of ethnic Armenian forces after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

The Russian troops were deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh as peacekeepers after a 2020 war that saw the region largely surrounded by Azeri forces.

An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) official on Tuesday described the empty streets of Nagorno-Karabakh as "surreal" with most of the ethnic population having fled to Armenia.

Only a few hundred people remain behind in the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, known as Stepanakert by Armenia and Khankendi by Azerbaijan, including the sick, disabled and elderly.

"The city is now completely deserted," said ICRC team lead Marco Succi via videolink.

"The hospitals….are not functioning; the medical personnel left; the water board authorities left; the director of the morgue also left. So this scenario, the scene is quite surreal."

Some of the people who fled to Armenia said the situation had been difficult even before the Azeri takeover after Baku blocked road access for several months.

"We were starving, for several months. I could only eat vegetables from my small garden: potatoes, pumpkins, things like that. We ran out of bread at some point. We tried to bake our bread using our own grain," one refugee told DW.

DW's reporter in Yerevan, Dmitry Ponyavin, said there was a sense of abandonment and hopelessness among the refugees at one reception center.

"This place is being held together largely by efforts of local activists who tell us that they prefer not to send families here especially with small children as staying here can be very traumatizing for them."

js,rc/msh (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

Macron says Azerbaijan has ‘a problem with international law’

Badalian Vardan
Oct 6 2023
Reuters | Granada
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced Azerbaijan on Thursday for taking military action in Nagorno-Karabakh, insisting that the French government’s position was correct even if Baku considered it biased in Armenia’s favour.

“France has no problem with Azerbaijan but Azerbaijan seems to have a problem with international law,” Macron said. He added sanctions against Azerbaijan would be conterproductive at this point.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/2619618-macron-says-azerbaijan-has-a-problem-with-international-law

Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 05-10-23

Badalian Vardan

 17:12, 5 October 2023

YEREVAN, 5 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 5 October, USD exchange rate down by 10.62 drams to 418.52 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 10.45 drams to 440.28 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.11 drams to 4.20 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 12.08 drams to 508.21 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 669.35 drams to 24475.30 drams. Silver price down by 6.52 drams to 283.98 drams.

Armenia votes to join ICC amidst tensions with Russia over Putin’s war crimes indictment

Badalian Vardan
Fox News
Oct 3 2023
Associated Press

The Armenian parliament on Tuesday voted to join the International Criminal Court, which earlier this year indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine.

The move is likely to further strain Armenia’s deteriorating relation with its ally Russia, which last month called Yerevan’s push to join the ICC an “unfriendly step.”

The Armenian parliament on Tuesday voted to join the International Criminal Court, which earlier this year indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine.

The move is likely to further strain Armenia’s deteriorating relation with its ally Russia, which last month called Yerevan’s push to join the ICC an “unfriendly step.”

Why this week’s mass exodus from embattled Nagorno-Karabakh reflects decades of animosity

Badalian Vardan
Associated Press
Sept 29 2023
BY JIM HEINTZ
Updated 11:54 PM GMT+3, September 28, 2023

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The exodus of ethnic Armenians this week from the region known as Nagorno-Karabakh has been a vivid and shocking tableau of fear and misery. Roads are jammed with cars lumbering with heavy loads, waiting for hours in traffic jams. People sit amid mounds of hastily packed luggage.

As of Thursday, more than 78,300 people had left the breakaway region for Armenia. That’s a huge number — more than half of the population of the region that is located entirely within Azerbaijan.

Still, it’s not the largest displacement of civilians in three decades of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

After ethnic Armenian forces secured control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories in 1994, refugee organizations estimated that some 900,000 people had fled to Azerbaijan and 300,000 to Armenia.

When war broke out again in 2020 and Azerbaijan seized more territory, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said 90,000 had gone to Armenia and 40,000 to Azerbaijan.

Those figures underline the fierce animosity between the two countries, and they raise questions about the region’s future.

Nagorno-Karabakh, with a population of about 120,000, is a mountainous, ethnic Armenian region inside Azerbaijan in the southern Caucasus Mountains.

When both Azerbaijan and Armenia were part of the Soviet Union, the region was designated as an autonomous republic, but as Moscow’s central control of far-flung regions deteriorated, a movement arose in Nagorno-Karabakh for incorporation into Armenia.

Tensions burst into violence in 1988 when more than 30 — some say as many as 200 — ethnic Armenians were killed in a pogrom in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait. Armenians fled, as did many ethnic Azeris who lived in Armenia. When a full-scale war broke out, the numbers soared. That first war lasted until 1994.

Azerbaijan regained control of parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and large swaths of adjacent territory held by Armenians in a six-week war in 2020, driving out tens of thousands of Armenians that the government in Baku declared to have settled illegally.

Last week, Azerbaijan launched a blitz that forced the capitulation of Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist forces and government. On Thursday, the separatist authorities agreed to disband by the end of this year.

The events put the region’s ethnic Armenians on the move out of the territory.

Nagorno-Karabakh and the territory around it have deep cultural and religious significance for Christian Armenians and predominantly Muslim Azeris, and each group denounces the other for alleged efforts to destroy or desecrate monuments and relics.

Armenians were deeply angered by recent video that purportedly showed an Azerbaijani soldier firing at a monastery in the region. Azeris have seethed with resentment at Armenians’ wholesale pillaging of the once-sizable city of Aghdam and the use of its mosque as a cattle barn.

A Russian peacekeeping force of about 2,000 was deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh under an armistice that ended the 2020 war. But its inaction in the latest Azerbaijani offensive probably was a key factor in the separatists’ quick decision to give in.

In December, Azerbaijan began blocking the only road leading from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

Armenians bitterly criticized the peacekeepers for failing to follow their mandate to keep the road open. The blockade caused severe food and medicine shortages in Nagorno-Karabakh. International organizations and governments called repeatedly for Baku to lift the blockade.

Russia, which is fighting a war in Ukraine, seems to be unable or unwilling to take action to keep the road open. That appears to have persuaded the separatists that they would get no support when Azerbaijan launched its blitz.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s forces were small and poorly supplied in comparison with those of Azerbaijan, thanks to the country’s surging oil revenues and support from Turkey.

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE HOLD?

Under last week’s cease-fire, Azerbaijan will “reintegrate” Nagorno-Karabakh, but the terms for that are unclear. Baku repeatedly has promised that the rights of ethnic Armenians will be observed if they stay in the region as Azerbaijani citizens.

That promise appears to have reassured almost no one. Although Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said last week that he saw no immediate need for Armenians to leave, on Thursday he said he expected that none would be left in Nagorno-Karabakh within a few days.

Ethnic Armenians in the region do not trust Azerbaijan to treat them fairly and humanely or grant them their language, religion and culture.

Without an international peacekeeping or police force in the region, ethnic violence would be almost certain to flare.

Blinken, Russia’s Lavrov race to discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan relations

Badalian Vardan
UPI
Sept 24 2023

Blinken, Russia’s Lavrov race to discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan relations

By Adam Schrader

Sept. 23 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, raced Saturday to discuss their relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have been engaged in recent conflict.

Lavrov, who engaged in a lengthy question-and-answer session with reporters Saturday, was asked if Russia believes its influence is waning in former Soviet states after an outburst of anti-Russia protests in Armenia’s capital Yerevan.

Azerbaijan launched a new offensive Tuesday against Armenian separatists amid a decades-long territorial dispute between the countries over the ethnic Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenians largely blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for losing a 44-day war in 2020 when Azerbaijan regained control of land in and around Nagorno-Karabakh and blocked its main supply route to Armenia.

The sentiment was shared this week by Alen Simonyan, the head of Armenia’s parliament.

“It is not up to me to judge. It would be very arrogant for me to say that our influence is increasing or if it remains the same. It is up for you to decide,” Lavrov began. “Many things are becoming clear right in front of our eyes right now.”

Lavrov claimed that non-governmental organizations backed by Western states are in Armenia and other former Soviet nations “advancing the interests of the United States and their allies.”

“These interests include undermining Russian influence. This is a fact,” Lavrov said. “We see this as artificially created tensions. We once again know who is interested in this and who is pulling the strings and, unfortunately, the leadership of Armenia from time to time adds fuel to the fire itself.”

Lavrov added that the 2020 agreements ending the brief war said that Nagorno-Karabakh is “in the realm of responsibility of Russian peacekeeping contingent.”

“It was presumed, this was discussed during negotiations, that the decision on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh would be postponed, it would be taken later,” Lavrov said. “So after Armenia reaffirmed that Nagorno-Karabakh was a part of Azerbaijan, it was ludicrous to accuse us of this.”

Lavrov added that Russian peacekeepers are currently helping to facilitate contacts between the Nagorno-Karabakh representatives and the Azerbaijani officials, including at meetings held Saturday.

“Our peacekeepers have a presence there on the basis of the importance of their role there for confidence building to ensure that the members of the representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh, especially at the beginning to feel themselves to be safe and secure,” Lavrov said.

“Time will be necessary, as for the amount of time and the number of peacekeepers, these are issues being resolved on the ground.”

Blinken on Saturday held a call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in which he “reaffirmed U.S. support for Armenia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity,” according to a readout provided by U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

“The Secretary expressed the United States’ deep concern for the ethnic Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Miller said.

“He underscored the United States is calling on Azerbaijan to protect civilians and uphold its obligations to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and to ensure its forces comply with international humanitarian law.”

Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council — of which both the United States and Russia are a part — warned that the latest clashes between Azeris and Armenians “undermine prospects of peace” in what is one of the longest-running conflicts since the end of the Cold War.

In May, the European Union mediated a long-term negotiation plan for a “comprehensive peace agreement.”

“The final statement included their unequivocal commitment to the 1991 Almaty Declaration and their ‘respective territorial integrity’,” according to an EU document.

“Some experts see the details of the statement as a potential breakthrough in the peace talks, while others warn of the heavy price tag for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and the potential political costs for Armenia itself.”

In additional remarks, Lavrov added: “We are convinced that the Armenian people remember their history, our history and that they will tie their history to that of Russia and other friendly states in the region rather than those that swoop in from abroad.”