The continuation of the war unleashed in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) with the direct support of Turkey is a cultural genocide. Baku bans UNESCO specialists from entering the territories under its control and carries out systematic work on the elimination of the Armenian trace in the name of restoration.
According to the Azerbaijani handwriting, Armenian sanctuaries are desecrated. One of the symbols of Artsakh, St. Ghazanchetsots, for example, is ‘restored’ by declaring it Albanian.
The weather in Shushi is gloomy, like the scene. There is a Turkish handwriting on the Armenian Holy Cross.
One can guess why the shot changes quickly from the cross. Azerbaijanis are, so-called, ‘renovating’ Ghazanchetsots, out of sight.
“If we consider that they are really renovating, the deck should have been placed in the church. Whereas we see that, it is the part of the bell tower that was not damaged during the war. The problem is different here,” says architect Raffi Kortoshyan, Deputy Director of the Foundation for the Study of Armenian Architecture.
The task is to eliminate the Armenian trace and falsify the origin of the church, as they are accustomed to presenting the Armenian as the Albanian.
“Yes, Azerbaijan openly violates the international law, pursues a policy of fascism. He does not hide, does not give up its criminal intentions. We must first learn lessons and, secondly, show this barbarism on various international platforms,” says Davit Babayan, Artsakh Foreign Minister.
Armenia talks to the world about Baku’s steps. The announcements do not yield results yet. Azerbaijan continues to ban the visit of international organizations, UNESCO to the occupied territories of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
“We have already witnessed the precedents of the destruction of Armenian places of worship, monuments, and official statements justifying them. This issue is in our constant attention and works. I will bring an example: on April 24, the ‘Heritage in Danger: Artsakh’ exhibition opening ceremony took place. It was attended by high-ranking delegations arrived in Armenia,” says, Ara Aivazian, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia.
While the higher authorities reprimand Aliyev, the priest is praying from Stepanakert, having the Ghazanchetsots in his mind.
“They are trying to eliminate the Armenian trace which is everywhere, wherever it is seen. We saw the cross of the spring being demolished. I am sure they will write other records there. We recently saw on the Internet that the church walls were torn down,” says Father Andreas Tavadyan, caretaker of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, pastor of the Ghazanchetsots Holy Savior Cathedral.
The priest of the wounded monastery remembers the liberation of the fortress town. They knew no step must be taken against other spiritual values. In 1994, mosques in areas under Armenian control were damaged but not desecrated.
“And they are destroying, it is a difference of worldview, but it does not mean that tomorrow, if we liberate again, we will act in their way,” Babayan says.
Everyone will understand Baku’s handwriting when one day the media visit Shushi, just as a BBC journalist who visited Jrakan and discovered the disappearance of an Armenian church.
“The red cow does not change its skin, I suppose now they want to do their vandalism in a slightly more civilized way. Because we have seen, right, how the inscriptions are erased with an ax, a khachkar (cross stone) is being demolished in Hadrut,” says Kortoshyan.
The Azerbaijani authorities have learned the obsession to destroy the cross from their elder brother (Turkey), who is still unpunished. After the massacre of Armenians in Western Armenia, our cultural heritage was destroyed or turned into mosques, warehouses...and what is this - a gym. Seda Parsamyan reminds another part of the Turkish handwriting - the example of St. Stephen of Trabzon.
“It is the survivors of the Genocide who came in 18 and found the church in this condition,” says Seda Parsamyan, Head of AGMI Museum Exhibition Organization.
St. Stephen of Western Armenia or Ghazanchetsots and Dadivank of Artsakh, the Turkish goal is the same: to desecrate, destroy or forbid the Armenian prayer. Last week, under the pretext of the pandemic, the Azerbaijanis banned the pilgrims and the head of the Artsakh Diocese from entering Dadivank.
