A Victory At A Price - September 2

[MosJan]

A VICTORY AT A PRICE

 

On August 30 of 1991, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted its independence declaration based on territorial wholeness of Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan of 1918-1920. Three days later, on September 2, the Councils of Autonomous Region of Nagorno Artsax and Shahumian region called a joint sitting declaring the independent Republic of Nagorno Artsax. On December 10 of the same year, a referendum was held all over Artsax besides Azeri-populated regions. The overwhelming majority of participants said "yes" to the Republic of Nagorno Artsax.

 

Legally and historically the right of Nagorno Artsax for an independent state is indisputable. Azerbaijan declared its independence within the borders of Musafat Azerbaijan of 1918-1920, of which Nagorno Artsax never was a part. The League of Nations did not rejected Azerbaijan's membership as the latter pretended to join the most influential organization of its time with "disputable territories" behind. On November 30 of 1920, the Revolutionary Committee of Azerbaijan accepted the epistle to Armenia's Revolutionary Committee that said: "From now on, the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is to be considered non-existing. Nagorno Artsax, Zangezur and Nakhichevan are recognized as part of Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia". But Narimanov (chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of Azerbaijan) edited the letter of December 2 presenting it this way: "The provinces of Zangezur and Nakhichevan are inseparable part of Soviet Armenia but the workers of Nagorno Artsax get the right of self-determination".

 

By formation of the Soviet Union Nagorno Artsax was forced into the structure of Azerbaijan and remained there for 7 decades on terms of an autonomous region. The collapse of the Soviet Union gave birth to two independent states, Nagorno Artsax Republic and Azerbaijan, on the territory of Soviet Azerbaijan. The latter was immediately recognized by the world community whereas Artsax is still unrecognized, deprived of international support and suffering the consequences of Azeri blockade.

 

Azerbaijan's response to the September 2 decision was the war. Despite success in the first half of the war, Azerbaijan was defeated in the war that it provoked and agreed to a cease-fire only in 1994 averting additional territorial loss. The victory of Armenia and Nagorno Artsax was tearful. The Armenian people, Armenians of Artsakh first of all, paid incredibly great price for Artsax's liberation.

 

Each September 2, officials of Armenia and Nagorno Artsax, part of whom are former freedom fighters, take part in regular celebration of birthday of Nagorno Artsax Republic and lay flowers to the graves of the perished. Only a life of dignity in free though unrecognized republic may offer relief to the mothers, wives and children of thousands of young Armenians who put their lives on the altar of freedom.

 

By Tatoul Hakobian