By Vicken Sosikian
Artsakh continues to be under blockade by Azerbaijan, in gross violation of the November 9, 2020 ceasefire agreement it signed jointly with Armenia and Russia.
That agreement itself was a capitulation document signed by Pashinyan. Since that very day, those who understood the ramifications of surrendering anything – let alone 72% of Artsakh – warned that more lands will be surrendered, more attacks will happen, that peace comes with strength not bowing to genocidal enemies’ demands.
Since then, Nikol has caused the loss of 140 square kilometers of Armenia, hundreds of deaths, relinquished Armenia’s thirty year pursuit of self determination for Artsakh and now we face an enemy whose intention is to commit genocide in Artsakh.
It is interesting to note here that the U.N. passed a resolution on December 15 affirming Palestine’s right to self determination. While in the Diaspora we do our part get the international community to pressure Aliyev so he stops the blockade, we have to understand and accept that the international community will take measures in accordance with their interests. And hence they limit themselves to words of pressure instead of actions of pressure. This is not a reason for us in the Diaspora to back down, but to only push harder – despite anything else, because nothing should be spared in our efforts to defend Artsakh.
While pushing the international community to act, right now we must put far more pressure on the Pashinyan government to act or leave, so others can act. It’s absurd to ask anyone else to take action when we have a government in Armenia that pegs the responsibility of defending Artsakh not on itself but on Russia.
