March 31 —The Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis
March 31 —The Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis
31 of March 1998 in the Republic of Azerbaijanis marked at the state level as the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis devoted to the memory of the events of March1918. Today is the 95th anniversary of this Day, which people of Azerbaijan mark with sorrow in their heart. This reflects the people's memory about the tragic events in the history of Azerbaijan over the past century.
Glaring instances of mass murder, repression, expulsions from native land of Azerbaijanis can be considered as one of the most tragic pages of world history in XX century. There was a clear sign of Armenian nationalism, delirious idea of creating "Great Armenia", and they do not stop at any means and actions to achieve this goal.
Azerbaijan -a country with ancient history and rich culture. Geographical location of the country at the crossroads of East and West, the passage of important trade routes through it, a rich nature and fertile land have always attracted foreign invaders. Throughout whole the history Azerbaijani people were always against the tyrants, which ended with the persecution, repression and genocide. The New History and the country's recent history is also full of such examples.
As a result of the settlement policy of the Armenians and the discrimination of Azerbaijanis, "Armenianarea" was established in 1828 in Erevan Khanate of Azerbaijan. Later,in the second half of the XIX century, the Armenians to implement the idea of creating a "Greater Armenia" by capturing certain territories of the Ottoman Empire, Georgia and Azerbaijan, began to forming chauvinist parties abroad, among which are "Gnchag" (1887, Geneva), "Dashnaktsutyun"(1890, Tiflis), the organization" Union of Armenian patriots"(1895, New York).In the early XX century, revolutionary movement for a constitutional monarchy began in Russia, which ended with a wave of revolutions throughout the empire (including Baku) in 1905-1907. Taking advantage of these processes, the Armenians carried out planned acts of national massacres, mass deportation of Azerbaijanis in Baku, Shusha, Nakhchivan, Ordubad, Javanshir, Gazakh, Zangezur*, Irevan* an Echmiadzin*. In 1905-1906 Armenians destroyed 200Azerbaijani villages in Irevan and Ganja, and 75 villagesin the districts of Shusha, Jabrail, Zangezur.
In March and April 1918, Armenians killed more than 50,000 Azerbaijanis in Baku, Shamakhi, Guba, Lankaran, plundered their houses, withdraw tens of thousands people from their native places. About 30 thousand of Azerbaijanis were cruelty killed only in Baku, 58 villages were destroyed in Shemakha district, killed about 7000 people, including 1653 women and 965children.
122 Azerbaijani villages were razed to the ground in Guba district, barbarously destroyed more than 150 Azerbaijani villages in the mountainous part of Karabakh, 115 villages in the Zangezur district, and inflicted violence over the population without distinction of sex or age. 211 Azerbaijani villages in Erevan province were destroyed, burned and ravaged. In one of the numerous appeals of Irevan Azerbaijanis stated that in this historic city of Azerbaijanis and around it in a short period of time 88 villages were destroyed , 1920 houses were burned, 131,970 people were killed (the newspaper "Ashkhadavor" (Worker), 231, 2 November 1919).
All of these actions during the Soviet authorities camouflaged as fighting against “Counterrevolutionaries."
In 2007, during the construction of the stadium in Guba city there was found a mass grave. After inspection of foreign authoritative and Azerbaijani experts, it was proved that the burial which was found is the remains of victims of the events of March 1918, committed by Armenian nationalists who presented by the flag of Bolshevism at that time.
Currently the study of burials continuing, and with the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyeva memorial complex site is being constructed.
In recent years due to the opportunity, independency real truth about these events brought to the attention of world community.
Genocide of Azerbaijanis in March1918 was one of the bloodiest events in the history of Azerbaijan, along with the tragedy in Baku in January1990and the genocide in Khojaly in1992.
*now the territories of the Republic of Armenia
Unpunished crimes are always a precedent for more serious crimes. This crime was committed against millions of people. Until it would not be given apolitical and legal assessment to any acts of vandalism, separatism, nationalism and terrorism, the future of humanity is in danger.
