Back in 1995, I chose the little-known Nagorny-Karabakh conflict, and in particular displacement into Azerbaijan, as the subject of my diploma thesis at Sciences-Po in France. I met Azerbaijani officials and humanitarian workers in Geneva and Baku, and could also interview IDPs in Azerbaijan. A summary of my research was published here:
http://josepzapater.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/cemot_0764-9878_1995_num_20_1_1289.pdf
From a more human perspective, something was missing for me – at least a glimpse on the other side of the conflict. Thus, I spent a few days in Nagorny-Karabakh (known as Artsakh for many Armenians), currently controlled by the Armenian side, during my holiday in Armenia in July 2019. Here are some pics, with some comments and reflections. Sadly, after more than thirty years the conflict remains alive, with a four-day major escalation in April 2016 in which more than a hundred persons died. Whereas conversations continue, there are little visible signs of a definitive peace deal and the return of displaced persons.
As of October 2020, violence has reignited and the region is now seeing the worst violence since the 1994 ceasefire.
