Op-Ed by Yonathan Arfi - To the Armenians of France: we share your pain and concern

In Armenian consciousness, there is a continuous link between the 1915 genocide and the situation of Armenians today.

 

The forced exile of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, which the arrival of Azerbaijani troops promises them, is not only related to a territorial dimension. 

 

It rekindles wounds that have never healed: the precariousness of the Armenian condition throughout the region's history, constantly under threat, and the endless denial of the Turkish perpetrators of the genocide and their supporters.

 

Who can blame Armenians today for being afraid of the days ahead, when the world failed to protect them when they were threatened? Who will protect them tomorrow?

 

This resonance of history is particularly keenly felt by French Jews, who have been marked by persecution for so long.

 

Above and beyond any geopolitical considerations, let us first affirm our solidarity with these Armenian families led to the roads of exodus, torn from the history and geography of their roots. 

 

At a time when the first refugees are arriving in Armenia, France and Europe must do everything in their power to deal with the humanitarian emergency of these civilian populations. Tomorrow, they will have to do their utmost to ensure the security and integrity of Armenia, should they be threatened.