The Second Armenian Genocide

Never again…?

It may seem surprising, but a decade ago, the very concept of Genocide was considered a thing of the past. The most well-known examples - the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and even the Rwandan Genocide were seen as history by that point, things which we should be ashamed of, but that would not, could not happen in our modern world.Indeed, a decade ago, the very way genocide was discussed was completely different. “Never again” was a common utterance. But then again, the very phrase “Never again” was coined as a result of the horrendous atrocities committed against the Jews and other minorities of Europe during the Second World War. Rwanda and Srebrenica happened long after we had supposedly learned our lesson, long after we had so firmly said “Never again !”. But perhaps we have learned our lesson by now ?

Lessons not learned

To say that the 21st century has been particularly peaceful might seem like a bad joke, especially in light of the Russia-Ukraine War, the Myanmar Civil War, and the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Yet, from a historical point of view, it’s true: fewer people have died as a result of war in this century than in most previous ones. Why bring this up? To show that we have not evolved past our most horrific impulses. In fact, many of the major wars that have erupted in the 21st century have either led to or been accompanied by acts of genocide.

The Darfur genocide occurred in the shadow of Sudan’s civil war; the Yazidi genocide unfolded in the midst of the war against ISIL, itself a byproduct of the invasion of Iraq, which was then partly motivated by an incipient genocide against the Kurds. Allegations of genocide have been raised in the context of the war in Gaza and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And now, most recently, the world has witnessed the ethnic cleansing and, arguably, genocide of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan’s invasion of the region. This pattern is a chilling reminder that, despite the post-Cold War optimism and the international community’s much-touted “Responsibility to Protect,” many around the world are, in fact, in more danger than ever.

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War

While most eyes were cast on the conflict between Israel and Palestine, another conflict flared up, receiving far less international attention. A conflict that would have devastating consequences for a small, long-contested region in the South Caucasus. In the fall of 2020, after months of posturing, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, reigniting a frozen conflict that had simmered since a previous 1994 ceasefire. Backed by advanced weaponry and drones, many supplied by Turkey and Israel, Azerbaijan swiftly reclaimed territory that had been under Armenian control for nearly three decades. The war lasted just 44 days but killed thousands and left deep scars on the region.

What made the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War particularly alarming was not only the scale of destruction but the geopolitical shift it signaled. Turkey’s overt military and political support for Azerbaijan emboldened Baku, while Russia, traditionally Armenia’s security guarantor, remained largely passive until brokering a ceasefire that favored Azerbaijani territorial gains. For the Armenians of Karabakh, the 2020 war was a turning point, a signal that their longstanding autonomy was no longer protected and that the world’s attention was elsewhere. It set the stage for the final chapter in 2023 and the tragedy that would follow

Once it’s a tragedy, twice…

The Armenian Genocide is perhaps among the most well-known examples of genocide in history, yet it remains one of the most fervently denied and politically charged. The systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I was a grim precursor to the Holocaust and has become a foundational element of Armenia’s national identity. Against this historical backdrop, the events in Nagorno-Karabakh take on an especially haunting resonance. Although the region is legally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, it was, at least until recently, home to a population that was almost entirely ethnically Armenian, with a distinct cultural and religious identity and decades of de facto independence. 

Out of a population of roughly 150,000, an estimated 120,000 fled following Azerbaijan’s 2023 military offensive, which resulted in a complete takeover of the region, fearing a repeat of the atrocities their ancestors had endured less than 100 years ago. The departure of nearly 80% of the population of a region and their inability to really return can be called few things but a tragedy, but the fact that it’s happening to a community that has already been subjected to crimes against humanity not even a century ago makes it almost a tragic farce.

Call it what it is?

Words have meaning, that is why it's important to use the right terms rather than employ euphemistic phrasing. The First Armenian Genocide is one of the most contested, yet clear examples.The national identity of Armenia was built on the back of a Genocide committed against them. The fact that its citizens would then flee at the incipient stages of new potential abuses comes as no surprise. Azerbaijan has been accused of destroying the cultural and religious heritage of the area, discriminating against ethnic Armenians, and even erasing entire villages off the face of the earth. And yet, can this be called a genocide? Are we demeaning the past by comparing it to the present? 

The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, while deeply troubling, may not meet the stringent legal threshold of genocide. However, the destruction of cultural heritage, the erasure of Armenian villages, and the systemic discrimination against ethnic Armenians by Azerbaijani forces are undeniable indicators of a campaign to erase Armenian presence from the region.

What remains to be done?

The lessons of history are clear: the international community's failure to act decisively in the face of atrocities has repeatedly led to catastrophic consequences. The phrase "Never again" rings hollow if it is not accompanied by concrete actions to prevent and punish crimes against humanity. The world has turned a blind eye to the suffering of the Armenian people in Nagorno-Karabakh. Whether or not the term "genocide" is applied, the urgent need for humanitarian intervention, accountability, and justice cannot be overstated.

The Western World once made a promise to uphold its responsibility to protect vulnerable populations and ensure that the horrors of the past are never again repeated. The Armenian people have already endured one genocide; they must not be forced to endure another. And yet the fact is this: Armenia might not only suffer alone, but it might suffer almost completely unnoticed as the world moves inexorably onwards.

Less than a decade ago, genocide was talked about like a thing of the past. The most well known examples; the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide and even the Rwandan Genocide were seen as history by that point, things which we should be ashamed of, but that could not happen in our modern world.

Never again…?

Go back a decade ago and the way in which Genocide was disscussed was completely different. “Never again” was a common utterance, even after the Rwandan Genocide, maybe even especially so. And then the Srebrenica Massacre happened, followed not too long after by the Darfur Genocide. And this is not to speak of the many other instances which,

Call it what it is.

Sources: (Viewpoint: Challenging perceptions — The 21st century so far is the most peaceful time in human history - Genetic Literacy Project)(Forget Me Not: The Drama of Building an Identity on the Centennial of the Genocide of the Armenians The Drama of Building an Identity on the Centennial of the Genocide of the Armenians on JSTOR)

(UNESCO ‘concerned’ about destruction of Armenian heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh)

(Church, Entire Village 'Erased' In Azerbaijan's Recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh)