The Republic of Artsakh and her people are under attack. As an international traveller who has visited Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, I find the conflict worthy of our attention.
History Of Artsakh
Modern conflict in Artsakh, also known as the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, dates back about 100 years. After the dissolution of the Russian Empire in 1918, Armenia and Azerbaijan declared independence. The Artsakh region was predominately populated with ethnic Armenians who overwhelmingly identified as Christian. War broke out in 1920 but was resolved when the Soviet Union was established and asserted control over both regions, forming Soviet Socialist Republics (SSRs) in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Artsakh region was originally placed in the new Azerbaijan SSR but ethnic Armenians protested and in 1923 the Soviet Union created the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.
There was relative peace until the end of the Soviet Union. But when the Soviet Union dissolved and Armenia and Azerbaijan each declared independence, the region came under conflict again. The Armenian majority in Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence and an intention to unify with Armenia. A six-year war was waged, with a ceasefire implemented in 1994 that granted de facto independence to the Republic of Artsakh.
Over the years, conflicts have flared up. Last month, the conflict resumed when Azerbaijan unexpectedly attacked Artsakh, asserting international efforts had failed to remove Armenian occupiers from its land and it had no choice but to resort to force. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan claims his nation will not withdraw forces until it has prevailed in reclaiming the disputed territory. It is no surprise that falling oil prices and a depressed economy in Azerbaijan have left Aliyev searching for avenues to build support and consolidate power.
A Russia-brokered cease-fire began on earlier today, but both sides have already claimed the other has violated it. Turkey, which shares ethnic ties with Azerbaijan and also has a strained relationship with Armenia, has vigorously and publicly backed Azerbaijan and vowed to lend aid.
The War in Artsakh…From Southern California
It is unmistakable. I live in an enclave of Los Angles with a large Armenian population and I’ve increasingly seen cars bearing Armenian flags this week. By the hundreds. And rightfully so.
Even though Artsakh is landlocked within Azerbaijan, it has never been part of modern Azerbaijan. It is filled with ethnic Armenians, not Azeris, and has been closely linked with Armenia religiously and culturally for hundreds of years, indeed 2,500 years.
The fact that Turkey, which to this day denies its culpability in the Armenian Genocide, has enthusiastically supported aggression by Azerbaijan further leads me to weigh in on this issue today. Turkey, which continues to occupy Northern Cyprus and battle Kurds in Syria under the auspices of preserving cultural unity, hypocritically rejects the same arguments from its Armenian neighbors.
As both sides come to the table, I voice my support for a lasting-peace that respects the right of the people of Artsakh for self-determination.
CONCLUSION
Last Sunday I received a call from my dad complaining that traffic had come to a grinding halt on the Hollywood freeway. He assumed there must have been a large accident. Not exactly. Instead, pro-Artsakh protestors had occupied the freeway, blocking all traffic. I do not think blocking roads and highways is a way to win public support, but who can begrudge the yearning for freedom and the resistance to re-litigating a battle that has already been fought?
Indeed, there are many parallels that can be drawn between the battle over Artsakh and those going on in other regions around the world. All are worthy of discussion. But it is time to support the people of Artsakh.
> Read More: Baku – A City of Illusions?
Slow travel news day, ha?
Not at all. But this is important issue I wanted to address.
Nagorno Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan, the writer is a shill for the Armenians. Good luck with your bald faced partisanship.
What exactly is inaccurate about the article? Please do explain.
When you have a territory that is inhabited by a vast majority of an ethnic group, with historic ties to the land, you have to accept their call for self determination. Why can’t Azerbaijan accept the referendum result of the people of Artsakh?
Yet another conflict with religion at its heart. Really, it’s a curse rather than a blessing, at least in application if not intent…
I’m not sure that blocking highways in an entirely different country to protest a lack of freedom for people on a far distant continent is going to win a lot of people over. Using the same premise, they should halt the Tokyo or London subway system as well.
I was trying to be polite, but what I meant was that the fastest way to lose support is to pull stunts like that…
Sorry, a coffee-less day.
The first news story I saw about the Azeri attacks was an article about the protestors blocking 101. So at least in my case, their tactics were certainly effective at raising awareness.
I guess. But the huge protests outside the Turkish Consulate in Los Angeles yesterday made even wider headlines. That should have been the first target.
I’m SF-based, but your comment is the first I’ve heard of protests at the Consulate.
I certainly don’t support BLM protestors blocking highways, so I guess I feel the same way about Armenians, even though they actually have a just cause.
thank you for writing about this.
While I have no qualms with your argument (I too have been to Armenia, karabagh, and Azerbaijan and have great memories of all those places), I find self determination to be a form of victors justice. Great if you win, otherwise useless. For example, did you or do you support the right to self determination for the south during the civil war, Turks in northern Cyprus, Palestinians, Kurds, Serbs in Bosnia? where do we draw the line? What unit is too small to self determine? Can my house and property secede from the USA?
I hope for peace in karabagh
Well written. Some thoughts:
What benefit does Azerbaijan have in taking back Artsakh? I have visited the region. It is a mountainous area with no oil, no mining, no meaningful resources. How will they treat the Armenians who occupy 90% of the region?
Russia is a big player in the region. This is happening in their backyard, yet they have been conspicuously quiet. I hope diplomacy prevails and does so before more lives are lost.
My own thoughts, but I think Azerbaijan claims historical right to the land and wishes to expel the Armenians as retribution for what they (falsely) claim Armenians did in the 1990s. The land swapping that occurred then was much more complicated and ultimately benefited Azeris more than Armenians.
As for Russia, they brokered the cease fire. The bigger question will be whether they will respect their security pact with Armenia or whether they will try to play both sides because of their oil interests in Azerbaijan.
This is an extremely biased post that ignores many facts. Not surprising you are playing to your local base. I know you think of yourself as an expert on everything (mostly coming across as an arrogant jerk to be honest). To note:
– Nagorno Karabagh is internationally recognized as Azerbaijan territory, including under UN resolutions
– Over 1 million Azeri refugees were forced from their homes there in 1990s. So that’s how you get ‘majority Armenian’ – by forcibly clearing an etching group out
– Armenia is indiscriminately shelling Civilian areas in Ganja, 40. Lies from any conflict zone – Murdering children in their beds. Azerbaijan are targeting only armed forces in occupied internationally recognized territory.
You are entitled to your own opinion, but not facts. Your second and third points are incredibly misleading and downright false. Land swaps are not ethnic cleansing. Azeris benefited from this far more than Armenians. Second, I’ve seen picture and videos…Azerbijian is shelling churches and apartment buildings in Stepanakert.
It is your Armenian talking points that a false. No point in arguing with you, just in so far as there is with the pride of Californians and Armenians – The Kardiashians. Clearly the same level of actual unbiased analysis Involved. Do some reading.
I suspect you don’t want to argue because you know you are wrong. I have no Armenian family ties. But I do seek truth. If you want to help enlighten me, please do so.
You make a number of false claims using tired Armenian fake news talking points, and your analysis is so inept. basic and lacking any facts it’s pretty clear. Based on your previous blinkered US perspective and lack of any substantive analysis in foreign relations, I wouldn’t expect less so a debate is kind of pointless with such an arrogant, entitled mind.
1. ‘Land swaps’ – Please show the evidence of this. There were around 1 million ethic Azeri refugees that were expelled by force – FACT.
2. Armenia claims modern day Turkey, Cyprus and parts of the Middle East as its historical land… Does Italy now have a right to claim most of Europe due to the Roman Empire?
3. Armenia wrongly claims this is a religious conflict, Muslim aggression etc. You spread this old trope as the righteous Christian Armenia vs. Islam. Azerbaijan is a secular state, always has been. Tolerant to all religions. Armenia, not so much.
4. You state “ It is no surprise that falling oil prices and a depressed economy in Azerbaijan have left Aliyev searching for avenues to build support and consolidate power”. Complete nonsense. He does not need to consolidate power, he is and always has popularity. Armenia is a much poorer, unstable state.
5. You talk about Russia’s oil interests In Azerbaijan. What would those be, exactly? Armchair punditry at best – Russia sells arms to Armenia and Azerbaijan. This has zero to do with oil.
Matthew please ignore the boo’s (a skill, sadly, I’m sure you’ve mastered by now).
I find your coverage of lesser known conflicts very important. Although my personal experience with Armenians in business has been less than ideal, I do believe they are in the right on this one all things considered. More importantly, I think this issue is an interesting case study of competing values (e.g. int’l official consensus vs. basic emotional right and wrong).
I have my own thoughts on the Cyprus issue which I’ll save for the moment but to say the north is a fascinating place to visit as a land that doesn’t exist–not to mention the awesome castles!
Thanks Jonathan. I actually take a very strong anti-Turkish viewpoint on the situation in Northern Cyprus and believe that the Artsakh situation can be clearly distinguished. I made the comparison above because from the Turkish side, they claim the same struggle for freedom and ethnic protection in Northern Cyprus. I’m demonstrating not only their aggression, but their hypocrisy.
Thanks for the reply.
Agree 100% with you on that one–my bad if I gave another impression.
What did you get from Armenian lobby to spread false propaganda against Azerbaijani 1 million victims who were expelled from their homes after Armenian occupation from.1990 till 2020. Now, Azerbaijan established order and rule and brought Azerbaijani civilians to.their home. but, you are falsifying facts here. either you ate illiterate or you are unprofessional.
you do not deserve to be in such high level website because you damage their reputation