01/18/2021 Nagorno-Karabakh (International Christian Concern) – Though the war has ended in Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenian: Artsakh), Azeri and Turkish messaging continue to undermine and threaten local Armenian Christians. Azerbaijani authorities are working to rewrite the narrative of Nagorno-Karabakh, teaching it to the younger generations and mass producing for consumption.
For example, a recent report highlighted how eighth grade textbooks include highly slanted language, discrediting any rights Armenians and Christians may have to the land. The textbooks blame Armenian Christians for Azerbaijan’s historical struggles, fostering an us versus them mentality. While Christianity and Islam both have historical roots in the region, it is dangerous to rewrite history in such a way to a younger generation who cannot question the government’s ideology.
Azerbaijan works to push the anti-Armenian, anti-Nagorno-Karabakh mindset to the broader public as well. State media boasted of new postage stamps, bearing “heroes” from the 44-day war. The stamps depict COVID workers alongside deminers and soldiers. Such cloaked language fit within the wider narrative by state media that Armenian residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are like a pandemic that needs to be eliminated.
This state media campaign against Armenians and the Christians of Nagorno-Karabakh further insights fear and tears down the Christian identity.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
