More than 100,000 refugees have fled to Armenia due to a conflict with Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev planted Azerbaijani national flags in Artsakh — the former home of refugees — when Azerbaijani reclaimed the area with a military offensive.
Artsakh is also known as Nagorno-Karabakh. The area is recognized internationally as Azerbaijani territory and has endured disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan for decades. Refugee family member Ani Setian reacted to the Aliyev's actions.
“Both of my grandparents are from there — my mom would go there every summer,” Setian said. “I think it’s angering knowing they’re putting their flag in our ancestral home.”
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The refugees endured a blockade that cut off food and medical supplies before fleeing. To raise awareness, local Armenians held several protests, including blocking the 101 freeway.
“We are going through trauma witnessing a second genocide that is taking place,” Armenian National Committee of America member Raffi Kassabian said.
The corner of Wilshire and Granville in Brentwood was named Artsakh Square in late August. This action was criticized by Azerbaijani Consul General Ramil Gurbanov.
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“We categorically reject all the unfounded and groundless allegations on the existence of a blockade or humanitarian crisis as propagated by Armenia, some of which have also been echoed to some extent in the statement of senior officials of the Los Angeles City Council,” Gurbanov wrote in a statement.
Local Armenians are calling on the U.S. government to support Armenia.
"The U.S. government, the State Department, they must send humanitarian aid to the Armenian refugees,” said Kassabian.
Setian said she is hopeful that the refugees can rebuild their lives in Armenia knowing that they have support from family in Southern California.
“I do believe Armenia will be significantly brighter and the future more hopeful with these new refugees here,” Setian said.
Correction: Raffi Kassabian's name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story.
