A Christian advocacy group submitted a letter adressed for the United States Congress asking for them to give a decisive action to help Armenians who are suffering and living in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh which is right now, conflict-torn.
Robert Nicholson, president, and chief executive officer of Philos Project, wrote that since December, Azerbaijan has virtually imprisoned 120,000 Armenian Christians in the area. According to Nicholson, this is a calculated tactic to pressure Armenia into making concessions in the delayed negotiations aimed at normalizing bilateral relations.
Christian Advocacy Group Petitions U.S. Congress Over Armenian Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh
According to the article that was reported in Fox News, the letter emphasized the urgent position of the people of Artsakh, caught in the crossfire of the geopolitical struggle. It has made a direct appeal to the House of Foreign Affairs Committee, and the official recepients of the letter were the comittee's chairman Mike McCaul, a Texas Republican, and New York Democrat Gregory Meeks.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been the main cause of the conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Even thought the area is within the territory Azerbaijan, there is a large population of Armenians and is located in the Caucasus Mountains, and because of the recent demolition of the only road that has direct access to Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia, tensions have risen recently.
The Philos Project has already urged President Biden to take action to aid the beleaguered Armenians, along with Armenian-Americans and other advocacy groups. The group contends that given the gravity of the situation, the administration's relatively silent response is improper.
According to the featured article in Yahoo! News, in his letter, Nicholson chastises the administration for handling the issue as "business as usual." He expressed disappointment that the president had ignored the problem as it was developing while also remembering the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
Nicholson highlighted a regrettable development after his prior request to President Biden: the State Department had replaced the top adviser for Caucasus negotiations. He also emphasized Turkey's concerning engagement in the dispute, which is perceived as supporting Azerbaijan's side. The Philos Project asserts that Turkey's action to block access to Armenian aircraft on the eve of talks with Blinken could be interpreted as an attempt to put further pressure on Armenia and increase Azeri leverage.
Biden Administration's Recent Dispute with Religious Groups
Recent disputes between pro-life advocates, faith-based medical professionals, and the Biden administration have brought to light the friction between religious convictions and medical practices. In the article recently published here in Christianity Daily, according to detractors, it is getting harder for faith-based healthcare organizations to provide services that are consistent with their beliefs. Due to a disagreement about the placement of a sanctuary candle, which represents Jesus Christ's presence in the Eucharist, the Catholic hospital network St. Francis Health System in Oklahoma was in danger of losing federal funding.
After widespread criticism, the Biden administration later backed down from the threat. A 2019 Trump-era regulation restricting religious activities on campuses is also being proposed to be repealed, according to the Department of Education, which argues it infringes on First Amendment rights. However, detractors contend that the repeal could violate students' freedom to practice their religion. Concerns have been raised concerning a need for more dedication to defending religious and conscientious freedom.
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