Statement on re-emergence of violence in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict context
6 October 2020
Non-governmental organisations from across the OSCE region strongly condemn the re-emergence of violence in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict context and call upon all parties to end hostilities and engage in meaningful conflict resolution and transformation.
We, member organisations of the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), an OSCE-wide NGO network, strongly condemn the re-emergence of violence in the Nagorny Karabakh conflict context and call upon all parties to immediately cease hostilities and prevent further loss of lives as well as human suffering and economic and environmental damage. We also recall the importance of respect for International Humanitarian Law and request to resume and strengthen the OSCE’s existing monitoring capacities on the ground by, for example, sending additional independent international monitors to the conflict-affected areas.
We urge all parties to use all available channels of communication and re-engage in meaningful negotiations and dialogue, in particular through the existing good offices of the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation and the United States, as well as with the support of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the Conflict Dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.
At the same time, we invite the OSCE and its participating States to evaluate the conflict management, resolution and transformation efforts of the past decades of this ‘protracted conflict’, and to adjust and/ or expand current formats, mandates as well as practices where necessary, to allow for more meaningful, inclusive, participatory and sustainable outcomes, both short- and long-term, leading from ‘negative’ to ‘positive’ peace.
We call on all parties to stop the military action and refrain from targeting civilians on all sides of the conflict. There can be no justification for indiscriminate shelling of the residential and humanitarian building like hospitals, schools and residential buildings.
We also call on all the outside parties of the ongoing conflict to refrain from militaristic rhetoric fueling the further violence. Any involvement of third parties should be in harmony with efforts of international community to establish peace and return to table of negotiations.
We, member organisations of the Civic Solidarity Platform, stand ready to support the OSCE and the international community in these efforts.
List of organisations supporting the statement:
Association of Ukrainian Human Rights Monitors on Law Enforcement
Austrian Helsinki Association for Human Rights and International Dialogue
Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine
Center for Participation and Development, Georgia
Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, Russia
Citizens’ Watch, Russia
DRA – German-Russian Exchange, Germany
Foundation for the Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights “Women of the Don”, Russia
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
Human Rights Center “Memorial”, Russia
Human Rights Center ZMINA, Ukraine
Human Rights Center, Georgia
Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Lithuania
IDP Women Association “Consent”, Georgia
Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law
Legal Policy Research Centre, Kazakhstan
Netherlands Helsinki Committee
Norwegian Helsinki Committee
OMCT, international
Public Association “Dignity”, Kazakhstan
Public Association “Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan”
Public Verdict Foundation, Russia
Social Action Centre, Ukraine
SOVA Center for Information and Analysis, Russia
Swedish OSCE-network
Swiss Helsinki Committee, Switzerland
The Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom/WILPF, Germany
Photo credit: DENIS BALIBOUSE, REUTERS