Author: Emma Jilavian

Asbarez: Europe Officials Say they Will Go to Lachin to Ensure Humanitarian Assistance

Emma Jilavian
by Asbarez Staff

 

 

 

in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories


Several European officials have sounded the alarm on the worsening humanitarian situation in Artsakh and have vowed to personally travel to the Lachin Corridor to personally address and ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the residents of Artsakh.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović  on Monday again called for the restoration of free movement along the Lachin Corridor and confirmed readiness to travel to Artsakh to assist in overcoming the existing human rights challenges.

“I remain seriously concerned about the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the human rights of its population following the blocking of the road running through the Lachin Corridor since December 2022. I reiterate the call I made at that time to restore free movement along that road,” Mijatović said.

“Despite my calls and those of numerous other international stakeholders, the humanitarian and human rights situation in the area has reportedly further deteriorated, affecting particularly the most vulnerable, due to the prolonged disruption in the movement of people and access to food supplies and urgent medical care. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which is for the moment the only international humanitarian organization operating across the Lachin Corridor, indicated that the population was facing a lack of life-saving medication and essentials,” she added.

“The relevant stakeholders should immediately find a solution to avoid any further deterioration of the very dangerous situation the local population is facing and guarantee safe and free passage to those providing humanitarian assistance and those ensuring human rights protection,” Mijatović  said.

“I confirm my commitment and readiness to engage with all the relevant interlocutors and to travel to Nagorno Karabakh to assist in overcoming the existing human rights challenges,” Mijatović added in her statement.

Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Impact Investing Solutions said Monday that Prince Michael of Liechtenstein, has expressed readiness to “lead a humanitarian airlift to besieged Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and to be on board the flight to the region, bringing much-needed food and medication arranged by the Aznavour Foundation.

“We from Impact Investing Solutions from Switzerland, who is partnering in facilitating this humanitarian mission, together with H.S.H. Prince Michael, other world leaders, current and former heads of state are also ready to lead necessary airlifts to Nagorno-Karabakh, where 120,000 people, including 30,000 children, have been deprived of food and medication for more than 8 months already,” Impact Investing Solutions said in a statement.

A call to organize a humanitarian airlift to Nagorno-Karabakh was first made in December 2022 by a group of global humanitarian leaders, including Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Bernard Kouchner, former French Foreign Minister and former Minister of Health, Paul Polman, climate and equalities campaigner; former CEO of Unilever; Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland; Ernesto Zedillo, former President of Mexico and many more human rights defenders and peace activists.

“An international humanitarian airlift is being organized, delivering food and other essentials to the local population and evacuating those whose life is endangered to safety. Among these are several patients of the Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert in grave conditions requiring urgent medical care that cannot be adequately provided because of the blockade. In the meantime, while the road remains blocked, the humanitarian airlift should help the local population to survive and sustain. There already is an operational airport in Stepanakert, which can be used for this purpose. This will not require any additional efforts on the side of the international community except for those necessary to maintain the airlift and ensure its safety. Currently, there is a call to World Food Programme (WFP) and the Red Cross to organize the flight in the nearest days, and H.S.H. Prince Michael of Liechtenstein is ready to lead the first humanitarian mission,” the statement said.

“Let’s rally together to bring aid and relief to Nagorno-Karabakh,” the organization added.

Bundestag member Till Mansmann calls for German government’s pressure on Azerbaijan

Emma Jilavian

 15:40,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS. Member of the German Bundestag Till Mansmann has called on the German federal government to increase diplomatic pressure on the Azerbaijani government given the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a letter addressed to German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, the legislator described the alarming humanitarian situation and the total blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan, the German-Armenian Forum reported.

He told the German foreign minister that the 120,000 Armenians are facing a humanitarian disaster and need urgent international aid.

Mansmann, the Chairman of the German-Armenian Forum, praised the EU’s efforts for its constructive role in the extremely difficult conflict. He said that the launch of the EU mission was a good instrument and recalled that in January 2023 the European Parliament called on Azerbaijan to comply with the 9 November 2020 agreement and open the Lachin Corridor.

“The security and basic needs of the people must not become a playing card for political interests. Taking into consideration our support for Ukraine in the Russian war of aggression, we must have a clear position in this issue as well and unambiguously show that our humanism doesn’t have political or geopolitical calculations. That’s why I am asking you to increase diplomatic pressure on the Government of Azerbaijan in order for the safe and unimpeded access of urgently needed relief supplies get ensured in line with international humanitarian law. In addition, I am asking you to look into the possibility for humanitarian aid by the federal government. We can’t solve this conflict for a short-term, but we can’t allow famine to take place on the border of our continent,” Mansmann said.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.

Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

"Baku intends to allow only the exit of people from Nagorno-Karabakh" – Pashinyan

Emma Jilavian
Aug 24 2023
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Armenians leaving NK along the Lachin corridor

“We have received reliable information that Baku is developing a plan to open the Lachin corridor in one direction, i.e. to allow people to leave Nagorno-Karabakh but not to allow entry,” the Armenian Prime Minister said at a government session.

Nikol Pashinyan said that “as a result of illegal blocking of the corridor, 5 thousand people are still waiting for an opportunity to return to NK, another 30,000 became refugees as a result of the 44-day war.” According to him, they cannot return home “due to the non-implementation of the 7th point of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020.” According to this paragraph of the document on the cessation of hostilities, they were supposed to return to NK under the control of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

On August 21, with the assistance of Russian peacekeepers, 41 people, Karabakhi Armenians and Russian citizens, were able to travel to Armenia through the Lachin corridor. This was the first travel authorization since June 14. It was reported that among them were students enrolled in Armenian and foreign universities.

The day before, Azerbaijani media reported that another 100 people received permission to travel to Armenia through the “Lachin” checkpoint. According to the “Turan” news agency, these were “ethnic Armenians who have Russian citizenship, as well as holders of Russian passports”.

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Talking about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Pashinyan said that the situation remains tense. According to him, there is only one change in Baku’s position: with the assistance of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, some movement has started along the Lachin corridor. Those “in need of medical treatment and other citizens” were able to leave for Armenia. It was in this context that the Prime Minister talked about movement along the corridor in one direction only.

“Illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan continues. About 400 tons of humanitarian cargoes sent to Nagorno-Karabakh by the Armenian government, the private sector [a private Armenian company] and France continue to wait at the entrance of the Lachin corridor.”

The Lachin corridor has been blocked since December 12, 2022, and since June 15, 2023, Azerbaijan has not allowed any humanitarian aid, food, medicine and basic necessities from Armenia.

The Armenian government has sent trucks with humanitarian aid. They have been waiting for almost a month for permission to pass into the territory of unrecognized NKR near the Armenian village of Kornidzor. France has also joined this initiative. However, Baku does not allow the aid to be delivered and says it is ready to ensure deliveries through its territory via Aghdam.

NK Armenians categorically rejected this possibility as soon as this proposal was made. Earlier, the Armenian media reported that the president of the unrecognized republic had discussed the issue with the parliament and talked about “pressure being put on the local authorities” regarding this issue. What decision was eventually made has not been revealed.

Judging by the document leaked to the media, Armenian experts came to the conclusion that the Russian Foreign Minister “describes a scenario for ensuring the rights of NK Armenians as a national minority within Azerbaijan”

Pashinyan emphasized that many residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, who found themselves in Armenia as a result of the blockade, as well as those who “became refugees as a result of the second Karabakh war in 2020,” cannot return to their homeland. According to official information, there are about 30,000 such people.

He raised the issue of implementation of the 7th point of the trilateral statement signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. It provides for the return of “displaced persons and refugees to the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas under the control of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.”

According to the Prime Minister, this means that “not only the Armenians of Martakert, Hadrut, a number of villages of Martuni, but also Getashen, Martunashen, Shahumian and other districts should be able to return to their homes in dignity and safety”. And the failure to fulfill this provision proves that “the main goal of Azerbaijan is to expel Armenians from NK through ethnic cleansing, whether by starvation, exhaustion, military operation or other means”.

A group of local residents held a protest in front of the military base of Russian peacekeepers stationed in NK. They said that “all deaths will remain on Putin’s conscience”

The Prime Minister also raised the issue of ensuring the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and noted that Armenia’s position on this issue has not changed. Namely, these issues should be resolved through dialog between Baku and the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of an international mechanism.

At the same time, Pashinyan said that “Baku is constantly torpedoing the dialog with Stepanakert in various ways, trying to shift the responsibility to Nagorno-Karabakh”.

The Armenian Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to the peace agenda. Regarding the possible signing of an agreement with Azerbaijan, he said:

“I have to inform that we have handed over to the Azerbaijani side our new proposals on the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society violates principle of neutrality and gets involved in politics, warns ARCS

Emma Jilavian

 12:14,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society violates the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, first of all, the principle of neutrality, the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) said in a statement on Thursday.

Below is the full statement issued by ARCS.

“Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society violates the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, first of all, the principle of neutrality, and gets involved in political process, raising the position of its government, that is, to keep the Lachin Corridor closed (also through the suggestion of so-called alternative routes).

The drawing in of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society in the political processes contradicts to the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent International Movement; the later does not have mandate to make political statements and serve the political agenda.

This is a rude breach and non-compliance to the Movement principles and values as well as to the humanitarian agenda.

Presently, Azerbaijan also using the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society is trying to obstruct the activity of the ICRC as the only humanitarian international organization operating in Nagorno – Karabakh.  

Clear evidence of that was the abduction of Vagif Khachatryan, who was kidnapped near the checkpoint on his way to be transferred to Armenia for surgery under ICRC escort. He was kidnapped while under the protection of International Humanitarian Law.

Since July 26, 2023, a convoy carrying humanitarian aid sent by Armenia is stranded on Hakari Bridge․ Тhe Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society could use its “humanitarian power” to convince the side which blocked the Lachin corridor and caused the humanitarian catastrophe to open it respecting humanitarian principles.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, with its July 25, 2023 statement attracted the attention of the international community towards the concerning humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was also presented during the Security Council by the representative of OCHA.

Hence, it is an urgent necessity to ensure the immediate implementation of the decisions of the UN International Court of Justice from 22 February and 6 July, 2023.

We are calling upon all the components of International Red Cross Movement: International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society to steadily follow and adhere to the Movement principles, to fulfill their complementary roles within their mandates, in favor of effective humanitarian mission implementation.”



EEU members have somewhat differing stances over further integration – PM Pashinyan

Emma Jilavian

 18:35,

TSAGHKADZOR, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. The Eurasian Economic Union is developing well despite all challenges and the difficult international situation, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said at the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session.

He said that the sustainable growth in trade turnover within the union is one of the achievements.

“I believe that the economy is indeed very important. We are now focused on implementing the EEU 2020-2025 development strategy. We are now working on a project, the St. Petersburg Declaration proposed by Russia. Of course, this is a very interesting project, and many provisions are acceptable. I think there is a positive approach regarding the project but there are nuances that need to be discussed,” Pashinyan said.

The Armenian PM added that the positions of EEU members somewhat differ in terms of the further integration.

“Overall, there is a chance to find a concrete solution and it is very positive that all our colleagues have a positive approach. There are nuances regarding the further development of the Eurasian Economic Union, the creation of a single gas and energy market and coordination of our governments’ credit and financial policy are of highly principled significance.  We too are very closely working around this issue. Our main goal is to develop the economies of our countries, to increase the level of welfare of our citizens. I think that in this area the Eurasian Economic Union has great interest. We see certain signals that show other countries are also interested in further developing relations with the Eurasian Economic Union,” Pashinyan added.

Nagorno-Karabakh blockade: ‘In a couple of weeks there will be a mass famine’

Emma Jilavian
The Observers
Aug 22 2023

The only road connecting Armenia to the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh – a breakaway region disputed for decades between Armenia and Azerbaijan – has been completely blocked by Azerbaijan since July. A resident describes the challenges the population faces in obtaining food and water, adding that some people have died from the effects of the blockade.

Text by:Sorana Horsia

Since December 2022, the only route connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia – the Lachin corridor – has been gradually blockaded by Azerbaijan.

The region of Nagorno-Karabakh, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Armenians, has been at the centre of a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan since the fall of the Soviet Union, leading to two wars from 1991 to 1994 and then at the end of 2020. In the latest war, Azerbaijan managed to gain control over the majority of the region. According to a ceasefire established with the assistance of Russia, free movement through the Lachin corridor would be guaranteed.

© The Observers

In December 2022, Azerbaijani environmental protesters blocked the Lachin corridor, demonstrating against the alleged exploitation of natural resources in the region by Armenia. Yerevan accused them of being backed by Azerbaijan. The tensions at the border culminated with a clash between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops in March and April. Azerbaijan set up a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor on April 23, claiming that its purpose is “to prevent the illegal transportation of manpower, weapons, mines” from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. Initially, Red Cross humanitarian vehicles were let through.

After months of restricted movement through this corridor, Azerbaijan announced on July 11 the suspension of all traffic. The flow of humanitarian aid from Armenia was subsequently completely halted on July 26. Since then, trucks carrying 400 tons of food and essential goods have been waiting at the checkpoint set up by Azerbaijan.

As a result of this blockade, the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is critical. Stores are empty, people wait for hours in over 35 degrees Celsius to buy bread, and water resources are running low. Electricity and gas are also limited, as the supply usually comes through Azerbaijan.

Mary Asatryan works as an assistant to the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Nagorno-Karabakh in Stepanakert. For months, she has been documenting her daily life on Instagram, where she posts photos and videos of the queues in front of bakeries, the 20-kilometre journey she makes to fetch water bottles, and the locals helping each other.

The entire day consists of struggling with all the deprivations and the consequences of the blockade. So every day we have to check the schedule of the electricity blackouts, which are published either in the morning of that day or in the late evening of the previous day. Then we have to adapt to that schedule because the blackouts don’t happen at the same time at my home, at my workplace, or at the shops. So you have to know where electricity is going to be working and manage your time accordingly.

Also, at the moment, you cannot buy anything at the stores anymore. The shops are completely empty. What we have left is a limited amount of bread, which is baked and sold at the bakeries. Why? Because there is no fuel left in the country to deliver the bread to the stores. So people have to walk by foot to the bakeries directly and queue there.

The bread queues can reach five or six hours, and most of the time people queue at night because during the day it’s so hot that people can’t stand. But there are, of course, people who queue during the day, but as I work at the office, I cannot afford that.

But I, for example, I’m getting exhausted physically standing in the queue sometimes. So some days I just even give up on bread. Last time I was standing in the queue, there were 500 people registered. So it’s really endless.

There are some rare farmers coming from the nearby villages and selling their locally produced seasonal vegetables and fruits. So basically they sell what they have harvested in their yard. But to do this, imagine that some people have to walk tens of kilometres to sell something. So if you are lucky enough to catch a farmer on the street or, you know, find someone who sells locally produced fruit, then you have a meal for the day. But most of the time, it’s the bread that people rely on. 

So a couple of weeks more and there is going to be a mass famine.

On August 15, the office of the Human Rights Ombudsman of Nagorno-Karabakh stated that a 40-year-old man had died due to hunger. However, Asatryan says that he is not the only case, and if the blockade does not stop, there will certainly be more deaths due to famine and lack of medication.

There was a very tragic story of two kids who died one month ago. So what happened is that their mother left their home in the village [of Aghabekalanj] and she walked tens of kilometres to reach the nearby city, Martakert, to find something to eat. The kids were sleeping at that time. Then they woke up. They didn’t find their mother. They decided to walk to find her. They walked for a while and then they got tired because they were, of course, hungry and exhausted. So they found a car, they entered and they fell asleep. But it was so hot that they basically, unfortunately, died because of the heat and exhaustion. They died because of the whole situation. And this was one of the most shocking stories of the whole blockade.

Photos of the two children who died in Nagorno-Karabakh at the beginning of July.

The numbers of miscarriages among pregnant women are rising. Women are under a lot of stress. They have to walk all the time. It’s very hot. They don’t get nutritious, vitamin- rich food. So they lose their unborn children. 

There was a story, for example, of a woman from the village Haterk who started to bleed and there was no car to take her to the hospital. So she was brought to hospital too late and she had already lost her child. I think the most challenging consequences are in the healthcare system, because we have a lot of patients who are not receiving enough medication, they’re not undergoing their planned surgeries now. And in the long term, of course, there will be more deaths.

On August 16, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting at the request of Armenia to discuss the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Many countries called on Azerbaijan to reopen the Lachin corridor.


Azerbaijan prepares new provocations by consistently spreading fake news, accusing Russian peacekeepers – says Artsakh

Emma Jilavian

 16:15,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry continues its disinformation campaign targeting Nagorno-Karabakh, disseminating fabricated and fake videos and accusations, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry warned Friday.

The Azeri accusations claiming that they’ve allegedly observed reinforcements of Nagorno-Karabakh positions and the use of ambulances accompanied by Russian peacekeepers to transport landmines, weapons and radio-electronic warfare systems to jam aircraft is “complete falsehood and disinformation,” the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry said.

It added that Azerbaijan is preparing information base for new provocations by spreading such fake news.

U.N. Security Council to convene emergency meeting on Azeri blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh

Emma Jilavian

 09:17, 15 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday in response to a call from Armenia.

Associated Press reported that the U.S. Mission to the U.N. said Monday the emergency open meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon.

Permanent Representative of Armenia to the U.N., Mher Margaryan, in an August 11 letter addressed to the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the current President of the U.N. Security Council, said that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are on the verge of a full-fledged humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the Azerbaijani blockade.

In renewed disinformation campaign, Azerbaijan falsely accuses Armenia of amassing troops on border – Defense Ministry

Emma Jilavian

 14:04,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan has falsely accused Armenia of amassing troops and military equipment near the border, the Armenian Ministry of Defense has warned. In addition, the Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijan’s latest disinformation campaign has again generated fake news falsely accusing Armenia of maintaining a military presence in Nagorno-Karabakh, something that Yerevan has numerously denied and even called for an international fact-finding mission to be sent there for verification.

“The statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia have concentrated a large number of weapons, military equipment, and personnel near the Armenian-Azerbaijani border does not correspond to reality,” the Armenian Ministry of Defense said.  “In addition, regarding another false allegation mentioned in the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia once again declares that the Republic of Armenia does not have an army in Nagorno-Karabakh,” it added.

Armenians Are Once Again Facing Genocide. The Time To Act Is Now | Opinion

Emma Jilavian
Newsweek
Aug 10 2023
OPINION
SOSEH HOVASAPIAN, ANI ARZOUMANIAN, AND SHARON ANOUSH CHEKIJIAN , CORNELL UNIVERSITY; COLGATE UNIVERSITY; YALE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

ON 8/10/23 AT 12:12 PM EDT

For over 230 days, a humanitarian crisis has loomed over Artsakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, an autonomous, ethnically Armenian region within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan. The world has yet to take notice, and why should it? This seemingly unimportant area in the South Caucasus is the current lynchpin of geopolitics dividing East and West, NATO and Central Asia, Israel from monitoring Iran, and Russia from controlling its former republics. A peaceful, democratic populace including 30,000 children is in the crosshairs.

Since Dec. 12, 2022, the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia, has been under blockade by Azerbaijan in an escalation of tensions following the 44-day war of 2020. Now in its eighth month, the blockade is accompanied by increased threats and acts of violence against Artsakh and increasingly the Republic of Armenia.

Initial claims that the blockade was due to protests of “eco-activists” quickly proved to be a ruse to cover up Azerbaijan’s campaign of aggression against the region’s Indigenous Christians. The blockade has two immediate goals. First, to force assimilation into Azerbaijan; Second, to pressure Armenia to allow Azerbaijan to forge a road across its sovereign territory, uniting Turkey with its “brothers” in Azerbaijan, heralding Turkish domination across Central Asia. The intention is to make Armenia into a “rump state,” further isolated and its borders redrawn and diminished. Azerbaijan’s petro-dictator Ilham Aliyev and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s pursuit of geopolitical gain comes at the cost of 120,000 lives.

The implications are disturbingly clear. Erdogan and Aliyev intend to continue the genocide of 1915 and wipe Armenians off the map. Referring to the Armenian genocide, Erdogan said they will “continue to fulfill this mission, which our grandfathers have carried out for centuries in the Caucasus region.” Aliyev has chided Armenians to “behave yourselves” or suffer renewed attacks. Their intended ethnic cleansing has precedents in Turkey during the 1915 genocide, the 1988 and 1990 pogroms of Baku and Sumgait, and the forced depopulation of ethnic Armenians from Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan.

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Regarding the right to self-determination of Artsakh’s Armenians, Aliyev made his stance clear with an ultimatum presented to Artsakh authorities: “Disband your government or prepare for the consequences.” This rhetoric is expounded by pro-regime media in Azerbaijan with calls to integrate Artsakh into Azerbaijan. This offers an easy solution for powers who do not understand the history of Armenian persecution. Would the world suggest that the Jewish people assimilate quietly under a Nazi regime? This is what is being laid out—further marginalization and a sure death for the Armenians of Artsakh.

Activists block a road from Stepanakert, the capital of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, to Azerbaijani Aghdam offered by the Azeri officials as a way for humanitarian aid to the region demanding the reopening of the blockaded Lachin Corridor linking Karabakh to Armenia and to decry crisis conditions in the region, in Askeran on July 18, 2023.ANI BALAYAN/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

The ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor is in direct violation of international law, the 2020 Trilateral Agreement, and the International Court of Justice’s (IJC) ruling on Feb. 22. Emboldened by the lack of repercussions, Aliyev ignored these agreements and rulings. Azerbaijan’s installation of a military checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin Corridor in April has led to a complete blockade, including the International Committee of the Red Cross’ (ICRC) aid efforts. Shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies are currently critical. The de-facto attack on health care is further destabilizing Artsakh already targeted by Azerbaijan during the 44-day war of 2020. Miscarriages have tripled under the blockade. The complete blockade has prompted statements warning of impending genocide by Genocide Watch and the Lemkin Institute.

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Comparable crises have received far more attention and assistance. Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain met with swift sanctions by the U.S., U.N., and EU. Humanitarian aid by the U.N. for the blockade of Gaza totaled over $5 billion. Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh has gone unanswered. The inability to respond comes in large part from a lack of recognition of the sovereignty of the Republic of Artsakh, rendering international aid impossible.

Azerbaijan’s actions have undermined one international law after the other, but it seems that dictators don’t care about humanitarian law. Expressions of “deep concern” have not and will not bear fruit. We need to speak the language of dictators. and send a clear message to those who seek to obliterate the Armenians.

First, recognition of the right to self-determination and recognition of Artsakh is vital. Second, immediate personal sanctions against Aliyev and embargoes on oil exports by Europe are critical to pressure the Aliyev regime to end Azerbaijan and Turkey’s tireless efforts to ethnically cleanse Artsakh and the world of Armenians. Third, the U.N. Security Council should uphold the ICJ ruling and send peacekeepers to the region to end the blockade. To not do so is equal to being complicit in the impending genocide of the people of Artsakh.

Soseh Hovasapian is a student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York

Ani Arzoumanian is a 2022 graduate of Colgate University and founder and former central executive member of the Armenian Student Associations United

Dr. Sharon Anoush Chekijian is associate professor of emergency medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and an OpEd Project Yale Public Voices Fellow.

The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.


https://www.newsweek.com/azerbaijans-blockade-nagorno-karabakh-artsakh-should-concern-everyone-opinion-1818966