Statement on the First Anniversary of the Forced Displacement of the People of Nagorno-Karabakh
Today marks one year since the forced displacement of over 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh—driven from their ancestral lands by ethnic cleansing and genocide perpetrated by Azerbaijan. On this somber anniversary, we honor the lives uprooted and remember the trauma endured. It is a stark reminder that this crisis is far from over, and justice remains elusive. The right of return must be at the forefront of that pursuit.
The mass forced displacement—spurred by Baku’s dehumanizing rhetoric and genocidal intent and marked by nine months of crippling blockade and blatant military aggression—was a patent violation of international law. Azerbaijan sought and carried out the wholesale destruction of the indigenous Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, removing an entire civilization from its homeland and undertaking to destroy every remnant of its political, cultural, and religious presence and memory.
This is an unsustainable. It is an ahistorical disruption of the millennia of continuous presence of the Armenian people in Nagorno-Karabakh. Displaced peoples possess the inherent right to return to their homeland, a principle the International Court of Justice reaffirmed in its November 2023 ruling, demanding Azerbaijan ensure the safe and unhindered return of those expelled after September 2023.
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The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have the undeniable right to self-determination and return—rights that are essential to any lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We reject any narrative that suggests this crisis is over simply because the Armenian population has been forcibly removed. True peace cannot be built on coercion or the erasure of an entire people. The rights of those displaced must be respected, and their return facilitated under international protection.
For the past six months, the Committee for the Defense of the Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno-Karabakh, established by the Nagorno-Karabakh Parliament, has diligently carried out its mandate to advocate for the right of return and self-determination. The Committee has engaged with key international actors, including the United Nations and various state representatives, consistently highlighting the need for a secure and collective repatriation of the displaced population. These efforts have kept the issue on the global agenda, and there is substantial international support for these goals—support that now depends on the active leadership of the Armenian government.
We call upon the government of Armenia to take decisive action in peace negotiations with Azerbaijan on this crucial front. Without the right of return, there can be no durable peace in the region. The international community is prepared to support this cause. However, it is incumbent on the Armenian government to champion the right of return with resolve and determination.
The Armenian government’s silence on this issue not only undermines the fundamental human rights of the Nagorno-Karabakh people, but it also compromises the long-term security of the Armenian Republic itself.
Peace demands human dignity, and human dignity is rooted always in the guaranty of fundamental human rights.
Committee for the Defense of the Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno Karabakh
September 19, 2024
