Demand for the right of return of every displaced Armenian: Event held in U.S. Congress to commemorate the anniversary of Nagorno-Karabakh depopulation

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS.  U.S. lawmakers, Armenian community advocates, coalition partners, and survivors of forced displacement from Nagorno Karabakh gathered on Capitol Hill at the Armenian National Committee of America’s (ANCA) “Accountability | 2024” event, marking a full year of impunity for Azerbaijan’s September 19-20, 2023, military offensive and ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

The ANCA reminds that Azerbaijan’s attack, after ten months of blockade, culminated in the genocide of over 120,000 indigenous Armenians from their historic homeland.

It is noted that the meeting with legislators was aimed at advancing a broad array of measures aimed at holding Azerbaijan accountable, aiding Nagorno-Karabakh refugees, and forging a path for the safe return of Armenians under international protections.

ANCA National Grassroots Director Gev Iskajyan, who worked in Nagorno-Karabakh for two years throughout the blockade and subsequent forced deportation of the Armenian population, opened the program with powerful remarks.

 “Today, we gather not just to remember, but to demand justice. A year has passed since the final blow of Azerbaijan’s assault on Artsakh, and yet, the international community remains silent. This is not just a loss of territory but a loss of culture, identity, and history — an entire people forcibly uprooted from their ancestral home. We refuse to accept this as the end. We demand the right of return for every displaced Armenian under international protection. ‘Artsakh lives’ because its spirit is alive in every one of us fighting for justice,” he said.

Members of Congress stressed the importance of 1) enforcing prohibitions on U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan according to Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, 2) the imposition of Global Magnitsky Act Sanctions on Azerbaijani officials responsible for war crimes, 3) an investigation into Azerbaijani human rights abuses under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, and 4) a commitment to ensuring the right of Armenians to return to their homes under international protections. Members also called for a robust humanitarian response to meet the needs of Armenian refugees displaced by Azerbaijan’s aggression.

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), a member of the House Appropriations Committee who has been a tireless advocate for expanded aid to Nagorno-Karabakh refugees, emphasized the ongoing need for action.

 “From the Armenian Genocide 100 years ago to the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh just last year, your resilience has spanned centuries. We must ensure that Armenians who were forcibly displaced are compensated without forfeiting their right to return to their homes,” stated Rep. Meng.

Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), who visited Nagorno-Karabakh and was subsequently banned from Azerbaijan by President Aliyev as a result, expressed her horror at the forced displacement of Armenians: “It is heartbreaking to consider that the people I met just a few years ago are now refugees. The United States must reject this ethnic cleansing and stand clearly for democracy, self-determination, and peace.” 

Chu also criticized Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29, noting, “Azerbaijan, a country with a shameful human rights record, should not be given the platform to rehabilitate its image through the COP29 conference.”

Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI), called for unwavering commitment to human rights: “We cannot and will not be silent in the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in Artsakh. Our dedication to human rights is ironclad,” stated Rep. Amo, who expressed his support for efforts to hold Azerbaijan accountable through the Artsakh Revenue Recovery Act.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), who condemned Azerbaijan’s ongoing cultural genocide against Artsakh’s Armenians, highlighted the need for true justice: 

“True justice is when displaced Armenians can return to their ancestral homes, where they have lived for more than a millennium. We cannot allow Azerbaijan to erase their history and heritage.”

Congressional Armenian Caucus founding Co-Chair Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ reiterated the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s right to return to their homes. “We’re going back… that’s the bottom line.”

In his moving keynote remarks, Former Human Rights Defender of Nagorno Karabakh Gegham Stepanyan, explained, that a year after the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, despite the inadequate response of the international community to prevent this genocide, “we do not have the right to give up our fight for the return of our people, the preservation of our culture, and the release of our prisoners.”

The evening’s closing prayer was offered by Fr. Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, the abbot of Dadivank Monastery, who survived Azerbaijani bomb attacks on his home, targeted for his defense of Armenian religious and cultural sites. He described Azerbaijani brutality during the Artsakh war, blockade, and subsequent ethnic cleansing, noting: “If the entire world would have recognized the 1915 Armenian Genocide today, there would not have been another one happening. And if we do not recognize the Artsakh Genocide today, there are going to be more to follow.”

The event featured images by Artsakh photojournalist Davit Ghahramanyan, an eyewitness to Azerbaijan’s aggression, who captured the human toll of Baku’s 2020 military attack and the 2023 blockade and subsequent forced expulsion of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.