COP29 begins November 11 in Azerbaijan, which invaded Nagorno-Karabakh and tortures Armenians, denounces Anahita Hakobyan of the Committee for Defense of the Armenian Cause, who calls for a global surge .
A little over a year ago, the indestructible President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, consolidated his victory over Armenia. The day after a ten-month blockade, his army invaded the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Thus, 120,000 inhabitants of this small enclave, almost exclusively of Armenian origin and Christian faith, were forced to leave the country. From November 11 to 22, the capital of this Caucasian country will host the 29th COP Climate Conference.
In an interview with Reporterre, the Chairman of the Committee for Defense of the Armenian Cause, Anahita Hakobyan, calls for an urgent cancellation of this meeting. In his opinion, the trip to Baku legitimizes the “atrocities” committed against his people.
Reporterre - The UN host country selection mechanism was created in December 2023. In other words, less than three months after Azerbaijan invaded Nagorno-Karabakh. Anahita Hakobyan - The United Nations (UN) is discrediting itself. She puts a spoke in her wheels. On the one hand, the International Court condemns Azerbaijan. On the other hand, one of its organs is an exceptional showcase. This dissonance is amazing. In all international rankings, including those of Amnesty International, Azerbaijan is among the worst countries—next to North Korea—in terms of human rights. How can we complain that international law is not respected if we open our arms wide to these dictatorships?
Was this offensive by the Azerbaijani army unprecedented? No. In 2020, the first attack occurred in Nagorno-Karabakh. Horrible crimes were committed against Armenians. Emmanuel Macron himself condemned the sending of former Islamic State mercenaries to help the army of Ilham Aliyev [President of Azerbaijan] in Nagorno-Karabakh. The same videotaped beheading and torture methods used by Daesh were used. There was a real determination to sow terror among the population.
Two years later came the famous blockade of the Lachin corridor [the only access linking Nagorno-Karabakh with the rest of Armenia] . The Azerbaijani army literally starved 120 thousand people living there for ten months. There are no more supplies of food, medicine, gas. At first, the residents held firm. Eventually it got ugly. Terrible hunger. The number of miscarriages has increased dramatically. People died from anemia or from not having gas to get to the hospital.
Shortly after the blockade was lifted on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a new lightning offensive. Within 24 hours, the exhausted residents capitulated. And almost all of them fled, abandoning the lands that their people had occupied for three thousand years. The perfect crime
!What is the situation today ?
Since then, Azerbaijan has continued to erasure the presence of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. The authorities act as if these people never existed. Churches are destroyed, parliament is demolished, cemeteries are desecrated, street names are changed.
This is not a territorial conflict. Hatred of Armenians is sponsored by the state. In Baku there is a “trophy park” for children, where wax dolls depict dying Armenians with disfigured faces and hooked noses.
These people are dehumanized daily to justify the unimaginable. How else could Azerbaijani soldiers film themselves beheading an 80-year-old man with a kitchen knife ?
The Armenian delegation also submitted an application to host this big event. Goal: not to let Baku become the center of attention. Why did she finally delete it ?
Armenia's position is terribly weak. The calculations are very simple. The country has fewer than 3 million inhabitants, compared with 10 million Azerbaijanis and 85 million Turks. As for its gross domestic product (GDP), it is also ridiculously lower than its neighbors. Thus, in the process of pacification, the Armenian authorities conceded as much as possible so as not to become a victim of a new offensive. However, Aliyev does not want peace. If no international power intervenes, nothing will stop it from continuing to invade Armenia.
A large number of NGOs have questioned their participation in the CC. In your opinion, should you go there ?
To go there means to legitimize Azerbaijan and the atrocities organized by Aliyev. Every time this dictator said he was going to do it, he did it. Even today he says that he wants to attack all of Armenia. That's what he will do. Once the COP is over, all attention will no longer be focused on Azerbaijan, and their army will attack our country. You shouldn't be surprised.
