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.