The Pan Armenian Council of Western United States, the largest coalition of Armenian American community organizations in the United States, calls upon the Biden administration to take all measures necessary to end Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) which has endangered the lives of 120,000 men, women, and children for over eight (8) months. Time is running out.
Azerbaijan has cut off 120,000 Armenians from desperately needed food, medicine, energy resources and other urgently needed supplies since December 12, 2022, willfully creating a humanitarian crisis against innocent civilians who simply want a life of peace, freedom and security on their ancestral lands.
International human rights observers agree that the people of Artsakh have weeks to live. Since June 15, 2023, the dictatorial regime of Illham Aliyev has even restricted the delivery of humanitarian assistance by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Despite countless public condemnations of Azerbaijan’s genocidal policy against Artsakh by the international community, and a February 22, 2023 preliminary measure by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Azerbaijan to “take all measures at its disposal to ensure the unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin corridor in both directions” (which was reaffirmed by ICJ on July 7, 2023), Azerbaijan continued to escalate the crisis by installing an illegal check-point on the Lachin Corridor on April 23, 2023. This is in direct violation of the November 9, 2020 tri-lateral ceasefire statement signed following the 44 days of a war of aggression waged against the Armenians of Artsakh in the Fall of 2020.
Azerbaijan’s crimes against humanity and premeditated intent to commit genocide and ethnic cleansing were further demonstrated in late July and early August 2023, when Aliyev’s forces who have been illegally blockading the Lachin Corridor kidnapped 68-year-old Vagif Khachatryan and 61-year-old Artsakh resident Rashid Beglaryan, as they were being transported to Armenia by the ICRC for emergency medical care.
With the lives of 30,000 Armenian Children, 20,000 elderly, and 9,000 persons with disabilities hanging in the balance, we demand affirmative action by President Biden and the U.S. Department of State, to prevent a new Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Aliyev regime by:
1. Ensuring the immediate re-opening of the Lachin Corridor by introducing and facilitating the passage of a UN Security Council Resolution requiring Azerbaijan to adhere to the February 22, 2023, preliminary measure of the ICJ ordering Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor;
2. Immediately halting all U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan in light of the illegal humanitarian blockade imposed on the Armenians of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), consistent with Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act;
3. Sanctioning members of the Aliyev regime under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by individual members of the Aliyev regime;
4. Delivering $100 million in USAID humanitarian assistance to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) through the Lachin Corridor to ensure the survival of the 120,000 civilians who have been completely blockaded since June 15, 2023;
5. Introducing a UN Security Council resolution to establish a United Nations Mission in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) [UNMINK] consisting of 5,000 international military personnel to ensure the physical security of the population.
Failure to immediately respond to this humanitarian crisis will result in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) joining the ranks of Halabja, Rwanda, Darfur, and Srebrenica —events in world history that define modern evil and stain our collective conscience.
Mr. President and Mr. Secretary of State:
Resolute action is needed now to prevent a second Armenian Genocide. We ask that you lead the international community in fulfilling its global obligation to protect the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh, and ensure the unquestionable and inalienable right of Artsakh Armenians for self-determination based on the principle of remedial secession.
PAN ARMENIAN COUNCIL OF WESTERN UNITED STATES
The Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States of America was founded in Burbank, California in 2019 and is comprised of 25 of the largest religious, political, cultural and professional organizations leading the Armenian community. Through the Council, these entities strive to fulfill the organization’s mission statement, which is to implement and realize projects of a pan-community nature; to encourage and assist projects which advance the collective interests and the rights of Armenian communities across the Western United States; to undertake steps to resist actions and efforts which are contrary to the collective interests and rights of Armenians; to gather and apply the Armenian community’s resources for the benefit of the community’s interests as well as the welfare of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh; to always be mindful of the collective health and protection of the Armenian community.
