- Though based on scant evidence and flimsy rhetoric, this document also states the right of Azerbaijanis to return to these lands.
- Further aggression by Azerbaijan against Armenia can therefore not be ruled out, despite steps towards a possible truce in recent months.
A city divided
- There, Armenian historical heritage is respected and visited by people of all faiths, and is even promoted to tourists.
- In the Northern Iranian city of Jolfa, Armenian culture is treated with pride.
- However, this is only half the story, as today the city is divided into two halves by the Iran-Azerbaijan border, which runs through it.
- Until the 19th century the two halves formed a single urban unit, but after Persia’s defeat in the war with Russia between 1826 and 1828, the northern side of the city passed into Russian hands.
Erasing Nagorno Karabakh
- After Armenia’s defeat in Nagorno Karabakh in September 2023, and the subsequent exit of both international journalists and NGOs – meaning the progressive withdrawal of media attention and humanitarian aid – it is not difficult to imagine that here too, efforts are already underway to wipe any traces of Armenian heritage off the map.
- In Nagorno Karabakh there are around 500 historical sites, home to approximately 6,000 Armenian monuments that are now under the control of Azerbaijani armed forces.
- During the first Nagorno Karabakh war in the 1990s, Azerbaijani authorities decided to eliminate all Armenian presence in the country, be it human or cultural, in what was known as the Baku pogrom.
The destruction is reminiscent of the fate of the Armenian architectural heritage across Turkey during the 20th century, where very little was done to preserve, recover or restore it. The few exceptions were the Cathedral of the Holy Cross at Lake Van, and the historic city of Ani, capital of the kingdom of Bagratid Armenia. The latter of these was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016.
The international community’s muted response
- Until only recently, this had been met with silence from most of the international community, and even UNESCO’s response was lacklustre, as pointed out by the University of Cornell.
- In doing so, it is calling for international mobilisation and condemnation of Baku’s actions, though with little impact to date.
- Local Armenian resistance has stalled the project by occupying work sites, but not without violent repercussions.
Fernando Camacho Padilla no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoría, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pueda obtener beneficio de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de vínculos relevantes más allá del cargo académico citado.
