Dozens gather on Rose Kennedy Greenway to bring attention to "ethnic cleansing" in Azerbaijan
BOSTON - Dozens of people gathered on the Rose Kennedy Greenway on Saturday to bring attention to the "ethnic cleansing" in Azerbaijan.
More than a 100,000 ethnic Armenian refugees have fled the Nagorno-Karabakh region after the Azerbaijan military, backed by Turkey, pushed into the area last week.
The Nagorno-Karabakh region has been home to self governing Armenians since many took refuge there after the Armenian Genocide in 1915.
They refer to the enclave of people as "Artsakh," but Azerbaijan has long claimed the territory as its own.
Many Armenian refugees have been forced to leave wit next to nothing and man prominent Armenian Americans insist the U.S. response has been weak and encouraged Azerbaijan to take aim at Armenia itself.
"I came back to Boston to tell you one thing. We have got to be so strong now because Armenia is at stake. There is no doubt that a dictator will come for Armenia after this. Why? There is no peace with a dictator," said Co-Chair of the Armenian Assembly of America, Anthony Barsamian who spoke at the gathering.
Armenian supporters say that the refugees need immediate help and that the world needs to hold the Azerbaijan government accountable. The U.S. has offered up $11 million in assistance for far.