Category: 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.

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.

There’s a restaurant in Chicago called Sayat Nova, which is named for the Armenian 18th century poet Arutin Sayadyan whose pen name means “King of Songs.” The food is so good I used to fly it back to San Francisco and got into fights with the TSA about whether the yogurt-laden dishes were technically considered liquid or not.

I had the pleasure of meeting Armenian chef and TV personality Ara Zada when I was down in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. We had a great chat about what is so unique about this cuisine. All answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.

There’s a restaurant in Chicago called Sayat Nova, which is named for the Armenian 18th century poet Arutin Sayadyan whose pen name means “King of Songs.” The food is so good I used to fly it back to San Francisco and got into fights with the TSA about whether the yogurt-laden dishes were technically considered liquid or not.

I had the pleasure of meeting Armenian chef and TV personality Ara Zada when I was down in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. We had a great chat about what is so unique about this cuisine. All answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.

L.B.Z.: Where is your family from and how often do you go back?

A.Z.: My mom and grandparents are Armenian but both were born in Egypt. The first time I went to Armenia in 2016 and I was going back about every six months until the Covid pandemic hit.

L.B.Z.: Where did you study culinary arts?

A.Z.: I did my culinary studies at Le Cordon Bleu.

L.B.Z.: When did you first experience Armenia wines and how have they evolved?

A.Z.: The first time I had Armenian wine was my first trip to Armenia. Since then, there has been a massive wine revolution. Tons of wine makers from around the world have come to buy vineyards. They have evolved the wine making processes and techniques. I’ve been told by several wine makers in Armenia that their best vintage is next one to come, since the winemaking process is in constant evolution.

L.B.Z.: What have some of the biggest challenges been for the Armenia wine industry?

A.Z.: For wineries just getting their name out has been tough. Armenia has long history of wine making that dates back 6000 years. However, during Soviet domination Armenian winemakers were encouraged to make brandy instead. Also, most people at that point were making their own wine in their backyard and it wasn’t that good.

L.B.Z.: Do you think the fact that many of these grapes are hard to pronounce have been an issue for them?

A.Z.: The indigenous grapes of Armenia can be pretty difficult to pronounce but it’s just a matter of people saying it a few times. What is also notable is that the indigenous grapes of Armenia don’t suffer from phylloxera and are grown on their own rootstock, which is very unusual in the wine world today.

L.B.Z.: What are some of the most traditional Armenian dishes?

A.Z.: Some of the most recognizable would be Khorovats which is Armenian BBQ, skewered up chunks of meat cooked on an open flame; Lavash-wrapped Trout; Harissa, wheat Porridge; and my favorite Khash, cow foot soup. The cuisine features lots of traditional Lavash bread, cheese and an abundance of herbs.

L.B.Z.: How has the Armenian wine scene been evolving in Yerevan?

A.Z.: The wine scene is incredible in Armenia. There is a whole street dedicated to cool wine bars and restaurants in Yerevan, the capitol.

L.B.Z.: You are involved in creating modern Armenian food. What does that involve?

A.Z.: I love creating modern Armenian food by taking classic cooking methods and making them easier for more people to enjoy or mixing ingredients from different cultures to bring new life to classic dishes.

L.B.Z.: Does fine-tuning the food allow younger people to understand it better?

A.Z.: Absolutely! Your people tend to be afraid of old Armenian dishes because they saw their mothers and grandmas slaving for hours in the kitchen. When I show people an easier way to prepare them, it inspires people to get in the kitchen and get creative.

L.B.Z.: You said you did a Mexican-Armenian pop up? What was that like?

A.Z.: I have been fusing Armenian and Mexican dishes for some time. We take Armenian dishes and add Mexican spices or vice versa and it’s been blowing up on social media. We call it Arm-Mex Fusion. We did a few kitchen/comedy pop-ups and the feedback has been incredible. Each event has had the tickets sell out in the first few hours.

L.B.Z.: How did you combine the flavors of the two cuisines?

A.Z.: Most of the time we come up with video ideas on the spot and they turn into magic on the camera. We took lahmajun—meat flatbread—and cut it up into chips, baked them and made nachos out of them. We made tacos using lavash, khorovats-spiced pork and a pepper sauce.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizazimmerman/2023/08/22/exploring-armenian-flavors/?sh=6a60c7b96f28

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Selective abortion has been an issue in Armenia in recent years. As a result of efforts by the government and the private sector, it seemed that many families had given up on the idea of having only a male child, but after the war of 2020 the issue has become relevant again. There are still families in Armenia who choose selective abortion.

“My brother died in 2020. It was a war. I missed my brother, I was looking for his replacement everywhere…”, Gayane (the name is changed), 38, who is pregnant and expecting a boy, begins her story.

The woman, who has a 6-year-old daughter, lives in the Kotayk region, which is near the capital city of Yerevan. She always dreamed of a boy, but it became an obsession when her brother died, an obsession shared by her husband.

“I planned that, no matter what, I would have a boy who would bear my brother's name, who would help me and my parents overcome the grief of losing my brother. I got pregnant 2 years ago. It was planned. It turned out to be a girl. I took pills, had an abortion. It was a difficult phase. I don't want to talk about it now. I committed a sin, but I needed a boy…”, Gayane says.

The woman developed health problems after the intervention. Fortunately, the treatment was successful, the couple planned another pregnancy, and this time the echo showed a “boy”.

“I live for my unborn son. He helps me, gives me strength. You know, I'm not the only one, there are many women who dream and aspire to have a boy”, she says.

According to the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia, the highest index of gender disparity in Armenia was recorded in 2000, when the number of boys born per month far exceeded the number of girls. In ten years, however, the balance changed in favour of girls.

In 2021, the best balance was reached – 108 boys against 100 girls – but it went back to 112 against 100 in 2022. This is despite the fact that the standard ratio of newborns in the world is considered to be 104-106 boys/ 100 girls.

What caused the increase in the gender disparity index in 2022, experts find it difficult to say. However, there is a thesis that war is to blame.

“At this stage, it is still difficult to talk about the main reasons, but war has left its mark”, sociologist Sona Hovakimyan notes. According to Hovakimyan, selective abortion has always been a problem in Armenia, which is aggravated from time to time.

“Sex selection increases when a family is expecting a second child”, says Zaruhi Tonoyan, Coordinator of the UN Population Fund's Combating Gender Discrimination Program.

In 2022, the research “Prevalence and Causes of Gender-Biased Sex Selection in the Republic of Armenia” was carried out with the support of the European Union and the United Nations Population Fund. The study  showed that the preference for boys in Armenia has increased:

“We should highlight that girls matter. Women should be valued in society, we need to talk a lot about this, so that we can prevent selective abortion. We are taking a step back. We had a positive index, which we need to achieve again”, Tonoyan notes.

The research showed that selective abortion is especially widespread in regions, particularly in rural areas. If respondents in Yerevan are neutral about gender preference, preferences are stronger in regions, especially for a male child. A similar study was conducted in Armenia in 2017 as well. It is clear that the problem has worsened again, especially in the regions.

“Prevalence and Causes of Gender-Biased Sex Selection in the Republic of Armenia” research

Looking at results by regions, we can see that boys are most preferred in the Gegharkunik region. 33% of the respondents stated that they prefer boys.

“The first child should be a boy”, says Lilit, 19, from the Gegharkunik region, who has just gotten married but is already planning a child. “We always say in our family that we should have a boy, we will name him after my father-in-law, that is not up for discussion”, Lilit says. When asked what she will do if the first child is a girl, she remains silent, then shortly answers: “As God wills”.

Lilit is still a student. She says that one of her colleagues got married earlier than her and is already a mother. “She gave birth to a girl. Poor woman. They tried to force her to have an abortion. The husband’s family wanted a boy, but her parents stood by her and the girl was born. However, her husband didn’t go to the hospital. She lived at her parents' for about three months. Then, thank God, her husband came to his senses, now they live together, they are a happy family. Well, when I think deeply, I realise that the important thing is to have a healthy child. May I be healthy, I will have many children, both girls and boys”.

AUGUST 22, 2023 BY ADMINISTRATOR LEAVE A COMMENT

The Center for Truth and Justice was established in November 2020 in response to the invasion of Artsakh (formerly Nagorno-Karabakh) to do just that. They are a group of lawyers overseeing the collection of firsthand testimonial evidence from war survivors via in-depth, recorded interviews. The attorneys run two law clinics, one in Armenia and one in Artsakh, which are the first of their kind. Through their clinics, they train Armenian law students and young lawyers to interview survivors of the war and record their testimonies. They have conducted hundreds of interviews and trained nearly one-hundred current or future lawyers. By being a permanent home for the testimonials, CFTJ is a resource for academic and legal practitioners who seek to use the evidence for education and/or legal action.

On October 13, 2023, the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) will hold its third annual gala titled ‘Raise Their Voices: Break the Blockade’ in Los Angeles, with guest of honor Garo Paylan. In no uncertain terms, the CFTJ and Paylan do God’s work, making this union and the event much more significant.

The recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 was possible due to the overwhelming evidence collected by experts, including testimonies, photographs, interviews, and other sources. Given Azerbaijan’s track record of practicing revisionist history, disinformation, and propaganda, the evidence that the CFTJ collects is invaluable.

The mission of the CFTJ is to be a living memorial to crimes against humanity. By being a permanent home for testimonials, the Center makes eyewitness accounts available for study, education, and legal action to foster education, empathy, justice, and change. They preserve evidence and make it accessible for current or future proceedings in Armenia or abroad.

Garo Paylan, An Armenian born in Turkey, was among the few Armenians elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and served for two consecutive terms in 2015-2018 and 2018-2023, representing Istanbul and Diyarbakir. Though a politician, Paylan is also a leading democracy activist in Turkey. He is a founding member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and, since 2016, was the first Armenian in the history of the Republic of Turkey to publicly discuss the Armenian genocide of 1915 from the podium of the Turkish parliament. Paylan is recognized for his activism on human rights and minority rights in Turkey. He has received several awards, including the Grand Vermeil Medal, and has twice been nominated for the Nobel peace prize.

Artsakh is finally getting some attention after nearly three years of deafening silence from the international community and the media, following the report by the founding prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, who classified the situation in Artsakh as Genocide. Meanwhile, Armenia requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the ‘deterioration of the humanitarian situation’ in Artsakh due to Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting the Republic of Artsakh to Armenia and the rest of the world.

The attendance of Paylan at the CFTJ’s event is significant and a rare occurrence for a public servant who isn’t about self-promotion and rarely travels to the United States. In addition to Paylan’s speech and the Center presenting their last year’s achievements, their new initiatives will be announced at the gala. The event aims to collect funds for the CFTJ’s initiatives of collecting evidence of war crimes, preparing public reports and confidential filings, and offering the facts that international law experts need to hold Azerbaijan accountable.

To learn more about the gala and the CFTJ and to purchase tickets, please visit cftjustice.org

BIO: Vic Gerami

Vic Gerami is an award-winning journalist and the editor + publisher of The Blunt Post. Gerami is also the host and co-producer of the national headline news + politics program, THE BLUNT POST with VIC on KPFK 90.7 FM (Pacifica Network).