Beyond the Headlines: 5 Overlooked Truths About the Nagorno-Karabakh Crisis

While diplomats in Washington broker peace deals that ignore the very existence of 150,000 displaced people, a deeper story of legal rights, personal resilience, and a detailed plan for return is being silenced. This is the reality for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, whose homes and heritage have been erased from the political map since 2020. This is that story—an exploration of five crucial and often overlooked truths about their plight and the difficult path toward a truly just and sustainable resolution.

1. A Major "Peace" Process is Ignoring 150,000 People

It is a startling fact that current international peace frameworks, including agreements mediated by the United States, have completely failed to mention the displacement or the right of return for the approximately 150,000 Armenians who were forced to flee their homes.

This glaring omission has astonished legal experts. As Paul R. Williams, a leading expert from the Public International Law & Policy Group, observed, "In looking for the agreement, I was quite surprised that there are no [provisions] for cultural preservation or for justice." He notes that the framework seems to grant Azerbaijan sovereignty "without even addressing any of the questions relating to population and were displaced." In effect, the process not only ignores past atrocities but legitimizes a new status quo built on the expulsion of an entire community.

This isn't just a moral failure; it's a strategic one. As legal experts warn, ignoring the victims' right to return only serves to deepen grievances, ensuring that the seeds of future conflict are sown into the very fabric of the agreement.

2. The Right to Return Isn't a Political Wish—It's a Legal Mandate

The displaced population's desire to go home is not simply a political aspiration; it is a fundamental right firmly established and repeatedly affirmed under international law. Two recent and powerful examples underscore this legal reality:

• The UN International Court of Justice order of November 17, 2023, explicitly ordered Azerbaijan to ensure the "prompt, safe and unimpeded return" of the displaced people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

• A joint statement from 40 UN Human Rights Council member states, including the US, UK, and France, on October 11, 2023, affirmed that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh should be able to return to their homes "voluntarily, safely, with dignity and sustainability."

These declarations are not mere suggestions. They are mandates from the world's highest court and its principal human rights body, making the right of return a legal and moral obligation for the international community to uphold.

3. Despite Trauma, the Will to Return Home is Overwhelming

Even after enduring a months-long blockade, military assault, and forced displacement, the connection of the people to their ancestral lands remains unbreakable. A recent survey conducted among the refugees now living in Armenia revealed a powerful statistic: over 87% want to return to their homes.

This figure is a testament to the deep historical and cultural roots that cannot be severed by violence. It also stands in stark contrast to the harsh reality they currently face. Dispersed across Armenia, the displaced community is struggling with unemployment rates between 60% and 70% and a poverty rate between 70% and 80%. Their overwhelming desire to return is not just about reclaiming property; it is about restoring their lives, their dignity, and their collective identity.

4. A Roadmap for Return Already Exists

The conditions required for a safe and dignified return are not abstract concepts. Leaders from the displaced community have articulated a clear and detailed roadmap for what is necessary to make return a viable reality. Artak Beglaryan, President of the Artsakh Union, outlined the following essential conditions:

• Strong international security guarantees with a mandated international presence.

• The exclusion of Azerbaijani control, which the community views as genocidal, to prevent any renewal of the crisis.

• Joint international and local administration to build trust and oversee reconstruction.

• A reliable and safe land and air corridor with Armenia.

• The demilitarization of all surrounding areas to create a genuine zone of peace.

• The eradication of Azerbaijan's state policy of anti-Armenian hatred to build a foundation for reconciliation.

• International efforts for justice and true reconciliation.

This is not a vague wish list but a practical framework for building an inclusive and lasting peace, centered on the security and human rights of the victimized population.

5. Personal Loss Has Forged a Call for Justice, Not Vengeance

The call for accountability is deeply personal, yet it is rooted in a profound desire for a just peace, not retribution. This distinction is powerfully articulated by Artak Beglaryan, who has experienced immense personal loss as a direct result of the decades-long conflict.

I lost my father as a result of the war in 1990. I lost my eyesight as a result of the war when I was six. I lost my mother when I was 16 as a result of heart attack driven by all of those tragedies. But I don't hate the other people. I even with my family and two kids forcibly displaced and fled but escaped other prostitution or other abduction. Again, I don't hate our majority, but I hate criminals and I still believe that a just peace, a sustainable peace, an inclusive peace is possible if it's inclusive and if the voice of our people and all the victims are heard.

This powerful testimony highlights the critical difference between seeking justice for crimes and fostering hatred toward a people. It is this principled stance—demanding accountability for perpetrators while rejecting collective blame—that offers the only true foundation for long-term reconciliation and a shared future in the region.

Conclusion: An Inclusive Peace is the Only Lasting Peace

A durable peace in the South Caucasus cannot be built by ignoring the fundamental human rights of the 150,000 people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh. Their right to return is a legal mandate, their will to do so is clear, and a roadmap for achieving it exists. The Swiss Peace Initiative offers a constructive path forward by providing a neutral, rights-based framework for direct dialogue between representatives of the displaced and Azerbaijan, placing human rights "at the center of the discussions." For any initiative to succeed, the international community must recognize that there are no shortcuts to peace.

We are left with a final, critical question: What does true peace look like if it doesn't first deliver justice to those who have lost everything?