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
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 