DAVIT BEK

Dear fellow Armenians, As you read these lines the Armenians in the liberated region of Kashatagh (Lachin) desperately need our immediate help. After the war in Nagorno-Karabakh came to an end, local officials in Armenia and Artsakh called for Armenians to move to Kashatagh and made promises of aid and assistance to all those who heeded the call. Today those promises have not been kept. As a result, living conditions in Kashatagh are bad and getting worse. Armenians who moved into the region are now leaving. If the situation persists, this strategically vital corridor that links Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh will be emptied of any meaningful Armenian presence. Armenians in the diaspora cannot remain silent when faced with this unfortunate reality. We need to forcefully voice our concerns and demand an adequate degree of accountability from those responsible for this sorry state of affairs. The word must be spread far and wide that all concerned Armenians will no longer tolerate BUSINESS AS USUAL when it comes to assisting our compatriots in Kashatagh and Artsakh. They feel neglected and betrayed by their local officials. We must show them that they do not stand alone. To publicize the gravity of the situation we have created a new website: http://www.kashatagh.com It includes pertinent background information regarding Kashatagh and links to current news sources covering the region. More importantly, we have posted an ON-LINE PETITION in the website addressed to the presidents of both the Republic of Armenian and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The petition calls on these officials to immediately take all possible measures to rectify the problems faced by the Armenians in Kashatagh. We ask that you circulate news of this new website in order that we collect as many petition signatures as possible. Collectively, we can make a difference in the lives of the residents of Kashatagh. Sincerely, Coalition In Support Of Kashatagh www.kashatagh.com e-mail: info@kashatagh.com

REMEMBER THE TREATY OF LAUSANNE!!!! All this phony posturing by the European Union regarding calls for Turkey to implement reforms and recognize the Armenian genocide should remind all of us of the infamous 1923 Treaty of Lausanne whereby Turkey and the victoriuous European powers emerging from WWI agreed to conveniently ignore such issues as the Armenian, Greek and Assyrian genocides in favor of mutually beneficial economic and strategic interests. Are we to believe that some 90 years later Europe is assuming a"correct" moral position on the Armenian genocide issue?? I can only laugh when certain Armenians persist in looking to the West for answers to the problems they face. Remove that map of Armenia as outlined by the Treaty of Sevres from your wall. It's just another illusion that the West and the traditional Armenian political elites have been spoon feeding you lo these many years. Also check out the http://sassnadzrer.blogspot.com/]SASSNA DZRER[/url]BLOG

Actually, it only takes a low level of endemic corruption and mismanagement in Kashatagh to disrupt civil society and hamper any local initiatives for reform. When those living in worsening socio-economic conditions see the authorities in charge as a hindrance and not a help then the situation further spirals out of control. Then there is the question as to who actually is responsible for conditions on the ground in Kashatagh and the others areas outside of Nagorno-Karabakh proper, Yerevan?? Stepanakert?? Also, I would be interested to know what monies have been invested in these regions, whether from outside sources or through regional sources. All this remains under wraps for a variety of political and strategic reasons. But the responsibility rests with someone and the people eeking out a life there deserve some immediate answers to the problems that plague them. Armenians boast about their military victories in Artsakh but it seems that they can not , or will not, transform that hard won battle into a longterm strruggle for true peace and security.