The fall of an enclave in Azerbaijan stuns the Armenian diaspora, shattering a dream

The fall of the Armenian-majority enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani troops has shocked the global Armenian diaspora, generating fears of ethnic and cultural erasure of this historic homeland.

The big picture: The separatist ethnic Armenian government of Nagorno-Karabakh, after 30 years of de-facto independence, has announced its dissolution and cessation by year’s end.
* Over 60% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population—74,400 people—have fled to Armenia with continued influx as reported by Armenian officials.

Reactions and repercussions: Armenians globally fear a new wave of ethnic cleansing in a territory they call Artsakh, accusing multiple entities of failing to protect ethnic Armenians during the Azerbaijani military blockade and offensive.
* The loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, a historic and emotional symbol of Armenian independence and identity, has sparked protests in Beirut and Los Angeles.
* Descendants of survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide fear a repeat of historic atrocities and express a sense of helplessness and fear.

Azerbaijan’s stance: Azerbaijan argues it is unifying its territory, claiming that even Armenia’s prime minister acknowledged Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.
* Azerbaijan has pledged to respect the rights of the enclave’s Armenian community.
* Azerbaijani authorities and surrendered separatist forces are negotiating a potential reintegration of the territory into Azerbaijan.

International perspective: Armenians view Nagorno-Karabakh as an important cultural heritage site riddled with monasteries, dating back more than a millennium.
* Armenian activists and diaspora groups like the ‘Europeans for Artsakh’ are organizing rallies in Brussels and elsewhere, aiming to draw attention to alleged human rights abuses by Azerbaijan and calling for EU sanctions on Azerbaijani officials.
* High-profile diaspora figures such as Kim Kardashian have urged action from figures like U.S. President Joe Biden.

View original article on NPR

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