Rustam Gasimov
This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the terrible tragedy that has befallen Azerbaijan in the night from 25 to 26 February 1992. Khojaly massacre committed by Armenian armed forces with the support stationed in Khankendi 366 motorized infantry regiment, literally rocked the world community .
The most appropriate word to describe the bloody events of winter 1992 - it is a genocide , during which 613 people were killed and 487 people from among the civilian population as a result of gunshot wounds received disability. Among the victims were 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly .
Armenian aggressors completely destroyed eight families , 25 children lost both parents , 130 - one . In the night of the tragedy were taken hostage 1,275 people from among the civilian population , the fate of 150 of them is still unknown.
Today the Republic of Azerbaijan is an independent and strong state which is a member of such authoritative international organizations as the UN and the Council of Europe, OSCE and OIC . This provides the possibility of considering the issue of recognition of the Khojaly events on the world stage as an international crime - genocide.
Let's look at history to see what steps have been taken by Azerbaijan on the path of enlightenment of the international community about the atrocities committed in Khojaly and recognition of these events as genocide.
Every year the number of countries that condemn the bloody actions of the Armenian aggressors committed in Khojaly and support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the return of Nagorno-Karabakh with all the adjacent areas is growing.
First steps on the recognition of Khojaly genocide start from February 25 of 2010 , when the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Massachusetts adopted a resolution on the recognition of the genocide in Khojaly . This was followed by resolution HR 535 , passed by the House of Texas ( June 3, 2011 ) , the author of which was State Representative Jim Murphy (R-TX). And at the end of 2011, the Mexican Senate decided on the Nagorno -Karabakh conflict, which consisted of matching articles .
The process continued in 2012 , when the first of February the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Senate after hearings in connection with the " Pakistan -Azerbaijan relations " unanimously adopted a resolution on the occupation of 20 % of the territory of the Azerbaijan Republic by the Republic of Armenia and the Khojaly genocide committed by Armenians. This was followed by resolution number 1594 , Parliament pleasant U.S. state of Georgia February 24, 2012 . This resolution was the first legislative document that mentions the infamous quote of Serzh Sargsyan on "destruction of stereotypes" by Armenians in Khojaly. (In one of the interviews that period the Armenian military commander and now president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said: " Before Khojaly, the Azerbaijanis thought that they could joke with us. They thought that the Armenians would not raise their hand against the civilian population. We managed to break this stereotype").
Similar resolutions were also adopted by the legislative bodies of other U.S. states , including Maine (March 23, 2012) , New Mexico (January 28 2013 ) , New Jersey ( February 25, 2012 ) , Mississippi and Oklahoma . Does not stand aside also the Senate of Colombia, where April 23, 2012 was adopted a document on the occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Colombia recognized the Khojaly events as genocide.
Recognition of Khojaly genocide in the world arena
In 2013-2014
During the eighth session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ( OIC PS ) a resolution was adopted on the recognition of the Khojaly tragedy as genocide
January 23, 2013
Senate of New Mexico recognized the Khojaly tragedy
January 28, 2013
Arkansas House of Representatives United States recognized the Khojaly genocide . Project on the resolution was pushed onto the agenda the House of Representatives Jonathan Barnett and Karen Hopper.
February 11, 2013
Czech Parliament passed a resolution condemning Armenia for committing crimes against humanity.
February 19, 2013
Tennessee House of Representatives adopted a resolution in connection with the 21st anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy.
March 19, 2013
The House of Representatives of West Virginia adopted a resolution in connection with the 21st anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy
April 3, 2013
Connecticut State Legislature adopted a document on recognition of Khojaly genocide
April 16, 2013
Jordan Senate adopted a declaration in connection with Khojaly genocide .
May 28, 2013
The Parliament of Peru decided to recognize the Khojaly genocide
June 13, 2013
Jordan Senate adopted a statement on Khojaly issue, condemning the Khojaly genocide .
July 3, 2013
The parliament of Colombia decided on the Nagorno -Karabakh conflict and Khojaly genocide
July 30, 2013
Rep. Florida Defni Campbell signed a resolution recognizing the Khojaly massacre .
August 17, 2013
Parliamentary decree number 333-2013 in Honduras officially recognized Armenia's actions in Khojaly in February 1992 as an " act of genocide " and condemned the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan.
February 13, 2014
Petition on the official White House website
An important step in the recognition of Khojaly genocide has become the following initiative . At a special section We the People on the official website of the White House two petitions were placed in connection with the recognition of the Khojaly genocide and occupation of Azerbaijani territory with a view to bringing them to the attention of the Administration of President Barack Obama on the eve of the 21st anniversary of the tragedy. The documents were presented for discussion at the White House and until February 23, 2013 they had to collect 100,000 signatures. The fact that both the petitions collected the required number of signatures in a specified time proved the support of the world community and the correct policy of Azerbaijan.
Congressmen took the initiative for recognition of Khojaly genocide
Among the politicians who initiated the recognition of the Khojaly tragedy as genocide, we can name the American congressmen. For example, February 7, 2013 U.S. Congressman Bill Shuster urged his colleagues to recognize Khojaly tragedy as a crime against humanity. "This month we will celebrate the 21st anniversary of this devastating and heartbreaking events. Unfortunately, there is very little attention or no interest in the position of Khojaly," said Shuster during his speech in the U.S. Congress.
On February 25, at a meeting of the U.S. House of Representatives three congressman made an appeal to their colleagues to recognize and condemn the massacre of Azerbaijanis in Khojaly . Among them were Congressman Gene Green of Texas , Congressman from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx , and Congressman Tim Ryan from Ohio .
It should be noted that in recognition of the Khojaly genocide expressed solidarity the parliaments of 53 OIC member countries . As adopted at the session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC ) (Tehran on 18-19 February 2014 ) , the resolution on " Cooperation between the Inter-Parliamentary Union of the OIC and FIDIC " Khojaly tragedy has once again been rated as " an act of genocide and a crime against humanity."
Statement by the Moldovan parliamentary advocate Aurelia Grigoriu on Armenia genocide against Azerbaijanis provoked an international scandal . In early July 2013 , speaking on the theme " Respect for human rights in areas of frozen conflicts " in the international conference in Yerevan, she stated that "genocide was committed by Armenians in Khojaly and Armenia occupied 20% of Azerbaijan and committed genocide against Azerbaijanis . " In Yerevan , Gregory was forced to barricade herself in a hotel by an angry mob that threatened her with deadly violence. In her address were constant death threats from the Armenian terrorist organization ASALA. Such initiatives of politicians once again stress the importance of bringing the Khojaly issue to the attention of the world community.
Awareness campaigns aimed at the recognition of Khojaly genocide
A special place is occupied by the education campaign about the Khojaly tragedy , pursued by the Azerbaijani- American Alliance in New York . Such campaigns on monitors installed in Times Square in New York show a graphic image telling about the Khojaly genocide and reflecting statistics . The greatest impact is felt from the multimedia campaign in Washington, DC and New York , where hundreds of posters titled " Khojaly ... human tragedy against Azerbaijan" are placed in the subway, at bus stops and on buses, on stationary and mobile billboards, etc.
The campaign organizers have not randomly chosen Times Square located in Manhattan, because this place is considered the "crossroads of the world ", the attendance of which is 108,000 people per day.
This year we expect a repetition of an awareness campaign in New York on an even grander scale , which resulted in over six hours when two central monitors will inform people about the horrors that took place in Khojaly, Azerbaijan 22 years ago . In addition , South Korea did not remain indifferent to this issue. In Seoul, there were placed posters on buses dedicated to the 22nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide in the international awareness campaign "Justice for Khojaly" .
The next step in the awareness campaign can be called the film Khoja that is a full-length 108-minute feature film devoted to the tragic events in Khojaly. This is a story of love and heroism of ordinary people who are initially cool to each other, but when it comes time to protect the native land from the Armenian occupants, feelings erupt in their hearts. However, the war destroys their love.
The film Khoja, which was also featured in the movie theater Art in Moscow, broke internal records, as the most watched movie in the period of independence of Azerbaijan - 15,000 spectators watching during 4 days in the capital.
Many countries around the world in solidarity carried out processions called "Justice for Khojaly" . Usually during the processions they distributed T-shirts, posters and booklets in English (French) with information about the Khojaly tragedy .
Among the cultural events there are exhibitions, such as "Khojaly genocide in the eyes of young artists", held in Berlin on 25 February 2013, and the publication of books devoted to the tragedy : After 27 Years by Jalal Gasimov, as well as Not Grown Children dedicated to the tragedy of 25 children that lost both parents as a result of the Khojaly genocide. Facts and events in the book are presented through the stories of the children who survived the loss of both parents. The author is Elshad Eyvazli.
In addition, it is worth noting the opening of monuments dedicated to the Khojaly genocide worldwide. One of these monuments was opened in the Turkish province of Ushak on February 19, 2014.
From year to year the Khojaly tragedy finds more responses from people from different parts of our planet. Those most bloody acts committed by the Armenian aggressors gain widespread publicity in the international arena. The educational policy of our country and its constructive political action give us hope that the perpetrators of this brutal crime will be punished and the events of winter 1992 will be officially recognized by the world community as an act of genocide committed by Armenian fascists against the civilian population of Khojaly.
ANN.Az
