News - Alice McDonald: Scale of forced emigration of Armenians from Karabakh, damage caused are huge

The scale of the forced emigration of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh and the amount of damage caused are enormous, but we are here to prevent more losses. Professor Alice McDonald one of those representing Armenia's lawsuit, stated this while speaking Thursday at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during its consideration of Armenia's case against Azerbaijan. According to her, the situation is tragic, as people have left their historical homeland in just a few days. They lost everything: home, history, homeland of their ancestors. The sudden Azerbaijani military aggression against them came after months of siege, Armenia welcomed them with open arms, and the international community will help. But this is not the only issue, McDonald said. Their chance to return to their ancestral homeland depends on Azerbaijan fulfilling the requirements of the international convention. Azerbaijan now constantly violates their rights, absorbs Nagorno-Karabakh in every sense, destroys the Armenian essence of the region in order to exclude the possibility of return of Armenians, McDonald noted. Eight senior officials of Nagorno-Karabakh were arrested by Azerbaijan on trumped-up charges. Azerbaijani president Aliyev presents the elected representatives of the Armenian population as a "junta," they are not allowed to meet with representatives of international organizations, including the ICRC, and all this is done to erase the Armenian trace, Armenian culture in Nagorno-Karabakh, McDonald stated. Hate spreads on the tongue. Aliyev spoke about this, saying that Armenian songs will not be played here from now on. Signs in Armenian are being actively destroyed. Promises of return and living in a multi-ethnic paradise do not inspire confidence. Aliyev personally announced that if the Armenians do not "cleanse" themselves from here, they will be driven away like dogs, McDonald recalled. At the same time, the PACE noted issues related to human rights in Azerbaijan, and the UN court previously rejected Azerbaijan's arguments. Baku does not ensure the presence of international observers to create an opportunity for the return of Armenians, unless, of course, we talk about the theatrical visit of the UN mission. In other words, Armenians should believe their expellers, McDonald noted. Azerbaijan has abolished all autonomies and is going to populate Nagorno-Karabakh with Azerbaijanis, Aliyev has already announced a "big return plan" and intends to resettle 100,000 Azerbaijanis in the next three years there; that is, as many Armenians have left the region, McDonald stated. Thus, Azerbaijan, whose president is proud of expelling Armenians like dogs, asks the International Court of Justice to believe his statements about his readiness to protect Armenians. He starved them for nine months, and now he says he is ready to protect them, McDonald stated. If the events continue in the same spirit, the ICJ’s decision will be meaningless because the de-Armenianization of Nagorno-Karabakh will become a fact by then, noted Alice McDonald.