Friday, January 27 2023 17:18

ArmInfo.The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention is shocked and horrified that BBC HARDtalk Anchor Stephen Sackur offered genocide as one of two "realistic options" facing Armenians in Artsakh during an interview with Artsakh State Minister  Ruben Vardanyan that aired on 23 January 2023.  

This is stated in the statement of this international human rights  research organization.  Referring to the illegal 44-day blockade of  Artsakh by the dictatorial regime of Azerbiajani President Ilham  Aliyev, Sackur asked Vardanyan:  "You now control a tiny enclave  which is suffering from the economic blockade right now, and it seems  your only realistic option is either to work out a political deal  with Azerbaijan or for the people, the Armenian community in  Nagorno-Karabakh, to decide that this is no longer sustainable and  leave the territory. So, which is it to be - a political deal or  leave?" As the Lemkin Institute has pointed out in numerous Red Flag  Alerts and Statements, forcing people to leave their land on threat  of death is a FORM of GENOCIDE.  

<You are now in control of a tiny enclave that is suffering from an  economic blockade right now, and it seems your only realistic option  is either to make a political deal with Azerbaijan, or for the  people, the Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh, to decide that  the situation is no longer sustainable, and leave the territory. So,  what will it be - a political deal or leaving?>, Sakur asked  Vardanyan. As the Lemkin Institute has repeatedly pointed out in  numerous red flag warnings and statements, forcing people to leave  their land under threat of death is a FORM of GENOCIDE. Sackur's  framing of the question places him in the position of the  perpetrator, who in this case is Ilham Aliyev.  The Lemkin Institute  sees this unfortunate interview as a result of the world media's  utter ignorance of the South Caucasus in general and the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in particular.  The Lemkin Institute views  this unfortunate interview as the consequence of the global media's  jaw dropping ignorance about the South Caucasus in general, and the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in particular.  

"We call on the British news media to examine possible anti-Armenian  bias in its reporting. We also call on the BBC and other global media  outlets to ensure the accuracy of their reporting on the South  Caucasus.  We further suggest that more media companies focus on  educating editors and journalists on laws and approaches related to  mass atrocity and its prevention. Finally, we ask that journalists do  not propose genocidal outcomes as "realistic options" faced by  threatened communities," the authoritative organization said in a  statement.  

The full text of the statement is available at the following  link:https://www.lemkininstitute.com/statements-  new-page/statement-on-bbc-hardtalk-anchor-stephen-sackur-s-interview  -with-artsakh-state-minister-ruben- vardanyan.