Blogian (www.blogian.net) » Remembering the Victims

Simon Maghakyan on 26 Feb 2009

Today marks the anniversary of the Armenian takeover of the city of Khojalu in 1992, as a result of which several hundred Azerbaijani civilians were killed.

Caught in the war of words between Armenia and Azerbaijan (one side blaming the other for the massacre), the memory of the killed Azeris in Khojalu has been reduced to a political tool.

Everyone is writing about the “truth about the Khojalu,” whether Armenian or Azeri bloggers.

I don’t know what other’s “truth” is, but innocent people were killed in Khojalu – and whether Azerbaijan’s army had a role in it is not important when it comes to commemorating children who died in a war.

So on the anniversary of Khojalu, I commemorate the victims of all massacres and pogroms during the Nagorno-Karabak war – whether Armenian or Azeri.

May the killed in Sumgayit, Baku, Maraga, Khojalu and many others that we may never hear about, rest in peace. These massacres are not the shame of the “enemy.” These massacres are the shame and loss of all us. May dead Azeris and Armenians rest in peace.

And in commemorating Khojalu, I also would like to remember Azerbaijan’s most famous journalist, Eynulla Fatullayev, who is in prison in Azerbaijan for having visited the town of Khojalu (after the war) and suggesting that Azerbaijan’s army, along with Armenian militias, also had a role in the massacre.

Fatullayev is also a victim of Khojalu – one caught in the war of words and one who has tried to bring Armenians and Azeris together. He is the true hero in the unholy propaganda between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Khojalu and other pogroms/massacres during the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

7 Responses to “Remembering the Victims – All of Them”

R on 27 Feb 2009 at 12:20 am #

Amen to what you have written.

Zane on 27 Feb 2009 at 3:38 am #

Great post, I agree with it 100%. I am sick and tired of each side trying to place all of the responsibility for the massacre on the other. as you mention, Fatullayev has shown that Azeri authorities were indirectly involved, and Serzh Sarkisian has essentially admitted that Armenians carried out much of the killing when he said,
“…the Azerbaijani’s thought that they were joking with us, they thought that the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand against the civilian population. We were able to break that stereotype. And that’s what appened.”
Pg. 172, Black Garden, Thomas De Waal

Onnik Krikorian on 27 Feb 2009 at 3:39 am #

No doubt in my mind, and Karabakh Armenians privately admit it happened although of course “justify” it just as some Azeris justify atrocities against Armenians and indeed, every nation does against another.

However, this says it all although the main question regards the role of Russians:

At the same time, some Armenian sources admitted the guilt of the Armenian side. According to Markar Melkonian, the brother of the Armenian military leader Monte Melkonian, “Khojaly had been a strategic goal, but it had also been an act of revenge.” The date of the massacre in Khojaly had a special significance: it was the run-up to the fourth anniversary of the anti-Armenian pogrom in the city of Sumgait. Melkonian particularly mentions the role of the fighters of two Armenian military detachments called the Arabo and Aramo, who stabbed to death many Azeri civilians.[13]

According to Serge Sarkisian, long-time Defense Minister and Chairman of Security Council of Armenia who is the current president of Armenia, “A lot was exaggerated” in the casualties, and the fleeing Azerbaijanis had put up armed resistance. At the same time he stated: “Before Khojali, the Azerbaijanis thought that they were joking with us, they thought that the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand against the civilian population. We were able to break that [stereotype]. And that’s what happened. And we should also take into account that amongst those boys were people who had fled from Baku and Sumgait”.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khojaly_Massacre

Incidentally, Human Rights Watch and other reports say more than any Armenian or Azeri account. A terrible massacre happened, and like all massacres should be regretted.

Meanwhile, just as Armenians decry and condemn denial of the Genocide, isn’t it about time we hung our heads in shame for denying this?

Onnik Krikorian on 27 Feb 2009 at 3:59 am #

Interestingly, when we talk about massacres of Armenians we never remember to talk about Azeri, Georgian, Turkish etc victims.

Yes, the other side never does the same as well. However, it’s why I can no longer believe solely Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian or Turkish sources.

It’s all propaganda, sometimes amateurishly framed to appear objective, and I’m tired of it. Remember the victims on all sides in every war and strive for peace.

And such is the importance for peace that democratic and progressive elements are willing to compromise in order to achieve it. This is more important than retarded nationalism and pointless territorial claims.

It’s the 21st Century now and not the past. Look to the future… if people actually want one, of course…

Hellektor on 01 Mar 2009 at 4:00 am #

Hey, wikipedophiliac Onnik Krikorian,

Can you give us a real source? Is wiki all you can come up with?

Has a Turk ever regretted one thousand years of Armenian slaughter? Give us a break.

nazarian on 03 Mar 2009 at 11:43 pm #

Hellector,
+1.

Shame on Onnik Krikorian on 31 Mar 2010 at 4:36 am #

Shame on you for trying to equate the Armenian killing of hunderds of Azeris in Khojalu or the Azeri killings of hundreds of Armenians in Sumgait and Baku to the Turkish killings of MILLIONS of Christians, most of whom were Armenian, during the Armenian Genocide. No one is denying that civilians died during the Karabakh war but Turkey does deny the Genocide of millions during WWI. SHAME ON YOU, “Onnik”.