Hundreds of Armenian Australians travelled to Canberra from New South Wales and Victoria on Monday to protest Azerbaijan's seizure of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the Southern Caucasus and call on other nations to take action.
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Protests in Canberra started at the Turkish embassy, and proceeded to the US, Russian and Azerbaijani embassies, where Armenian Australians chanted and held up signs that read "Artsakh is Armenia".
Most of the the 120,000 Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh have fled the region, also known as Artsakh, after Azerbaijani forces launched a new military offensive and seized control of the mountain enclave last month.
The region is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but has been run by ethnic Armenians for decades and home to them for centuries.
Houry Mayissian, one of the volunteers organising the protest, said Azerbaijan was guilty of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"We will continue to demand from the world to sanction Turkey, to sanction Azerbaijan, and eventually we believe that they will pay for their crimes because we will not stop until they have," she said.
In 2020, Azeri forces, backed by Turkey, mounted a military offensive in the long-disputed region.
They reclaimed several districts during the six-week war before Russia brokered a ceasefire and stationed around 2000 peacekeepers in the region.
Ms Mayissian said a protest was held in front the Russian embassy on Monday because peacekeepers needed to do more to protect Armenians in Artsakh.
She said protesters also went to the US embassy because the American administration "has been silent".
The Armenian Australian community said the Australian government also needed to take action.
Armenian National Committee of Australia chair Vache Kahramanian urged the government to assist with humanitarian aid and impose sanctions on Azerbaijan.
"Australia has had a proud history of humanitarian assistance in the world. But sadly when it's come to the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian people, the Australian government's silence has been deafening," he said.
Mr Kahramanian said many of those who fled have "nothing but the shirts on their back".
"Today, it's our responsibility, albeit 14,000 kilometres away in Canberra, to raise awareness of the plight of 100,000 people who don't have a voice," he said.
The Coalition has also called the on the government to do more.
"Australia should also join partner nations in contributing towards emergency funding and expertise," shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham posted last month on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong on September 20 called for Azerbaijan to "cease its military escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh".
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"We encourage dialogue and a commitment by all sides to talks that deliver a just and lasting peace," she wrote on X.
But the Armenian National Committee of Australia said Senator Wong has not issued a statement since the exodus.
In a statement sent to The Canberra Times on Monday, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said the department was "deeply concerned and closely monitoring the unfolding humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh".
Natalie Vikhrov
Natalie Vikhrov reports on federal politics and public service for The Canberra Times. Prior to this, she spent several years covering human rights in Eastern Europe, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Get in touch via natalie.vikhrov@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Natalie Vikhrov reports on federal politics and public service for The Canberra Times. Prior to this, she spent several years covering human rights in Eastern Europe, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Get in touch via natalie.vikhrov@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
