The absolutely toxic atmosphere between Armenians and Azerbaijan makes coexistence impossible. But why has there been hatred and violence for more than a hundred years?
Nearly 14,000 Armenians have already fled Nagorno-Karabakh. And many more will follow in the coming days. People are afraid of the Azeris, who completely conquered the area, which is mainly inhabited by Armenians but belongs to Azerbaijan under international law, in a war that lasted barely 24 hours. However, the relationship between Armenians and Azeris is so toxic that coexistence seems impossible. The country has been characterized by hatred and violence for more than a hundred years. And so the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh now fear for their lives. In any case, for their freedom, because for the Azeris they are all terrorists.
Tens of thousands dead on both sides
In fact, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced about a million people to flee – on both sides – in recent decades. Ethnicity did not play such a role under the Persians and later the Russian tsars. Many Muslim Azeris lived in present-day Armenia and many Christian Armenians lived in present-day Azerbaijan. It was not until the early 20th century that nationalists began to play a greater role on both sides. After the fall of the Tsarist Empire, two independent states were founded for the first time – because the population was so mixed, it was not possible even then to agree on the demarcation of the borders.
In the Soviet Union, Armenians and Azeris subsequently got their own republics – but even there a fair demarcation of the borders was actually not possible. The Soviets first assigned Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, but shortly afterwards to Azerbaijan as an “autonomous region”. The share of Armenians subsequently fell from 95 to 77 percent. The conflict reached a peak with perestroika. In 1988, the regional parliament in Nagorno-Karabakh voted to join Armenia. The result was a massacre of ethnic Armenians in Azerbaijan.
Luck has turned
In 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence, but no country in the world recognized it. In a war that lasted until 1994, Armenia eventually occupied the region – and several neighboring provinces. Bloody massacres took place among ethnic Azeris. Almost all Azeris fled the area and almost all Armenians fled Azerbaijan. Today the tide has turned. Azerbaijan, which has become rich, has defeated poor Armenia.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
