Henrikh Mkhitaryan Urges Global Solidarity in Nagorno-Karabakh - A Call to Action
Armenian football star Henrikh Mkhitaryan urges global solidarity against ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, emphasizing the need for international support in resolving the ongoing conflict
Armenian footballer Henrikh Mkhitaryan is urging global leaders to take a stance against ethnic cleansing in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh area. Although Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan, it is a landlocked region in the Caucasus Mountains with a population that primarily consists of around 120,000 ethnic Armenians who oppose Azerbaijani control.
The region has an autonomous governing body supported by Armenia, but it lacks official recognition from Armenia or any other nation.
In a recent post on X (previously referred to as Twitter), the midfielder from Inter Milan expressed his profound sadness as he continues to gather details about the distressing experiences of numerous Armenian families who are forcefully relocated from Nagorno Karabakh and compelled to seek refuge in Armenia, resulting in a large-scale displacement, trauma, loss, and grave human rights violations.
Residents of Stepanakert board a vehicle, as thousands of ethnic Armenians begin to flee Nagorno-Karabakh, September 25, 2023.
David Ghahramanyan/Reuters
Thousands of ethnic Armenians flee Nagorno-Karabakh after breakaway regions defeat
As of 12.15 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the Armenian prime minister's spokesperson reported that over 47,000 individuals have arrived in Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh. According to a spokesperson from the Armenian Red Cross, the majority of these arrivals are women, children, and the elderly.
More than one-third of the ethnic Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh has relocated to Armenia, following the establishment of a military checkpoint on the Lachin corridor in December 2022. This blockade has severed the only road connecting the landlocked enclave to Armenia.
The blockade hindered the arrival of essential supplies such as food, fuel, and medicine to Nagorno-Karabakh, raising concerns about the possibility of residents facing starvation. In August, a former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court stated that there is credible evidence suggesting that genocide is taking place against Armenians in the region.
Additionally, the closure of the Lachin corridor has barred international organizations and foreign media from entering Nagorno-Karabakh. Only recently, the road was reopened to permit residents to escape the area.
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Nagorno-Karabakh humanitarian crisis
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In a heartfelt message, Mkhitaryan - the ex-Manchester United and Arsenal player - expressed his profound sentiments about the atrocities of indiscriminate killings, ethnic cleansing, and concentration camps. He expressed remorse and regret that there was not enough done to prevent these dark pages of history. Along with this, the 34-year-old urged for the urgent deployment of international monitoring missions and the immediate mobilization of emergency humanitarian aid through the Lachin corridor.
Mkhitaryan, a player for Arsenal in 2019, was unable to participate in the Europa League final held in Baku, Azerbaijan out of concerns for his personal safety. This decision was influenced by the ongoing and longstanding conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which traces back to the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917.
Last week, Azerbaijan conducted a brief yet brutal offensive resulting in the deaths of over 200 individuals and causing numerous injuries. Following this, the ethnic Armenian Karabakh officials in the enclave agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Russia, wherein they committed to disbanding their armed forces. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev proudly declared Baku's reestablishment of sovereignty over the enclave, emphasizing their firm and resolute approach.
The majority of Armenians in Karabakh, as stated by the Karabakh presidency to Reuters, expressed their preference to move to Armenia rather than live in Azerbaijan. While Azerbaijan has claimed to safeguard the rights of individuals residing in the area, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and global experts have consistently cautioned against the potential for ethnic cleansing of Armenians in the region.
