Albuquerque Journal
Dec 9 2020
Artsakh’s unnoticed humanitarian crisis
By: Barlow Der Mugrdechian / Berberian Coordinator, Armenian Studies Program, California State University-fresno
A humanitarian disaster has occurred in a part of the world little-known to most Americans. Artsakh, a small republic bordering Armenia, was attacked on Sept. 27 by invading forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The ensuing 44-day war caused thousands of Armenians to flee their homes and resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and soldiers. For Armenians throughout the world, this human tragedy was a bitter reminder of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, which caused the deaths of more than 1,500,000 Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. The Sept. 27 invasion, considered by Armenians as a planned second genocide, would fulfill the long-held pan-Turkic dreams of Turkey, in the process ethnically cleansing Artsakh first and then Armenia.
Where was the international attention and why was there no action by the United States, the United Nations, or other major powers to influence Azerbaijan and Turkey to stop this aggression? The answer lies in Azerbaijan’s production of oil, which is viewed as a valuable resource by the West, and in Turkey’s influence in NATO. Azerbaijan has used its oil money to both arm itself and to also influence public opinion in its favor. Turkey has found a ready ally in Azerbaijan.
Artsakh, formerly Nagorno-Karabagh, is a self-declared republic of less than 150,000 people, which emerged from the breakup of the former Soviet Union in 1991. It was illegally placed in the jurisdiction of Soviet Azerbaijan by Stalin in 1921. However, in accordance with the constitution of the Soviet Union, and in accordance with international agreements, the people of Artsakh held a referendum on Dec. 10, 1991, overwhelmingly affirming their right to self-determination.
An ensuing war in 1991-1994 between Nagorno-Karabagh and Azerbaijan resulted in an Armenian victory on the battlefield, but the ultimate resolution on the question of the status of Karabagh was left to the Minsk sub-group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Co-chairs from the United States, Russia and France were tasked with finding a permanent resolution to the conflict, and yet 26 years had passed with no permanent diplomatic resolution.
Azerbaijan found the opportune time to unleash its attack as the United States was pre-occupied with presidential elections and the rest of the world was coping with a pandemic. Aided by the Republic of Turkey and Syrian mercenaries hired by Turkey, Azerbaijan initiated the invasion. Artsakh was therefore fighting not only against Azerbaijan, but also facing the military capability of Turkey, with a population of over 80,000,000. Azerbaijan utilized weapons that have been banned by the international community, including cluster bombs and phosphorous bombs. In contravention of international law, Armenian churches, including the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in the city of Shushi, were targeted.
On Nov. 9, the Russian Federation brokered a statement between Armenia and Azerbaijan halting hostilities, which called for Azerbaijan to have jurisdiction over a large swath of Artsakh’s territory. This far exceeded any previous maximalist demands by Azerbaijan. A Russian peace-keeping force entered into the region to guarantee that hostilities would not erupt again.
For Armenians, the war has become a cause of great pain, and of betrayal and loss, as they await negotiations that are certain to follow the agreement. Appeals to Europe and the United States have been left unanswered, and Armenians now feel isolated and alone.
The human cost of the crisis now facing the Armenians of Artsakh is overwhelming. Cities and towns have been almost completely devastated by war, and the population is facing the onset of winter without adequate provisions or shelter. It is incumbent on the United States to provide assistance to Artsakh and to sanction both Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The international community was for the most part silent in condemning the use of force by Azerbaijan. Today, Armenian churches are endangered in the territory taken over and any traces of an ancient Christian civilization will be destroyed.
It is a telling commentary on the state of the world today.