Address of the Khojaly refugees to the United Nations Organization, the Council of Europe and the Organization for the Security and Co-operation in Europe

Addressing to the United Nations Organization, the Council of Europe and the Organization for the Security and Co-operation in Europe - the authoritative international organizations in the world, we wish to bring to the attention of the international community the truth about Khojaly genocide perpetrated by Armenians in the Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on February 1992 and to attain the political juridical assessment of this bloody crime.

Anyone, who fairly knows the history of Azerbaijan, is aware that the city of Khojaly situated in the mountainous part of Karabakh and dates back by its existence to 3rd millennium B.C., represents by itself one of the ancient settlements of our homeland. The vivid prove of that can be seen by the exhibits as well as the unique historical monuments dug out in the archaeological excavations carried out in the territory of the Khojaly city.

Having erected a monument of the 150th anniversary of their arrival to the land of Azerbaijan from Iran in 1978 in Nagorno Karabakh, Armenians, who were aspiring to realize their illusory idea about "Great Armenia" by conquering the historical Azerbaijani lands, have consistently conducted a policy of occupation against Azerbaijan with assistance of the foreign patrons during two centuries. There were times when Armenians resorted to such actions and the crimes against humanity like the appalling terror, mass slaughter, deportation and genocide in order to realize their ruse aim.

The countless historical documents testify that millions of Azerbaijanis, who were subjected to the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide in their historical lands in the Caucasus in 1905-1907, 1918-1920, 1948-1953, were killed in mass and expelled from their native homes. Finally, since 1988, the groundless territorial claims have been repeatedly formed against Azerbaijan. The Armenian separatism has resurrected and the Nagorno Karabakh provocation has been unfolded without any historical, political, ethnic grounds. In 1988-1989, every single Azerbaijani among 250000 Azerbaijanis living in Armenia have been deported from their historic and ethnic lands while cruelly killing hundreds of civilians. In the result of these actions, Armenia has turned into the mono-ethnical Republic, which was the dream of Armenians during long years.

Regrettably, the groundless Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which broken out in 1988, the Armenian reaction existed in the Azerbaijani territories and the painful sufferings of the innocent Azerbaijani population, which was the victim of that reaction, have faced the unprecedented silence by the authorities of the former USSR and civilized world. Inspired by such situation and availing of it, the Armenians have succeeded in their policy of genocide against Azerbaijanis and their consistent historical crimes never seen before. The Armed forces of Armenia have occupied 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan, including 7 other regions out of Nagorno Karabakh. More than one million of Azerbaijanis were cruelly expelled from their native lands, dozens of men were killed, injured and taken in hostages. Hundreds of settlements, thousands of cultural, educational and health infrastructure, cultural and historical monuments, mosques, the holy places of pilgrimage and graveyards were razed to the ground or subjected to the unprecedented Armenian vandalism.

The tragedy authored by the Armenian armed bandits in the first years of conflict in the Karabakh villages with Azerbaijani population like Karkijahan, Meshali, Gushchular, Garadagly, Agdaban and the Khojaly genocide are the historical crimes, which will remain forever as dark part of the destiny of "the long suffering Armenians".

But since February 1992, the Khojaly genocide has also entered into the same rank of the most cruel tragedies of XX century like Khatyn, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Songmi.

During the night from February 25 to February 26, 1992, the Armenian armed units with the direct participation of the 366th Soviet military regiment, which belonged to the former USSR and deployed in that time in the city of Khankendy (Stepanakert) of the Nagorno Karabakh, have attacked the city of Khojaly from 5 directions where 7 thousand of Azerbaijanis (during attack they were just 3000 persons) lived in. In that moment, the city of Khojaly was completely encircled by the Armenian armed units more than 4 months and the residents of the city had their acute need in food and medical treatment. Many sick persons, wounded, aged men, women and children were still remaining in the city.

In that night, mad Armenian bandits with the aid of their paid foreign patrons have razed the city of Khojaly to the ground. With the assistance of the countless heavy military machines, which belonged to the 366th regiment, the city was completely destroyed and burned till aches. Unarmed civilians were subjected to the awful bloodbath - the unthinkable by its cruelty humiliation has been conducted over children, women, and elderly and sick persons. In the end of XX century, Armenians have committed their next historical crime - the Khojaly genocide, which became a shame for all civilized humanity. The aim of this appalling action was to exterminate all population of the city. But thanks to the plain coincidence, the significant part of the Khojaly residents remained alive to testify in front of history. In the result of the next genocide perpetrated by Armenians against the Azerbaijani people, 613 were killed, 1275 civilians were taken in hostages. The destiny of 150 among them is still unknown. In the result of the tragedy, more than 1000 civilians, have got the fire arm wounds of various degrees and become disabled persons. 106 women, 83 young children, 70 elderly were slaughtered. 76 minor boys and girls got bodily injure.

In the result of this military and political crime, 6 families were completely exterminated, 25 children have lost both of their parents, and 130 children - one of their parents. 56 dead were ruthlessly burned alive with the special cruelty. They were scalped, beheaded, eyes gouged out, pregnant women got kicks to their belly by bayonets.

It is hard to imagine that such cruelty and wild actions, which do not have any analogue in the history, are committed by man and happened in the end of XX century in front of all world! But the world must know that the authors of this historical crime directed not only against Azerbaijanis, but all civilized humanity, are those "long suffering Armenians".

It is already the eleventh year that we, the Khojaly inhabitants, being refugees, are addressing with pain in our hearts and the big hope at the same time to all peace-loving peoples of the Earth and international organizations. We ask you not to remain silent and indifferent to all those sufferings, pain endured by us in the result of the Armenian military aggression. We do not believe that the well known international organizations of the world like UNO, COE and OSCE as well as the peace-loving powerful countries cannot make the aggressive State like Armenia, which dictates its will to all civilized humanity, to respect the justice and international law norms!

We are confident that international community will blame the military aggression of the Armenian State against Azerbaijan, assist in the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, return more than one million of refugees and internally displaced persons to their native homes, enhance the peaceful settlement in the context of the historical and political justice of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

We, the residents of Khojaly, have known with deep sorrow the cruel terrorist attacks made on September 11, 2001, which have taken lives of thousand innocent persons in mass perishing in USA. How hard it would be, but this awful tragedy global to all humanity made us to recall those actions happened 11 years ago. It is just 11 years ago, we and dozen of thousands of Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons have endured in their own life the same suffering and today, we live with such pain in tents, railroad cars and underground places, ramshackle basement.

We, the people-witnesses who miraculously survived in the Khojaly genocide, are strongly blaming any genocide or the act of terror directed against humanity and we address again with great hope to the UNO, COE and OSCE, all progressive international community, to bring to the attention of the world community that it is necessary to give the political and juridical assessment to the Khojaly genocide.

We, the residents of Khojaly, who suffered one of the most awful tragedies of XX centuries, urge all world nations to strive jointly for peace and well being. We sound the alarm and call upon all international organizations and peace-loving authoritative States of the world to mobilize for bringing down the spots of war on the Earth, strive for the free and happy human society prospering with every day to come and living in peace and well-being.

Baku city, February 15, 2003