No Way Around: The Human Cost of Azerbaijan's Ethnic Cleansing Policy in Artsakh

The Lachin corridor, the sole road that connects Armenia with Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh has been blocked since 12 December, denying access to vital goods and services, including food, fuel, and medical supplies, for over 120,000 ethnic Armenians living in Artsakh. Moreover, unlawful blockage prevents residents of Artsakh from moving freely from and to the region. Thousands of Armenians who had been away from their homes before 12 December are currently unable to reach their homes, including children who were on a school trip to Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The unfolding humanitarian crisis has been reported by Human Rights Watch reported as well.

The Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijani protesters, protesting the alleged illegal mining of natural resources in Artsakh. Azerbaijani special forces agents have been identified among so-called “eco protestors”.

On 27 December, UNICEF warned about the deteriorating situation in Artsakh, resulting from the illegal blockade orchestrated by the Azeri state. Samantha Power, the serving Administrator of the US Agency for International Development, demanded that the Corridor must be immediately opened. UNICEF also warns that thousands of children are being affected by the lack of basic food items. Access to essential services has become challenging. Many children have also been separated from their parents or legal guardians.

On 20 December the UN Security Council met to discuss the issue. The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN Mher Margaryan reported that the situation in Artsakh is close to turning into a humanitarian calamity. Margaryan upheld that the Lachin Corridor blockade was not an isolated incident, but yet another demonstration of systematic violence by the Azeri authorities, whose ultimate goal is the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh Armenians.

The US Representative to the UN, Ambassador Robert A. Wood told the UN Security Council that the blockage of the Lachin Corridor undermines the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. As food, medicine, fuel, and other basic goods run extremely low in Artsakh, Azerbaijan did not hesitate to cut off the entire region’s internet connection as well. The Azerbaijani side periodically cuts off Artsakh’s natural gas supply too. Against the dire background of the emerging humanitarian catastrophe, one cannot help stressing that following the 9 November 2020 Tripartite ceasefire agreement, Russian peacekeepers have been vested with the obligation of ensuring the unhindered flow of goods and free movement of persons through the Corridor among other responsibilities.

The statistics reveal the dire humanitarian crisis faced by the population of Artsakh, caused by Azerbaijan's policy of ethnic cleansing in the region.

• According to the Ministry of Education of Artsakh, the ongoing blockade has forced the temporary closure of 117 schools, resulting in nearly 20,000 children being denied their right to education due to power outages.

• As of January 19th, the International Committee of the Red Cross has transferred a total of 36 patients from Artsakh to Armenia.

• Currently, 9 infants are receiving care in the neonatal and intensive care units at the children's hospital.

• 154 children have been born in besieged conditions since the start of the siege.

• Additionally, 460 citizens were denied access to surgical treatment for their health issues as a result of the suspension of planned surgeries in all medical institutions under the Ministry of Health of Artsakh.

Artsakh’s Information Headquarters has reported that the grave economic situation caused by the persisting blockade has resulted in at least 3,400 individuals losing their jobs and source of income.