Newsletter of the Artsakh Government – Day 87 Under Blockade

The policeman who received a gunshot wound in the chest from the attack by the Azerbaijani ambush group is in the intensive care unit.

The police officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who received a gunshot wound in the chest on March 5 from the attack by the Azerbaijani armed forces ambush group, continues to be in the intensive care unit of the Republican Medical Center CJSC of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh. 

As of now, the patient’s health condition is assessed as moderate and his life is not in danger.

On March 5, Azerbaijani armed forces ambushed and opened fire on the shift car of the personnel of the Passport and Visa Department of the Artsakh Police. The attack took place in a forested area on the road in “Khaipalu.”

As a result of ambush, 3 police officers were killed and one was seriously injured.

9 patients were transported to Armenia by the International Committee of the Red Cross

Another 9 medical patients who were transferred to Armenia for treatment, returned to Artsakh with their companions.

Transfer of patients from Artsakh to Armenia continues to be carried out exclusively with the mediation and accompaniment of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

As of March 7, a total of 153 patients were transferred from Artsakh to Armenia by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Unfortunately, such provocations are not excluded in the near future. President Araik Harutyunyan called an extended session of the Security Council on March 6

Before starting the session, the attendees observed a minute’s silence to honor the memory of the policemen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh who died as a result of the Azerbaijani ambush on March 5, then President Harutyunyan made a statement.

According to the President, the Artsakh side met with the Azerbaijani side on February 24 with the mediation and presence of the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in Artsakh in order to discuss the humanitarian and infrastructural issues of the situation. Then an agreement was reached regarding the second meeting, which took place on March 1, under the leadership of Security Council Secretary Samvel Shahramanyan. Four issues were on the agenda of the meetings: unblocking the Lachin Corridor, restoration of electricity supply from RA to Artsakh, uninterrupted supply of natural gas, and re-exploitation of the Kashen mine.

“During the second meeting, the representative of Azerbaijan tried to discuss political topics using the word integration, but Mr. Shahramanyan prevented it, saying that if political issues are to be discussed, it should be the topic of recognition of the independence of Artsakh by Azerbaijan. He added that they are not authorized to discuss political issues and cannot discuss such issues at this meeting,” said President Harutyunyan.

After that, according to the President, the Azerbaijani side conveyed to Artsakh, through its channels, that either you accept the integration policy, or there will be no solution to the existing problems, on the contrary, there will be tougher and sharper steps.

“We did not accept, we do not accept and today I want to state again that it is not only a decision of the Security Council, but the overwhelming majority of our people accept that we will not deviate from our right to independence and self-determination. And that means that in the near future we will have different developments and situations that we have to face. We choose to either continue the struggle that we have chosen, or if there are such moods in the public that we should accept the proposal presented by Azerbaijan, then they have the opportunity to speak up within the scope of their civil rights and say that the path we have chosen is wrong, try to shape that moods, form a new government in the country. But since we have chosen the path of struggle, please first of all respect our decision and do not react to any such phenomenon and do not give any internal political implications,” said the President.

“The fact that we have to fight for a long time and within the framework of that fight there will be such situations, we must realize it and take preventive measures. I have discussed our problems with the Minister of State and today I want to instruct the Government by the decision of the Security Council to develop a program in the directions of food security and energy security, because we have to calculate all scenarios,” President Harutyunyan said.

Artsakh State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan gave a remote interview to the Public Television Company of Armenia

The Minister of State described the Azerbaijani ambush operation on March 5 as a terrorist attack, where three employees of the Passport and Visa Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were killed and one was injured. The Minister of State also mentioned the victims and the wounded of the Azerbaijani side were taken out of the scene of the incident with the mediation of the Russian peacekeepers.

Gurgen Nersisyan also spoke about the behavior of the international community, calling it unacceptable and a test of the resistance of the people of Artsakh.

If the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group are really interested in a just solution to the conflict, they should at least show courage to visit Artsakh. Human Rights Defender of Artsakh

During meetings with various American and French circles, the claim is constantly heard that they are sincerely inclined to preserve the institution of co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group. From time to time, the OSCE Minsk Group is also talked about from Russia.

At this very moment, the American co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Louis Bono, and the French co-chairman, Brice Roquefoy, are in the region and are having meetings in Baku and Yerevan.

What prevents the American and French co-chairs in the region from visiting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in order to express their determination to preserve the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group and resolve the conflict peacefully?

Update of daily statistics

329 children have been born under the blockade.

About 800 people have been deprived of the opportunity to receive necessary medical treatment due to suspension of planned surgeries in all medical facilities of Artsakh.

As of today, 153 patients have been transferred from Artsakh to Armenia to receive appropriate medical care with the mediation and accompaniment of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Due to the Red Cross not having an ambulance and only being able to transport patients with an ordinary vehicle, it is not possible to transport patients needing to lay down because Azerbaijan has obstructed the movement of Artsakh ambulances.

755 business entities (17.7% of the total) have suspended their activities due to the impossible operating conditions under the blockade, while the remaining operate partially or with state support.

At least 6,400 people have lost jobs and sources of income as a result of the impact on the economy.

More than 34,800 tons of vital supplies, which would have been delivered during the period of the blockade, have not reached Artsakh. Only a meager amount, about 2,530 tons of goods, mostly food and medicine, has since been delivered by the ICRC and the Russian peacekeeping forces.

During the blockade, the economy of the Republic of Artsakh suffered a loss of around 150 million US dollars, leading to decline of the predicted annual GDP index (903 million dollars) by more than 16 percent.

Key facts

Due to the shortages in food, 20 long-day educational institutions have been working partially since January 9, and in different periods, instruction of kindergartens and schools were also completely or partially stopped.

Since the beginning of the blockade, several types of food, specifically almost all types of vegetables and fruits, which were imported from Armenia, have faced drastic shortages and eventually became unavailable. Considering the shortages of food, a special coupon system has been in effect in Artsakh since January 20. Within the coupon system, limited volumes of pasta, buckwheat, rice, sugar, oil, fruits, vegetables, eggs, as well as non-food products like washing powder, are sold.

Since January 9, the only high-voltage power line between Armenia and Artsakh has been cut in the territory under Azerbaijani control. The Azerbaijani side does not allow Artsakh specialists to enter and restore the power supply. Taking into account that the volume of domestic electricity production, currently run on hydropower, is much less than consumption, and the water resources of the Sarsang reservoir are decreasing, rolling blackouts have been instituted. From January 10 Artsakh switched to 2-hour blackouts, from January 17 to 4-hour blackouts, and since January 21 residents experience 6 hours of blackouts each day.

Since the beginning of the blockade, many countries and international organizations have condemned Azerbaijan’s actions and called for the lifting of the blockade. This issue was also discussed in the UN Security Council while the European Court of Human Rights ordered Azerbaijan to take all necessary and sufficient measures to end the blockade. The issue will soon be considered in the UN International Court of Justice (The Hague) as part of the proceedings of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

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