BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—The Armenian community of Argentina marched to the Embassy of Azerbaijan on October 7 to denounce the genocide suffered by the Armenian population of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
Under the banner “120,000 Armenians exiled by the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijan,” the crowd marched towards the diplomatic representation of the government of Azerbaijan, chanting slogans such as “new genocide underway,” “Azerbaijan murderer state,” “Azerbaijan guilty of ethnic cleansing of the Armenians of Artsakh” and “genocide denied, genocide repeated.” One of the posters summed up the collective feeling of the Armenian community after so many demonstrations against injustice: “Are you tired of hearing it? We are tired of living it.”
On September 19, Azerbaijan launched an attack against Artsakh after almost 10 months of a complete blockade of its Armenian population, a crime that was considered a genocide by the former International Criminal Court Argentine prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo. After suffering widespread famine and a lack of medicines and essential products, Artsakh’s authorities were forced on September 20 to stop the defense of the population, hand over their weapons and announce the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. In the following days, more than 100,000 citizens and natives of Artsakh were forced into exile to Armenia, causing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
Alejandro Kalpakian, president of Armenian Institutions of the Republic of Argentina (IARA), read a statement on behalf of the community in which he denounced “the abuses committed by Azerbaijan against the Armenian civilian population of Artsakh” and the “policy of ethnic cleansing, taking into account that the Armenians have been expelled from their ancient Armenian territory of Artsakh.”
The representatives of all the Armenian institutions of the country work together within IARA, which was created after the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in 2015. Most community protests and large events are coordinated by this organization.
“It is clear that Azerbaijan is not ready to respect any international law. The political prisoners have not yet been released, and Artsakh government officials have now been arrested. Do they think that Armenians will accept this? Do they think that we are going to abandon the fight that we have kept alive for decades?” Kalpakian said.
Following the large-scale attacks on September 19, Azerbaijan began arresting the authorities and military personnel of the Republic of Artsakh, including former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, advisor to the president David Babayan, National Assembly Speaker Davit Ishkhanyan, former Presidents Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arkadi Ghukasyan, former Artsakh Deputy Defense Minister LTG Davit Manukyan and former Artsakh Defense Minister LTG Levon Mnatsakanyan. They will all face trial in Baku for “terrorism,” “creation of armed groups” and “illegal border crossing,” among other charges. They will join the dozens of Armenian prisoners of war who have been detained since the 2020 Artsakh War and whose official number is currently unknown.
“Our presence here today, just like it’s happening around the world, is a strong example that we will continue to fight Turkey’s genocide against the Armenian people, the ongoing persecution and extermination that Azerbaijan is now committing, and the denial of these abhorrent acts and defend the right of the Armenian people to live in peace in their territory,” Kalpakian concluded.
Miguel Harutiunian, president of the Representative Association of Armenian Migrants of Argentina (ARAMA), was born in Goris in southern Armenia, which is where his family currently resides. Goris, which is located near Armenia’s border, became a transit point for displaced Armenians fleeing Artsakh. “The situation is dramatic, and the city has become a refugee camp. All the squares and the main streets have tents to meet the needs of the refugees. Many families receive them in their homes with open arms,” Harutiunian told the Weekly. Support is first provided to vulnerable cases including children, pregnant or sick women and the elderly, he added.
Hagop Tabakian, president of the Armenian National Committee of South America (ANC-SA) and member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), said that the Armenians of Buenos Aires support the “claim and struggle of the people of Artsakh.” “We also see the threat in the south of Armenia and follow every move made by Azerbaijan and Turkey,” Tabakian told the Weekly, expressing concern that the Armenian government is not doing enough to protect the security and interests of Armenians.
“The respect for human rights in the countries of South America has always been a priority, especially in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Bolivia. We are working to get the support and visibility of this extreme situation,” he continued.
Vanesa Simsir, member of Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) of South America and teacher at Khrimian School, said that teachers prepared special classes about the conflict and the current events “so that the students can ask questions and clear up their doubts.” “It’s also important to combat the misinformation that exists on social networks,” she added. Simsir said that some of her friends from Argentina and Uruguay are volunteering in Goris, Armenia to help people displaced from Artsakh.
Analia Topakbassian, member of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) and granddaughter of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, saw parallels between 1915 and what has happened in 2023. “They were both obviously very well planned. They took the leaders and the people who govern. The population left on foot before, and now they are leaving by car, but the caravans of people leaving their lands look the same,” Topakbassian said. While in 1915, human rights abuses by the Turks were not amplified on social media, today videos of Azerbaijanis beheading and taunting Armenians circulate online. “They don’t even have the shame or humility to hide it,” she said.
The Armenian community in Argentina was established mostly by survivors of the Armenian Genocide who arrived in the country at the beginning of the 20th century. According to the Armenian Diaspora Survey conducted in 2019, “The estimated size of the community is between 50,000 and 100,000, made of third, fourth and even fifth generations of Armenians.”
“Will this second genocide against the Armenian people go unpunished again? Does the international community only act if it serves economic interests? The question is rhetorical, of course,” said Professor Rosita Youssefian, former Armenian language teacher and coordinator at the Marie Manoogian Institute of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU).
Argentina’s government has expressed its solidarity with the Armenians of Artsakh and pledged to send humanitarian aid. On October 6, President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez received a delegation of Armenian community leaders at Casa Rosada. The president announced that Argentina will send a plane to Armenia on October 22 with humanitarian aid and a mission of volunteers to distribute it among the forcibly displaced population of Artsakh.
Armenian community leaders also thanked Fernandez for his statements during the G20 summit on September 9 and at the United Nations, where he denounced the blockade and the Azerbaijani attacks. The last official act of the Artsakh government before the crisis was to send a letter of gratitude to President Fernandez on September 19.
Armenians are fully established in Argentinian society and have a dynamic community life.
There are 11 churches, seven Armenian schools, three scout groups, various dance companies, sports clubs, restaurants and human rights defense organizations in Argentina. There are also branches of the ARF, Homenetmen, ARS and AGBU, two newspapers (Diario Armenia of the Dashnaktsutyun and Sardarabad of Ramgavar) and an office of the Armenian National Committee of South America.
Matías Raubian
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