Who are the Armenian people? For many, the most popular example would be the entire Kardashian family. However, for Armenians, our people expand beyond reality TV. We have thousands of years of history. Armenia was the first Christian nation, meaning they adopted Christianity as their official religion before any other country. Filled with ancient churches, beautiful lakes, flavorful food, rich culture and the famous Mount Ararat, Armenia has a strong community that stays together. However, tragedy hit with the Armenian Genocide in 1915. 1.5 million Armenians were raped, relocated, marched and murdered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to the Turkish government. They were determined to erase any trace of Armenians, killing anyone who tried to stop them and taking the majority of the land. The people who escaped to neighboring countries like Lebanon and Egypt raised the generations that would spread throughout the world, creating the Armenian Diaspora.
You may have seen some celebrity posts praying or calling peace for Armenia. Some names include Elton John, Tinashe, Diddy, Cardi B, and Kim Kardashian. Most of these posts, however, have been taken down due to the aggressive, hate-filled comments from Azeris and Turks. If you did see them, here is the rundown on what is going on in Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh. The following history is quoted from an Armenian named Ani Gyulinyan on Twitter. The link is provided.
Azerbaijan bombed the capital of Artsakh on September 27th. Indigenous Armenian land, Artsakh is mainly occupied by Armenians. In 1923, Stalin annexed the land to the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. Armenians in Artsakh fought for independence at the collapse of the USSR, but Azerbaijan turned to violence and ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing is “the mass expulsion or killing of members of an unwanted ethnic or religious group in a society.” Artsakh has remained an autonomous republic since then, but has been known internationally as Azerbaijani land. Azerbaijan has violated ceasefires constantly throughout the past decade, and three times since the newest conflicts beginning in July. The following is a timeline of events with sources provided. Please note that some may be graphic or scary while others are hopeful or just news. It is important to stay informed in the media era, so I hope you take a few minutes out of your day to watch, read, and educate yourself.
TIMELINE
July 14:
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Armenia is attacked by Azerbaijan and Turkey
July 15:
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Azeris march into parliament chanting “Death to Armenians”
July 17:
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Armenian protests begin worldwide, continuing to present day
July 24:
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Erdogan, Turkey’s president, promises to carry out the “mission,” to finish the
Genocide of 1915. This is significant since the Turks have spent years denying the
Genocide and are now vowing to kill off all Armenians.
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US House passes Artsakh aid amendment
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Armenian cafe in Kiev, Ukraine set on fire by Azeris
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Armenian man beaten on video after refusing to say Artsakh belongs to Azerbaijan
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Armenian woman and 5 year old son attacked in Philadelphia for having Armenian sticker on car
July 26:
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Group of Azeris attack Armenian protesters in Boston
July 27:
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Azerbaijan and Turkey hold joint large scale military exercises
July 29:
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Azeris bring saws and hammers to Armenian protests in Los Angeles
August 1:
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Massachusetts requires Genocide education for middle and high schools.
August 13:
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Turkish Youtuber calls for violence against Armenians, saying “They really deserve the Genocide. Why are we keeping them alive? We either kill them or deport them.”
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Armenian cemetery destroyed in Turkey – human remains scattered everywhere
September 17: San Francisco Armenian Center set on fire by arsonists.
September 27: Azerbaijan attacks Artsakh, Armenians volunteer as soldiers to go fight
September 28-29:
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16 Armenian soldiers ranging from ages 20-42 get killed in action
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Children are seen pausing their playing to run from the middle of the line of fire
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Armenian National Committee’s Aram Hamparian sits for an interview
October 1:
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The President of Turkey rejects peace calls from Macron, Putin, and Trump.
October 4-6:
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Armenians in Los Angeles shut down the freeway in both directions
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@HistoryPhotographed posts a series of photos from the Armenian Genocide
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NBC News shares a photo of an old woman defending her country
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Canada stops arms sales to Turkey
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Hundreds of Armenian women volunteer to join the forces on the frontlines
October 8:
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Ghazanchetsots Cathedral gets bombed by Azerbaijan forces
October 10:
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Less than 1 hour in, Azerbaijan breaks the ceasefire, bombing Artsakh and Armenia
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Kim Kardashian donates $1 million to Artsakh
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NYC Armenians shut down the Brooklyn Bridge
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A series of war crimes committed by Azerbaijan come to light through
October 12:
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Azerbaijan propaganda and misinformation are exposed
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CBS Newsman says “I hope your country gets blown up” to Armenian protestors
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Sevak Avanesyan, Belgian-Armenian cellist performs Komitas’ Grung in the bombed Ghazanchetsots Cathedral
October 13-14:
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Azerbaijan citizens protest the government in the capital, Baku
President Aliyev of Azerbaijan tweets about world domination
The second Armenian Genocide is underway. This is incredibly dangerous and threatening to Armenians all over the world.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Armenians are working incredibly hard to share the information since major news outlets have failed to do so. As an Armenian and daughter of immigrants, I have been posting on social media like crazy, asking my friends to spread awareness as well. However, this only goes so far. Reaching a broader audience is unattainable if non-Armenians remain silent. Donations, reposts, and signing petitions are ways to help your Armenian friends and greater communities. If you’re unsure how much Armenians have impacted the way you live, here are some examples to scroll through. I know it’s difficult to absorb everything going on in the world, but we Armenians need your help amplifying our voices. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any further questions. ( tuk04924@temple.edu ) In the meantime, here’s how you can help.
Instagram Accounts & Websites to Follow/Read Through
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Kooyrigs (run by women! kooyrigs means sisters :) )