CV NEWS FEED // In a recent webinar dedicated to highlighting the plight of Armenian prisoners of war being unlawfully detained in Azerbaijan, religious freedom advocate Sam Brownback called for increased support from the US and the international community for the vulnerable nation.
“Save Armenia,” a Judeo-Christian non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding Armenia, the first Christian nation in the world from its hostile Islamic neighbors -Turkey and Azerbaijan,- has launched a new webinar series highlighting the plight of Armenian Prisoners of War (POWs.)
Former US senator and governor of Kansas, Brownback currently serves as the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.
“This is religious cleansing,” he stated of Armenians and Artsakh refugees of the recent illegally-imposed military blockade by Azerbaijan: “This would not be taking place if Armenians were muslims.”
“What’s taking place is there is a Christian population in a sea of Islam,” Brownback said of Armenia, which is a small, landlocked country situated in the South Caucasus region. It is bordered to the north and east by Georgia and Azerbaijan, and to the west and south by Turkey and Iran.
Armenia, Brownback continued, has been “a bone in the throat” of the Turks and the Ottoman empire for thousands of years. According to Brownback, Azerbaijan and Turkey have “seen the opportunity” to amplify their efforts in recent years to “wipe out” Armenia with the Biden administration distracted by Russia pulling out of its historic role as peacekeeper in the country.
Brownback called attention especially to the situation faced by Armenian POWs, who he notes have been detained under hostile conditions, and targeted over their faith—some of whom he said have reportedly had crucifixes “ripped off” of their necks during interrogations.
“We need to raise this prisoner profile issue up,” he said, “because in my estimation this one hasn’t been looked at very much.” Brownback notes that the US has means to pressure Azerbaijan on this matter by refusing to send weapons to the country and imposing sanctions against the Azarbaijani and Turkish governments, as well as the prison officials carrying out abuse against Armenian POWs.
“The US has to show some will to do this,” Brownback added. “And we need the Trump candidacy to say they’re going to do this.” He also noted that many key states in the upcoming elections are home to Armenian diaspora communities that fled to the US during the Armenian Genocide in the early 1900s.
When political candidates in these states come asking for support, Brownback advised those concerned with the state of affairs in Armenia and its POWs, “say: ‘Love to, but you gotta help Armenia.”
The webinar highlighted several ways that Americans can help raise awareness of the currency plight faced by Armenians, including Action Alert Centers for the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee.
