Thursday, 5 October 2023

Armenia–Azerbaijan war

Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:50): I realise we cannot bring props into the house, but some may have noticed that I have been wearing scarves and shawls this week. We all grieve in different ways, and I believe these scarves from Armenia are a sign of the grief I am feeling for the people of Armenia and in particular the Armenians of Artsakh. I was privileged and honoured to visit the Republic of Armenia last week as part of the 2023 Australian state parliamentary delegation to Armenia, hosted by the Armenian National Committee of Australia and the New South Wales Parliamentary Friends of Armenia.

Apart from being able to witness democracy in action with the gathering of Armenians at night to raise their concerns publicly in what is today considered the old Russian circle because of its circular architecture inspired by the sun in the centre of Yerevan, we travelled to the border town of Goris, where we witnessed firsthand the immediate peril and trauma of Armenians of all ages – newborn babies, children, mothers, fathers, grandparents and teens fleeing for their lives from the persecution and invasion of Artsakh, their homeland of 2000 years. The Armenians of Artsakh have only one road into the rest of Armenia, and soldiers have blocked this road since December last year, not allowing food or supplies to enter Artsakh for more than nine months. Despite attempts from compassionate individuals, many children who escaped last week once the troops finally opened their borders were suffering from starvation, sickness, injury and malnutrition and were being helped by the Red Cross.