Tuesday, April 6 2021 14:54

ArmInfo.A number of Armenian civil society organizations have made a public appeal to the head of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, demanding the immediate dispatch of  the Organization's mission to the Nagorno - Karabakh conflict zone.

Thus, in an open letter received by ArmInfo, representatives of civil  society, recalling the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for  the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of  1954 and the UNESCO Declaration on the Deliberate Destruction of  Cultural Heritage adopted in 2003, condemned the deliberate  destruction by Azerbaijan of the Armenian cultural and religious  heritage in Artsakh both during the 44-day war (September-November  2020) and after its end. UNESCO also draws attention to the gross  violations of international law aimed at erasing the Armenian  historical roots in the region, the appropriation of the Armenian  cultural and religious heritage.  "It is noteworthy that the behavior  of the Azerbaijani authorities indicates not only a clear violation  of international obligations, but also the goal of constant torture  and humiliation of the Armenian people, which is nothing more than  provoking a new conflict at a time when Azerbaijan is formally in the  negotiation process.  

Despite the small geographical area, the most important heritage  sites and significant archaeological resources are located in  Arrtsakh. There are about 4,000 examples of Armenian culture in  Artsakh, including 370 churches, 119 castles, historical and cultural  rmonuments. The churches were built between the 4th and 21st  centuries. Valuable archaeological sites, of which the ancient city  of Tigranakert in Artsakh, where there are buildings from the first  century BC to the 13th century, should be particularly noted.

At present, no less than 1,456 Armenian historical and cultural  monuments are under the control of Azerbaijan. Among them are 161  Armenian churches, the archaeological territory of Tigranakert, the  Azoh Paleolithic cave, the tombs of New Karmiravan, Mirik,  Keren-various archaeological monuments - palaces, bridges and  historical areas. In addition, 8 state museums and galleries with  19,311 exhibits, as well as the Shusha Carpet Museum and the Shusha  Museum, which operated on a private basis, operates in the  territories under the control of Azerbaijan," the statement reads.   The statement points out serious and well-founded concerns about  ensuring the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage  under the control of Azerbaijan, especially against the background of  the policy of systematic destruction of the Armenian cultural  heritage in its territories carried out by the Azerbaijani side in  recent decades. As an example of such actions, Azerbaijan's complete  destruction of the ancient Armenian cemetery in Jugha (Julfa) in  Nakhichevan in the period from 1997 to 2006 (a total of 28,000  monuments, including 89 medieval churches, 5,840 handmade khachkars,  and 22,000 ancient steles) is cited) and the destruction of Armenian  monuments in the village of Tsar in the Karvachar (Kelbajar)  district.  Representatives of civil society also drew the attention  of the head of UNESCO to the fact that Azerbaijan, at the highest  state level, is engaged in the appropriation of the cultural heritage  of the Armenian Apostolic Church, through a calculated policy of  legitimizing false claims about their alleged Albanian origin.

"History has shown that any manifestation of intolerance to other  people's values of civilization, deliberate damage or destruction of  cultural or religious heritage should be strictly condemned. Attacks  on cultural property are strictly prohibited by a number of  international documents.  In view of the above, we emphasize the  universal nature of cultural heritage as a" witness "to history, an  integral part of the identity of people, which the international  community is obliged to protect and preserve for future generations,  regardless of current conflicts," the open letter says.  It is also  recalled that, in accordance with article 23 of the 1954 Hague  Convention, the High Contracting Parties have the right to apply to  UNESCO for technical assistance in order to organize the protection  of their cultural property or any other issues arising in connection  with the application of the Convention or its rules of application.   "The organization is obliged to provide such support within the  framework of its program and resources. 

The Organization may, on its own initiative, make proposals on this  matter to the High Contracting Parties.  We know that on December 11,  2020, UNESCO began fulfilling its mandate in accordance with the 1954  Hague Convention, on the basis of which the UNESCO Secretary-General  expressed readiness to establish an independent technical mission to  assess the state of the most significant cultural sites in Artsakh.   However, Azerbaijan has been artificially blocking this process for  several months.  Thus, we express our serious concern about the  policy of Azerbaijan aimed at preventing the effective participation  of UNESCO. 

We appeal to UNESCO, hoping that it will take decisive steps and all  possible measures to effectively protect the Armenian heritage in the  territories that have come under the control of Azerbaijan, which is  especially important in the context of the deliberate destruction of  historical monuments and the distortion of their identity," the  letter, signed by more than 25 civil society organizations, says.   Among the signatories: Arevamanuk Psychosocial Assistance Foundation,  Open Society Foundations; Gyumri - Progress Analytical Center for  Globalization and Regional Cooperation, NGO; EcoLur Information  public organization; Transparency International Anti-Corruption  Center, etc.