What these two anniversaries tell us

Rally for Artsakh, Washington, D.C., Sept. 1, 2023 (Photo: Knar Bedian)

The independence of the Republics of Artsakh and Armenia are celebrated in the month of September. Artsakh declared its independence on September 2, 1991, and Armenia on September 21, 1991. The 32-year anniversary of our two republics may not be a long period in the history of our nation, but it is a testimony to our people’s determination to march onward. Considering the challenges that our two republics have faced since their inception, their survival against all odds is in itself a sufficient cause for celebration and thanksgiving.

Over the years, our compatriots in Artsakh and Armenia have demonstrated a quality over which the harsh circumstances of life have no power. After the devastating earthquake in 1988, Armenia was hardly prepared for the moment of destiny when it declared its independence. The republics have been threatened by Turkish-Azerbaijani attacks and economic blockades but have risen to meet these grave crises. They have lived through challenges and tests in the face of harsh winters and famine. They have experienced disappointments, but they have not surrendered their spirit.

For the past 32 years, the people of Artsakh have been free, and they want to remain free – to live their own lives, to think their own thoughts, to seek their own answers, and to decide their own destiny.

The 44-day war in 2020, however, has affected our nation. The past three years have been an extraordinarily painful and precarious time. Through violence and political pressure, Azerbaijan aims to derail its negotiations with Armenia, disregard implementation of the November 9, 2020 ceasefire agreement and impose its own terms. Since December 2022, it has imposed a genocidal blockade on the 120,000 Armenians of Artsakh living in their millennia-old homeland, depriving them of food, medicine and other basic necessities. Sooner or later, we hope the international community will take practical steps to end the blockade and recognize the right of Artsakh Armenians to self-determination.

Freedom is one of the deepest longings of the human heart. God placed it there, and no one has the right to take it away. For the past 32 years, the people of Artsakh have been free, and they want to remain free – to live their own lives, to think their own thoughts, to seek their own answers, and to decide their own destiny. They don’t want Azerbaijan to dictate their destiny. We salute the heroic people of Artsakh! Their courage, determination and resilience have been an inspiration to us all. As diasporan Armenians, we congratulate our twin republics on their anniversaries and pledge our support for their sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. We continue to stand in solidarity with them.