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| US bishops call for end to blockade of Armenian enclave |
In a passionate appeal for peace and humanitarian relief, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, has called for an immediate end to the months-long blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in southwestern Azerbaijan with a historic Armenian heritage. This blockade has plunged approximately 120,000 ethnic Armenian Christians into a perilous situation, one that experts warn could escalate into a "genocide by starvation."
Bishop Malloy, speaking on September 7th, urged for resolution, stating, "We continue to pray for an end to the conflict and this growing humanitarian crisis." He also drew attention to the Holy Father's appeals in 2016 and earlier this year regarding the "serious humanitarian situation in the Lachin Corridor," emphasizing the Church's profound concern.
For the past nine months, Azerbaijan has sealed off the sole road connecting Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, known in Armenian as Artsakh. This corridor, the Lachin Corridor, spanning three miles (five kilometers), has historically served as a lifeline for the enclave's residents. Its blockade has resulted in severe shortages of essential supplies, including food, baby formula, oil, medication, hygienic products, and fuel. Astonishingly, a convoy of aid trucks carrying an estimated 400 tons of assistance remains stranded at the single Azerbaijani checkpoint. Even attempts by the International Red Cross to deliver aid have been met with rebuffs.
Highlighting the Vatican's involvement in seeking peace, Bishop Malloy pointed to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin's visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan in July as a testament to the Holy See's commitment to resolving the conflict through peaceful means.
These calls for action come on the heels of a critical development in Congress. On September 6th, the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held an emergency hearing. Rep. Chris Smith, a devoted Catholic human rights advocate, chaired the meeting, emphasizing the severity of the situation, stating, "It's now a three-alarm fire that's getting worse by the moment."
David L. Phillips, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and director of Columbia University's Artsakh Atrocities Project, presented evidence before the commission. He detailed the systematic efforts by Azerbaijan to displace Armenians from their ancestral homeland through killings, ethnic cleansing, and deportations, actions that constitute "crimes against humanity."
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, dating back to 2020 when Azerbaijan went to war with Armenia, resulted in the deaths of 3,000 Azerbaijani and 4,000 Armenian soldiers. Prior to this recent escalation, a conflict from 1992 to 1994 between Armenia and Azerbaijan over control of the region had already claimed 30,000 lives and displaced over 1 million people. A ceasefire brokered by Russia in 1994 offered temporary respite, followed by a 2017 referendum in which voters approved a new constitution and changed the region's name to the Republic of Artsakh, while "Nagorno Karabakh Republic" also remained an official title.
David L. Phillips strongly asserted that Azerbaijan's ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor essentially constitutes a second Armenian genocide, reminiscent of the tragic events of 1915-1916 when up to 1.2 million Armenians perished due to slaughter and starvation under the Ottoman Empire. Furthermore, he highlighted Azerbaijan's defiance of a February 2022 order from the International Court of Justice that demanded the "unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles, and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions." This refusal contradicts calls for compliance from international leaders, including the U.N. Secretary-General, the U.S. Secretary of State, and the President of France.
Bishop Mikael A. Mouradian of the California-based Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that Congress "should without any delay put up a bipartisan human rights act." He expressed deep concerns that without immediate legislative action, another Armenian genocide could become inevitable if the current crisis persists.
Rep. Chris Smith has taken up the cause, expressing his dissatisfaction with U.S. inaction on the Azerbaijani blockade. He intends to introduce a new bill in Congress, the "Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Act," aimed at taking concrete measures to address this dire situation.
In this critical moment, the voice of the Church, along with the commitment of policymakers, stands united in advocating for an end to the blockade and for the preservation of human rights and peace in Nagorno-Karabakh.
