KHOJALY GENOCIDE – THE TRAGEDY OF THE 20TH CENTURY
“The Khojaly genocide with its inconceivable
cruelty and inhuman punitive methods,
was completely targeted against the people
of Azerbaijan and represents a barbarian act
in the history of humankind. At the same time,
this genocide was a historical crime against humanity.”
Heydar Aliyev
The Khojaly genocide is one of the most terrible and tragic pages of Azerbaijan history. Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev said in his speech addressed to the nation of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Khojaly genocide: “This merciless and cruel genocide was the most dreadful mass terror act in the history of humankind.”
It should be mentioned that Azerbaijan has endured ethnic cleansing and genocide by Armenian nationalist-chauvinists for 200 years. The people of Azerbaijan were deported from their historical lands and became refugees and internally displaced persons because of Armenian occupation. Azerbaijanis were also forced from their historical lands during the Soviet period. 150,000 Azerbaijanis were deported from Armenia and placed in the Kur-Araz plain from1948-1953. 250,000 Azerbaijanis were forced from their historical territories in 1988 and Armenia became a mono-ethnical state. The Daghlig Garabagh events, which began in 1988 along with continuous efforts to implement the Armenian desire of building a state from sea to sea, led to the destruction of towns and villages, murder of thousands of innocent people, as well as the exile of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis from their native lands.
The Armenian government wanted to annex Daghlig Garabagh despite international legal norms and demonstrates their readiness to resort to any kind of crime and barbarism for the sake of its ideology. The Khojaly genocide – the tragedy of the 20th century – was a result of this aggressive and criminal policy. This tragedy, which took place in the 20th century was one of the most serious crimes not only against the people of Azerbaijan, but humanity as a whole. The Khojaly genocide is comparable to the genocides in Khatin, Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Songmi.
What was Armenians’ purpose in Khojaly? On one hand that was the liquidation of the strategic hindrance in the form of Azerbaijani residents of the mountainous part of Nagorny Kharabakh. On the other hand that was the razing of Khojaly to the ground. Because Khojaly was an inhabited place, which reflected the history and traditions of Azerbaijan since the ancient times. This distinct culture is classified as Khojaly-Gadabay in the Azerbaijani history. Cromlechs, dolmens, Cyclops, tumuluses of Khojaly, as well as different housing wares are the patterns of material culture that reflect the dynamics of social development. The destruction of all these material culture monuments and Khojaly graveyard – one of the most ancient cemeteries in history – after the Armenian occupation is are obvious examples of Armenian barbarism and aggression against the world culture.
Armenian millitary forces commited genocides in the town of Khojaly with the population of 7 thousand people on februrary 26 1992. There were 3 thousand people in the town at the time of Armenian millitary forces’ attack. As most part of the population had to leave town during 4 months blockade. 613 people were killed, 1000 peaceful people of different age became invalid during Khojaly genocide. 106 women, 63 children, 70 old men were killed. 8 families were completely annihilated, 130 children lost one parents, while 25 both of them. 1275 peace residents were taken hostages, the fate of 150 of them is still unknown.
All these were commited by Armeninan militaries with special mercilessness and inconceivable barbarism. 2nd battalion of 366th regiment under the command of Major Oganyan Seyran Mushegovich (“defence minister” of illegal regime in Daghlig Garabagh at present time), 3rd battalion under the command of Yevgeniy Nabokhin, staff chief of 1st battalion Chitchyan Valeriy and more than 50 officers and ensigns, serving in regiment took part in the attack. (“From the investigation materials concerning Khojaly occupation”).
A part of town residents, attempted to flee, were killed by Armeninans, waiting in the ambulshes. According to the Russian remidial centre “Мемориал”, 200 corpses had been brought from Jodjali to Agdam for 4 days, tens of humiliation facts has been discovered on them. 181 corpses (130 men and 51 women) were made forensic medical examination in Aghdam. According to the examination 151 persons dead in result of bullet wound, 20 – missile wound, 10 people were killed with blunt instrument. Remidial centre discovered fact of scalping of alive man.
Episodes of Khojaly genocide terrify people. Antiga, the resident of Khojaly, was burned alive because she did not say “these places are part of Great Armenia”. Khojaly resident Sariya Talibova told: “heads of 4 meskhetis and 3 Azeris were cut off over Armenian grave. Then they extracted eyes of 2 Azeris”.
Armenians outraged upon survors. They scalped, cut people’s head and other organs off, extracted eyes of children, choped stomaches of pregnant women. Forbidden bullets of 5,45 calibre and chemical weapons were used in Khojaly during the attack. All these facts prove that Armenia commited genocide against civil people, violating Geneva convention protokhol concerning war rules.
Khojaly genocide teriified jurnalist and publicists of russia, Georgia, Great Britain, France, Germany, the USA etc.
Khojaly refugees write in their address to the UN, European Union, Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe: It is already more than 10 years as we, persons become refeeges, appeal with heavy art and large hope to peaceful nations of the world, international organisations. We ask you not to remain indifferent about disaster, happened with us in result of Armenian agression. We believe that authorative international organisations like the UN, EU and OSCE, peaceful states will take measures against agression and tyranny of Armenia.
International conventions, laws, passed in the world, criticize genocides like Khojaly tragedy and call them inadmissible. Azerbaijan nation has all legal base to bring suit against the Armenian republic in the International court of the UN, guiding by convention “Warning and punishment of genocide crime”. The world must know this crime directed not only against Azerbaijan nation, but also whole civilized world, mankind. Persons like Seyran Ohanyan, Serj Sarkisyan, as well as Robert Kocharyan, holding high state posts at present, and others must answer before international court.
The crime should not remained without punishment. Armenian millitary-political agression must be condemned by world community. International organizations, parlaments of the world states must give political-legal appraisal of Khojaly genocide – millitary crime, commited by the Armenian Republic in the Azerbaijan territories.
Institute of History named after A.Bakykhanov of ANAS
