Throughout history Armenians have been notoriously divided, even in the face of catastrophe, and that, more often than not, has contributed to our historic losses.
Today, as Artsakh nears the point of extinction, are we speaking with one voice? Apparently not.
We hear pro-Russian comments from Stepanakert and anti-Russian statements from Yerevan. If this dissonance were based on agreed upon disagreements, we would be gratified that finally Armenians have come to the realization that in the complex and dangerous international situations, they have devised a coordinated policy to take advantage of moving political targets. However, we are afraid the difference of positions reflects different assessments of the situation and in fact will divide support.
And to make matters worse, while different voices are heard from Armenia and Artsakh, there is no voice yet emanating from the diaspora. No massive movements seem to be in the offing and no demands nor have challenges been extended from Yerevan to the diasporan masses.
For almost a month, the Lachin Corridor has been blocked, suffocating the Karabakh Armenians, but the international community has failed to provide any remedy nor have Armenians around the world focused their desperation on a specific goal or acted collectively. The only consolation is in the Chinese adage that every crisis is also an opportunity; as Azerbaijani authorities continue the pressure, adding one demand after another, they are justifying the application of the principle of remedial secession for the Karabakh people.
In the past decade, Azerbaijan was able to paralyze the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, with the active participation of Russia. That entity held the last and best hope for the Armenian side, as it maintained that there is no military solution to the conflict and that the Karabakh status question remains unresolved. But as that hope fades, we realize that no negotiated settlement on the status could be any better than remedial secession, which may mean self-determination.
