Category: Azerbaijan

Benazir Bhutto, Indira Gandhi and now Mehriban Aliyeva

Azer HASRET

By Azer HASRET, @azerhasret

Azerbaijan is witnessing new trends and intensive reforms the last years. The country`s economy is rapidly growing, new buildings and highways are built. New plants and workplaces are opening even every week. The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev now emerges as a new era reformer leader. Indeed he has taken the country very far from that, which was in chaos at the beginning of 90s of the 20th Century.

Ilham Aliyev`s country now is most developing, most stable and most reliable to live. People coming from around the world every time are surprised seeing how rapidly the country is changing.

Azerbaijan`s jobless people`s scale is under 5% while some 20 years ago it was above 50%. Or poverty rate is below 5% as well while it was again above 50%.

Country`s population has grown to 10 million as well. It was around 7 million at the beginning of independence – early 90s.

Instead of partly being occupied by neighboring Armenia and having around 1 million refugees and IDPs Azerbaijan is building new life for every citizen – every person.

Now the country is in crossroads of the East and the West, of the South and the North. All important onshore (partly offshore) routs are crossing through Azerbaijan linking Europe to Far East – China and others.

Ilham ALIYEV

Under the leadership of the President Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijan became a hub for very important international meetings. Even NATO and US military leadership and Russian military representatives continuously choose Azerbaijan`s capital Baku for very important close meetings and consultations.

President Ilham Aliyev made Azerbaijan a member of space family having 3 space stations on the highs above our planet.

Multiculturalism and tolerant society building is state policy implemented successfully in Azerbaijan. All 3 major religions – Islam, Christianity and Judaism are developing in this country side by side in very friendly atmosphere.

While Ilham Aliyev started to rule the country in 2003 not so many people around were confident about his successes. To rule and develop a country which is continuously threatened and occupied partly by aggressive neighbor – Armenia must not be so easy for even very experienced leader. But Ilham Aliyev managed with the situation, housed hundreds of thousands refugees and IDPs, built economy and even liberated some parts of lands from Armenian occupation. The country has to solve Armenian occupation in full yet, but this is not an obstacle to country`s development due to Ilham Aliyev`s very successful leadership.

Alongside with the President Ilham Aliyev the country and the world is witnessing grow of female leader of Azerbaijan. This is Mehriban Aliyeva, The First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.

Some 3 years ago the country didn`t have vice-president, as the Constitution didn`t oversee this opportunity. As in 2016 Azerbaijani people voted in a referendum to change the major law of the country now the president has an opportunity to appoint even the first vice-president.

In the fall of 2018 Azerbaijan was going to presidential elections. But the President Ilham Aliyev decided to step down early and launch new election in early spring – April 2018. He was absolutely confident that the people of Azerbaijan will vote for him again. Because only he was that leader who brought the country so far to the new stage of very successful development. Indeed the people of Azerbaijan voted for him on April 11, 2018 and Ilham Aliyev von the election with absolute majority of votes cast. More than 80% of voters wanted him to continue to rule the country. He had renewed confidence of his nation.

Mehriban ALIYEVA

After having Constitutional changes in 2016, Ilham Aliyev appointed Mehriban Aliyeva as The First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.

Mehriban Aliyeva assumed the office on February 21, 2017. But was she new to the politics? Or was she new even on the public? Not of course.

Before coming to the Vice-Presidency Mehriban Aliyeva was very popular and successful world female leader. She was and stays as a President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which is acting worldwide to bring more happiness to people in different countries.

Or she is a chairperson of Azerbaijani Culture Friends Foundation and the President of Azerbaijani Gymnastics Federation with many more successes.

Mehriban Aliyeva was recognized for her contributions to peace worldwide and served as a goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO.

The First Vice-President of Azerbaijan – new era female leader Mehriban Aliyeva arises as very successful politician. She is a friend of children, or sport lover. She is a person who never keeps an eye away from the problems of people. She is widely loved inside and outside of country. Even the world leaders see her as a strong female leader of our century.

Mehriban ALIYEVA with Ilham ALIYEV

The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin invited her a month ago to visit his country. And Mehriban Aliyeva was the only vice-president to be received by the President of Russia.

The Vice-President of Azerbaijan deserves attention not just for only being a female leader. She is emerging new female leader in the East after past female leaders in this part of the world. She is arising after very famous Pakistani female politician Benazir Bhutto and Indian leader Indira Gandhi. They both were very positively assessed on the world as well. As they are not on the stage now, the East needed to have new female face of political leadership and Mehriban Aliyeva of Azerbaijan is very suitable successor of this mission.

By the way, Azerbaijan is going to early parliamentary elections. Ordinary it had to be conducted on November, 2020. But the parliament dissolved itself early December in order to support reforms of President Ilham Aliyev. Now the nation is going to vote for on February 09, 2020. We are witnessing that new generation politicians with Western education and new skills are moving candidacy for parliament membership. Even ruling New Azerbaijan Party has moved candidacy of those answering new calls and challenges. And there are many MP candidates which served for good in the different teams of The First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. So the people of Azerbaijan are happy to meet these new faces in the parliament. Seems that Azerbaijan is stepping up to new stage of development after February 09, 2020 and Mehriban Aliyeva is in a forefront of this stage. The world has to be ready for meeting new female leader of the East after Benazir Bhutto and Indira Gandhi.

December 30, 2019
An Ugly Face of Armenian Nationalism – Video

Azer HASRET

By Azer HASRET, [email protected]

Just to compare. I am compiling a piece where would like to show if Azerbaijan is really dangerous for people of Armenian origin to come and enjoy a trip to this most tolerant country of the world.

Why am I touching upon this issue must be clear. Just the world is discussing – arguing around a footballer of Armenian decent – Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who plays for London`s Arsenal. Arsenal is due to come to Azerbaijan – Baku, to play Europa League Final 2019 against another English team – Chelsea.

While these two teams were defined to beat for the Final, the speculations arose why the UEFA takes these English players to so far distance of 4 thousands km? Teams and their supporters believe that they could play the game in London and it would be good for Arsenal and Chelsea fans. But UEFA explained that while two years ago the decision was made, no one knew that both finalists will be English ones.

So if the decision was made some two years ago and no one knew which teams will be at the Final, speculations in regard to host city are baseless. One can say one of the teams could be from Azerbaijan as well…

Now let`s go back to Henrikh Mkhitaryan`s issue. He claims that it is unsafe for an Armenian to come to Baku, Azerbaijan. He fears for his safety and took the decision not to come to play for Arsenal. As was stated by the Arsenal and Mkhitaryan himself the decision was taken together and is personal choose of the player. We respect this decision and would count on understanding of supporters of Arsenal and Mkhitaryan. But unfortunately we see that some people and some circles have staged very wide campaign, claiming that Azerbaijan is not allowing an Armenian player to come. Because he is just Armenian…

Is that true? Not of course. The government of Azerbaijan and AFFA – Azerbaijan Football Federations Association officially stated that Mkhitaryan`s safety will be assured in very high level. Plus, official written letter was submitted to UEFA and Arsenal assuring the issue. But still a lot of people, most of whom are Armenians, are continuing an ugly campaign to accuse Azerbaijan even for being “racist”.

We feel a need to answer these stupid – baseless claims and attacks on Azerbaijan. Because while one side continuously lies and spreads ugly propaganda the world becomes a tool on the hands of that side. Our obligation is to enlighten people and tell the truth.

Is Azerbaijan really dangerous for the people of Armenian decent? Not at all. Instead of Armenia`s occupation of about 20% of Azerbaijani lands, the people of Azerbaijan and the government as well do not hate Armenians. That`s why some 30 thousands Armenians still live in Baku, Ganja and other cities of Azerbaijan side by side with other Azerbaijanis. I mean they are equal citizens of Azerbaijan like other ethnic and national minorities and enjoy the same rights as anyone else.

One more point in regard to Armenians` safety in Azerbaijan. Still alive is a great sporty show while Azerbaijan hosted The 1st European Games in 2015. Some Armenian sportsmen also were among competitors and even one of them had won the 2nd place. In a video below we are showing what happened to that Armenian sportsman in the Baku Olympic Stadium.

One can see, that while the name of Armenian sportsman is announced the people are booing him, the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev raises his hands and the people calm down, applauds the sportsman. That must be enough for those who is staging an ugly campaign against Azerbaijan with groundless anti-Armenian claims.

Or we have one more, very recent video footage depicting two young Armenians who right now are in Baku. They are sister and brother. Gymnastics sportsmen. Duhik and Garsevan Janazyan are competing at the European Championship of Sports Aerobics in Baku. Two days ago they arrived to Azerbaijan and were interviewed by local journalists. We are adding a short video footage where they express happiness for being in Azerbaijan adding that sports are different from politics.

Now if Mkhitaryan and his campaigner-supporters still are accusing Azerbaijan for being hostile to any Armenian on the world, that must be their problem, not Azerbaijan`s. We are tolerant, multicultural nation. We are not hostile towards any nation, including Armenians of the world. We have a problem with only Armenia which is still keeping under occupation Azerbaijani lands expelling around 1 million (some 250 thousands from Armenia and 750 thousands from occupied Azerbaijani lands) people from their homes.

And at the end I`d like to stress out that the case of Mkhitaryan once more shows the ugly face of Armenian nationalism which uses any opportunity to blackmail Turks, including Azerbaijani ones. But we, as a nation dedicated to multiculturalism and tolerance, will pass through this stage and once more will approve that we are a nation of sport and we understand the distance between sport and politics.

P.S. It is time for Arsenal to dismiss Henrikh Mkhitaryan at all as he caused so much noise just making such a sport game dirty for his nationalist claims…

May 25, 2019
While You Hear a Voice of Justice

Azer HASRET

By Azer HASRET, [email protected]

Recently, on the day of 26th February, 2019 US Congress` Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) raised an issue of Khojaly Massacre, perpetrated by Armenian occupant army regiments together with Russian Army`s 366th motorized unit 27 years ago. As the recent history witnesses, during this occupation and massacre operation 613 men, women, children and other innocent people of Azerbaijani nationality were brutally killed by occupant army units.

27 years has passed since Khojaly Massacre and the people of Azerbaijan always ask international community for justice and help to bring to the responsibility desk those who ordered and who implemented this act of genocide. But unfortunately many organizations and forceful actors – world leaders were not even fair towards this act of genocide.

As Azerbaijan is new democracy and looking towards new practices and challenges through the leading democracies, the people of country always are attentive to the world leader country – the United States. Even this country usually is behind democratization and bringing new values throughout the world, sometimes some voices from Washington are not fairly approaching events like Khojaly Massacre of 26th February 1992. That’s why while Hon. Alcee L. Hastings acted with statement in the House of Representatives calling “to recognize the 27th anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre” we, the people of Azerbaijan were happy to hear this. That was fair approach and an act of justice initiative.

Rising the issue, Mr. Hastings once more approved his country`s role as a major actor on the globe to bring peace and justice to humanity. We always wish to see the US like this. We believe in the mighty of the United States and we believe that this country having all opportunities can be fair mediator to solve any kind of conflicts even thousands of miles away.

While Mr. Hastings acted with the statement towards Khojaly Massacre, our belief that the perpetrators will be brought to justice were renowned again. Indeed, we want and wish to rely on US`s justice and fair approach.

We, the people of Azerbaijan and likewise countries are always alongside with those forces which are powerful and fair. And which really is in line with international rules to defend those who face injustice. In this regard Mr. Hastings` act in the House is a sign of will, which can rehabilitate belief of people of Azerbaijan. Because we were losing our belief as the US actors sometimes were ignorant towards Azerbaijani peoples` pains.

Using this opportunity we would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Hastings and call to other US Congress members to act likewise in order to help with justice to prevail. The US were and remain Azerbaijan`s ally on the globe. And Azerbaijan is the country which is trusty to its principles in combating any kind of unfair approach towards humanity. In this struggle Azerbaijan was and remain as a main ally of the United States in the region of South Caucasus and alongside geography.

In order to solve the problem of occupation of lands by neighboring Armenia Azerbaijani people look towards US`s fair approach to act more quickly and more effective. As some 1 million people of Azerbaijan are still suffering the pains of war and occupation by Armenia we look towards fair voices throughout the world. Mr. Hastings is one of the rising fair voices in this regard which surely will rehabilitate belief on the US.

Yes, Azerbaijan was very quick to respond to the US calls “in the days after September 11, 2001” to overcome the world terrorism. And Azerbaijan remains as a trusty ally in this regard. But waiting the same approach from the US side in combating occupation and inhuman approach by the aggressive neighbor – Armenia as well. In this regard Mr. Hastings voice in the US Congress was due for the hope of Azerbaijani people. And people of Azerbaijan have the right to wait more and effective efforts from the US to end with injustice in our region and bring a piece to the region of South Caucasus.

P.S. While compiling very this piece of mine I just saw an initiative by the Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. on “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting visits and communication between the United States and the Republic of Artsakh at all levels of civil society and government”. One can be shocked while seeing this, as the US does not recognize any country under the name of “Artsakh” (Nagorno Karabakh). But political actors like Pallone always were obstacle while the US tries to act in a fair manner. Anyway we believe on US fair approach as there are politicians like Mr. Hastings who really want to contribute to peace building in our region.

@azerhasret

March 11, 2019
Azerbaijan Enlists Infamous Congressman Hastings in its Anti-Armenian Propaganda

Cong. Alcee L. Hastings (Democrat of Florida) is the latest transmitter of Azeri propaganda. He issued a statement on February 25, 2019, which he entered in the Congressional Record, accusing Armenians of killing 613 Azeri men, women, and children on Feb. 26, 1992, in the Khojaly village of Azerbaijan during the height of the Artsakh (Karabagh) war. Human Rights Watch placed the number of Azeri dead at 161. Nevertheless, even the single loss of life is regrettable be it Azeri or Armenian. Cong. Hastings, a member of Azerbaijan Congressional Caucus, called the alleged killings “the Khojaly Massacre.”

These killings are controversial with Armenians and Azeris blaming each other for the deaths. In recent years, the government of Azerbaijan has made these killings a cause celebre, organizing observances in various countries and accusing Armenians not only of committing a massacre, but a genocide! These propaganda observances are funded by what is known as “caviar diplomacy,” meaning that Azerbaijan bribes government officials around the world to block decisions critical of Azerbaijan or adopt resolutions in its favor.

It is ironic that while Azerbaijan describes the alleged killing of 613 Azeris a genocide, it shamelessly denies the actual genocide of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1923.

On March 3, 1997, the Armenian Foreign Ministry circulated a statement to members of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council, rejecting the statement issued by Azerbaijan on February 22, 1997 on “the Khojalu event.” Armenia quoted the words of the then President of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutalibov who had stated that the Azerbaijani National Front “actively obstructed and actually prevented the exodus of the local [Azeri] population through the mountain passages specifically left open by Karabakh Armenians to facilitate the flight of the civilian population.” Mutalibov had made that statement in the days following “the Khojalu event” in an interview with Czech journalist Dana Mazalova published in the April 2, 1992 issue of the Russian newspaper Nizavisimaya Gazeta.

By organizing such propaganda observances, Azerbaijan’s officials have found a convenient way of countering the mass murder of Armenians in the Azeri towns of Sumgait (Feb. 28, 1988), Gyanja (November 1988), and Baku (January 1990) as well as the Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey.

Azerbaijan could not have found a more infamous member of U.S. Congress to carry out its propaganda war against Armenia. Prior to becoming a member of Congress, Hastings served as a United States District or Federal Judge from 1979 to 1989, at which time he was impeached and removed from office!

According to Wikipedia, “In 1981, [Judge] Hastings was charged with accepting a $150,000 bribe in exchange for a lenient sentence and a return of seized assets for 21 counts of racketeering by Frank and Thomas Romano, and of perjury in his testimony about the case. In 1983, he was acquitted by a jury after his alleged co-conspirator, William Borders, refused to testify in court, resulting in a jail sentence for Borders.”

“In 1988, the Democratic-controlled United States House of Representatives took up the case, and Hastings was impeached for bribery and perjury by a vote of 413–3. He was then convicted on October 20, 1989, by the United States Senate, becoming the sixth federal judge in the history of the United States to be removed from office by the Senate. The Senate, in two hours of roll calls, voted on 11 of the 17 articles of impeachment. It convicted Hastings of eight of the 11 articles. The vote on the first article was 69 for and 26 opposed….”

Cong. Hastings was disgraced for the second time when a staff member of the Helsinki Commission for which he was the Chairman, accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior! The Roll Call newspaper reported on December 8, 2017 that the U.S. Treasury Department secretly paid the staffer $220,000 to settle an alleged sexual harassment case against Cong. Hastings.

Winsome Packer, the staff member of the congressional commission, stated in a written document that Cong. Hastings touched her, made unwanted sexual advances, and threatened her job. In her lawsuit, Packer stated “that Hastings repeatedly asked to stay at her apartment or to visit her hotel room. Packer also said he frequently hugged her, and once asked her what kind of underwear she was wearing,” according to Roll Call. Cong. Hastings denied the accusation.

Finally, it appears that Cong. Hastings has maintained extensive contacts with the BGR Group, a major U.S. firm that is paid $50,000 a month to lobby for Azerbaijan in Washington.

Under the federal FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) laws, every lobbying firm has to register with the U.S. Justice Department, disclosing the contract signed with the foreign entity. More importantly, the lobbying firm’s employees are required to report to the Justice Department every contact they make with outsiders on behalf of their clients, whether by email, phone call, or personal meeting.

For example, during the six-month period of December 1, 2017 to May 30, 2018, BGR reported contacting congressional offices hundreds of times. Each time the subject matter was listed as “U.S.-Azerbaijan Relations.” Cleverly, BGR had hidden the name of the Congressman or Senator, mentioning only his or her staff member’s name.

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) conducted a lengthy investigation to identify the names of the Congress members for whom these staff members worked. The ANCA investigation disclosed that on Nov. 17, 2017, Feb. 27, March 5, March 12, April 30, May 22, May 23, and May 30, 2018 BGR lobbyists emailed Tom Carnes, a staff member of Cong. Hastings. BGR also had a meeting with Tom Carnes on May 30, 2018. In addition, on May 22, 2018, lobbyists from BGR e-mailed Susannah Jackson of Cong. Hastings office. In addition, on Nov. 2, 2017, Rob Mangas, Tim Hutchinson, K. Laurie McKay, Killoran Long, and Albert Wynn on behalf of a lobbying firm for Turkey, Greenberg Traurig, had discussions with Lale Morrison from the office of Cong. Hastings regarding U.S.-Turkish relations. Finally, on Oct. 27, 2017, Lydia Borland on behalf of another lobbying firm for Turkey, LB International Solutions, LLC, met with Lale Morrison from the office of Cong. Hastings regarding U.S.-Turkey relations.

No wonder that Cong. Hastings was given the low grade of D and D plus in recent years by the ANCA for not supporting various Armenian issues in Congress.

Azerbaijan has tried to cover up its crimes against Armenians and human rights violations of its deprived citizens by bribing foreign officials around the world and blaming others for its own wrongdoing!

March 5, 2019
Azerbaijan’s Destruction of Armenian Monuments Exceeds ISIS Crimes

“A groundbreaking forensic report tracks Azerbaijan’s destruction of 89 medieval churches, 5,480 intricate cross-stones, and 22,700 tombstones,” is the subtitle of an incredible article by Simon Maghakyan and Sarah Pickman, published in the Hyperallergic Newsletter last week. The article is titled: “A Regime Conceals its Erasure of Indigenous Armenian Culture.”

In April 2011, when the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan wanted to visit Nakhichevan, an Armenian territory classified by the Soviets as an “autonomous republic” of Azerbaijan, to verify the destruction of thousands of historical medieval Armenian khachkars (cross-stones), he was blocked by Azeri officials who told him that reports of their destruction was fake news.

Under Azeri oppression, the longstanding Armenian community of Nakhichevan had dwindled to zero! Not content with ethnic-cleansing, the Azeris proceeded to eliminate all traces of Armenian monuments, claiming that no Armenians had ever lived in Nakhichevan.

“In December 2005, an Iranian border patrol alerted the Prelate of Northern Iran’s Armenian Church that the vast Djulfa cemetery, visible across the border in Azerbaijan, was under military attack. Bishop Nshan Topouzian and his driver rushed to videotape over 100 Azerbaijani soldiers, armed with sledgehammers, dump trucks and cranes destroying the cemetery’s remaining 2,000 khachkars; over 1,000 had already been purged in 1998 and 2002,” reported Maghakyan and Pickman.

The flattened land, where the khachkars stood for centuries, is now a military rifle range. The “demolition was the ‘grand finale’ of Azerbaijan’s eradication of Nakhichevan’s Armenian past,” wrote the two authors.

Maghakyan and Pickman reported that “the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) employed remote sensing technologies in its pioneer investigation into cultural destruction. Their 2010 geospatial study concluded that ‘satellite evidence is consistent with reports by observers on the ground who have reported the destruction of Armenian artifacts in the Djulfa cemetery.’”

“Absolutely false and slanderous information … [fabricated by] the Armenian lobby,” proclaimed Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who makes frequent threats against Armenia and distorts its history.

The authors also quote from public decree No.5-03/S on December 6, 2005, by Nakhichevan’s “local autocrat” Vasif Talibov, a relative of Pres. Aliyev, “ordering a detailed inventory of Nakhichevan’s monuments. Three years later, the investigation was summed up in the bilingual English and Azerbaijani ‘Encyclopedia of Nakhchivan Monuments,’ co-edited by Talibov himself. Missing from the 522-page ‘Encyclopedia’ are the 89 medieval churches, 5,840 intricate khachkars, and 22,000 tombstones that [Armenian researcher Argam] Ayvazyan had meticulously documented. There is not so much as a footnote on the now-defunct Christian Armenian communities in the area — Apostolic and Catholic alike. Nevertheless, the official Azerbaijani publication’s foreword explicitly reveals ‘Armenians’ as the reason for No. 5-03/S: ‘Thereafter the decision issued on 6 December 2005 … a passport was issued for each monument … Armenians demonstrating hostility against us not only have an injustice [sic] land claim from Nakhchivan, but also our historical monuments by giving biassed [sic] information to the international community. The held investigations once again prove that the land of Nakhchivan belonged to the Azerbaijan turks [sic]….’”

Any Azerbaijani who dares to speak out in defense of Armenians is also attacked as an enemy of Azerbaijan. A courageous Azerbaijani writer, Akram Aylisli, paid a hefty price for telling the truth about the destruction of Armenian monuments in his hometown of Agulis (known today as Aylis). The well-known novelist was furious that the Azeri government was destroying Armenian churches. In his novel, “Stone Dreams,” the protagonist, an intellectual from Agulis, refers to memories of the town’s eight of the 12 medieval churches that had survived until the 1990’s, and protects a victim of anti-Armenian pogroms in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku. Pres. Aliyev revoked Aylisli’s pension and title of “People’s Writer.” His writings were removed from school curricula, his books were publicly burned, and his family members were fired from their jobs. He has been under de facto house arrest since the release of his novel. Aylisli protested the destruction of the Armenian churches in Agulis and resigned from his position as Member of Azerbaijan’s Parliament. He fearlessly sent a telegram to Pres. Heydar Aliyev in 1997, calling the destruction of the Armenian churches in Aylis an “act of vandalism being perpetrated through the involvement of armed forces and employment of anti-tank mines.”

The two authors spoke with Russian journalist Shura Burtin who after interviewing Aylisli in 2013 traveled to Nakhichevan and reported that he didn’t see “a trace of the area’s glorious past.” Burtin concluded: “Not even ISIS could commit such an epic crime against humanity.”

The authors reported that Aylisli’s 2018 non-fiction essay in Farewell, claimed “that a mosque built five years ago on the site of one of the destroyed churches has been boycotted by locals because ‘everyone in Aylis knows that prayers offered in a mosque built in the place of a church don’t reach the ears of Allah.’”

Argam Ayvazyan, a native of Nakhichevan who spent decades photographing the local Armenian monuments before their destruction, was quoted by Maghakyan and Pickman as decrying the world’s silence: “Oil-rich Azerbaijan’s annihilation of Nakhichevan’s Armenian past make it worse than ISIS, yet UNESCO and most Westerners have looked away.” ISIS-demolished sites like Palmyra can be renovated, Ayvazyan argued, but “all that remain of Nakhichevan’s Armenian churches and cross-stones that survived earthquakes, caliphs, Tamerlane, and Stalin are my photographs.”

February 26, 2019
Baku. Remembering 20 January 1990

By Azer HASRET, [email protected]

Those days I was a student. Azerbaijan still was a part of the Soviet Union. Thus, was not independent like today. There were no freedoms under hegemony of Russians in my beloved country. We were under exploitation.

More than 250 thousands Azerbaijanis living in Armenia were forced to deportation in 1988. And they faced beating, harassment, insults and even killing by Armenians in order to be eliminated. That`s why people of Azerbaijan were on raise.

And me, just coming back from the army service and as a student had joined newly formed Azerbaijan Popular Front in order to lead national struggle for the independence of Azerbaijan. Those days I was as an individual of my nation among those hundreds of thousands filling the squares.

But the Soviets were not keeping silence as well. They used Armenian citizens to open a way to any kind of provocation in Azerbaijan. Just to show that Azerbaijanis are killing Armenians and likewise. But in reality no one was killing Armenians. Those individual killings, which arose sometimes were masterminded by the agents of Moscow`s KGB and their servicemen Armenians. So the people were provoked to cause clashes between two nations.

In such a situation everyone was understanding that the Soviet soldiers are looking for excuse to occupy Baku. That was a case of moment for soldiers to step out their positions and to butter the people.

We were on watch around with my student comrades those days. Just starting from 17 January 1990 in the centre of Baku, around “Salyan barracks” – the military base – we patrolled through the nights, early morning returned to student hostel, and for the night came back to patrol surrounding.

The nights linking 17 January to 18 and 18 January to 19 passed in a quite environment. We were able to see bearded soldiers inside the military base. There were claims that they are Armenians. Anyway we urged everyone not to provoke soldiers.

We started patrolling on the night of 19 January as usual. Somewhere around 11 p.m. I decided with my friend Nazim to go back to hostel and get a cup of tea. We came to the hostel. I started to prepare a tea. While waiting to drink a tea and listening to music we heard the first fire shout from a distance. Just looked at watches. It was 12 p.m. Yes, the attack on the city was started on the night of 19 January linking to 20 January.

We just left our teacups on the table and rushed out in the direction of “Salyan barracks”. Everyone was running in a horror to escape from tanks and automatic rifles. Even there was nothing to do with panzers and tanks. While approaching the running away people I shouted: “Where are you running?! Just turn back immediately!” People stopped for a moment, turned opposite and immediately started to run after me. I thought that fires are made just with false bullets to scare people. But while a car was shout and stopped just in front of me next to the barracks and a young man got off it, laid down on the ground being wounded I realized that we are in the center of real war. I stopped for a moment, understood that there is no meaning to go forward. The young man put the efforts and managed to get up and reached us. We started to step back slowly. Now dozens of panzers were approaching the people shouting right and left. I laid down to the ground to save myself. As the forerunners of panzers passed a while I stood up and tried to get away. There was no one around. Everyone had run into yards and tried to escape.

With my friend Nazim we walked in the city quarters up to that morning. We did not came back to the hostel. Because the people were not sleeping and everyone was wondering through balconies. Even those sleeping were on raise, the city was in excitement. We just walked around and were calling on the people to keep silence and not to be showed through balconies and windows. Because the mad bullets were throwing everywhere and everyone could become an occasional target.

We opened the morning in this mood. While we did not know the balance, we learned that there are many killed and maybe 5 times more wounded. Yes, the city was occupied. The Soviet-Russian tanks and soldiers caused these atrocities to the unarmed people who even did not have a knife at the hand. There were cars pressed under tanks, the streets were filled with the pools of blood, the hospitals were full of wounded.

Funeral of Martyrs on January 22, 1990. Baku. Estimated 1 million people attended. Photo: Rasim Sadikhov

There was no wounded or killed among my friends. But there were a lot of elderly people, children and women among killed. And not only Turks were among killed, but Jews, Russians and representatives of other nations. We learned the figure afterwards: 147 people killed, more than 700 people wounded. Many cars, buses, ambulances were hit, the people inside were killed. Tanks were driven on some cars. On 20 January 1990 Baku was like a battlefield. But there was only one side of the war: Russians alongside with Armenians were fighting against the people of Azerbaijan…

Now it is 20 January 2019. Total 29 years have passed from that night. Me and other eyewitnesses have not forgotten those atrocities implemented by Russians together with Armenians. Because we can`t forget…

After so many years my Azerbaijan is independent, free and strong country. We have to solve yet a conflict with Armenia. One day we will manage with this conflict as well as we managed to get free of Russian-Soviet exploitation.

January 22, 2019