Thursday, December 22 2022 15:10

ArmInfo.Since December 12, 2022, more than 120,000 Armenians in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) have been blockaded by the Azerbaijani Aliyev regime's mercenary  pseudo-environmentalists, who have illegally cut off the Berdzor  Corridor (Lachin Corridor), in violation of international human  rights and humanitarian law as well as the November 9, 2020  trilateral ceasefire statement. With the Berdzor Corridor being the  only route that connects Artsakh with the world through Armenia, the  blockade has essentially transformed Artsakh into the largest  open-air prison in the world.

As the largest coalition of Armenian American organizations operating  in the United States, the Pan- Armenian Council of the Western United  States of America (PAC-WUSA) urges President Biden and the US  administration to immediately sanction members of the Aliyev regime  under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for  ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity, and to halt U.S.   military and economic assistance to Azerbaijan pursuant to Section  907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.

The blockade of the Berdzor Corridor is merely a continuation of the  long-standing policy pursued by the Aliyev regime to ethnically  cleanse and perpetrate genocide against the Armenians of Artsakh.  This, because all fourteen risk factors for atrocity crimes  identified by the UN Secretary-General's Office on Genocide  Prevention are now present.

During the first four days of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade,  Azerbaijan had cut off the inflow of gas to Artsakh, leaving families  freezing, forcing schools and bakeries to close down, and preventing  hospitals from conducting vital, life-saving operations. While the  gas supply to Artsakh resumed on December 16, the blockade of the  Berdzor Corridor has now entered the 10th day, causing a serious  shortage of food, medical supplies, baby formula, and other essential  livelihood needs.

On December 20, 2022, at the request of the Republic of Armenia, the  United Nations Security Council President, represented by the  Republic of India, convened an emergency meeting to discuss the  blockade of the Berdzor Corridor. All 15 members of the UN Security  Council called on the parties responsible (i.e.  Azerbaijan and  Russia) for the "security and freedom of movement" across the Berdzor  Corridor, to abide by the November 9, 2020 trilateral ceasefire  statement, and to re-open the corridor to prevent a "man-made  humanitarian catastrophe."

The United States delegation at the UN Security Council, represented  by Ambassador Robert Wood, stated:  "Let me be clear: impediments to  the use of the Lachin Corridor sets back the peace process. They  undermine international confidence in this process. And they carry  potential severe humanitarian implications. We call on the government  of Azerbaijan and others responsible for the Corridor's security to  restore free movement, including for humanitarian and commercial use,  as soon as possible."

Moreover, the permanent mission of Ireland at the United Nations,  represented by Mr. Martin Gallagher, stated: "Without the free  movement of people, goods, food and medical supplies through this  vital corridor, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh will surely face a  humanitarian crisis this winter. As a Council, we must do everything  we can to avoid this and prevent another man-made catastrophe  emerging on our watch.  Ireland therefore calls on the Azerbaijani  authorities to immediately and unconditionally restore freedom and  security of movement along the Lachin corridor."

Since the beginning of the Berdzor Corridor crisis, PAC-WUSA member  organizations have been in constant communication with compatriots,  who are trapped in Artsakh, or are unable to return to Artsakh to  reunite with their families due to Azerbaijan's illegal blockade.  Earlier today, several local contacts have confirmed that there is a  serious shortage of medicine, food, especially dairy products  commonly imported from Armenia and consumed by children in Artsakh,  and other essential needs. These accounts have been confirmed by  numerous local media outlets, which have published reports confirming  the current critical food and medicine crisis in Artsakh. As of  today, one person has died while 14 children and 4 adults are in dire  health conditions as a consequence of the blockade.

"Regardless of who is blocking the road, Azerbaijan's authorities and  the Russian peacekeeping force deployed there should ensure that  access remains open, to enable freedom of movement and ensure people  have access to essential goods and services. The longer the  disruption to essential goods and services, the greater the risk to  civilians," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at  Human Rights Watch, in a report published earlier today by the  international watchdog: "Azerbaijan: Nagorno-Karabakh Lifeline Road  Blocked".

The Pan-Armenian Council of the Western United States of America  calls upon President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, National  Security Advisor Sullivan, and USAID Administrator Power to:

Condemn Azerbaijan's genocidal campaign against the Armenians of  Artsakh and demand the immediate re-opening of the Berdzor Corridor  (Lachin Corridor);

Deliver $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Artsakh through  the Lachin Corridor to ensure the survival of the population's  120,000 Armenians, including 30,000 children and 20,000 elderly;

Immediately halt all U.S. military and economic assistance to  Azerbaijan in light of the illegal humanitarian blockade imposed on  the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, consistent with Section 907 of the  FREEDOM Support Act;

Sanction members of the Aliyev regime under the Global Magnitsky  Human Rights Accountability Act for ongoing war crimes and crimes  against humanity perpetrated by that regime;

Introduce a UN Security Council resolution to establish a United  Nations Mission in Nagorno-Karabakh (UNMINK) for the next five years,  consisting of 5,000 military personnel and representing at least  three Permanent Member States of the UN Security Council and the OSCE  Minsk Group.