Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move the motion relating to the blockade of Artsakh in the terms in which it appears on the Notice Paper:

That this House:

(1) notes that following a ten-month blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in defiance of the orders of the International Court of Justice, on 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan conducted an unprovoked 24-hour military assault against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh);

(2) unequivocally condemns the lightning military assault which resulted in the forcible displacement of an estimated 100,000 indigenous Armenians from their ancestral homeland;

(3) acknowledges the:

(a) Government's condemnation of the 24-hour military assault and the allocation of $500,000 in humanitarian aid to the UNHCR, complementing contributions from the City of Ryde and Willoughby City Council; and

(b) bipartisan parliamentary support for emergency funding and expertise to the International Committee of the Red Cross to assist the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh;

(4) calls on Azerbaijan to abide by the International Court of Justice's provisional measures handed down on 17 November 2023, calling for the right of return for Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh under enforceable international guarantees of their security and rights;

(5) further notes the ongoing tension in the region and calls on Azerbaijan to withdraw from the internationally recognised borders of the Republic of Armenia; and

(6) further calls on Azerbaijan to release all illegally detained Armenian political prisoners, including civilians and calls on Azerbaijan to take steps to ensure the protection of ancient cultural and historical sites in Nagorno-Karabakh.

I rise to express my support for the right to self-determination of the Armenian people in Nagorno-Karabakh and the republic of Artsakh. I condemn the unconscionable attack by Azerbaijan in September 2023, which has caused untold misery and has driven almost all Armenians who formerly lived in Nagorno-Karabakh from their homes.

Azerbaijan's military actions in September 2023 were devastating for the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, who had already endured a 10-month blockade of the Lachin corridor. Civilians living in Nagorno-Karabakh were forced to endure violence as well as desperate shortages of food, power and medical supplies. The toll on Australians of Armenian heritage, including many in my electorate of Bradfield, and on those concerned for family members and other loved ones in Nagorno-Karabakh was enormous and remains ongoing to this day.

The International Court of Justice found that the disruption on the Lachin corridor has:

… impeded the transfer of persons of Armenian national or ethnic origin hospitalized in Nagorno-Karabakh to medical facilities in Armenia for urgent medical care. There have also been hindrances to the importation into Nagorno-Karabakh of essential goods, causing shortages of food, medicine and other life-saving medical supplies.

The US government publicly stated that the checkpoint at Lachin corridor undermined efforts to establish confidence in the peace process.

The coalition has consistently called for Azerbaijan to reopen the corridor, for the International Court of Justice orders to be honoured, and for the disputes to be resolved peacefully and in ways that protect the civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite this, the Albanese Labor government disappointingly, very disappointingly, failed to join with allies in publicly stating Australia's opposition to the blockade.

Azerbaijan's attack of September 2023 drove more than 100,000 of the 120,000 Armenian inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh out of their homes and communities. At the time of the attack, the coalition called for Azerbaijan to cease hostilities as well as to protect the rights and culture of residents of Armenian heritage. We called for Azerbaijan to allow an independent international observer mission.

The coalition welcomed the Australian government's commitment of $500,000 to the United Nations's refugee agency, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, to alleviate the suffering of Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh. Coalition parliamentarians, or their officers, spoke directly with representatives of the Australian Armenian community who were on the ground assisting refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh who were arriving in Armenia, seeking food, shelter and medical supplies. These Australians, members of the Armenian National Committee of Australia and other volunteers, reinforced to us the urgent need for humanitarian support for the civilians who had been displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh and the role the International Committee of the Red Cross played as one of the very few international aid agencies on the ground in Armenia.

Based on that direct feedback, the coalition called on the Albanese Labor government to make an urgent financial commitment from Australia to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Armenia to support the wellbeing of those fleeing from Nagorno-Karabakh. We also offered our bipartisan support for the Australian government to publicly state its support for the proposed international observer mission and to provide such expertise as Australia is able to offer based upon our nation's experience in supporting responses to international humanitarian emergencies. We welcome the fact that Australia joined the joint statement on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh at the United Nations Human Rights Council in October last year.

The coalition supports the ongoing efforts by the international community to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the territorial disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Australia's major parties are bipartisan in our support for Armenia and Azerbaijan reaching agreement that guarantees the rights and security of the peoples in Nagorno-Karabakh and in recognising the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. I therefore very much commend this motion to the House. I call upon the Australian government to take a clear and firm stance to call for the removal of Azerbaijani troops from the sovereign borders of Armenia, for the right of return of Armenians to Artsakh and for the release of all Armenian prisoners, and for Azerbaijan to cease its erasure of the Armenian presence in the region.

Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijani forces conducted an unprovoked military assault on Artsakh. This attack precipitated a crisis and the forcible displacement of an estimated 100,000 indigenous Armenians from their ancestral homeland. Prior to this September assault, Azerbaijani forces blocked the highway connecting the republic of Artsakh and Armenia. This deliberate action left 120,000 people trapped without secure access to essential supplies, including food, energy and medical resources. The tactics employed by Azerbaijani authorities in implementing and maintaining this blockade created untenable living circumstances for months. This blockade was deliberate, and then it created a crisis—a crisis that lasted for 281 days leading to Azerbaijan's two-day offensive.

Despite a clear violation of the 2020 ceasefire agreement between both countries, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Artsakh. Azerbaijan claimed its operations were not targeting civilian positions, but witnesses painted a different picture. Strikes were reported close to large cities and densely populated areas, raising significant concerns about the safety and wellbeing of the civilian population. By the end of those two fateful days, Artsakh reported that 27 people had lost their lives and more than 200 individuals were injured. This conflict led to further turmoil, as authorities evacuated over 7,000 people from settlements.

When fighting ended, Azerbaijan opened the border for the first time in months, and in fear of retribution at the hands of aggressors an estimated 100,000 indigenous Armenians fled. They had no option but to leave and were forced to flee their homes for fear of death. As thousands fled Artsakh to escape the threats a catastrophic explosion at a fuel storage facility resulted in the loss of at least 170 lives, with more than 290 people injured.

The Armenian people have endured so much. The blockade followed by the assault have deeply concerned human rights organisations and experts in genocide prevention. Alarming alerts have been issued, indicating that the ethnic Armenian population in Artsakh is at significant risk of genocide. These risks cannot be ignored by the world, because Armenia has been through this before. For many Armenians, witnessing the unrest in the Artsakh region has brought home horrendous memories, reopening deep wounds and igniting a sense of collective trauma that has persisted since the Armenian genocide of April 1915.

There are around 50,000 Australian Armenians, most of whom live in my electorate of Bennelong. Our Armenian Australian community makes Bennelong a better place to live. I'm proud to have a strong history of standing beside them in their ongoing fight for recognition and justice. In my former role as councillor and mayor of the City of Ryde and now as a chair of the parliamentary friends of Armenia group, I've actively worked alongside the Armenian National Committee and local Australian Armenians to ensure that their plight is recognised and addressed. I have called for government recognition of the genocide in the past and will continue to do so.

In the wake of the recent crisis, I've been one of many from all sides of politics to have raised the blockade and the two-day assault with government. In response, the government have condemned the brutal assault on Artsakh by Azerbaijan and, in recognising the severe humanitarian crisis resulting from this aggression, have taken concrete steps to provide immediate assistance and support to those affected. Bipartisan calls for allocating humanitarian aid were heard, and in response the government allocated half a million dollars in humanitarian aid to the UNHCR. This funding has supported emergency relief efforts by providing essential supplies to the displaced Armenian population.

There's a lot going on in the world right now. As the representative of the largest Armenian Australian community in Australia, it's important that their voices remain heard and that these issues remain well known to the government. I see that as my most important role, and I'll continue to raise the ongoing situation in Artsakh and Nagorno-Karabakh within government for as long as is needed.

The actions of Azerbaijan are ongoing, senseless and unprovoked. They have caused and continue to cause immense suffering and displacement. They need to know that the world is watching. Political prisoners need to be released, internationally recognised borders must be respected and ancient cultural sites must be preserved. These are not unreasonable asks.

Sophie Scamps (Mackellar, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 27 March last year I rose in this place to discuss the situation in the Artsakh region of Armenia. I rise today on the same topic in support of the member for Bradfield's motion and to thank him for bringing this issue to the parliament again.

Artsakh was an unrecognised self-governed Armenian region after holding a democratic referendum following the breakdown of the Soviet Union. In that referendum, 99.81 per cent of the population voted for independence from Azerbaijan. There has been ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia ever since.

In September 2020, Azerbaijan re-established control over much of Artsakh's territory during a 44-day military assault. The Armenian controlled territory in Artsakh shrank to the local capital area and only some parts of the region surrounding it. Its population consisted of an estimated 120,000 ethnic Armenians, who were promised access to Armenia via a single route, the so-called Lachin corridor. On 12 December 2022, Azerbaijan blockaded the Lachin corridor, the road that connects the republic of Artsakh to the Republic of Armenia. Essential supplies of food, water and medicine were blocked. In February 2023, the International Court of Justice ordered provisional measures to ensure that Azerbaijan end the blockade of the Lachin corridor. The order, which has a binding effect, states:

The Republic of Azerbaijan shall … take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.

Tragically, not only has that order not been followed by Azerbaijan but, in September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against the self-declared breakaway state of Artsakh. This offensive resulted in nearly the entire population of Artsakh fleeing their homeland for neighbouring countries. Human rights organisations and experts in genocide prevention warned that the region's Armenian population was at risk of being subjected to ethnic cleansing and genocide, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The inaugural prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has labelled the ethnic cleansing of the Artsakh Armenians as the second Armenian genocide, encouraged by the inaction of the international community.

There is a wonderful and vibrant Armenian community in my electorate of Mackellar, where the bilingual Armenian-English AGBU Alexander Primary School is also located. I have had representations from many in their community, including from students from this school. On their behalf, I have in turn made representations to the foreign minister's office about the ongoing crisis and met with foreign affairs department specialists to discuss the matter.

At this time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, it is important we keep a close eye on the situation in the republic of Artsakh, listen to the international observer groups and provide the Mackellar Armenian community and the rest of the Armenian community inside Australia with as much support and information as possible. There is so much brutality in the world right now. Between Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the military action in Gaza, there is much to distract us from the pain and loss being suffered by the people of Armenia and Artsakh. But we cannot and must not look away.

David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this afternoon to speak on the member for Bradfield's motion, and I note the important contributions made by previous speakers. Known by Armenians as Artsakh, or Black Garden, the enclave Armenian population within Azerbaijani territory was subjected to a devastating months-long blockade that prevented food and medical supplies reaching its 120,000 residents, followed by an unprovoked 24-hour military assault by Azerbaijani forces. Azerbaijani authorities have internationally recognised sovereignty over these territories and exercise control over the territory from which the blockade was being carried out. However, they wilfully ignored their obligation to ensure that the population in Nagorno-Karabakh was not denied access to food and other essential goods and medications. With social media bringing the footage of these brutal engagements to the phone screens of Armenians across the world, community members in Australia were more exposed to the conflict than ever before, and the despair and grief in their committees has been heard by this parliament.

It's important to note that for the second time now an Australian government has recognised Azerbaijan's belligerent actions—firstly, in November 2022, acknowledging Azerbaijan as the responsible party for a specific series of crimes against Armenian prisoners of war and the desecration of Armenian cultural and religious sites; and, secondly, acknowledging Azerbaijan as the instigator of legal blockade in violation of international law. The Australian government provided half a million dollars to the United Nations refugee agency to alleviate the suffering of Armenians who fled the region following Azerbaijan's military escalation. During the blockade, the Australian government was concerned by the humanitarian situation and the welfare of more than 100,000 people from Nagorno-Karabakh now in Armenia. Australia's contribution helped provide shelter and supplies to refugees and host communities. In August last year, we joined with the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Parliament and many other nations and prominent non-governmental organisations in supporting the International Court of Justice's provisional measures when the court ordered Azerbaijan to take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin corridor in both directions.

On 11 October 2023, Australia joined the Joint Statement on the Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh at the 54th session of the Human Rights Council, supporting the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Finally, in November last year, at the UN during the Universal Periodic Review of Azerbaijan, the Australian government recommended that Azerbaijan (1) immediately investigate allegations of illegal killings and torture by Azerbaijani soldiers during the 2020 war with Armenia and during fighting in September 2022; (2) cease arbitrary arrests of those critical of the government and release those held on politically motivated charges; and (3) investigate allegations of ill-treatment within the Azerbaijani criminal justice system and hold perpetrators to account.

Australia has been clear that we expect Azerbaijan should guarantee the rights and security of the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh and release all illegally detained Armenian political prisoners, particularly civilians. Australia calls on Azerbaijan to take steps to ensure the protection of ancient cultural and historical sites. We support mediation efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. A peace agreement should recognise the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan and uphold the rights and security of Armenians who have remained in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as those who may wish to return in the future. Australia welcomed the 7 December 2023 statement from the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, reaffirming their intention to negotiate a peace treaty. We are encouraged by recent progress, including Armenia and Azerbaijan agreeing to use the 1991 Alma-Ata declaration as the basis for border delimitation. Australia believes a future peace agreement should recognise the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries and uphold the rights and security of Armenians who have remained in Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as those who may wish to return in the future.

Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.