Category: 2021

BY RAFFI DADAIAN

Standing under the snow-covered victory tank along the Lachin-Stepanakert highway, we hear “Karabakh is Azerbaijan!” Just a few hundred yards away atop Shushi’s eastern fortress walls, stand three Azerbaijani soldiers. There is no one in sight but me and them. I stare up at them for 10 seconds and climb on top of the tank to take a picture. “Karabakh is Azerbaijan!” Again, I glance at the figures on the wall while light snow begins to fall and the low-lying clouds move in between us as they disappear in the silence.

Artsakh is in a dire state. There is no sugar-coating the situation when you are driving through the remaining mountains under “Armenian-control” dotted with Russian checkpoints. The Turkish and Azerbaijani flags set on the corners of the city of Shushi sign 10 yards from the road taunted us as we slowly worked our way through the staggered barricades of the Russian checkpoint in our Toyota Prado 4×4. “Ne govoryu po russki” (“I don’t speak Russian”). The Russian soldier did not speak English or Armenian, and so he posed a question to us in his native tongue which we did not understand. We respond “Stepanakert” to which he answers in Russian and waves us through. Davay.

Stepanakert seemed to have come a long way since its deserted streets and bomb sirens just a few weeks ago during the war. The streets were filled with cars. Many businesses were operational. Much of the damage from the war had been repaired or in the process of being repaired. The overall structural condition of the city was much better than I expected. We still found remnants of drone and missile damage throughout the city, but it was not 50-percent destroyed like some reports stated. Although the city seems back near capacity, we heard that many of the wealthier Stepanakert residents are in Armenia and renting their Artsakh homes to internally-displaced Hadrut and Shushi families. The city’s famous old outdoor market was severely damaged during the war, but it is now open with much of the damage from the war repaired or covered with sheets and blankets.

Walking down the frigid streets of Martuni surrounding the city’s opera house was like nothing I had ever seen with my eyes before. Blown up roofs, exploded windows and heavy shrapnel scarred nearly every house. The city’s opera house, which was modeled after the Yerevan Opera house, still did not have a single window replaced with twisted metal window frames left behind from the constant targeting of the city. For 44 days straight, the Azeri military undertook a campaign to indiscriminately bombard civilian structures. The rebuilding process was clearly moving slower than the capital, but there were construction workers repairing the roof of a multi-story building as we passed through the city square.

We visited the home belonging to the family of a 26-year-old local who had helped with the AYF Youth Corp Artsakh summer camps over the years. He, as well his younger brother, were still missing, presumed dead, since the war. The family treated us to a spread of fruits and coffee as we sat with the father discussing the situation with long, silent and tearful pauses. He was broken. The whole family was. Their only sons were gone. No burial. No answers.

Winter is in full swing and the snow has draped the visible wounds in many areas of the ancient Principality of Khachen. Though no one knows for certain what the future holds for the Republic of Artsakh, the story of our brothers and sisters there is not over. There is an old Armenian proverb which rings true to the people of this land, “the river does not forget its course, no matter the weather.”

Raffi Dadaian was born & raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. After graduating Ferrahian high school, he attended UC Davis where he majored in Neurobiology while spending two years conducting HIV vaccine research at the California National Primate Research Center. Raffi founded a non-profit project that distributed over 20,000 oral hygiene kits during a three year period to rural children in Armenian, Artsakh, and Georgia. He is now a 4th year dual-degree dental student in the dual DMD/MBA program at Temple University and a proud member of the Philadelphia ARF Chapter.

From the Armenian Weekly

WATERTOWN, Mass.,—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Archives constitute an invaluable repository of modern Armenian history from the late-19th century to our days. Thousands of reports, letters, telegrams, brochures, diaries, memoirs, photographs and artifacts make up the core of the collection, shedding light on the history of the ARF since its inception in 1890 and, more broadly, the history of the Armenian people in its homeland and in communities around the globe.

After the opening of a reading room, the Archives have hosted a number of researchers in recent years, including Dr. Khatchig Mouradian. The Armenian Weekly asked Dr. Mouradian to curate a collection of photographs for our readers. We present them below, with brief captions. It is worth noting that the ARF Archives are in the process of scanning and cataloguing the entire photography collection, making them more accessible.

LANSING, Mich.,— Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell) on Thursday appointed State Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) to serve as Minority Vice Chair of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy for the 101st Legislature. In response, Rep. Manoogian released the following statement:

“It is an honor to be appointed to serve as Minority Vice Chair for the Committee on Energy,” said Rep. Manoogian. “Michigan has an opportunity to lead the nation in delivering clean, renewable, reliable energy to our residents, to chart the course for building infrastructure befitting of the advances in electric vehicle technology, and to ensure fair and safe energy worker conditions. As the daughter of a retired utility worker and Chief of Staff for the Utility Workers Union of America, I know the critical role this industry plays in providing good paying jobs that can support a family and keeping our state’s economy powered. I look forward to working with Chairman Bellino (R-Monroe) and my colleagues on the committee to create an energy future that works for everyday Michiganders.”

Rep. Manoogian was also reappointed to serve on the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism.

Commits to U.S. Reengagement in the OSCE Minsk Group Peace Process to Help Protect the “Security of Nagorno-Karabakh”

WASHINGTON—President Biden’s nominee to serve as Secretary of State, Antony Blinken – in written responses submitted following his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – expressed support for U.S. funding to meet the security needs of Armenia and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“We welcome Secretary-designate Blinken’s commitment to renewed U.S. leadership that supports the security needs of Armenia and the protection of Artsakh,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “In the wake of months of reckless U.S. indifference to Azerbaijan’s relentless aggression, we look forward to constructive, responsible engagement by the Biden-Harris Administration on the full range of issues of special concern to Americans of Armenian heritage and our many coalition partners.”

In four detailed responses to Questions for the Record submitted by Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Blinken voiced support for “the provision to Armenia of security assistance and aid to strengthen democratic governance and promote economic growth, both of which will help to strengthen Armenia’s security and resilience.” He added that: “In light of the recent outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, our administration will review our security assistance to Azerbaijan”, noting that, “if the circumstances warrant, the Biden-Harris administration will be prepared to suspend waivers of requirements under section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.” In three of his responses, he underscored his commitment to “working with Congress and the Secretary of Defense to determine the appropriate level of assistance to meet the security needs of Armenia and the region.”

In response to a question by Chairman Menendez regarding U.S. reengagement in the OSCE Minsk Group process in a way that advances “a sustainable peace that reflects the interests of Armenians, not just Aliyev, Erdogan, and Putin,” Blinken stated that he will “reinvigorate U.S. engagement to find a permanent settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that protects the security of Nagorno-Karabakh and helps to ensure another war does not break out. This includes stepping up our engagement via the Minsk Group, of which the United States is a co-chair, and additional diplomatic work to prevent any further interference by third parties.”

The full text of Secretary-designate Blinken’s responses is provided below.

Armenia and Azerbaijan
Sen. Menendez: If confirmed, will you commit to funding humanitarian assistance programs to help the ethnic Armenians in the south Caucasus affected by Azerbaijan’s attack last fall? Will you commit to restoring funding for demining in Nagorno-Karabakh?

Blinken: I am deeply concerned by the renewed hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan last fall and the ongoing humanitarian needs in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. I strongly support U.S. funding for demining efforts in Nagorno-Karabakh. If confirmed, I will also work with Congress, as well as USAID, international organizations such as the UN, and our allies and partners to meet humanitarian needs in the region.

Sen. Menendez: How can the U.S. help Armenia, and ethnic Armenians in their efforts to defend themselves throughout the South Caucasus, from Azerbaijan and Turkey’s aggression?

Blinken: I support the provision to Armenia of security assistance and aid to strengthen democratic governance and promote economic growth, both of which will help to strengthen Armenia’s security and resilience. In light of the recent outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, our administration will review our security assistance to Azerbaijan. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress and the Secretary of Defense to determine the appropriate level of assistance to meet the security needs of Armenia and the region.

Sen. Menendez: As an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, how do you plan to reengage in the peace process and work towards a sustainable peace that reflects the interests of Armenians, not just Aliyev, Erdogan, and Putin?

Blinken: The President has said the United States should be leading a diplomatic effort to find a lasting resolution to the conflict, working together with our European partners, and should push for international humanitarian assistance to end the suffering. If confirmed, I will reinvigorate U.S. engagement to find a permanent settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that protects the security of Nagorno-Karabakh and helps to ensure another war does not break out. This includes stepping up our engagement via the Minsk Group, of which the United States is a co-chair, and additional diplomatic work to prevent any further interference by third parties.

Sen. Menendez: Considering Azerbaijan’s aggression in last fall’s conflict, do you plan to waive Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act and provide assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan? What is your view of providing security assistance to Azerbaijan?

Blinken: In light of the recent outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Biden-Harris administration will review our security assistance to Azerbaijan. If the circumstances warrant, the Biden-Harris administration will be prepared to suspend waivers of requirements under section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress and the Secretary of Defense to determine the appropriate level of assistance to meet the security needs of Armenia and the region.

In resolutions adopted on Wednesday, the European Parliament “strictly” condemned Turkey’s destabilizing role in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The resolution states that the European Parliament regrets that changes to the Nagorno-Karabakh status quo were made through military force, rather than peaceful negotiations and strongly condemns the killing of civilians and destruction of civilian facilities and places of worship.

The resolution also condemned the reported use of cluster munitions in the conflict; urges both Armenia and Azerbaijan to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which comprehensively bans their use, without further delay.

The resolution also “stresses that a lasting settlement still remains to be found and that the process of achieving peace and determining the region’s future legal status should be led by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and founded on the group’s Basic Principles; highlights the urgent need to ensure that humanitarian assistance can reach those in need, that the security of the Armenian population and its cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh is ensured, and that internally displaced persons and refugees are allowed to return to their former places of residence; calls for all allegations of war crimes to be duly investigated and those responsible to be brought to justice; calls on the EU to be more meaningfully involved in the settlement of the conflict and not to leave the fate of the region in the hands of other powers.”

In Artcile 38 the European Parliament strongly condemns the destabilizing role of Turkey which further undermines the fragile stability in the whole of the South Caucasus region; calls on Turkey to refrain from any interference in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including offering military support to Azerbaijan, and to desist from its destabilizing actions and actively promote peace; condemns, furthermore, the transfer of foreign terrorist fighters by Turkey from Syria and elsewhere to Nagorno-Karabakh, as confirmed by international actors, including the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries; regrets its willingness to destabilize the OSCE Minsk Group as it pursues ambitions of playing a more decisive role in the conflict.

In the resolution on the implementation of the Common Security and Defense Policy the European Parliament welcomes the cessation of hostilities in and around Nagorno-Karabakh; underlines with concern the military involvement of third countries in the conflict and notably the destabilizing role and interference of Turkey; calls for an international investigation into the alleged presence of foreign fighters and use of cluster munitions and phosphorous bombs; calls on the European Union and international bodies to ensure that there is no impunity for war crimes in Nagorno-Karabakh and for the use of prohibited weapons in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; insists on the need to allow humanitarian aid to get through, to proceed without delay with the exchange of prisoners and casualties, and on the need to preserve the cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh.

In the resolutions on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy the European Parliament recognizes that the stability, security, peace and prosperity of the Western Balkans and the Eastern and Southern Neighborhood countries directly affect the Union’s own stability and security and that of its Member States, as well as its reputation as a geopolitical global actor; underlines the fact that the European Union is the biggest trading partner and investor in the Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership countries; calls for the EU to assume its strategic responsibility in the EU neighborhood and play a more timely, active, unified and effective role in the mediation and peaceful resolution of the ongoing tensions and conflicts, and in the prevention of any future conflicts in the neighborhood; believes that this can be achieved by prioritizing efforts at pre-emptive peace-building, including preventive diplomacy and early warning mechanisms, by strengthening bilateral cooperation and supporting democratic forces and the rule of law, by creating positive incentives for socio-economic stabilization and development, and by building up the resilience of societies, backed up by adequate budgetary resources; reaffirms its strong support for the Normandy Format, the Berlin Conference on Libya and the Minsk Group.