SPEAKING OUT
Written by Raffi Sarkissian, Contributor
Wednesday, 05 April 2006
Excalibur Online, Canada
York University, Ontario
April 6 2006
The recent destruction of the ancient Armenian cemetery of Djulfa,
Nakhitchevan (Azerbaijan) by the Azerbaijani military, is now
complete, with 10,000 of the traditional hand-carved Armenian cross
stones destroyed and the remains removed. Pictures taken on Mar. 10
depict a newly constructed military shooting-range to serve the
needs of the Azerbaijani military; maybe a reward for their barbaric
destruction of culture which seems to be rewarded and praised in
Azerbaijan. Once again, the international community has failed to
intervene. International bodies such as United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) failed to become the
remedy for the very problems they were established for.
It is disturbing to see state-executed intentional violence and
vandalism caught on video and photographs go by unpunished as the
enforcers of international law turn a blind eye to the events. Is
this the world we have chosen to live in? Walls of oppression are
erected in Israel against the Palestinians as if they were animals in
a zoo . . . is this humane? Is the world we choose to live in one that
has no conscience, or eyes, or ears to know and feel the pain of the
millions of innocent peoples sentenced to death in Sudan? Are we blind
to see video clips and pictures of the total destruction of a cemetery
so dear to all of human kind? Have we become weak and powerless? Are
we willing to succumb to the violation of human rights by countries
such as Turkey who continue to imprison and sentence journalists,
authors and their citizens for speaking their mind on issues they
feel passionate about?
Is this the world we have chosen? Sadly, it is the one we live in,
where silence has become our favourite song and destruction has become
our favourite dance. If this is not the world you want, then it is
up to you to educate yourself, understand what is happening in your
backyard, and take action to promote change. Or else, it is only a
matter of time when the pain the Armenians, Palestinians, Sudanese
and many others are facing will hit home. Justice is always in need
for voices. Why not yours?
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