The patients of Svetlana they have to have patience. She asks him, that she can’t do more, that she’s sorry, that she would prescribe this medicine, that one, but that he can’t, that it’s impossible, because they don’t arrive and he doesn’t know when they’re going to. This rheumatologist have few options: “In rheumatology, the drugs we give are very specific, and we no longer have. All I do is recommend to my patients to do physical exercise. I recommend that you be active, that you don’t get stressed, that you have patience, and that only then can we overcome this situation,” he says. Svetlana Harutyunyaninhabitant of the city of Stepanakert, capital of the ‘de facto’ Republic of Upper Karabakha state not recognized by any other country in the world that lies within internationally recognized territory such as Azerbaijan.
The situation these days is complicated. On December 12, alleged activists against the climate change azeris blocked the only road -guarded by russian soldiers– connecting Upper Karabakh with Armenia and the world. Since then, nothing enters or leaves Stepanakert and the neighboring towns. Only one ambulance with a critically ill could leave. Apart from that, nothing else: no medicines or food.
“We are running out of reserves. During these days, people are looking for food, medication… and I think the emergency is coming. In pharmacies, the situation is critical because there are almost no enough drugs; only remain analgesics. Food stocks seem to be enough for now, but we don’t know how many more days we can last,” complains Svetlana from Stepanakerton the other side of the phone.
During the first days of the blockade, in addition, Azerbaijan cut off the pipeline that supplies the region, which although it comes from Armenia passes through territory controlled by Baku. That cut lasted several days, and currently the service has been restored. “The closure of this corridor has many humanitarian implications and delays the peace process. We call on the Government of Azerbaijan to restore free movement through the corridor. The only way to move on is through the talks“said last week the spokesman for the Department of State from USA, Ned Price.
A stalled peace process
The history of this territory, Upper Karabakh, goes back a long way. During the dissolution of the ussrArmenia and Azerbaijan declared war for control of this area, a region of black woods on top of the mountains. That first war, which lasted from 1991 to 1994it was won by Armenia, which created a ‘de facto’ Republic in the region and expelled the Azerbaijanis who, like the Armenians, had inhabited it for centuries.
From then on, the conflict froze. Until September 2020, when Azerbaijan started the second karabakh war. Bakuwith an Army much superior to the Armenian thanks to the money of the Petroleum and with the help of Turkey, he defeated the Armenians, after a bloody war that left more than 6,000 dead in six weeks. The Karabakh was reduced to a minimal expression, almost isolated from the world. The only way in and out became lachin’s corridorguarded by Russian soldiers.
This is the road that has been blocked this December by Azerbaijan. “Now the 100,000 of us who are in Stepanakert are waiting. Many still have saved food and share it with those who no longer have. There is a lot tension and stress, But what are we going to do? We are blocked, there is no other. The only solution is to wait and see if they open again,” says Svetlana, resigned.
Since the end of the second karabakh warin December 2020, both parties have tried to sit down to negotiate on several occasions, through the Russian, European and Washington mediation. No initiative has borne any fruit.
“The problem with the Armenian side is that they always try to postpone progress -has said recently Farid Shafiyev, former Azeri diplomat. Now they want to postpone the signing of the peace agreement until next year. This is not in our interests, and we are using the present moment“. Officially, however, Baku claims to have nothing to do with the blocking of the lachin runner.
“Every day we are a little more desperate,” says Svetlana. “Though our will is strong and we want to resist. But every time I think I’m separated from part of my familyI don’t know when I will be able to see my sister, who is in YerevanI break… this uncertainty makes it very difficult.”