Author: Emma Jilavian

Armenians Launch Legal Battle to Cancel Controversial Cows’ Garden Land Deal

Emma Jilavian
Nov 2 2023

Daoud Kuttab & Khalil Assali


Determined community advocacy combined with legal help from Armenians in the diaspora opens the possibility of canceling a secretive land deal that would give an Australian Jewish developer control of one-quarter of the area of the Armenian Quarter.

After nearly two years of diplomatic efforts, pressure from local and international Armenians, and a weekly protest vigil, the Armenian Patriarchate, which had signed a 98-year lease to an Australian Jewish developer that would have meant the loss of nearly one-fourth of the historic Armenian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, has finally decided to take steps to cancel the controversial deal it signed to lease church property to the Jerusalem municipality and an Australian Jewish developer.

The problems began when the Jerusalem municipality claimed it wanted to help the Armenian residents of the Old City of Jerusalem with the lack of available parking (a few years ago, the city had taken the parking lot used by the Armenians who live in the quarter and turned it over to Jewish use for visitors to the Western Wall). Converting a land plot (Goveroun Bardez, or Cows’ Garden) into a parking lot required a lot of money. The city offered to lease the land and do the work; in return, the Armenian Patriarchate, which owned the land, would get a number of free parking spaces and a cut from the revenue from residents parking their cars at the location.

Palestinian ambassador to Denmark and Jerusalemite Manuel Hassassian was concerned that something was afloat. He told Jerusalem Story, “I smelled a rat.” He was right.

The parking lot project was part of a larger deal through which the municipality and an Australian Jewish developer, Danny Rothman of Xana Capital Ltd., would secure a 98-year lease (the developer initially went by the name Danny Rubenstein). The area to be leased, according to the website Keghart, includes “Goveroun Bardez, five homes, the Patriarch’s Garden, the Patriarch’s private parking as well as the hall of the seminary. It covers 25 percent of the Armenian Quarter. In effect, all of the western part of the Armenian Quarter.”1 The plot lies between the Armenian Quarter and the Jewish Quarter.

The plan was to turn the parking plot, the nearby seminary, and a restaurant into a luxury hotel. The Patriarchate was scheduled to make a lot of money from the sale and $300,000 annually thereafter. The contract also granted the right to use unspecified “adjacent lands.”2

Community Uproar and Pushback

Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian took the unusual clerical step of defrocking his former deputy and former head of real estate, Baret Yeretsian.3 The Armenian priest left the convent hurriedly and had to seek the help of the Israeli police as local Armenian protestors wanted to search him for relevant documents before allowing him to leave. Like the Patriarch, Yeretsian has a US passport and has since traveled to California. He has always insisted that everything he did was at the orders of the Patriarch, who signed the final land deal; Yeretsian insists that his signature of the controversial deal was merely as a witness. Photographs provided by Yeretsian depict the signing ceremony, featuring Rothman, Yeretsian, Patriarch Manougian, and the Patriarch’s deputy, Archbishop Sevan Gharibian.

When the news of the lease deal was made public in September 2021, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority suspended their recognition of the Armenian Patriarch, saying that the land lease was a change of the status quo of the Old City of Jerusalem, which is a UNESCO-protected heritage.

For the residents of the Armenian Quarter, the lease of one-fourth of the historic land in the Old City was unacceptable. A weekly vigil and protests have taken place every Friday at the Armenian Quarter. An international legal team headed by the well-respected American lawyer Karnig Kerkonian came to Jerusalem and visited Amman, Jordan, to prepare for a lawsuit in an attempt to cancel the deal. The lawyers were able to secure a copy of most of the 21-page contract (one page is missing as well as annexes) and subsequently issued a 184-page legal analysis of it.

The leadership of the Church was totally silent, except for the defrocking of Yeretsian and the synod belatedly saying that they knew and approved of the sale.

The main Armenian clubs in Jerusalem and Amman all issued statements of support for the protestors. Armenian Church leaders also called the Jerusalem Patriarch to inquire and offer support as needed. Armenians around the world were involved in Armenian media as well as on social media. Local Jerusalem heads of churches also put out statements opposing the controversial land deal.

Armenians in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter number between 2,000 and 3,000.4  They are routinely and increasingly harassed by far-right Israeli extremists.5 This is despite their centuries of history in the city.

A Jordanian Palestinian delegation traveled to Yerevan, Armenia, to seek support from that country.

Photo AlbumThe Armenians of Jerusalem

Armenians have centuries of history in Jerusalem and have made important contributions to the city’s societal and cultural fabric.

Regional Support

The effort to save the Armenian Quarter has been met with unprecedented Jordanian and Palestinian cooperation on all levels.

“We are increasing pressure, trying to corner the Patriarch to rescind the lease contract and salvage the land so as to return it to the Armenian community,” Ambassador Hassassian, who is also a member of the Armenian-Palestinian-Jordanian committee, told the London-based New Arab website. “We are willing to cover the costs of the contractual penalty.”6

Legal Proceedings Launched

The protests and the legal research came together in October 2023. Although they had to wait because of the events in Gaza, on October 31, the activists who created a Facebook page called Save the ArQ community revealed that legal proceedings have been filed in an Israeli court to annul the controversial sale.

Sonia Kelekian, one of the activists in the Save the ArQ movement, went on social media to acknowledge fellow Armenians Jack and Zarig Youredjian, who helped to fund the legal effort; lawyers Karnig Kerkonian and Garo Ghazarian, who are taking on the case; and the young community activists Setrag Balian and Hagop Djernazian.

The Armenian Patriarchate put out a statement on November 1 confirming that it had in fact submitted documents to the Israeli courts on October 26 requesting the cancellation of the deal.7

The decision of the Patriarchate to cancel the deal is the first step in what is likely to be a lengthy process to attempt to reverse this through the Israeli court system.

1

“Lawyers Acquired Illegal Land Lease Contract Despite Stonewalling Patriarch,” Keghart, July 29, 2023.

2

“Lawyers Acquired Illegal Land Lease Contract.”

3

Daoud Kuttab, “Armenian Patriarch Defrocks Barett Yeretsian[;] Jordan and Palestine Withdraw Recognition of the Patriarch,” Milhilard, accessed November 8, 2023.


https://www.jerusalemstory.com/en/article/armenians-launch-legal-battle-cancel-controversial-cows-garden-land-deal

Armenia ready to exchange convicted Azeris with PoWs under ‘all for all’ principle

Emma Jilavian

 16:30,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed regret that Azerbaijan is using the purely humanitarian issue concerning the prisoners for political goals. He said that Azerbaijan’s actions are illogical.

Pashinyan said that the government is focused on the issue of POWs.

“We’ve expressed readiness to display flexibility in this issue as well, and to work with Azerbaijan in order for our prisoners to return. Negotiations are one way, one direction. Furthermore, we have expressed readiness to even exchange the convicted Azerbaijanis in Armenia with our prisoners under the all for all principle, considering it a purely humanitarian issue,” the Prime Minister said.

“We’ve applied to the international human rights courts and other possible legal bodies in all cases. In several cases we have rulings on indicating urgent measures from these bodies, bringing international attention on the issue. But I have to say that obviously that work can’t be considered sufficient as long as our captive brothers haven’t returned to Armenia, and we will continue to make every effort in this direction,” Pashinyan said.

Armenian Security Council, EU countries’ ambassadors discuss issues of expanding security cooperation

Emma Jilavian

 19:35,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. The Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan on Wednesday held a meeting with EU resident and non-resident ambassadors accredited to Armenia, the head of the EU delegation. The parties discussed the latest regional security developments, Grigoryan’s office said.

Armenia’s Security Council Secretary presented the negotiation process for the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, highlighting the possibilities of achieving a peaceful settlement. Armen Grigoryan presented the 'Crossroads of Peace' project to the ambassadors.

According to the source, at the meeting issues pertaining to the development of Armenia-EU bilateral cooperation, expansion and strengthening of cooperation in the field of security within the framework of the European Peace Facility were discussed. The issue of the diversification of the Armenian economy was also touched upon.

Twice in two months: Pro-Palestinians set fire to Jewish center in Yerevan, Armenia

Emma Jilavian
Jerusalem Post
Nov 19 2023
By MARK FISH

Last night (Wednesday), insurgents set fire to the synagogue in Yerevan, Mordechai HaNavi, Armenia’s only synagogue. This is the second attack on the synagogue in two months. The first attack took place one and a half months ago, and in both cases, the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) claimed responsibility, as reported on their Telegram channel in Armenian and English. Both arson attacks were first publicized with video clips of the incidents on their channel, together with manifestos, which stated the reasons for these attacks, as well as new threats.

In October, the pro-Palestinian group called its attack a “warning”: “Our successful operation on 3 October in Yerevan is just the beginning.” The second time, they boasted of a “successful operation against the Word Jewish Center,” that “conducts espionage in the interests of the Zionist junta of Tel Aviv and Aliyev.”

According to their announcement, the arson attack is related to the situation in Gaza. “We commenced our activity three days before Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. Our second operation was a repetition of the success of the Palestinian resistance, and was carried out in solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements against the Zionists.” ASALA claims that Israel exercised the “annihilation of thousands of children, women, and elderly” in Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that was returned to Baku following a 30-year period under the rule of the unrecognized separatist government.


ASALA said that they “fully support the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance” since they claim that Israel was behind the activity. According to their statement, the group also put up posters in Yerevan and other Armenian cities containing the emblems of Hamas and Hezbollah “which show that we have a common enemy.”

The manifesto contains a new threat, which states that “If the Zionist regime does not cease their armed attacks on the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem, and the confiscation of Armenian church property, our next operation will take place outside Armenia.” Their statement alludes to the lease of land in Jerusalem belonging to the Armenian Patriarchate for the construction of a hotel.

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, the President of the Conference of European Rabbis, said that “In less than two months the Great Synagogue has been vandalized for the second time. A group of insurgents is harming the Jews in the name of a terror organization that beheads babies, and brutalizes and murders the elderly and the helpless. We must put an end to this. Jewish blood is not cheap. I demand that President Vahagn Khachaturyan arrest the members of ASALA and outlaw the group in light of its support for the murderous Hamas-Daesh terror organization. I expect the Armenian government to reinforce security for the Jewish community due to the war in Israel. Without an appropriate response, Jewish blood will be spilt in the streets and the Armenian government and its leader will be held accountable.


Rabbi Zamir Isayev, rabbi of the Georgian Sephardic community in Azerbaijan and a member of the international division of the European Conference of Rabbis said in response: “A few weeks before the first attack, I warned of the likelihood of action against the Jews due to their close relations with Azerbaijan. The return of Karabakh to Azerbaijani rule and the dissolution of the unrecognized republic using military units, which are forbidden according to agreements, ignited the fire of hatred against the Jews with the unfounded claim of Israeli responsibility for events in the region.  


“Again we are witness to insurgents who see relations strengthening between Israel and Azerbaijan; supporters of the Armenian separatist regime in Karabakh, who launched an attack on the European Jewish community, which only intensified following the Swords of Iron War.

“I am sorry to see this materializing, but it was expected, since a discourse of hate always turns into acts of violence. The desecration of a synagogue anywhere in the world is a serious crime and under no circumstances should such a barbaric act be accepted without an appropriate response. We must not give in to threats and we utterly reject any such threat to inflict damage to Jewish holy places.”

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel



Problems of Armenia are not alien to us: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Emma Jilavian

 20:34,

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The delegation led by Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan  on Wednesday held a meeting with the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar al-Assad, the Armenian National Assembly said in a statement.

''Expressing gratitude for the invitation and warm welcome, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament noted that Armenia underscores and highly values the warm, friendly relations with Syria. He emphasized the special importance of the Syrian-Armenian community as a stable bridge of friendship between the two countries and peoples.

Referring to the Syrian crisis, Hakob Arshakyan noted that from the very first day of the crisis, Armenia had been in favor of solving the problem through dialogue within the framework of preserving the sovereignty, peace and security of Syria.

During the meeting, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament also discussed the situation in the South Caucasus region and presented the idea of the "Crossroads of Peace" proposed by Armenia. He emphasized the significance of the road map for peace in the region,'' reads the statement.

As informs the press service of the National Assembly, the President of the Syrian Arab Republic  highly appreciated the friendly relations between Armenia and Syria and emphasized the role of the Armenian community in the development of cultural, economic and other spheres of Syria.

“Syria considers Armenians part of its state, society and value system. The problems of Armenia are not alien to us, and we support Armenia in overcoming problems and challenges,” said Bashar al-Assad.

Bashar al-Assad highlighted the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation, which has consistently been at a high level and plays a key role in the development of cooperation between the two states.

EU signs €10 million grant to support education opportunities in Armenia

Emma Jilavian
Oct 26 2023

The European Commission is to provide a grant of €10 million to improve education infrastructure in Armenia. The agreement was signed at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on 25 October, in the presence of Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, by EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Olivér Várhelyi and European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Thomas Österos.

The project will see the construction of two extra-curricular education and teacher training centres in the municipalities of Kapan and Goris in the Syunik region in Southern Armenia. The centres will be operated by the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF) – a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing educational opportunities and building infrastructure for children and families in rural Armenia.

The centres will provide after-school educational opportunities and access to services for children and young adults between the age of 6 and 18. Using a dedicated transport network, up to 6,000 students will get the opportunity to follow a curriculum covering subjects such as mechanics, programming, entrepreneurship, languages, arts, music, and athletics. In addition, students will have access to social workers, education counsellors, study trips and presentations from external experts and professionals.

The project, implemented through EIB Global, supports the flagship initiative ‘Investing in education, notably in the Syunik region’ for Armenia, under the European Union’s Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership. It is also an integral part of the Team Europe Initiative on Resilient Syunik which aims to support the socio-economic resilience of the Southern region of Armenia, which has been most affected by the 2020 hostilities and the recent plight of mass displacement of Karabakh Armenians.  

“Today’s announcement is another proof of the EU’s commitment to Armenia’s reforms in education, to enhance its quality, modernisation and relevance to economy and society,” said Commissioner Várhelyi. “Education is a priority under the Economic and Investment Plan’s flagships for Armenia, and I am pleased to see that the construction of two non-formal education centres in the Syunik region will be a reality. This will ensure the quality of rural education and workforce development and prepare young people of Armenia, including vulnerable groups, to find appropriate jobs in a competitive job market.”

President Khachaturyan said the investment was an important step towards the realisation of the two non-formal education centres to be constructed in the Syunik region: “This can help to further strengthen the links between formal and non-formal education as the latter is an essential auxiliary to the former. Moreover, the construction of these smart centres in Syunik will contribute to a bigger goal of developing the southern regions of Armenia.”

The Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on 25-26 October for the first time brings together an assembly of government representatives from the European Union and across the globe, alongside key stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, thought leaders, financial institutions, and international organisations to promote global investment in transformative infrastructure.

Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment gap and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems. The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, it aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027.

Find out more

Press release

Winter looms for Nagorno-Karabakh’s (already forgotten) refugees

Emma Jilavian
The New Humanitarian
Oct 25 2023

‘Needs are huge, ranging from access to food… and shelter to essential services like healthcare and psychological support.’

Will Neal

London-born writer, journalist and investigative researcher based in Tbilisi, Georgia


GORIS, Armenia

Over the course of just a few weeks, the exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh has gone from top international headline to mainstream media afterthought.

Given developments in Israel and Gaza, this is unsurprising, but local and international aid groups are concerned the lack of attention may translate into inadequate funding to address the pressing needs of a newly displaced population as the harsh winter sets in.

“We see that the needs are huge, ranging from access to food… and shelter to essential services like healthcare and psychological support,” Zara Amatuni, the International Committee of the Red Cross’s spokesperson for Armenia, told The New Humanitarian. “Part of our concern is also… that we’re going into winter right now, which of course adds an additional layer of complexity.”

Azerbaijan seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 September. Located inside Azerbaijan’s borders but populated by ethnic Armenians, the enclave had existed as a de facto independent republic for over 30 years – since the fall of the Soviet Union – and had experienced several rounds of bitter and bloody conflict between Azeri and Armenian forces.

During the two weeks after Azeri forces took control, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh – estimated at around 120,000 – fled to neighbouring Armenia. The UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, has recorded over 100,600 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia.

Many have gone to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, or remain in Syunik – the border region with Azerbaijan where they first arrived. Others are spread throughout Armenia, a country of 2.8 million people with an unemployment rate of over 25%.

“One of the challenges is just the state of the world right now, which is placing a massive strain on international solidarity and the capacity to secure the kind of funding that is needed for this humanitarian crisis,” Christine Weigund, UNICEF’s representative in Armenia, told The New Humanitarian.

The government has opened shelters to house people, but the majority have found temporary housing in often-crowded rented apartments or homes, or they are staying with relatives or friends. The UN’s migration agency, IOM, is expecting people to potentially move again as they search for longer-term housing and employment.

Armenian volunteers and civil society groups have mobilised to try to meet immediate needs, and the UN has launched a $97 million funding appeal to help support the refugees and the host community.

Securing longer-term housing, employment, and enrolling children in school are high priorities, as is securing access to healthcare and mental health support for a population grappling with the trauma of rapid displacement on top of three decades of conflict. The speed at which people left Nagorno-Karabakh also means they were only able to pack the bare essentials. In many cases, they didn’t have enough time or space to pack warm clothes for winter.

“They came without clothes, without anything they held dear to their heart,” Weigund said. "We're just getting into winter right now, and the government has already told UN member states and civil society they will require support in grappling with the obstacles this presents.”

Pulling on lessons from previous emergencies, international humanitarian organisations have already begun rolling out voucher schemes for warm winter clothing, bedding, and blankets, something successfully trialled during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflicts of 2020 and 2022, according to Weigund.

Heating also poses a significant challenge. In line with a general rise in the cost of living, energy bills have soared dramatically across Armenia. Russia, the country’s primary supplier, hiked prices following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Electricity and gas, that’s something to be really concerned about during the winter season, simply because the costs are just so high,” the ICRC’s Amatuni said. “It’s particularly worrying in those areas notable for freezing winters, with so many places across Armenia being at high altitude.”

GORIS, Armenia

Over the course of just a few weeks, the exodus of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh has gone from top international headline to mainstream media afterthought.

Given developments in Israel and Gaza, this is unsurprising, but local and international aid groups are concerned the lack of attention may translate into inadequate funding to address the pressing needs of a newly displaced population as the harsh winter sets in.

“We see that the needs are huge, ranging from access to food… and shelter to essential services like healthcare and psychological support,” Zara Amatuni, the International Committee of the Red Cross’s spokesperson for Armenia, told The New Humanitarian. “Part of our concern is also… that we’re going into winter right now, which of course adds an additional layer of complexity.”

Azerbaijan seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh on 19 September. Located inside Azerbaijan’s borders but populated by ethnic Armenians, the enclave had existed as a de facto independent republic for over 30 years – since the fall of the Soviet Union – and had experienced several rounds of bitter and bloody conflict between Azeri and Armenian forces.

During the two weeks after Azeri forces took control, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh – estimated at around 120,000 – fled to neighbouring Armenia. The UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, has recorded over 100,600 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia.

Many have gone to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, or remain in Syunik – the border region with Azerbaijan where they first arrived. Others are spread throughout Armenia, a country of 2.8 million people with an unemployment rate of over 25%.

“One of the challenges is just the state of the world right now, which is placing a massive strain on international solidarity and the capacity to secure the kind of funding that is needed for this humanitarian crisis,” Christine Weigund, UNICEF’s representative in Armenia, told The New Humanitarian.

The government has opened shelters to house people, but the majority have found temporary housing in often-crowded rented apartments or homes, or they are staying with relatives or friends. The UN’s migration agency, IOM, is expecting people to potentially move again as they search for longer-term housing and employment.

Armenian volunteers and civil society groups have mobilised to try to meet immediate needs, and the UN has launched a $97 million funding appeal to help support the refugees and the host community.

Securing longer-term housing, employment, and enrolling children in school are high priorities, as is securing access to healthcare and mental health support for a population grappling with the trauma of rapid displacement on top of three decades of conflict. The speed at which people left Nagorno-Karabakh also means they were only able to pack the bare essentials. In many cases, they didn’t have enough time or space to pack warm clothes for winter.

“They came without clothes, without anything they held dear to their heart,” Weigund said. "We're just getting into winter right now, and the government has already told UN member states and civil society they will require support in grappling with the obstacles this presents.”

Pulling on lessons from previous emergencies, international humanitarian organisations have already begun rolling out voucher schemes for warm winter clothing, bedding, and blankets, something successfully trialled during the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflicts of 2020 and 2022, according to Weigund.

Heating also poses a significant challenge. In line with a general rise in the cost of living, energy bills have soared dramatically across Armenia. Russia, the country’s primary supplier, hiked prices following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Electricity and gas, that’s something to be really concerned about during the winter season, simply because the costs are just so high,” the ICRC’s Amatuni said. “It’s particularly worrying in those areas notable for freezing winters, with so many places across Armenia being at high altitude.”

“The blockade played a very significant role in the deterioration of their health,” David Mashuryan, director of the Goris Medical Clinic, said of people who had arrived across the border.

While it was cut off for 10 months, people living in Nagorno-Karabakh experienced rolling blackouts and fuel shortages so acute that ambulances were seldom able to transport people to hospitals. A lack of medicines made it difficult for hospitals to perform even the most basic procedures, and food was so scarce that Luis Moreno Ocampo, a former prosecutor with the International Criminal Court, issued a report in August calling on the global community to formally recognise the blockade as an act of genocide.

Many people who arrived at the clinic in Goris were suffering the effects of the siege. “Most of the cases were of malnourishment, dehydration, people who’d been unable to take prescriptions because they simply didn’t have access,” Mashuryan said. “Staying on the road for two or three days in a car – all of this contributed to a huge share of people having health problems far worse than might otherwise have been seen in a number of this size.”

Mashuryan added that clinic staff also observed evidence of abuses committed against patients, including bullet wounds, broken limbs and bruises consistent with beatings, and hundreds of cases of shrapnel injuries – some which required amputation.

Those living in the border region, as well as refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, are also concerned about the potential for further conflict.

Emboldened by its victory, some analysts believe Azerbaijan may look to capitalise on recent momentum – and the international community’s preoccupation elsewhere – by launching a military operation to seize the Zangezur corridor, a strip of land that would connect Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan.

“My personal belief is that [the Azeris] indeed have their eye on us,” Mashuryan said. “We must be prepared for what may come, to struggle until the very bitter end. This is the fate of our nation.”

Additional reporting by Norayr Iskandaryan in Yerevan. Edited by Eric Reidy.


Central Bank of Armenia: exchange rates and prices of precious metals – 20-10-23

Emma Jilavian

 17:05,

YEREVAN, 20 OCTOBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs “Armenpress” that today, 20 October, USD exchange rate down by 0.36 drams to 401.46 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.91 drams to 424.95 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 4.20 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.48 drams to 486.69 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 50.39 drams to 25214.93 drams. Silver price down by 4.47 drams to 295.38 drams.

As an Azerbaijani, I have to speak out about my country’s ethnic cleansing of Armenians

Emma Jilavian
The Guardian, UK
Oct 9 2023

Ruslan Javadov


We are raised to hate and fear each other, but I want my voice of hope to reach the displaced children of Nagorno-Karabakh

The world has just seen an end to centuries of Armenian existence in Nagorno-Karabakh. All ethnic Armenians have left the disputed region, travelling in a caravan of cars over the border to Armenia. The Armenian children now displaced will hate the Azerbaijanis, just as I once hated the Armenians for what they did to me. I was a victim of the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in the 1990s, when it was Armenia that was victorious, and it ethnically cleansed all Azerbaijanis from its lands. I am speaking out, hoping to be a small pebble, lodged in this endless cycle of violence.

Before the first war, inside Azerbaijan’s borders there existed the “Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous oblast”, a majority-Armenian island, so to speak, of mountainous land, with the culturally significant, majority-Azerbaijani citadel Shusha right in the middle. Concentric circles of alternating ethnicities radiated outward from Shusha; Azerbaijanis surrounded by Armenians surrounded by Azerbaijanis and Azerbaijani Kurds and so on – a great inconvenience for emerging nationalist narratives. Being Armenian and Azerbaijani became oppositional and mutually exclusive. Neighbour went against neighbour, and eventually state against state, with their armies wreaking havoc on the other.

Nagorno-Karabakh votes to secede from Soviet Azerbaijan – archive, 1988
Read more

During that war my first childhood memories were formed. I remember walking down a dirt road in my father’s village at dusk when the sky suddenly turned bright as day – bullets flying above my head. I remember attending the burial of my 18-year-old uncle, and being scared of the graveyard, where the eyes of the dead stared at me from pictures on their gravestones. He had been drafted into the war and had died there. I came to understand from the adults’ conversations that he had stepped on a landmine and had his legs blown off. He had then shot himself in the temple before his friends could get to him to stop him.

My mother’s family, Azerbaijani Kurds, hailed from the mountainous district of Lachin. I was told we had a big, beautiful house there, with many windows. My mother fondly remembered how my great-grandmother would take her on horseback up the rugged cliffs. It felt like flying, she would say. Armenian forces ended our ancestral existence there, ethnically cleansing everyone who was not Armenian. I never saw our house, never got to fly on horseback, and never saw Lachin, except in the news with its new Armenian name, “Berdzor”.

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh arrive in Kornidzor, Armenia on 29 September. Photograph: Irakli Gedenidze/Reuters

In school, I learned that the Armenians were villains responsible for all our tragedies; this was not hard to believe given what my family had been through. The Russian empire, we were taught, had transported them into our country as a loyal Christian population from Iran after the conclusion of the Russo-Persian wars in 1828. We learned that the Armenians were conniving tricksters never to be trusted. On TV, I heard Armenians described as “the abominable enemy” and “vandals”. The horrifying pogroms Azerbaijanis committed against the Armenians in our major cities were denied, minimised or explained away as being organised by the Armenians to make themselves look like victims, garner international sympathy and justify starting a war of occupation. The ethnic cleansing of Armenians by Azerbaijani and Soviet troops during the infamous events of 1991 was never even mentioned. Nor did we ever hear about the wilful and systematic destruction of Armenian heritage in Azerbaijan.

I have since come to learn that the Armenians were fed the same types of messages about the Azerbaijanis. We were labelled “Turks”, with obvious traumatic associations with the Armenian genocide, which made us guilty for a crime in another land by another people. The cultural, religious and linguistic differences between the Caucasian Azerbaijanis and Anatolian Turks, who had in fact fought wars with each other, did not concern the Armenian nationalists. We were nothing but barbarian invaders from central Asia with no history and no culture.

After our horrible fate in the 1990s, hatred seized Azerbaijan, and destroyed us. The current president, Ilham Aliyev, took power in 2003 and curtailed free speech, with the notable exception of hate speech against the Armenians. An Azerbaijani is always welcome to hate the Armenians a little more and to blame them for all our problems. The first family has been accused of benefiting from state contracts and business deals; Aliyev has even benefited from the plight of those in Karabakh, using our suffering to legitimise his endless repressions.

‘It’s a ghost town’: UN arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh to find ethnic Armenians have fled
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Aliyev would have you believe that the Armenians are leaving Nagorno-Karabakh of their own free will – a lie. The Armenians know well what sorry destiny awaits them if they stay. This process is, of course, ethnic cleansing.

I left Azerbaijan 15 years ago, displaced this time not by the Armenians but by the cruelty of those who were supposed to love me and protect me. I fled domestic violence after my father tried to kill me for being gay, and there was no person or institution in Azerbaijan that could protect me. I am as displaced as a person could be, and, through my words here, I may never be able to visit Azerbaijan again for fear of persecution. But I am compelled by my conscience.

I want Armenian children being forcefully displaced from their homes to hear the words that would have once meant everything to me: I am sorry we failed you. One day, when you understand what happened to you, hatred will start to drip into your heart, and you will want to seek vengeance. In that moment, take my outstretched hand and let me guide you back to our shared humanity. For the only true “us” and “them” lies between the perpetrators of violence, and those who reject it.

  • Ruslan Javadov is a pseudonym

 

Speaker Emerita Pelosi & Rep. Eshoo Spearhead Letter to Administration Calling for Sanctions on Azerbaijan

Emma Jilavian

Washington, D.C. – A letter spearheaded by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), addressed to President Biden urging sanctions against Azerbaijan, humanitarian aid, and ensuring the safety of the Armenian people, was supported by 75 Members of Congress, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

The letter outlined Azerbaijan's "unprovoked military offensive on Nagorno-Karabakh" on September 19 "in an attempt to subjugate the region's ethnically Armenian population by force," that resulted in a day-long vicious attack, causing the displacement of thousands of civilians and over 200 deaths. This assault followed a nine-month blockade that created a man-made humanitarian crisis and denied 120,000 Armenians access to food and medicine, among other essentials.

"We believe the United States must make clear to Azerbaijan that its unprovoked aggression against Artsakh is unacceptable and will be met with an appropriate response," the letter stated.

"Azerbaijan's assault and subjugation of Artsakh has left the region's Armenian population with no option but to flee, fearing for their future under Azerbaijan's brutal authoritarian rule," the letter continued.

Citing leading scholars on genocide and atrocities, including Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, the letter emphasized that the "U.S. has a moral obligation to do whatever is necessary to bring an end to this needless suffering and ensure Azerbaijan faces consequences for engaging in ethnic cleansing," and requested from the Biden Administration enforcement of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, "a provision of current law that prohibits U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, and impose targeted sanctions on Azerbaijani officials under the Global Magnitsky Act to make clear to Azerbaijan that its aggression will not be tolerated."

Providing "robust humanitarian assistance to support Artsakh's displaced population" was also outlined, as well as shoring up support from the international community to initiate an international humanitarian relief operation.

Finally, the letter underscored the importance of taking proper actions to "ensure the safe evacuation of Artsakh's population to Armenia, including through the immediate deployment of observers to the Lachin Corridor, as well as direct engagement with Azerbaijani authorities to secure amnesty for Artsakh's local leaders."

"The Assembly welcomes the continued efforts by Congress, including this initiative by Speaker Emerita Pelosi and Congresswoman Eshoo on the critically important need for the U.S. to take decisive action, including sanctioning Azerbaijan for its crimes against humanity," stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

Last week, at the Assembly's tribute for former Secretary of the Navy Paul Ignatius, Speaker Emerita Pelosi and Rep. Eshoo, who headlined the event, highlighted the importance of persevering in their efforts on Capitol Hill "to move the needle" when it comes to aiding the Armenian people of Artsakh and holding Azerbaijan accountable.

The letter was cosigned by Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Frank Pallone, Jr (D-NJ), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Lou Correa (D-CA), Daniel Goldman (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Susie Lee (D-NV), John Larson (D-CT), Mike Levin (D-CA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Katie Porter (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Mark Takano (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Susan Wild (D-PA), Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Nikema Williams (D-GA).


Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.


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