The withdrawal of the International Committee of the Red Cross mission from Nagorno Karabakh represents another instance of international structures disregarding the rights of the indigenous population of Artsakh. The ICRC, along with the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, EU, and others, who frequently profess commitment to human rights and humanitarian values, yet again fail to effectively safeguard the rights of the Karabakh people on the ground.
The “We Are” initiative asks the leadership of the ICRC and other international organizations with a single question: to whom do you leave the protection of our property, our cemeteries, our churches and cultural and artistic monuments? Without international control and an international monitoring mission, Karabakh turns into a “black hole”, where the history of the peoples of the region is being remade before the eyes of the whole world.
Azerbaijan persists in systematically destroying Armenian heritage with a singular aim: to deter any contemplation of return. Through their deafening silence, international structures become complicit in the process of depriving us of our homeland.
Our demand to the ICRC, the UN, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, and the EU is to uphold the values and inalienable rights of the indigenous people of Artsakh, which you proclaim. Establish monitoring missions, deploy observers, establish offices in Stepanakert, and witness firsthand the atrocities that are completely contrary to the "peace agenda."
The ICRC's mission is to safeguard not only the lives but also the dignity of people impacted by war. Today, even in its absence, our dignity in Karabakh is being ruthlessly disregarded. Do not become complicit in these crimes; stand on the side of international law and act accordingly!
