Artsakh: A Story of Fight and Triumph

Opinion piece by Celine Dakessian & Youssef Kel Yacoub

October 26th, 2020

Extended miles of green plains, oceans of sweat and soil, a statue of Mamig and Babig, years long of martyrdom, and rivers large of pure Armenian blood. This is our story, the story of Artsakh. A piece of land, which is like a beloved child who is purposefully separated from its Mother Armenia. Internationally known as Nagorno Karabagh, yet originallyArtsakh, the majestic land and the splendid mountainous region of the southern Caucasus area. It is home for approximaetly around 150 thousands Armenians, which constitute around 99.7 % of its total population.

Upon visiting Artsakh, one thinks of themselves as if they are in the little sacred Armenia, where churches were the medium of prayers and worship. However, today St. Ghazanchetsots church’s bells ceased ringing due to Azeri aggression and barbarism, theaters used to display a message of love and tolerance, yet today shelled and bombarded to represent a sad story of a “new genocide”, Schools were cradles of education and culture, sadly today the classes turned empty and students sheltered under the rubble of their destroyed ceilings. In a nut shell, this is the story of today’s Artsakh conflict.

On September the 27th, the Azeri troops supported and aided by Turkish forces, and international Syrian extremists, took once again, on a large scale this time, a precedence against the peaceful and tranquil population of Artsakh. The Azeri government launched a military campaign against the self-run administration of the Artsakh republic, claiming the right to control the area, at a time the population in a referendum early in 1992 voiced their right and will to have a free, sovereign, and independent state. The recent events in Artsakh, indicated that the Azeri government is not interested in complying with International Law and finding a political solution to the issue, but rather insisted on a more militaristic option. Indeed, the military campaign hurdles the path towards a peaceful solution which is internationally backed and supported.

The Azeri aggression further ignites the ashes of sectarianism and extremism in a region already divided according to notions of religion and ethnicity. As per today, the Azeri aggression has resulted hundreds of deaths, severe destruction to public and private property, and Millions of dollars in loss of infrastructure. The pain caused by this aggression does not limit itself to the population of Artsakh, but rather transcends the limit of political borders, to reach the depth of our heats, the Armenian hearts.

No matter where an Armenian may be residing and carrying our their everyday lives - every one of us is mourning the loss of an acquaintance, the death of a young soldier, the fear of losing our homeland, and the anguish of our Artsakh mothers.  

The cause of Artsakh is not solely an Armenian cause, but rather a humanitarian and universal one, and you can help. Indeed you can help the Artsakh cause when you speak up about it, share trustworthy news on your social medial platforms, donate to the families of Artsakh, fill condemnation appeals against the Azeri government, pressure your town/politician to take an official stance of condemnation against the Azerbaijan government, raise the morals of our soldiers, and finally, do not side with the Azeri aggression and propaganda.

The case for Artsakh does also depend on you, so please never abandon us.