(OTTAWA – November 9, 2021) – Today, on the first anniversary of the end of the 44-day war in Artsakh, the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) released the following statement.
“Today, the Armenian National Committee of Canada and all its affiliate organizations join Canadians in mourning the loss and honouring the memory of over 6,000 victims of the 44-day war in Artsakh, while condemning – in the strongest terms possible – the ongoing Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression against the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh.
“On September 27, 2020, Canadians woke up to scenes of unimaginable suffering and destruction as Turkish-backed Azerbaijani forces began a large-scale offensive against the Republic of Artsakh, indiscriminately targeting both military and civilian assets.
“For 44 days, Armenian Canadians spared no efforts to advocate for peace and security and for the people of Artsakh’s fundamental right to chart their own course and practice their self-determination.
“While the war ended with an egregious ceasefire announcement that resulted in much of the historic Armenian lands to be occupied by Azerbaijan and the displacement of many indigenous Armenians from their ancestral homeland, the struggle for a just resolution of conflict and the independence of the Republic of Artsakh is far from over.
“Despite the significant shift in the geopolitical dynamics of the South Caucasus and the ongoing efforts by the Azerbaijani government to secure more unjust concessions from the Armenian side – Armenians in Canada and around the world stand united more than ever – resolutely defending the collective interests of the Armenian people and rejecting any conflict settlement proposal that does not respect and uphold the fundamental rights of Artsakh’s indigenous Armenian population.
“As the leading Armenian-Canadian grassroots advocacy organization, the ANCC calls upon the Government of Canada to continue advocating for the peaceful and just settlement of the conflict in Artsakh, exclusively through the framework of the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group, ensure the return of Armenian POW’s, recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh, enforce a full ban on arms sales to Turkey and Azerbaijan and establish an embassy in the Republic of Armenia.”
-30-
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Armenian-Canadian grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-Canadian community on a broad range of issues and works to eliminate abuses of human rights throughout Canada and the world.
Contact: Sevag Belian – (613) 235-2622 | [email protected]
