The Diaspora firmly stands with Artsakh and Armenia.
BY APPO JABARIAN
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine (English-language print edition)
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Last week, in New York, a year after Turkey/Azerbaijan/ISIS anti-Armenian genocidal 44-day aggression in Artsakh and Armenia, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – United States, Russia and France have reached an agreement with Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume their working trips to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh).
There is ample information on what Turkey and Azerbaijan had intended to ‘accomplish’ during their 44-day aggression. Had Turkey had its way in Fall 2020, the twin republics of Artsakh and Armenia would have been wiped off the world map in the seventh day of Turkey/Azerbaijan/ISIS anti-Armenian genocidal aggression. Azerbaijan’s despotic president Ilham Aliyev had openly boasted that in less than 48 hours the Turkic aggressors would depopulate Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh by exterminating and/or forcibly deporting the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh; and then, in the following 4-5 days capture Yerevan, Armenia’s capital as well as Syunik, the southern region that connect Armenia with Iran and the outside world.
In 1915, Turkey used World War I as cover to perpetrate the Armenian Genocide and massive dispossession annihilating 1.5 million indigenous Armenians in Western Armenia, Armenian Cilicia and other parts of the Ottoman Empire. In a conversation with Dr. Mordtmann of the German Embassy in June 1915, the top architect of the Armenian genocide Talas Pasha boasted: “”Turkey is taking advantage of the war in order to thoroughly liquidate its internal foes, i.e., the indigenous Christians, without being thereby disturbed by foreign intervention. What on earth do you want? The question is settled. There are no more Armenians.”
In 2020, Turkey/Azerbaijan/ISIS used the Covid-19 pandemic as cover to perpetrate the Second and final genocide against Armenians in Artsakh and Armenia.
Lunatic Neo-Ottoman Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan had boasted several months earlier that Turkey would complete his grandparents’ genocidal ‘mission’ against Armenians.
To Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s astonishment, Artsakh Defense Army resorted to a war of attrition. Although Armenians suffered immense civilian and territorial losses and were subjected to innumerable war crimes at the hands of Turkey and Azerbaijan, the joint Azerbaijani-Turkish blitzkrieg failed to wipe out Artsakh and Armenia of the world map. The war lasted 44 days and Armenians held Turks and Azerbaijanis and Islamic State terrorist mercenaries at a stalemate.
On November 9, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed the Moscow Agreement calling for truce on the 45th day of Turkey’s Azerbaijan’s ISIS’s aggression against Armenia and Artsakh Republic.
On Nov. 10, the following day of Nov. 9 Moscow Agreement, with much symbolism about Armenians’ strong commitment to keep Artsakh Armenian, Artsakh Republic President Arayik Haroutunian invited to the capital Stepanakert, various parliamentary factions for consultations. He didn’t go to Yerevan. He received them at home in Artsakh, sending a strong signal that Armenian Artsakh is here to stay.
Of course, nothing can console the Armenian nation on the humongous human and territorial losses, but the fact remains much worse could have happened. Turkey and Azerbaijan could have achieved their heinous plans.
While Turkey and Azerbaijan partially succeeded, they failed in reaching their ‘final plans.’
Now, the twin Armenian republics and their vast Diaspora, have only a few years (if at all) to build a formidable economy and national defense as a deterrent to their arch-enemies in Ankara and Baku.
When I was in Artsakh and Armenia last month, I interacted with several citizens in both countries from all walks of life. Although there was sadness, my interlocutors exhibited remarkable determination to carry on with life. An overwhelming majority felt that “better days are ahead of us as long as our nation – the Homeland and Diaspora Armenians — bring their collaboration to a higher working partnership level.’
For their part, Diaspora Armenians are becoming increasingly more active in lending strategic political and economic assistance this time, with a hands-on approach. It’s vitally important that the collective efforts and resources are not wasted or plundered like the previous thirty years. More than ever, the whole nation is determined to achieve practical success.
A new era is being metamorphosed where the Armenian Diaspora is no longer regarded as ‘milking cow’ but a real partner. Afterall, Artsakh and Armenia’s lasting and most stable ally is the vast Armenian Diaspora and vice-versa.
The Diaspora firmly stands with Artsakh and Armenia.