Baroness Caroline Cox, member of the British House of Lords raised the current humanitarian situation the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh face amid the ongoing Azerbaijani aggression. Her remarks came during hearing on the topic of Refugees: Mass Displacement debated on January 6 in the House of Lords.
"I turn briefly to Nagorno-Karabakh, where 80% of the historically Armenian enclave is now occupied by Azerbaijan. In 2020, more than 91,000 people fled to Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh; 88% of them were women and children. More than 40,000 people were deprived of their homes in areas such as the Shushi and Hadrut regions, which are still under the occupation of the Azerbaijani armed forces," Baroness Cox said, adding: "I have had the painful privilege of visiting the region more than 85 times, during the wars in the 1990s and in 2020. Last September, I visited Syunik region in Armenia to witness the suffering caused by Azeri military incursions into Armenian territory, causing displacement of local villagers within Armenia itself. Countless refugees describe the anguish of the loss of loved ones, and Azerbaijan still violates the conditions of the 2020 ceasefire by detaining Armenian prisoners of war and civilians, and perpetrating atrocities, sometimes taking a prisoner’s phone to film horrendous activities, then sending the pictures back to their families."
In her words, refugees also describe the loss of livelihoods, agricultural lands, water resources, and other vital infrastructure. "Yet the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have received almost no support from the British Government. The UN Secretary-General’s official spokesperson in May last year unequivocally indicated that it is Azerbaijan that, despite the calls of the international community, and the UN in particular, has not provided permission for unhindered humanitarian access in Nagorno-Karabakh, and that situation remains the same," she stressed.
In conclusion, Caroline Cox called on the UK government to ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to thousands of Armenians displaced by war, suggesting the UK has failed to acknowledge, let alone address, the root causes of mass displacement.
"Perpetrators have carried out atrocities with impunity. There has been no justice or support for victims and Toggle showing location ofColumn 723their families. I urge the Minister to give greater priority to the problems I have identified and to many others suffering in similar situations," Caroline Cox concluded.
