An Armenian church in Watertown will hold a candlelight vigil on Sunday for the fallen soldiers.
The outdoor vigil will take place at the St. Stephen’s Armenian Church, 38 Elton Ave., on Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m.
An Instagram post from St. Stephen’s said:
“Join the Greater Boston Armenian Community in unity and solidarity for a Candle Light Vigil to honor our fallen soldiers. Short program to take place. Social distancing will be enforced.”
Soldiers from Armenia and Artsakh, an ethnic Armenian region surrounded by Azerbaijan, had been fighting with forces from Azerbaijan over the Artsakh region. A ceasefire agreement made between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia was reached on Nov. 10, and 2,000 Russian peace keeping troops were sent to the area, according to a report in the Washington Post.
The agreement drew protests in the Armenian capital of Yerevan by people upset with the terms of the agreement, which gave Azerbaijan control of the territory in Artsakh which it gained during the conflict.
Congresswoman Katherine Clark, who’s district includes Watertown, sent out a statement about the ceasefire agreement, which she called “unjust.” The statement reads”
“My thoughts are with Armenians around the world during this difficult time. I too am devastated by the u:just terms of the ceasefire agreement forced upon the people of Armenia and Artsakh by Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Under these terms thousands of Armenians would be displaced, the long-term security of Artsakh would be denied, and Azerbaijan’s unrepentant aggression against Armenians would be rewarded. The Trump administration should have used all diplomatic means at its disposal to meaningfully condemn Azerbaijani and Turkish human rights abusers, put an end to the hostilities, and bring about a return to peaceful negotiations. This failure of American leadership is unacceptable. Our inaction has put many lives at risk and jeopardized the path to peace. The United States must now reengage on negotiations for a lasting and fair settlement through the OSCE Minsk Group that allows for all displaced Armenians to safely return to their homes. It is my hope that the next administration will do more to end U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan, hold Turkey to account for its involvement in the conflict, and support the people of Artsakh’s right to self-determination.”
On Thursday, The Armenian Mirror-Spectator ran a story about efforts to help wounded Armenian and Artsakh soldiers. See more information here: https://mirrorspectator.com/2020/11/19/wounded-heroes-of-armenia-and-artsakh-still-need-diasporas-help/