Source: www.forum18.org
Date: July 8, 2021
AZERBAIJAN: "They hold services and pray there, but without a congregation"
By Felix Corley, Forum 18
Since early May, Azerbaijani military forces have blocked Armenian
Apostolic Church pilgrims' access to Sunday worship services at Dadivank
Monastery. The Monastery, close to the ethnic Armenian-controlled
unrecognised entity of Nagorno-Karabakh, is in Azerbaijani territory. A
Russian peacekeeping post is located outside the entrance to the monastery,
to protect it and the six monks who continue to live and serve there.
The 9th century Dadivank Monastery – located just west of
Nagorno-Karabakh's Soviet-era borders – was in territory handed back to
Azerbaijan in late November 2020. The Armenian monastic community chose to
remain in the Monastery after the handover (see below).
Each week, the Armenian Apostolic Church prepares lists of up to 10 people
who wish to travel to Dadivank Monastery for Sunday worship. It hands the
lists to the Russian peacekeeping forces, which hand them to the
Azerbaijani military. "The Russian peacekeepers pass back to us the
rejection," Nagorno-Karabakh's Bishop, Vrtanes Abrahamian, told Forum 18 on
6 July. "Sometimes the Azerbaijanis cite the coronavirus, other times they
said the road was still blocked because of a landslip" (see below).
The three monks and three deacons who currently live at Dadivank Monastery
"hold services and pray there, but without a congregation", Bishop Vrtanes
told Forum 18. He added that the Church is able to send food via the
Russian peacekeepers (see below).
Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry has not replied to Forum 18's question about
why it is blocking the pilgrims' access to Dadivank Monastery (see below).
Armenians complain that the Azerbaijani military's action is contrary to
the November 2020 verbal agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that access to Christian sites would
be guaranteed (see below).
The verbal agreement followed the 9 November 2020 tripartite agreement that
ended a bitter 44-day war between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over
control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories (see below).
There have also been concerns about destruction by Azerbaijan of historic
Armenian places of worship and other monuments. Azerbaijani human rights
defenders have noted that this may be aimed at cementing the regime's grip
on power. One Azerbaijani historian, who wished to remain anonymous, stated
that Azerbaijanis who object to the destruction of Armenian heritage
"prefer silent rage over jail time" (see below).
No visits since Sunday 2 May
There has been an increasing pattern of Azerbaijan blocking pilgrims to
Dadivank. On 18 April 2021, Russian peacekeepers told Armenian Apostolic
Church leaders that Azerbaijan had stated that only 15 pilgrims would be
allowed to visit the monastery on the following Sunday, not the planned 25.
Then on the evening of 23 April, the Church was informed that only 10
pilgrims, including Bishop Vrtanes, Deacon Manvel Sargsyan (who was due to
be ordained at the Monastery on the Sunday), and his parents, would be
allowed through.
On 25 April, the 10 pilgrims – accompanied by Russian peacekeeping forces
– arrived at the Azerbaijani checkpoint just before the monastery. After
a delay of 15-20 minutes – as against the usual 5 minute wait –
Azerbaijan refused to allow the pilgrims through, blaming the coronavirus
pandemic. Despite the
Azerbaijani military's claims about the coronavirus pandemic, the
Azerbaijani soldiers at the checkpoint were not wearing masks or
maintaining social distance, Bishop Vrtanes told Forum 18
Sunday 2 May was the last time the Azerbaijani military allowed Armenian
Apostolic pilgrims to travel to Dadivank Monastery from Nagorno-Karabakh,
the Russian peacekeeping forces noted on their website the following day.
Since then, the Azerbaijani military have rejected all further visits by
Armenian pilgrims from Nagorno-Karabakh, Bishop Vrtanes told Forum 18 on 6
July.
In sharp contrast, on Tuesday 4 May there was a visit to Dadivank from
Azerbaijan's capital Baku by 30 Udis, Protestants, journalists and
Azerbaijani officials, two days after Russian Orthodox Easter. The visit
was – like all visits - accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, the Russian
peacekeeping forces website noted.
Requests denied every week since 2 May
Each week since 2 May, the Armenian Apostolic Church prepares lists of up
to 10 people who wish to travel to Dadivank Monastery for Sunday worship.
It hands the lists to the Russian peacekeeping forces, which hand them to
the Azerbaijani military. "The Russian peacekeepers pass back to us the
rejection," Bishop Vrtanes told Forum 18. "Sometimes the Azerbaijanis cite
the coronavirus, other times they said the road was still blocked because
of a landslip."
The area where the Monastery is located suffered heavy rains in May, which
caused the landslip, Bishop Vrtanes said. "But the road was quickly
rebuilt."
A member of the Russian peacekeeping forces told Forum 18 that following
the heavy rain and landslip in early May, the road from Nagorno-Karabakh to
the Monastery was left unrepaired for about three weeks. "The Azerbaijani
authorities then completed the necessary repairs and the road was passable
again."
Bishop Vrtanes thinks the Azerbaijani military are using excuses to prevent
access by Armenian pilgrims to the Monastery. "They do not want Dadivank to
function as a Christian monastery, but they can't say directly that they
don't want this," he insisted. "So they use technical issues."
Three monks and three deacons currently live at Dadivank Monastery. "They
hold services and pray there, but without a congregation," Bishop Vrtanes
told Forum 18. He added that the Church is able to send food via the
Russian peacekeepers.
Two Armenian residents of Stepanakert told Isabella Sargsyan of the Eurasia
Partnership Foundation in Yerevan on 8 July that they knew of no one who
had been able to visit Dadivank Monastery since May. They added that no one
now knows if they can or cannot go to the Monastery and are very unhappy
about this.
On the afternoon of 6 July, Forum 18 asked the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry
Press Office in Baku in writing why Azerbaijani military personnel prevent
Armenian pilgrims from travelling to Dadivank Monastery for worship on
Sundays when there is an agreement that people can visit religious sites.
Forum 18 received no response by the end of the working day in Baku of 8
July.
The Defence Ministry has also not replied to Forum 18's questions about why
it stopped pilgrims visiting the Monastery on 25 April. The question was –
at the Defence Ministry's request – made in writing on 28 April.
The headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Stepanakert, the
capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, declined to comment to Forum 18 on 7 July.
The unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh entity's Human Rights Ombudsperson,
Gegham Stepanyan, condemned in April the Azerbaijani military's "artificial
obstacles" over
access to Dadivank Monastery. He warned that Azerbaijan was "hardening its
position", pointing to earlier attempts by the Azerbaijani military to take
passports from pilgrims for the duration of the visit to Dadivank rather
than simply comparing their names against the agreed list. "Something
should be done to make Azerbaijan abide by the agreement," he told Forum
18.
"We're told everything will soon be OK and the road will be open"
Bishop Vrtanes said that he has no direct contact with the Azerbaijani
military. However, he said he meets the commanders of the Russian
peacekeeping forces and the Russian Orthodox military chaplain Fr Boris
Grishin regularly. Fr Grishin – who is currently based in
Nagorno-Karabakh - has himself also visited the Monastery.
"We're told everything will soon be OK and the road will be open," Bishop
Vrtanes told Forum 18. The Russians point to "political questions" which
are currently obstructing Armenian pilgrims' access to Dadivank Monastery,
he added. "But politics and pilgrimage are different issues."
Accompanying pilgrims
From November 2020, Russian peacekeepers have accompanied pilgrims to
Dadivank. The convoys also brought supplies of food and other necessities
for the monks.
"We only accompany the pilgrims so that there won't be conflict," the
Russian peacekeeping forces official told Forum 18 in April 2021
Russian peacekeeping forces also accompany Armenian pilgrims to the
monastery at Amaras in south-eastern Nagorno-Karabakh. The monastery is
located within the borders of the Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh, but
following the November 2020 ceasefire it is close to the line of contact
between the two sides.
"We accompany pilgrims to Amaras to provide for their security," the
Russian peacekeeping official told Forum 18. "But no lists of pilgrims are
required."
The Russian peacekeeping forces contingent regularly notes on its website
that it has accompanied Armenian pilgrims to Amaras Monastery and to
another Monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh, Gandsasar.
War, ceasefire agreement, access to religious sites
On 27 September 2020, conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and both the
ethnic Nagorno-Karabakh entity and Armenia. Azerbaijan reclaimed large
areas that the unrecognised entity of Nagorno-Karabakh had held since a war
over the enclave in the 1990s. Up to a total of around 10,000 soldiers and
civilians from both sides were reported to have been killed in the 2020
conflict.
In 9 November 2020, the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders agreed a
ceasefire in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, which came into force the
following day. The agreement required Armenian withdrawal from territories
around Nagorno-Karabakh, and the arrival of Russian peacekeeping forces to
oversee the ceasefire.
Over the days after the agreement was signed, negotiations continued over
how it would be implemented.
"In a [telephone] conversation with Ilham Aliyev," the Kremlin website
noted on 14 November 2020, "Vladimir Putin drew attention in particular to
the presence of Christian churches and monasteries in areas which in
accordance with the tripartite Agreement are being returned to the
Azerbaijani Republic. In connection with this, he underlined the importance
of guaranteeing the security and normal church activity of these shrines.
The President of Azerbaijan showed understanding on this issue and said
that the Azerbaijani side will act precisely in this vein."
A statement on the Azerbaijani presidential website the same day contained
similar wording, noting President Putin's concern over Christian sites.
"President Ilham Aliyev said that the Christian temples located in the
territories returned to Azerbaijan in accordance with the trilateral
statement, will be properly protected by the state. Christians living in
Azerbaijan will be able to make use of these temples."
The Armenian Apostolic Church monastery of Dadivank – located in
Kelbajar/Karvachar District just west of the Soviet-era boundaries of
Nagorno-Karabakh - was one of the monasteries on territory returned to
Azerbaijan's control. On 13 November 2020, Russian peacekeeping forces
arrived at the monastery. The Abbot of the monastery, Fr Hovhanes
Hovhanesian, announced that he and the other monks would remain at the
monastery after the area was returned to Azerbaijani control.
Dadivank Monastery is in territory that was due to have been handed back to
Azerbaijani control on 15 November 2020, but this was later changed to 25
November 2020.
Azerbaijan's then acting Culture Minister, Anar Kerimov, told the Russian
news agency TASS on 30 November 2020 that Azerbaijan would protect all
Christian sites and keep them accessible. On Dadivank Monastery, which the
Azerbaijanis call Khudavang, he said: "Both the Armenian community and the
Azerbaijani community will be allowed access. In Azerbaijan there is an
ancient Christian community, the Udis, the ancestors of Caucasian Albania.
And they, of course, also consider these shrines holy. Therefore access
will be open for both the Armenian community and the Udi community."
Destruction of places of worship and other monuments
There are also concerns about the possible destruction of Armenian
Apostolic Church churches and other monuments in Azerbaijan's
newly-regained territory.
By Felix Corley, Forum 18
Since early May, Azerbaijani military forces have blocked Armenian
Apostolic Church pilgrims' access to Sunday worship services at Dadivank
Monastery. The Monastery, close to the ethnic Armenian-controlled
unrecognised entity of Nagorno-Karabakh, is in Azerbaijani territory. A
Russian peacekeeping post is located outside the entrance to the monastery,
to protect it and the six monks who continue to live and serve there.
The 9th century Dadivank Monastery – located just west of
Nagorno-Karabakh's Soviet-era borders – was in territory handed back to
Azerbaijan in late November 2020. The Armenian monastic community chose to
remain in the Monastery after the handover (see below).
Each week, the Armenian Apostolic Church prepares lists of up to 10 people
who wish to travel to Dadivank Monastery for Sunday worship. It hands the
lists to the Russian peacekeeping forces, which hand them to the
Azerbaijani military. "The Russian peacekeepers pass back to us the
rejection," Nagorno-Karabakh's Bishop, Vrtanes Abrahamian, told Forum 18 on
6 July. "Sometimes the Azerbaijanis cite the coronavirus, other times they
said the road was still blocked because of a landslip" (see below).
The three monks and three deacons who currently live at Dadivank Monastery
"hold services and pray there, but without a congregation", Bishop Vrtanes
told Forum 18. He added that the Church is able to send food via the
Russian peacekeepers (see below).
Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry has not replied to Forum 18's question about
why it is blocking the pilgrims' access to Dadivank Monastery (see below).
Armenians complain that the Azerbaijani military's action is contrary to
the November 2020 verbal agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that access to Christian sites would
be guaranteed (see below).
The verbal agreement followed the 9 November 2020 tripartite agreement that
ended a bitter 44-day war between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over
control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories (see below).
There have also been concerns about destruction by Azerbaijan of historic
Armenian places of worship and other monuments. Azerbaijani human rights
defenders have noted that this may be aimed at cementing the regime's grip
on power. One Azerbaijani historian, who wished to remain anonymous, stated
that Azerbaijanis who object to the destruction of Armenian heritage
"prefer silent rage over jail time" (see below).
No visits since Sunday 2 May
There has been an increasing pattern of Azerbaijan blocking pilgrims to
Dadivank. On 18 April 2021, Russian peacekeepers told Armenian Apostolic
Church leaders that Azerbaijan had stated that only 15 pilgrims would be
allowed to visit the monastery on the following Sunday, not the planned 25.
Then on the evening of 23 April, the Church was informed that only 10
pilgrims, including Bishop Vrtanes, Deacon Manvel Sargsyan (who was due to
be ordained at the Monastery on the Sunday), and his parents, would be
allowed through.
On 25 April, the 10 pilgrims – accompanied by Russian peacekeeping forces
– arrived at the Azerbaijani checkpoint just before the monastery. After
a delay of 15-20 minutes – as against the usual 5 minute wait –
Azerbaijan refused to allow the pilgrims through, blaming the coronavirus
pandemic. Despite the
Azerbaijani military's claims about the coronavirus pandemic, the
Azerbaijani soldiers at the checkpoint were not wearing masks or
maintaining social distance, Bishop Vrtanes told Forum 18
Sunday 2 May was the last time the Azerbaijani military allowed Armenian
Apostolic pilgrims to travel to Dadivank Monastery from Nagorno-Karabakh,
the Russian peacekeeping forces noted on their website the following day.
Since then, the Azerbaijani military have rejected all further visits by
Armenian pilgrims from Nagorno-Karabakh, Bishop Vrtanes told Forum 18 on 6
July.
In sharp contrast, on Tuesday 4 May there was a visit to Dadivank from
Azerbaijan's capital Baku by 30 Udis, Protestants, journalists and
Azerbaijani officials, two days after Russian Orthodox Easter. The visit
was – like all visits - accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, the Russian
peacekeeping forces website noted.
Requests denied every week since 2 May
Each week since 2 May, the Armenian Apostolic Church prepares lists of up
to 10 people who wish to travel to Dadivank Monastery for Sunday worship.
It hands the lists to the Russian peacekeeping forces, which hand them to
the Azerbaijani military. "The Russian peacekeepers pass back to us the
rejection," Bishop Vrtanes told Forum 18. "Sometimes the Azerbaijanis cite
the coronavirus, other times they said the road was still blocked because
of a landslip."
The area where the Monastery is located suffered heavy rains in May, which
caused the landslip, Bishop Vrtanes said. "But the road was quickly
rebuilt."
A member of the Russian peacekeeping forces told Forum 18 that following
the heavy rain and landslip in early May, the road from Nagorno-Karabakh to
the Monastery was left unrepaired for about three weeks. "The Azerbaijani
authorities then completed the necessary repairs and the road was passable
again."
Bishop Vrtanes thinks the Azerbaijani military are using excuses to prevent
access by Armenian pilgrims to the Monastery. "They do not want Dadivank to
function as a Christian monastery, but they can't say directly that they
don't want this," he insisted. "So they use technical issues."
Three monks and three deacons currently live at Dadivank Monastery. "They
hold services and pray there, but without a congregation," Bishop Vrtanes
told Forum 18. He added that the Church is able to send food via the
Russian peacekeepers.
Two Armenian residents of Stepanakert told Isabella Sargsyan of the Eurasia
Partnership Foundation in Yerevan on 8 July that they knew of no one who
had been able to visit Dadivank Monastery since May. They added that no one
now knows if they can or cannot go to the Monastery and are very unhappy
about this.
On the afternoon of 6 July, Forum 18 asked the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry
Press Office in Baku in writing why Azerbaijani military personnel prevent
Armenian pilgrims from travelling to Dadivank Monastery for worship on
Sundays when there is an agreement that people can visit religious sites.
Forum 18 received no response by the end of the working day in Baku of 8
July.
The Defence Ministry has also not replied to Forum 18's questions about why
it stopped pilgrims visiting the Monastery on 25 April. The question was –
at the Defence Ministry's request – made in writing on 28 April.
The headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Stepanakert, the
capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, declined to comment to Forum 18 on 7 July.
The unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh entity's Human Rights Ombudsperson,
Gegham Stepanyan, condemned in April the Azerbaijani military's "artificial
obstacles" over
access to Dadivank Monastery. He warned that Azerbaijan was "hardening its
position", pointing to earlier attempts by the Azerbaijani military to take
passports from pilgrims for the duration of the visit to Dadivank rather
than simply comparing their names against the agreed list. "Something
should be done to make Azerbaijan abide by the agreement," he told Forum
18.
"We're told everything will soon be OK and the road will be open"
Bishop Vrtanes said that he has no direct contact with the Azerbaijani
military. However, he said he meets the commanders of the Russian
peacekeeping forces and the Russian Orthodox military chaplain Fr Boris
Grishin regularly. Fr Grishin – who is currently based in
Nagorno-Karabakh - has himself also visited the Monastery.
"We're told everything will soon be OK and the road will be open," Bishop
Vrtanes told Forum 18. The Russians point to "political questions" which
are currently obstructing Armenian pilgrims' access to Dadivank Monastery,
he added. "But politics and pilgrimage are different issues."
Accompanying pilgrims
From November 2020, Russian peacekeepers have accompanied pilgrims to
Dadivank. The convoys also brought supplies of food and other necessities
for the monks.
"We only accompany the pilgrims so that there won't be conflict," the
Russian peacekeeping forces official told Forum 18 in April 2021
Russian peacekeeping forces also accompany Armenian pilgrims to the
monastery at Amaras in south-eastern Nagorno-Karabakh. The monastery is
located within the borders of the Soviet-era Nagorno-Karabakh, but
following the November 2020 ceasefire it is close to the line of contact
between the two sides.
"We accompany pilgrims to Amaras to provide for their security," the
Russian peacekeeping official told Forum 18. "But no lists of pilgrims are
required."
The Russian peacekeeping forces contingent regularly notes on its website
that it has accompanied Armenian pilgrims to Amaras Monastery and to
another Monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh, Gandsasar.
War, ceasefire agreement, access to religious sites
On 27 September 2020, conflict broke out between Azerbaijan and both the
ethnic Nagorno-Karabakh entity and Armenia. Azerbaijan reclaimed large
areas that the unrecognised entity of Nagorno-Karabakh had held since a war
over the enclave in the 1990s. Up to a total of around 10,000 soldiers and
civilians from both sides were reported to have been killed in the 2020
conflict.
In 9 November 2020, the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders agreed a
ceasefire in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, which came into force the
following day. The agreement required Armenian withdrawal from territories
around Nagorno-Karabakh, and the arrival of Russian peacekeeping forces to
oversee the ceasefire.
Over the days after the agreement was signed, negotiations continued over
how it would be implemented.
"In a [telephone] conversation with Ilham Aliyev," the Kremlin website
noted on 14 November 2020, "Vladimir Putin drew attention in particular to
the presence of Christian churches and monasteries in areas which in
accordance with the tripartite Agreement are being returned to the
Azerbaijani Republic. In connection with this, he underlined the importance
of guaranteeing the security and normal church activity of these shrines.
The President of Azerbaijan showed understanding on this issue and said
that the Azerbaijani side will act precisely in this vein."
A statement on the Azerbaijani presidential website the same day contained
similar wording, noting President Putin's concern over Christian sites.
"President Ilham Aliyev said that the Christian temples located in the
territories returned to Azerbaijan in accordance with the trilateral
statement, will be properly protected by the state. Christians living in
Azerbaijan will be able to make use of these temples."
The Armenian Apostolic Church monastery of Dadivank – located in
Kelbajar/Karvachar District just west of the Soviet-era boundaries of
Nagorno-Karabakh - was one of the monasteries on territory returned to
Azerbaijan's control. On 13 November 2020, Russian peacekeeping forces
arrived at the monastery. The Abbot of the monastery, Fr Hovhanes
Hovhanesian, announced that he and the other monks would remain at the
monastery after the area was returned to Azerbaijani control.
Dadivank Monastery is in territory that was due to have been handed back to
Azerbaijani control on 15 November 2020, but this was later changed to 25
November 2020.
Azerbaijan's then acting Culture Minister, Anar Kerimov, told the Russian
news agency TASS on 30 November 2020 that Azerbaijan would protect all
Christian sites and keep them accessible. On Dadivank Monastery, which the
Azerbaijanis call Khudavang, he said: "Both the Armenian community and the
Azerbaijani community will be allowed access. In Azerbaijan there is an
ancient Christian community, the Udis, the ancestors of Caucasian Albania.
And they, of course, also consider these shrines holy. Therefore access
will be open for both the Armenian community and the Udi community."
Destruction of places of worship and other monuments
There are also concerns about the possible destruction of Armenian
Apostolic Church churches and other monuments in Azerbaijan's
newly-regained territory.
These concerns have been reinforced by past destruction of Armenian
cemeteries in Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhichevan and elsewhere in the
country
Azerbaijani human rights defenders such as the exiled Arif Yunus and others
within the country have condemned the destruction of Armenian monuments,
noting that this may be aimed at cementing the regime's grip on power
One Azerbaijani historian, who wished to remain anonymous, told the
Hyperallergic arts website in February 2021 that Azerbaijanis who object to
the destruction of Armenian heritage "prefer silent rage over jail time".
(END)
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