Azerbaijan, only weeks after being warned by the United States Department of State about conducting large scale military exercises with its new multi billion dollar advanced weaponry near the border of Armenia, on Sunday launched large scale attacks on Armenia’s peaceful civilian rural population in its northern Tavush region. This attack also comes as the United Nations has called for a global ceasefire during the deadly coronavirus crisis.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western United States Central Committee calls for the universal condemnation of Azerbaijan’s violation of international law and attack on Armenia and calls on nations of the world to institute a moratorium on the sale of military equipment to a corrupt dictatorship in Aliyev, which has proven to be belligerent, reckless and unwilling to peacefully resolve its differences around a negotiation table rather than at the end of a gun.

The ARF Western U.S. stands with the people of Armenia and condemns the vicious attack on Armenian civilians and unequivocally supports Armenia’s right to self defense and the protection of its citizens against such aggression which is reminiscent to the ethnic hatred which was utilized by Ottoman Turkey a little over a century ago which led to the loss of three quarters of the Armenian homeland and the destruction of more than two thirds of our people.

This hatred was mirrored by Azerbaijan during the pogroms it implemented against its own peaceful Armenian population in Sumgait in 1988 and Baku in 1990, during the indiscriminate shelling of the Armenian civilian population throughout Nagorno Karabakh in the 1990’s, and full scale attack on the Republic of Artsakh in April of 2016.

It is not a coincidence that Turkey’s Erdogan this last weekend announced the rebranding of Christendom’s largest and oldest church—the Hagia Sophia—into a mosque, and soon after Baku’s unprovoked attack on Armenia, Turkey pledged its support for its ethnic brethren in Azerbaijan and warned Armenia not to respond in self defense. We remember, and the world cannot forget that Turkey till today still hasn’t atoned for its genocidal past against the Armenian nation.

We stand by Armenia’s heroic Armed Forces who demonstrated resolve and precision in battle and their sacred mission of defending our Nation. It is incumbent upon all of us to band together and do our part as activists both socially and politically. As such, the region’s decade-old “With Our Soldiers” campaign initiated by the Armenian Youth Federation will, once again, be on the frontlines here to ensure that our soldiers and their families are supported during the current situation. In addition the ANCA supports placing limits on Azerbaijan’s use of US defense assistance.

We call on all Armenian Americans regardless of political affiliation to join us in the defense of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh through these and other upcoming campaigns