The HRD of Artsakh made a statement on the occasion of the World Refugee Day.
“World Refugee Day is an opportunity to discuss the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced persons again. Although the rights of thousands of Armenians who have been forcibly displaced due to Azerbaijan’s aggressive actions have been constantly raised on various platforms, the issues raised have not received adequate attention from the international community.
As a result of massacres and deportations in Baku, Sumgait, Kirovabad, and several other settlements of Soviet Azerbaijan, as well as the aggressive war unleashed against Artsakh in the 1990s, more than 500,000 Armenians have become refugees, who, unfortunately, do not receive the necessary attention and support arising from their status. received until today.
In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijani aggression led to the forced displacement of about 40,000 citizens of Artsakh, resulting in people losing their native homes, lands, and property. Among them are people who have already been displaced for the third time due to the continuous aggression of Azerbaijan. Taking refuge mainly in other settlements of Artsakh and in the Republic of Armenia, more than two and a half years after the war, they face many social and psychological problems in Armenia and Artsakh at almost every step of their life.
Today, more than 15,000 forcibly displaced people live under siege in Artsakh, struggling with displacement and the blockade’s effects. As a result of the embargo on Artsakh, the construction of around 3,700 apartments intended for them was suspended due to the lack of construction materials imported to Artsakh. People continue to live in temporary accommodations, hotels, and hostels.
Due to the problems faced by Artsakh’s state budget as a result of the blockade, about 30,000 forcibly displaced persons in Armenia and Artsakh who need temporary housing do not receive their monthly rent compensation on time, as a result of which their social condition and housing conditions deteriorate significantly.
With the constant disruption of vital infrastructure, malnutrition, lack of essential goods and services, and security threats arising from Azerbaijan’s actions, the mental health of refugees and forcibly displaced persons worsens, in addition to their existing psychological problems.
These are only part of the problems. A report on the rights and issues of forcibly displaced and refugee persons is being prepared by the HRD staff, which will be published shortly, detailing all the existing challenges.
The international community, represented by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, should take immediate measures to protect the rights of Armenian refugees and forcibly displaced persons.
