Violence cannot erase human memory and cannot silence voice of  justice - Garegin II

ArmInfo. Violence cannot erase human memory and cannot silence the voice of justice. This is  stated in the address of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the declaration of independence of the Republic of Artsakh.

As reported by the Press Office of the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, in  his address the Catholicos noted that under the conditions of  occupation and complete depopulation of Artsakh, the Armenian people  continue to celebrate this historic day. "Because Artsakh is not the  past, it is a historical homeland where the Armenians of Artsakh have  lived and created for thousands of years, defending their identity  with blood and sweat, investing their labor and knowledge in the  sacred values of their fathers. We continue to celebrate Artsakh  Independence Day also as a fair protest against genocide, violence  and hatred towards our people. Violence cannot erase human memory and  cannot silence the voice of justice. We believe that our historical  memory and the exploits of our ancestors will strengthen us, and our  people will overcome the catastrophic consequences of the war with  faith and hope and will strive to realize their national dreams and  plans with a patriotic spirit. Celebrating Artsakh Independence Day  is another message to our people and the international community that  supports high humanitarian values, makes active efforts for the  victory of justice and truth, protects the violated rights of the  Armenians of Artsakh and preserves the Armenian spiritual and  cultural heritage of Artsakh. On this day, let us offer prayers to  God for all those who fell and gave their lives for the liberation  and defense of Artsakh, and let us also ask the Almighty for help for  the speedy release of the military and political leaders of Artsakh  and all our captive children. May the Lord always preserve love and  loyalty in the souls of the children of our people, spread peace and  comfort in our family life and lead our entire nation to bright and  victorious achievements," reads the address of Garegin II. Let us  recall that September 2 will mark 33 years since the adoption of the  Declaration of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in 1991. The people of  Artsakh expressed their determination to build and strengthen their  statehood based on democratic norms in the referendum on independence  on December 10, 1991. 

Azerbaijan launched a military operation against Artsakh on September  19, 2023. It ended on September 20 with the mediation of Russian  peacekeepers. According to the latest data from the Investigative  Committee of Armenia, as a result of Azerbaijan's aggression against  Artsakh, more than 200 people were killed, more than 300 were  wounded, 16 were captured, 14 were tortured, and 42 went missing. The  following people arrived in Armenia: 100,632 internally displaced  persons from Artsakh. Having occupied Artsakh, Azerbaijan continues  to implement the policy of eliminating the Armenian trace in this  region.