by: Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF), Islamabad.
The Western Azerbaijan Community is the legal successor of the “Azerbaijan Refugee Society” Association, which has been operating since 1989. On August 3, 2022, the name of the association was changed to “West Azerbaijan Community,” along with the approval of a new charter. Since its inception, dating back to 1989, the organization has played a crucial role as the primary public institution dedicated to collecting and preserving information pertaining to the challenges faced by West Azerbaijani refugees and the circumstances surrounding Azerbaijani families who became refugees between 1987 and 1991. In the wake of the occupation and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijani lands in 1992–1994, thousands of families, their households, endured significant losses due to displacement from their historical lands.
Objectives: The organization’s ongoing commitment involves meticulously documenting the rich tapestry of historical and cultural heritage in Western Azerbaijan. With a focus on objectives, the Western Azerbaijan Community is actively engaged in safeguarding the rights of Azerbaijanis expelled from the territory of Armenia.
Through its activities, the community strives for the return of forcibly removed Azerbaijanis and delineates a comprehensive framework encompassing goals, principles, and implementation measures grounded in international law, relevant domestic legislation, and historical facts. The overarching objective of the “Concept of Return” is to facilitate the safe and dignified repatriation of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia in a peaceful manner. Azerbaijanis aspires to return their historical lands, including Yerevan, Zangebasar, Goichu, Zangezur, Gyumri, Drlayza, and all other remaining historical territories.
Historical repressions against Azerbaijanis: Azerbaijanis faced systematic efforts by Armenian authorities through violence, massacres, and other crimes against humanity and human rights violations, notably during 1905-06, 1918–21, 1948–53, and 1988–91. The repercussions of these acts, coupled with the decisions of entities like the “Republic of Armenia” and “Republic of Mountain Armenia” in 1918–1921, led to the transfer of Azerbaijani-majority areas to Armenia, resulting in the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their historic lands.
Azerbaijani historical and cultural heritage, including mosques and graveyards, was destroyed; Azerbaijani toponyms were changed everywhere in the territory now known as Armenia; and Azerbaijanis were subjected to systematic racial discrimination. The persons involved in ethnic cleansing and other crimes against Azerbaijanis and their actions are glorified in Armenia at the state policy level.
This unprecedented injustice created a sense of impunity in the ruling circles of Armenia and encouraged them to make territorial claims, use force and military occupation against the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, further massive ethnic cleansing, and commit other crimes against humanity.
Armenia, not having been accordingly punished for the gross crimes committed by it and ignoring international legal norms, does not refrain from celebrating as a special day even with the participation of the high-ranking officials, its ethnic cleansing policy successes, as well as the devastation of the occupied cities by Azerbaijanis.
The policy of ethnic hatred and Azerbaijanio-phobia is supported by the Armenian state against Azerbaijan and carried out in a systematic manner. Although the Armenians have deepened the hatred between the peoples, created an environment of fear, and tried to prevent the Azerbaijanis from returning there, nothing can prevent the return of the Azerbaijanis who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands.
Right to safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis: Proceeding from the right to return enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and other important international acts, the Community strives for a safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis expelled from present-day Armenia to their homes and for ensuring their individual and collective rights upon return there.
In a late February 2023 statement, the Community urged the Armenian government to engage in negotiations within a relevant international process for the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of expelled Azerbaijanis. However, Armenia rejected the dialogue proposal. This is an indication that Armenia is not interested in peace and stability in the region.
Ensuring the safe and dignified return of these individuals is not just a moral imperative; it is a commitment to upholding the fundamental principles of human rights and human dignity, as enshrined in international law.
Creating an environment conducive to the safe and dignified return of displaced Azerbaijanis is crucial for promoting lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus region. The government of Armenia bears the responsibility to facilitate conditions for the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis exiled from locations currently considered part of the territory of Armenia
