Though it has recently taken a back seat to the civil war in Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has often been the topic of great discussion in international media. Not only is it an issue hotly debated and extremely well researched, peace efforts have cost the government entities and NGOs billions of dollars. There are countless organizations dedicated to bridging the gap between Israelis and Palestinians, sending their kids to fancy camps where they can learn to cooperate and see the other’s point of view or paying for scholars from both sides to attend peacemaking seminars in renowned universities. While Israel-Palestine receives this immense and almost incomprehensible global attention, other dangerous and destructive conflicts go on virtually unnoticed. This article will discuss one of them: Nagorny-Karabakh.
Background
In 1988, the Armenian population of Nagorny-Karabakh (NK) took to the streets, demanding to join Armenia; shortly, they were joined by citizens of Armenia proper. At the time, the overall population of NK was approximately 192,000 with the majority (76%) being Armenian, but the territory belonged to Azerbaijan. On 10 December, 1991 the leaders of the Armenian population in NK declared independence from the Azerbaijani state and armed conflict ensued.
The conflict escalated into a full-blown war between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the collapse of the USSR. The brutal and bloody war lasted until 1994. While the war waged on, many human rights catastrophes occurred, which most of the world remains unaware of. The Khojaly Massacre is a perfect example: the village of Khojaly was an Azeri stronghold in the territorial corridor between NK and Armenia proper. In their effort to seize it, in February 1992, the Armenian troops massacred over 600 civilians and tortured many others. Of course, Armenian civilians were also killed and injured in the 3 year war. Overall, the war cost between 24,000-36,000 lives and left over 75,000 injured. Many more civilians were displaced.
In 1994, the Russian government was able to broker a ceasefire. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic enjoys de facto autonomy, but its independence remains unrecognized by the international community. Today, the conflict is officially frozen, but could heat up again at any time.
A Lasting Impact
In Azerbaijan, where I am currently stationed, the Nagorny-Karabakh War remains a deep seated trauma and the desire for a resolution is very much alive. In fact, the conflict is almost omnipresent. Almost every person I have met here has asked me my opinion about the conflict. Furthermore, when I visited the historic palace of Shirvanshah, a 15th century complex in Baku, I found it littered with signs about people who died there as a result of Armenian attacks in Azerbaijan proper. Relations with Armenia are so bad here that when my host got me a cell phone in his name he said “just don’t call anyone in Armenia.” Most recently, I asked my students to introduce myself and tell me where they were from; one of them said “Baku, but my family is from Karabakh. It is occupied by Armenians.”
The war is more than memory in Azerbaijan. According to Lionel Beehner, “just under 10% of Azerbaijani’s population remains displaced in the region” as a result of the war (http://www.cfr.org/armenia/nagorno-karabakh-crisis-caucasus/p9148). While they are taken care of by the government, from what I have been told, they remain without permanent homes as an everlasting reminder of the war that never truly ended. The war has also impacted Azerbaijan’s foreign relations. For example, Iran’s support for Armenia continues to embitter the already cold relationship between Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic.
Azerbaijan lost more than Nagorny-Karabakh itself in the war. The Armenian autonomy captured seven additional regions surrounding Karabakh, which were not majority-Armenian territories. these territories also remain occupied, leaving 20% of Azerbaijan under foreign occupation.
The war has also taken a toll on Armenia, as it left in its aftermath 235,000 Armenian refugees.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) established the Minsk Group in 1992 as a forum for resolving the conflict. Thus far the group, chaired by the US, France, and Russia, has been unsuccessful.
An Explosive Conflict
In addition to its lasting humanitarian impact, the conflict is far from over even though the war is not active at the moment. Shooting incidents on the border are, in fact, quite frequent according to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (http://iwpr.net/report-news/gunfire-extension-politics-azeri-armenian-border). Indeed, other than the aforementioned border incidents, the Nagorny-Karabakh conflict has been cold so far. However, escalation on the contact line could easily lead to a broader violent confrontation. The fact that Azerbaijan’s military budget has reached $3.7 billion in the last year clearly demonstrates that the possibility of conflict is on the leadership’s mind (http://en.apa.az/news/195357).
Another war between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be a costly one. In addition to losses in life and humanitarian issues on both sides, such a conflict would have serious fallout in the region and a global impact.
One of the oldest oil-producing countries in the world, Azerbaijan is a critical supplier in the European market (http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=AJ). Local violence is likely to disrupt Azerbaijan’s ability to export its oil, leading to instability and disruptions in the market. Moreover, any Azeri-Armenian conflict is likely to spill over. The major powers surrounding these two countries, Russia, Iran, and Turkey would become involved. Great power intervention would doubtlessly escalate the conflict into a wider regional confrontation. With the greater Middle East already in disarray, further violence could be catastrophic.
Furthermore, last time around Chechen radicals including the notorious Shamil Basayev fought with Azerbaijan (http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/02/24/president-interview-and-tragic-anniversary/9vpa?reloadFlag=1). Should another war break out, especially in today’s ever-more radicalized environment of the Caucuses, it is likely to happen again. Thus, in the chaos of further conflict would open a door for radicals in this country that is otherwise stable and tolerant.
What’s Next?
As it were, the conflict seems intractable. At least in Azerbaijan, there is little faith in the peace process. The popular opinion, as I heard it, is that Azerbaijan will except nothing short having Nagorny-Karabakh fully returned and that the Armenians are the exclusively hindering the peace process because they are not interested in a resolution. I am certain similar opinions are prevalent in the Armenian side. As it were, therefore, there will not be popular pressure on the Azerbaijani and Armenian governments to reach a resolution.
Thus, international intervention is called for. It is not enough for the major powers to say they are committed to a peace process in the South Caucuses, nor is it sufficient for them to declare that without progress the international community will lose faith in the leaders’ commitment to peace, as they at the G8 Summit in 2011. Words need to translate into actions, and it is especially important for the United States to be involved.
Azerbaijan has been a great ally to us. According to former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, “Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to offer support after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States […]the southwestern Asia country provided valuable access and overflight rights for coalition aircraft, and sent peacekeepers to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom” (http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=25519). This alone should promote our desire to help find a peaceful resolution to the Nagorny-Karabakh Conflict.
Furthermore, preventing the spread of violence in the region is in our interest for the reasons stated above.
Finally, Russia has been very active in this conflict. Most likely, the former leader of the USSR seeks to increase its power and influence in the South Caucuses by playing the role of peacemaker. We should strive to balance Russia’s power in this strategic region. Not to mention the recent Syria debacle, in which the Russians came up with a diplomatic solution that both alleviated the chemical weapons problem (Assad’s arsenal is being dismantled- http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/10/syria-disarmament-team-launches-mission-20131018223931432.html) while we almost got militarily involved. We need a diplomatic victory.
A just resolution to the Nagorny-Karabkh is in everyone’s best interest and it is my sincere hope to at least see some progress firsthand from here, the historic city of Baku.
South of Russia, North of Iran 
War brings about the worst in man. However, Armenians had lost the Artsakh lands to Azerbaijan through a deal made by Stalin. The people had every right to wish to be returned to their motherland. Azerbaijan is a relatively new country and its current territory was established in 1918. It`s existence was formerly south of Armenia, North of Iran, as a khanate, from around 1000 AD. The whole of the current state was once Armenia before wars and occupation ravaged and split it up. As such, it isn’t occupation when the lands have belonged to Armenians for thousands of years.
When it comes to the “Khojali Massacre” we are looking at casualties of war caused by the sacrifice Aliyev’s party made to topple the ruling Head of State. Even with everything going on, a corridor was left wide open for the people to escape. Warnings had gone out 2 months in advance that such an operation will take place. Civilians killed within the village were due to soldiers hiding within their throngs. Most were killed nearer to Aghdam, which was controlled by Azeri soldiers and would make no sense for Armenians to have let people go only to risk neck at the crossing to get rid of them. If any form of torture occurred, it was by maddened individuals who had probably lost family to torture and mass killings in Baku, Sumgait and Maragha. There are, however, no pieces of evidence that prove there was torture of any sort.
I’m afraid hateful propaganda has taken its toll on the Azeri population and its friends. Armenians remember the massacres, we have refugees from Baku, Sumgait and Maragha. We don’t, however, promote hate. Armenians simply do not wish to associate with “neighbours” who pan on destroying us. We don’t say we will conquer Azerbaijan and remove it from the map. We simply recount the fact that we could have reached Baku should orders for retreat had not come. Only mention of actually doing it has to do with Azerbaijan’s threats to take over Yerevan and the whole of Armenia. We would like the rest of the Artsakh lands in Shahumian/Kedashen. Otherwise, Armenians are quite content to have their historical soil back to some degree. We’re a peaceful sort, preferring to bicker amongst ourselves instead of bothering those around us.
Hello Tamar,
Thank you for your response.
First of all allow me to apologize if this article seemed in any way biased; that was not my intention. The fact that I have more information about Azerbaijan stems from my currently residing here. I was trying to transmit my experiences and thoughts to folks back home, and naturally I know more about what Azeris think. That being said, my primary goal was to raise awareness to the conflict as a whole, and to compel people to take an interest in seeing it resolved, for the reasons I enumerated. As to what such a solution might look like, I really cannot say as I am not an expert. I do wish I could find a way to increase dialogue between the two sides, because not being able to talk and understand each other only promotes hatred.
As far as the Khojaly Massacre goes, my reading indicated that it is internationally recognized as a massacre of innocent civilians. You can look up this article, by renowned scholar Thomas De Waal that demonstrates my point: http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/02/24/president-interview-and-tragic-anniversary/9vpa
Denying that your side ever did anything wrong is no way of starting a dialogue. I agree with you, as do my Azeri friends by the way, that what happened to Armenians in Baku and Sumgait was wrong; so is what the Armenian military did to the Azeris in Khojaly. Murder or unarmed civilians is always a negative.
I hope this helps and let us pray for peace.
Thank you for the reply, especially in such a civil manner.
I did mention that some civilians were killed. Our president’s words reflect the fact that Azeris thought Armenians would never attack the town as long as they kept their civilians in it. Later, once the attack took place, soldiers hid among the civilians, also believing that Armenians would not open fire so long as innocents were surrounding them. It was a cowardly move on the Azeri part there and a quick decision was made. As the president mentions, some of our boys were also survivors or families of survivors from the massacres in Azerbaijan. Due to these actions, the few were sacrificed to save the many. I never denied that any civilians were killed. I simply deny the exaggerations. Here’s my own blog about what I had found might have happened. http://tamarnajarian.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/what-really-happened-in-khojali/ I have researched the matter extensively, knowing full well that Armenians would never torture the way we were described to do so. The appalling nature of the propaganda is enough to make a grown man weep. I hope you understand where I’m coming from. I can send you an essay I had written 2 years ago about the propaganda war between both nations as well if you wish 🙂 I think I had the most fun with that one, researching a good 4 months
I really don’t want to engage in a dialogue in this forum, especially since I am a long ways from being an authority on the topic of NK. As I said before, this post was meant to strictly raise awareness about it. Where I come from is a place where folks are obsessed with Israel-Palestine and it drives me mad that there are similar conflicts, like NK, but they just pretend those don’t exist.
You’re right… there are a lot of places that just don’t exist legally in constant conflict 🙂 I’m glad you brought it to light in either case. I simply hope that people do their own research and not fall victim to the propaganda war.
I agree. It is always important for people to come to their own conclusions.