Wendy Sherman: “For 46 days, the Government of Azerbaijan has forcibly cut off 120,000 ethnic Armenians in the Republic of Artsakh. They…”

“For 46 days, the Government of Azerbaijan has forcibly cut off 120,000 ethnic Armenians in the Republic of Artsakh. They are cut off from the outside world. Food has become scarce. They have to ration even basic items. Diapers and medicine supplies have become so low that Facebook pages are opening where residents are trying to find these items from their neighbors. Residents are separated from their families on the other side of the border in Armenia, including children who have been attending school or visiting families. Azerbaijan has even gone so far as to cut off natural gas during the depth of winter. A humanitarian crisis is brewing, and we should act to prevent it. Let's be clear about what this attempt is. It is an attempt by Azerbaijan to force Artsakh's ethnic Armenian population out of their homes by making life in Artsakh impossible. The tactic is blockade. The effect is civilian deprivation. The object is ethnic cleansing. But don't take my word for it. Listen to Azerbaijani dictator Aliyev who made his intentions clear when this blockade unfolded by saying, ``Whoever does not want to become our citizen . . . can leave.'' What does he mean? The ethnic Armenians are citizens. They are citizens of the Republic of Artsakh, but Aliyev doesn't recognize that citizenship and instead uses it as an excuse to say that he wants to ethnically cleanse these 120,000 people.…”