Category: 2020

Editor’s Note: The below op-ed is an edited version of a speech delivered by the author, Raffi Bandazian, during a solidarity rally for Artsakh that was organized by the St. James Armenian Church in Richmond, Va. on October 31.

BY RAFFI BANDAZIAN

The Songs of Artsakh and Armenia.

The songs that we have sung for all these years, the songs we grew up singing about heroes and Fedayis and even the more recent songs about villages that were liberated and heroes that had fallen in battle. . . these are not just verses and choruses to sing at events and raise our glass and toast. The lyrics հողը արիունով են պահում իմացէք  “know this: land is kept with blood” is not just a catchy phrase to sing along. It is the real world.

It is what Armenia has lived for decades. And is RELIVING right now.

It is what artilleryman Albert Hambartsumyan has actually done. His iconic photo of him just firing his artillery appeared on sites around world.

They, Armenian soldiers, have given their life for land. Their land. Our land. Our country. Mer hyerenik. Our fatherland.

And this is not some distant land far from the soldiers’ home. Not some war on a concept like terror, a concept manufactured by the military industrial complex of the United States to keep fighting in a country for 19 years that’s 7,000 miles away.
These are battles happening in the Armenian soldiers’ home country of Armenia and Artsakh. The soldiers like Davit Uzunyan, who fell in battle. Davit had just completed two semesters at the American University of Armenia, studying for his Bachelor of Arts in Business. In his spare time, he was an avid footballer who enjoyed participating in tournaments with his team.

Or like Shavarsh Muradyan. A bright student in the English and Communications Program at AUA. Shavarsh had already participated in the 2016 April War in Artsakh. He was injured, awarded medals of honor and had enrolled in AUA. When the Sept. 27 war of 2020 started, he volunteered to go back to the front line.

This is what these young soldiers were doing. Trying to better their Homeland. Improving their knowledge to move their country forward. When it came time for the country to call them, they answered and they paid the ultimate price.

The great hero of the 1992-94 war in Arstakh, Leonid Azkaltyan has reportedly said, “One does not protect land with blood; one protects land with love.” They don’t keep the land with blood, they keep the land with love.

Davit and Shavarsh were doing just that.

Aliyev, the assigned President of Azerbaijan, has said that Armenia overstated their importance in the World.

Mr. Aliyev, you have overestimated the power of your oil profits.

You can buy all the mercenaries, all the equipment, all the drones, all the cluster bombs, all the missiles you want . . . you can even buy the 2019 final game of the UEFA Europa League final, and you can plaster your name on as many soccer jerseys as you’d like. You can buy all the favor of politicians in Europe and the kind words of New York Times reporters: but you will never buy a victory over Armenia.

Because victory in your eyes is misinformed. Your understanding of history, like your Turkish counterparts, is misinformed.

Were there Azeris and Armenians living in the area under dispute in Artsakh in the Caucus? Sure. Even Sayat Nova, the great 17th century Armenian troubadour is known to have sung in Armenian, Azeri, and Georgian – although his best songs are in Armenian. You probably even claim him as your own, Azeri musician, ignoring the fact that he was born Aruthin Sayadian, born in 1712, Tiflis, Georgia.

But you are grasping at a concept of a country that is less than 100 years old. Artsakh is Armenia lands going back to at least the 5th century. . . B.C!

The capital of Armenia, Yerevan, is over 2,800 years old. Your idea of the timeline of your country is just a blink of an eye in our people’s existence in the Armenian Highlands.

You will never buy victory. You will never buy loyalty. The mercenaries from Syria that you are renting will never last. One captured just this week has said that “they, the Azeris, send us forward in three lines. They stay back but they send us forward in the first lines of attack.”
Because Armenians’ will, our will to fight is without price. It is immeasurable in currency. Our will to fight is worth blood. It is worth Davit Uzunyan’s blood. [God bless the Hawk] Albert Hovhannisyan’s.
Sevak [Arayik] Galstyan’s [born in 1986]
Edvard [Manvel] Petrosyan’s [born in 1991]
Tigran [Hambardzum] Gharibyan’s [born in 2000]
Mekhak [Arest] Sadoyan’s [born in 2000]
Arshak [Gaguik] Abrahamyan’s [born in 1978]
Karen [Khachik] Hayrapetyan’s [born in 1997]
Edgar [Artur] Galstyan’s [born in 1999]
Khachik [Karen] Baghdasaryan’s [born in 1987]
Vahram [Gegham] Hovhannisyan’s [born in 1978]
It is worth Monte’s blood. Leonid’s blood…
And 1,116 other heroes as of 10-29-2020.

May God Rest All of Their Souls. . . .

And Armenians’ will to fight certainly will outlast your assigned role in your political position given to you by your father which you have desperately clasped onto for 17-plus years.

Azerbaijan can cut off their citizens’ internet access. They can block their social media sites. They can restrict access to journalists in their country. They can lock up journalists like their brother state of Turkey does.

But it will never hide the truth. The truth will eventually come out. The truth will shine and you will be held accountable for the war crimes documented so far that have been committed under your name at your direction. As of 10-29-2020. . .bombing a newly opened maternity wing of a hospital in Stepanakert, the Capital of Artsakh. Bombing civilian structures. Shelling the Christian Cathedral in Shushi.

Songs of Artsakh. This one just published two days ago:
Destroy my church, my faith has not been surrendered
How many of your sons are there?
My destroyed church, doesn’t surrender my Faith.
As long as they’re here, your sons are devoted.

Just yesterday, reports of potential use of white phosphorous over the forests of Arstakh.
This is most likely provided by the so-called elite mountain forces that have been brought in from Turkey, because the Azeri troops could not handle the dense fighting in the forests of Artsakh. And of course, Turkey would not care that the use of white phosphorous to start forest fires in the mountains is yet another example of war crimes.

And Mr. Aliyev: I have a question for you. If Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh, is, in fact, as you say Azerbaijan and always has been, why then are you bombing, your own cities? Why are you bombing the civilian population of what you claim is your land? Why have you destroyed 11,600 private properties? 1,600 private vehicles? 2,100 infrastructure public, and industrial structures? Why have you killed 39 civilians (as of Oct 26)? Bombed the electric, gas, and water infrastructure? Burning the village of Aknaghbyur as you pillage? Do you plan on going back in with some type of infrastructure project to rebuild this great nation that you have just demolished?

Is the plan to bring in Haliburton and manage the reconstruction? They already have an office on Salyan Highway, 16km Lokbatan Settlement, Salt Lake Facility, Baku 1032.

So what does Turkey do? It spreads its rat claws into Libya, Syria, territorial waters of Greece, Iraq, Kurdish Territory, and now in an attempt to finally “solve the Armenian problem,” vows support for Turkey’s “Azerbaijani brothers with all our means as always.” And accuses Armenia of “being the biggest threat in the region to peace and stability.”

The Armenian nation of 2.965 million is the threat? Armenia would instigate a war against its neighbor nation Azerbaijan of 9.981 million who now has the support of its historic enemy nation of Turkey with 82 million? The military budget of Turkey and Azerbaijan dwarf that of Armenia.

Meanwhile, Turkey just recently tested its Russian made S-400 air defense system to which the US “condemns in the strongest possible terms.” Additionally adding, “an operational S-400 system is not consistent with Turkey’s commitments as a U.S. and NATO ally.”
Well guess what—Turkey never follows its commitments to the US or its NATO allies.

St. Nerses Shnorhali the Gracious (1102-1173), Catholicos of Armenia.
Armenians are writing this in the 12th century:
Seljuk Turks are coming through from Mongolia destroying. We are creating.

From “I Confess with Faith”
Hour 23
All-merciful Lord,
have mercy on all those who believe in you;
on my beloved ones, and on those who are strangers to me;
on all those I know, and on those unknown to me;
on the living and on the dead;
even forgive my enemies, and those who hate me,
forgive the trespasses they have committed against me;
and relieve them from the malice they bear towards me,
so that they become worthy of your mercy.
Have mercy upon your creatures,
and on me, a manifold sinner.

Let me repeat that line:
“and relieve them from the malice they bear toward me”

Why are the Azeri’s doing this now?

Why did Azerbaijan and Turkey attack Artsakh and Armenia on September 27, 2020?

It is jealousy? Envy? Resentment of Armenians?

Did we overstate our importance in the world, like Aliyev said?

Was it the World IT Conference in 2019 held in Yerevan?

Was it the revival of the wine industry in Armenia? The discovery of the oldest winery in the Noravank caves?

Was it the designation by UNESCO of our World Heritage Sites of Geghard Monastery, Haghpat and Sanahin, Etchmiadzin and Zvartnos? Or the UNESCO designation of Intangible Cultural Heritage items the Khachkar, the duduk, LAVASH Bread, the Kochari dance, or the Armenian Letter Art or the Folk Epic Sasunsti Davit?

Or that Levon Aronian, our chess champion, is higher ranked FIDE than your guy?

Or was it just simply the democratic revolution, the Velvet Revolution heard around the world in 2018. The revolution won without a bullet fired. Have you, Mr. Aliyev, tried that?

Or is it simply that the Turkish Lira is collapsing—again. Like it did in 2005. And the solution was just to lop off six zeros and call it the new Turkish Lira.

Or is it even simpler that oil and gas account for over 90 percent of Azerbaijan’s exports. To balance its budget, Baku needs oil to sell above $53 per barrel.

Incidentally, it was a mistake, Mr. Aliyev, to name the oil field in the Caspian Sea the “Karabagh field” and have the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani (so called) Republic President, say the field “proudly bears the name of the heart of our Motherland.”

Armenians are not going to be naïve about this situation today. We’re not going to say, oh the truth will prevail. You want to fight? We will fight to our deaths. Death or Freedom. MAH GAM AZADOUTYUN.

The songs of Armenia. We are living the songs. The Armenian Public Radio has changed. There’re no other cultural shows on. There’re no discussions of psychologists talking about kids dealing with stresses of their lives. It’s all day songs of heroes and heroism. Then news of the war. News of missiles landing. News of Armenian troops pushing back the enemy.

If you hear us talking here today and mixing the terms of Armenians or Armenians from Karabakh or using Artsakh and Armenia interchangeable, it is because it is all one people. It is all of us. You should know, as outside viewers to this, that you matter in all of this. Everything we do here in the United States matters tremendously around the world. Anything a high-ranking politician says about Armenia gets repeated verbatim on Armenian media and broadcast to the entire country there. Any chant of protest or singing of Մեր Հայրենիք is echoed through Armenian media. Words matter. Our words matter. Our actions matter more.

And you can be sure that today, these words, yours actions here, will be heard in Armenia.

So, what are we asking you, here in Richmond, those of you who come to us and support us in our usual times of festivities and dancing and celebration? We are asking you a simple thing. Stand with us. Stand with us now. Support Christian Armenia and Christian Artsakh. Go to armeniafund.org and donate monthly. If each one of us donates $20 or $50 a month, we can help our country stand up for what is right in this world. Go to anca.org. It is very simple to reach out to your elected representatives and ask for their support on these issues.
America is distracted right now. This is when the nations of the world act out. The timing of this by Turkey and Azerbaijan is not accidental. Think how difficult it is to get the attention of Americans right now with everything going on in U.S. politics and the country. Who would care about what’s happening overseas?

But we have to care. Because the United States has created this monster of a so-called ally in Turkey. The United States has not taken any concrete action, action not words, to stop Turkey intervening. And by not taking any action, the United States is giving tacit approval to what is going on.

For if two Armenians meet anywhere in the world and will create a New Armenia, witness now what all Armenians over the entire world will do when they unite.

FRESNO—The Fresno County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the acts of violence against Artsakh and Armenia and calling upon the United States Congress to support an immediate ceasefire, and reaffirming its support for a free and independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh).

The supervisors said that Turkey and Azerbaijan have attacked Artsakh and Armenia, targeting non-combatant civilians, threatening the security and sovereignty of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh)  through hostile acts.

The document recalled that in April 2013, the County of Fresno became the first County in the State of California to officially recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh). In that resolution, the Supervisors of the Fresno County noted that Artsakh is a historic Armenian province and has since maintained all the characteristics of a free country, despite continued attacks by Azerbaijan.

On October 12, the Fresno City Council adopted a resolution recognizing Artsakh as a free
and independent country. The document also stated that Turkey and Azerbaijan have begun attacking Artsakh and Armenia, targeting civilians, using suicide drones and ISIS mercenaries, with the mission of continuing genocide.

Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles Ambassador Armen Baibourtian commended the efforts of Berj Apkarian, the Honorary Consul of Armenia in Fresno.

PARIS (RFE/RL)—France has accused Turkey of pursuing aggressive policies near European borders, including in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In an interview with the Europe 1 radio station on Thursday French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said there have been serious disagreements between Paris and Ankara for several years due to Turkey’s actions.

“Turkey is taking aggressive actions in the immediate vicinity of Europe, in particular in Libya, in the eastern Mediterranean, in Nagorno-Karabakh and in northern Iraq. Now a new factor has emerged. In recent days, the tone of President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s statements addressed to France and Europe has changed. Erdogan regularly makes statements full of hatred and violence, including against French President Emmanuel Macron,” said Le Drian, adding that “Paris demands that Turkey abandon such behavior.”

The top French diplomat’s remarks came a day after a Turkish ultranationalist organization, Grey Wolves, was banned in France.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has claimed that “this decision also shows that the French government has become totally a captive of the Armenian circles.”

Ankara claims that Grey Wolves does not exist as an organization, and that the decision of the French government is “imaginary, hypocritical and provocative” in nature. Still it calls it “unacceptable to ban symbols.”

“We will reciprocate to this decision in the strongest way,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on November 4.

In Turkey, the Grey Wolves are linked to the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) of Devlet Bahceli. The party has a political alliance with President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The plan to ban the Grey Wolves came after two anti-Armenian demonstrations by people carrying Turkish flags in the Lyon and Grenoble areas. The demonstrations are believed to be tied to the Grey Wolves.

French media also reported that a monument in Lyon dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide was defaced with pro-Turkish Grey Wolves slogans and “RTE” in reference to Erdogan.

The Grey Wolves are considered the militant wing of the MHP, known for their pan-Turkish and far-right ideology.

In the past, they are believed to have had ties to the Turkish “deep state” and mafia, having been involved in street violence against leftists in Turkey during the 1970s and 1980s. Its members have also been involved in attacks on Kurdish activists and aided the state’s fight against Kurdish nationalist militants.

There have been tensions in France between its large ethnic Armenian population and Turkish communities over the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, in which Turkey has strongly backed its ally Azerbaijan.

The Armenian Trade and Labor Association this week called on the Armenian community to remain active on social media and to contact elected officials in support of Artsakh.

In a letter sent to community member the organization condemned Azerbaijan and Turkey aggression against Armenia and Artsakh, which has seen myriad human right violations against Armenians.

“Last month Azerbaijan launched an attack on Artsakh by shelling innocent civilians. This continued unprovoked warfare continues. After multiple attempts of peace talks, Azerbaijan continues to have a blatant disregard and disrespect of human rights violations and continues to target innocent Armenians in Artsakh. Together Turkey, Azerbaijan, and paid Jihadists are massacring thousands of Armenian people- THIS MUST BE STOPPED!,” said the organization in the letter.

The signatories also urged the Armenian community:

Post on your personal and business social media to show that you condemn the attacks and support peace for Armenia

Contact your elected officials and ask that they engage in encouraging a ceasefire and support the Armenian people

Support Armenian owned businesses and businesses who support Armenian issues
Make a contribution to Armeniafund.org for humanitarian aid to help the soldiers and innocent Armenians

“Armenia needs peace and justice and by engaging in the above mentioned ways you can help us make a difference,” said the letter. “Together as a unified voice we have strength to bring about change. We ask that you join us in lending your name to support Armenian owned businesses and companies who stand with Armenia.”

The following businesses signed the appeal to the community.
Advibe.com
Arnie’s Coffee Inc.
Arnie’s Café Inc.
Barrett Farms LLC
Ca Links
Cal State Consulting
Cannabis Waste Solutions
Chick Next Door LLC
Curagenics
Cure Production Saticoy
Fire Lounge
Garden on Foothill Inc.
HIFLYcana
Icelink
ILYFTED Noho
ILYFTED Studio City
J&M Wholesale Tires
La Brea Liquor
LA Cannabis Company
Munchies Distribution Inc.
Munchies Mart Inc.
Munchies Hookah Inc.
No Limit Training Facility
Papillion International Bakery
Natural Aid Cannabis Boutique
Pipeline Films
Road Map Consultants, LLC
Safe Care Packaging Inc.
SCPC Inc.
SIVA
Skinnabis CBD Inc.
Target Management Corporation
The Reefinery Inc.
Viva Distro

Russian Foreign Ministry Calls Out Aliyev After He Lied about Mercenaries

Moscow expressed serious concern on Thursday about the escalating deployment what it called international terrorists from the Middle East to the Karabakh conflict zone, warning that the region become a terrorist “enclave.”

“According to information we have received, at this moment members of international terrorist organizations with blood on their hands, are being transported from the Middle East to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday.

“I am talking about radical mercenaries who espouse the jihadist ideology. All this raises serious concerns for us since it poses a threat that a terrorist enclave is being formed, this time in the South Caucasus,” Zakharova said.

Zakharova’s was referencing comments made by Russia’s Foreign Minister Segei Lavrov who told the Kommersant newspaper on Tuesday that, based on Russian intelligence, some 2,000 mercenaries had been deployed to Karabakh to fight alongside Azerbaijani forces.

“We, of course, are concerned over the internationalization of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the involvement of militants from the Middle East, Lavrov told Kommersant “We have repeatedly called on external players to use their capacities to prevent the transfer of mercenaries whose number in the conflict zone is already reaching 2,000 according to the existing data.”

“This topic was discussed specifically during an October 27 telephone conversation by Russian President Vladimir Putin with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as during the regular contacts with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. We continue persistently pushing forward our position through various channels,” added Lavrov.
The Russian foreign minister’s remarks apparently have not sit well with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev who told Spain’s EFE news agency that Moscow had overstepped its role as a neutral mediator to the conflict.

“Frankly speaking, I regret that high ranking officials of the countries that are supposed to be neutral and are supposed to be acting within their mandate that was given to them by the OSCE are using this unverified, groundless so-called information and rumors,” Aliyev said.

“We do not have any mercenaries. I have said it many times. We do not need them,” declared Aliyev. “We have an army with 100,000 fighters and we can recruit several times more if we announce total mobilization, which we have not done, unlike Armenia. There is no evidence of any foreign fighters fighting on our side. No evidence at this time,” Aliyev added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry was perplexed by what it called Aliyev’s “melodramatic” response to Lavrov’s citation of Russian intelligence reports.

“To be honest, we do not quite understand the melodramatic reaction by the honorable Ilham Haydarevich Aliyev to Sergei Lavrov’s comments,” a Russian foreign ministry source told Tass on Thursday. “Perhaps the president’s aides have shown him someone else’s statement, or included their own interpretation.”

Citing Lavrov’s statement, the source told Tass that the foreign minister had not rebuked Azerbaijan or any other country, for that matter.

The foreign ministry representative said that Moscow has always approached its role as a mediator with utmost seriousness, adding that “President Aliyev, himself, has repeatedly stated this.”

“We reaffirm our commitment to promoting a peaceful, political and diplomatic settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. At the same time, we remain convinced that bringing mercenary militants into the Caucasus threatens the stability and security of all countries in the region, including Azerbaijan and Russia,” the Russian foreign ministry told Tass.

Zakharova, the foreign ministry spokesperson, also reiterated Moscow’s concerns about “external forces” becoming engaged in the fighting.

“In the past week the situation has remained tense in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone. Exchange of gunfire has taken place in all directions of the line of contact. Civilian buildings were also targeted. We urge the sides to display extreme tolerance, avoid striking the civilian population and not allow the interference of external forces,” Zakharova said.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry on Thursday said that efforts by Azerbaijani ground forces to penetrate areas near Shushi were thwarted by Artsakh forces who were able to “neutralize them” causing heavy losses to the enemy.

Azerbaijani forces have been targeting Shushi for weeks in an attempt to cease control of Artsakh’s second largest city. As aerial attacks continued to rain rockets on the city, Azerbaijani groups have sporadically moved in to areas in the vicinity of the city.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry representative Artstrun Hovhanissyan said in his daily briefing on Thursday that insurgent Azerbaijani groups had camped out in villages, forests and even gorges near Shushi, but their attempts to advance have been quashed.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan visited the troops in Shushi on Thursday and and discussed the battle strategy to ward off Azerbaijani forces.
“The defensive fortifications created jointly by our professional soldiers and volunteer troops and the decisiveness of our brave men gives us hope that all possible steps are being taken to keep [Shushi] invincible,” the Artsakh President said.

“With its spiritual and cultural values and traditions, Shushi is our greatest legacy which we inherited from our ancestors, and we must pass it on to our generations with the same Armenian spirit,” said Harutyunyan.

Harutyunyan expressed special gratitude to Colonel-General Seyran Ohanyan, whom he called “a devoted son of the Armenian nation.” Ohanyan, who was Armenia’s Defense Minister, briefed Harutyunyan on combat operations in and around Shushi.

Fighting continued throughout Thursday, with Azerbaijani deploying heavy artillery in an effort to advance in the northern, southern and central fronts in Artsakh, targeting the Karmir Shuka region. Hovhannisyan said that small Azerbaijani formations, with minimal armor, but backed by artillery fire, were repelled by Artsakh forces.

In areas near Shushi, Azerbaijani insurgents were confronted by Artsakh Armed Forces soldiers who tracked them down in forests and cut them off at checkpoints, repelling them back to their original locations by encircling the enemy forces.

Hovhannisyan explained that small tactical regimens of Azerbaijan were spotted near Karin Tak and Lisagoras areas and faced Artsakh Army snipers who not only drove the enemy away, but also destroyed a cluster of armored vehicles.

Sporadic fighting continues throughout Artsakh and Azerbaijan continues its aggressive attacks against Armenians.